One of the most magical places on earth, Wales has something to offer for everyone. Cascading waterfalls, mystical mountains, breathtaking coastal views, and teeny tiny adorable villages! Here are 33 reasons why you need to visit Wales that’ll have you booking a flight to this small, underrated country in the United Kingdom ASAP.
After spending a good amount of the past two years in Wales (thanks, Dan — so glad I met you, my little Welshie/English pal!), this little country has solidly claimed a rather large piece of my heart.
Throughout those two years we’ve explored the north, south, and middle regions of Wales; driving around, hiking, walking, chasing waterfalls, and more.
It’s been amazing!
Anywho, I wholeheartedly believe this underrated and often forgotten country in the UK (or as Dan lovingly refers to it, “slapped onto the side of England) deserves much more than it’s recognized for!
So, I thought I’d put together a packed list of reasons you should visit Wales ASAP.
Once you’re done with this post, check out the 10 best places to visit in Wales!
[no_toc]33 REASONS TO VISIT WALES THAT’LL HAVE YOU BOOKING A FLIGHT ASAP
1. Views.
Wonderful, incredible, mind-blowing views. Personally, I don’t think there are enough compliments in the dictionary to describe the awe-worthy views in which Wales delivers.
2. Mysterious Sites.
All throughout Wales, you’ll find captivating, mysterious sites that’ll have you sitting there in wonder.
3. The Adorable Sheep.
Imagine… sheep. everywhere. Wherever your head turns, there’s at least one sheep in view… that’s what Wales is like. Lol.
In fact, there’s more sheep in Wales than there are people. It’s literally the land of sheep.
4. Lots and Lots of Ruins to Explore.
This is one of my favorite reasons you need to travel Wales! There are ruins everywhere to explore — castle ruins, church ruins, ancient house ruins, and as you saw above, even massive ship ruins.
It’s a pretty wild place. And totally worth a visit.
Want to be a bit more sustainable? Check out my favorite zero waste things I always take on a trip here!
5. Ocean Views.
You get the best of both worlds in Wales: towering mountains to climb and ocean views to admire.
Like the sound of ocean waves in the morning and a challenging hike up a mountain in the afternoon? Wales is the place to be.
6. Beach Walks.
Love a good beach walk? Travel to Wales.
7. Cascading Waterfalls.
There are SO many waterfalls in Wales! You’ll have the pick of the bunch but beware… it’ll be hard to choose which is your favorite!
8. Fairytale Forests.
Can you picture little fairies peeking out from behind the moss and fluttering about the trees? Or is that just me?
9. Unique Attractions.
Doesn’t this place look like Mars? It’s actually an abandoned copper mine on the small island of Anglesey!
This is just a taste of all the unique attractions hidden around Wales.
Ever heard of Chester? It’s an ancient Roman city in England and is a perfect jumping off point for exploring Wales because it’s located the border! To check out the cheapest places to stay in Chester city centre, click here.
10. The Aqueducts.
Ever heard of an aqueduct before? It’s pretty much like one big bridge for canal boats and they are SO cool!
11. The Horseshoe Pass in Llangollen.
A personal favorite of mine, the Horseshoe Pass is a gorgeous road in Wales that offers up stunning views and an opportunity to see the gorgeous Welsh countryside.
12. Nighttime City Views.
Love a good view of a city at night? You can get that in Wales.
13. The Blue Lagoon in Abereiddi.
Located on the Pembrokeshire Coast in Wales, you’ll find a mind-blowingly beautiful lagoon with glistening turquoise blue water, jagged cliffside, and a gorgeous view of the ocean.
14. The People.
Okay, okay, I might be a bit biased on this one, as all the ladies and gents you see in the photo below are my Welsh peeps but OMG, I’ve met some of the nicest and most welcoming people in Wales!
15. Fairy Glen Gorge.
Dan and I discovered this place after a friend of mine sent me a Facebook post where a some travel page shared a random photo of a destination in Wales… and once I saw it, I knew I had to visit.
Totally. Worth. It.
Traveling to London anytime soon? Click here to see the best, most comprehensive list of the top things to do in London!
16. Sea Views.
How cute is that seaside home though?
17. Road Trips.
Since Wales is so incredibly small, you can do one big road trip and see all of it in like a week. Cool, right?
18. Endless Beaches.
See that teeeeeny tiny little person there? That’s Dan! Walking along one of the many endless beaches in Wales.
