Things to do in Wales

In the Welsh capital, Cardiff Castle combines Roman fort origins, a Norman keep and lavish Victorian interiors, and the free National Museum Cardiff, a short walk away, shows art and natural history, including a dinosaur display. In the north, walk a full circuit of the battlements at Conwy Castle, with views of Eryri (Snowdonia) and Conwy harbour, then take the lift or the stairs to the upper levels of the King's Gate at Caernarfon Castle, home to the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum. Portmeirion is a village of hotels, cottages, shops and cafés with woodland and sub-tropical gardens and estuary views, open to day visitors seven days a week. This area also covers Northern Ireland, where the legendary stone columns of the Giant's Causeway form the region's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Titanic Belfast tells the liner's story in the city where it was built, with SS Nomadic to board as well.

Good to knowNational Museum Cardiff is free but needs a free entry ticket booked in advance, and Cardiff Castle's grounds are free to wander, with guided house tours available as an add-on you can book on the day. Castle towers and paths in north Wales are steep, and Caernarfon's steps can be slippery when wet, so wear sturdy shoes; a section of Conwy's town walls is currently closed. Out of season only some of Portmeirion's cafés and shops open, Titanic Belfast's hours change by season, and the Giant's Causeway Visitor Experience is best value when pre-booked.