A couple days in northern Wales wasn’t remotely enough time to see even a portion of the things on our list. We ended up centralizing our stay in Conwy, which not only had its own appeal but was a great jumping off point for visiting nearby Llandudno and Snowdonia National Park.

Trying to decide whether to stay in Conwy or Llandudno? They aren’t far apart but their feel is quite different. We don’t love seaside towns full of pastel houses, taffy, and tourists, but I know lots of people who do. If that’s you, I’d stay in Llandudno. For us, Conwy was a better fit.

However, because the two are so different, I’d definitely recommend checking out both of them! Here are a few of our favorite experiences in each place.

Things to Do in Conwy, Wales

Stay at the Castlebank Hotel

We were thrilled with our choice to stay at the Castlebank Hotel while we were in Conwy. With free private parking, stunning views of the city walls and water from the upper bedrooms and front patio, delicious full breakfast offerings, and a short walk to everything downtown, it was the perfect landing spot.

Our hosts were very friendly and have been running the hotel for decades. They gave us great recommendations for nearby sites, tips for our hike in Snowdonia, explained the food situation downtown, and really warmly welcomed us to Wales.

Conwy Dining Tip: Make dinner reservations! We had no idea all the restaurants would be completely booked both nights of our visit. We ended up following our hosts’ advice and getting take away fish and chips one night (delicious and we enjoyed it on one of the picnic tables in the main square) and buying a few things from the grocery store to eat in our hotel room the other.

Explore Conwy Castle

Conwy Castle is one of the main attractions downtown and was the first castle we explored this trip.

Thanks to restored spiral staircases in its great towers you can walk a complete circuit around the battlements of Conwy Castle. We highly recommend it. This is one of the most magnificent medieval fortresses in Europe… It’s enough to take the breath away. Especially when you consider that King Edward I and his architect Master James of St George built both castle and walls in a barely believable four years between 1283 and 1287. Conwy takes its place alongside Edward’s other great castles at Beaumaris, Harlech and Caernarfon as a World Heritage Site. This famous fortress is exceptionally well preserved. It contains the most intact set of medieval royal apartments in Wales. The high curtain wall and eight lofty towers rise almost as impressively as when they were built more than 700 years ago.

https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/conwy-castle

The castle was in great shape and we had exceptional views from the towers. I only wish there had been an audio guide or additional information posted in each of the rooms – the small pamphlet they handed us simply didn’t do justice to all of the history.

See the Waterfront, Walls, and Smallest House in Britain

After our castle visit we spent some time walking the city walls – the unbroken, 1,400-yard ring of stone walls that still encircle Conwy.

We also walked down to the harbor and one of the oddities along the way – the smallest house in Britain! The tiny, bright red home featured in the photo below was a popular tourist spot and although we didn’t pay to go in, we enjoyed watching the other people who did!

The Smallest House in Great Britain is just 72 inches wide by 122 inches high. It was occupied right up until May 1900, and ever since it has been visited and marvelled at by thousands of people from around the world. The last person to live in the house was a local fisherman called Robert Jones (who also happened to be 6 foot 3) – before Mr. Jones an elderly couple lived there. The house may be small but it’s extremely practical – there’s just enough room for a single bed, a fireplace and a coal bunker.

https://www.visitconwy.org.uk/things-to-do/the-smallest-house-in-great-britain-p277171

Things to Do in Llandudno, Wales

Ride the Great Orme Tramway

As it happened, there was a very popular street fair taking place in downtown Llandudno during our visit that created traffic (and tourist) chaos. We were quite frazzled by the time we reached the streets surrounding the Great Orme Tramway – Britain’s only funicular – and grateful for the tiny size of our car, which allowed Brian to sneak into a small street parking spot!

Since it opened in 1902, visitors have been riding the tram from Victoria Station in downtown Llandudno through the Great Orme Country Park and Nature Reserve to the Great Orme’s summit. The journey covers a mile with one stop over to change tracks. At the summit, there were an assortment of cafes, shops, putt putt golf, and hiking trails.

The weather was finicky – one moment we had blue skies and lovely views and the next week were enclosed in a thick cloud.

Despite all of the activities and people, there was fencing to one side marking off lush green hillside complete with sheep. They didn’t seem bothered by the crowds or the clouds!

Walk the Pier and Promenade

Because of the street fair, the pier and promenade were also packed with people. The clouds we experienced on top of the hill were also sliding over into the harbor, creating an interesting atmosphere.

After an unsuccessful attempt to find the restrooms and a desire to flee the crowds, we wrapped up our walk and returned to our car and quiet Conwy.

Next Time

• Conwy historical walking tour, Trail with Tales with a Lady of Wales
• Conwy’s Church of St. Mary and all Saints
• Gwrych Castle and Gardens
• Bodnant Garden and Bodysgallen Hall
• Aber Falls