Hands down, this is one of my favorite beaches in the country. It’s called Black Rock Sands beach and it’s located near Porthmadog in North Wales.
19. Cliffside Scenes.
I’m one of those people who gets as close as I possibly can to cliffsides… just to feel that little rush of adrenaline! And Wales has some damn good cliffside scenes to explore (and take awesome photos at!).
20. Wildly Awesome Hikes.
Who else loves a good hike where you’re rewarded with an awesome view at the top?
Truth be told, I’m not really a great hiker BUT I do love a good view, so I push through. 😉
21. Churches. Everywhere.
Gorgeous churches can be found even in the most random parts of Wales. We came across this one in a particularly weird part of the country but fell in love with it nonetheless!
22. Coastal Walks.
Ugh. I LOVE this photo so much because it was taken on my first ever trip to Wales where Dan picked me up at the London Gatwick airport and we road tripped around Southern England and Wales… it was amazing.
But I digress, coastal walks can be found all around Wales and they’re all magical!
Psst, while you’re visiting Wales, why not get a peek into the wizarding world of Harry Potter at the Harry Potter Studio Tour near London?!
23. Lots and Lots of Quirks.
Ever seen a random staircase to nowhere but a grassy field? Maybe not but hey, you’ll find it in Wales! Lol.
This country is full of strange, yet charming quirks.
24. Bewitching Forests.
Not feeling the mountains, seaside, or endless rolling hills? Head to one of the many deep, dark forests of Wales where you can lose yourself beneath the trees!
25. Again, THE VIEWS.
Okay, can we just talk about the views again? Just for a quick sec?
I mean, come on! Look at that ocean views. With the rolling hills behind the water and the boats bobbing about in the bay? How can you not want to visit this place?
26. Snowdonia.
Snowdonia National Park is one of the main attractions of Wales, drawing in thousands and thousands of hikers and explorers every year!
And it’s no wonder either, as this park is ridiculously beautiful.
27. An Urban Explorers Wet Dream.
Ever heard of urban exploring? It’s all about exploring abandoned places around the world for sh*ts and gigs.
With all the random, abandoned places in Wales, this is a fantastic place to get your urb exploring on!
Don’t forget about Edinburgh! One of my favorite cities in the UK, here are top things to do in Edinburgh you can’t miss while visiting.
28. Crazy Fall Colors.
Want to see the gorgeous fall colors in a lesser visited destination? Visit Wales!
You’ll find the leaves change to captivating colors featuring robust reds, dazzling yellows, and mesmerizing oranges! It’s beautiful.
29. Spring Blooms.
Hands down, this little tiny place off one of the main roads in Wales will be forever treasured in my heart!
Doesn’t it look like something out of a Disney movie? Like Princess Belle could be strolling through the wildflowers quietly humming to herself while immersed in a worn out book?
What’s even more fascinating is that all of those white flowers are actually wild garlic! (And yes, this place smelt incredible!)
30. Charming Welsh Villages.
How cute are these seaside cottages? You’ll find adorable homes like these all over Wales in the hundreds of teeny tiny villages dotted throughout the country!
It’s one of my favorite aspects of Wales. (Yes, yes, I know. I have many many favorite things about Wales!)
31. Adventure is Everywhere.
Truth be told: you won’t find many big cities in Wales. But… what you will find is loads and loads of adventurous things to do!
Whether you want to head out on a coastal walk in North Wales or go up Snowdonia in the mountain train, you’ll find something that suits your adventure level.
32. Valley Views.
With the hundreds of mountains in Wales, you’ll also find complementary valleys weaving in between them! And make no mistake… the valley views are outta this world and totally worth visiting Wales for.
33. Things to Do, See, and Explore All Year Round.
After traveling and living in Wales over the past couple years, I’ve come to realize one key thing: there are loads of things to do, see, and explore all year round in this magical country.
In the photo below, Dan and I were seeing some friends in Brecon Beacons National Park in February and it was awesome!
Though it was a bit chilly, we weren’t limited in what we could do. Not to mention, it was off season so there were a lot less people, too! Win-win.
Are you ready to travel to Wales yet? After reading those 33 reasons and seeing the beauty (secondhand) in photos, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re buying plane tickets right now. 😉
Anywho, if you’re ready to discover the often forgotten country of Wales, I wholeheartedly support your decision of booking a trip here ASAP!
Have I inspired you to visit Wales? Or did you even know this country was a thing? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Sophie xx
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