Wales Tourist Information, Things To Do And Places To Visit
A land full of natural Beauty and dotted with Castles
With England on the East and Celtic Sea on the west, Wales is the beautiful ancient Celtic Kingdom and often referred to as the land of castles.
The relatively small country of Wales has a rich history topped up with breath taking landscapes with spectacular mountain ranges.
From north to south, it is only 170 miles and 60 miles from east to west. However, the country packs a strong punch when it comes to number tourist destinations and things to do.
There are three National Parks in Wales with an area of over 1,590 square miles which represents roughly around 20% of the total land.
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Quick Facts about Wales
Area – 20,779 sq. km / 8022 square miles
Population – 3 million as of 2014
Capital – Cardiff
Major Airports – Cardiff
Major Train Stations – Cardiff Central,
Some cool facts about Wales
Castles – Wales has more castles per square mile than anywhere else in the world!
New York Times – A Welshman founded the New York Times
Worlds largest second hand book shop is in Wales
Mount Everest – was named after Welshman Sir George Everest
Famous Actors from Wales:
Richard Burton, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta Jones, Christian Bale
Snowdon – the highest peak in Wales at 1085m (3560 ft)
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch – A town in Wales is believed to have the longest name in the world
Millenium Stadium Cardiff – Largest retractable roof in the world
King Arthur – Wales is the Mythical Kingdom of King Arthur
Sheep in Wales – There are four times more sheep in Wales than humans at any one time approx.
Famous Welsh Inventions
Plus (+) and equal (=) signs by Robert Recorde born in 1512
Modern Symbol for Pi (π) invented by William Jones, Anglesey, 1675
Why is Wales called Land of Castles
Wales is often referred to as the Land of Castles since it is home to some of the finest surviving medieval castles in Europe.
One can experience the medieval arts of construction of Castles in Wales by visiting many of its famous castles which include Harlech, Conwy and Beaumaris Castle.
The castle capital of the world once had over 400 castles, but only 100 still survive and can be found dotted all over the country. Wales is believed to have more castles per square mile than any other country in the world!
Welsh culture & heritage
Welsh is the native language that is spoken by many in Wales and is also one of the oldest languages in the world.
Wales is also home to traditional villages that have been preserved, thriving cities and a diverse range of spectacular cultural tourist attractions. There are also over 640 renowned fortresses and six UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Wales which means that you hardly run out of places to visit in Wales.
Shopping and Recreation
Although established in the Roman times, Cardiff is one of the new cities of Britain. Cardiff boasts modern shopping malls that have earned Cardiff 6th position in the UK Shopping League chart.
Cardiff has also earned a reputation for hosting a vibrant music culture accompanied by a Brilliant night life with lively bars and diverse range of restaurants.
National Parks in Wales
Snowdonia National Park
Designated in 1951 and located on the west coast of Wales.
Snowdonia National Park covers an area of over 823 square miles of beautifully assorted landscapes.
Snowdonia is the largest National Park in Wales and also home to the highest mountain in all of England and Wales.
Llyn Tegid at 4.84 square km, being the largest lake in Wales comes under Snowdonia National Park as well as picture perfect villages such as Betwsy Coed and Beddegelert.
Brecon Beacons National Park
Brecon Beacons national park recent earned the status of world’s 5th prestigious International Dark Sky Reserve.
Brecon Beacons National Park has its own Heritage and history, myths, traditions and culture.
Standing stones from as early as Neolithic age can still be found dotted around the Park. In addition, there are also hill fort sites from the iron ages, and the 150 miles long boundary constructed by King Offa in the dark ages can also be found in the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
Being the only Coastal National Park in Britain, Pembrokeshire Coast covers a vast area of over 240 square miles of spectacular beauty in the south western shores of Wales.
Its breath taking landscapes of stunning beauty, wildlife rich coastline, sheltered rocky coves offer a fantastic holiday destination for family as well as an ideal romantic break.
St David’s Cathedral is also located in Pembrokeshire with almost 1500 years of history rooted within its medieval masonry and is one of the many historic attractions.
