Best things to do in Caernarfon

If you could choose only one Welsh castle to see, Caernarfon Castle would have to be on the shortlist. Edward I started to build the fortress here in 1283, when Caernarfon was the administrative center of northern Wales. Today it remains much the way it stood for hundreds of years. Head into the small video room to see a short film about the castle's history and into the Military Museum to view medieval weaponry. You'll spend most of your time, though, wandering the structure's corridors and passages. Head up to the top of one of the towers for views over town and out to the scenic Snowdonia region. The castle sits in the heart of Caernarfon, so you have plenty of options for food and drink before or after your visit.

Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, with an altitude of 1,085 m (3,560 ft). The microclimate and ecological beauty earned it the designation of the National Nature Reserve. Access the top by train or challenge yourself by going on foot. If you enjoy hiking or mountain climbing, choose from a variety of trail paths rated according to difficulty. Once at the top, enjoy some of the farthest-reaching views of the British Isles, including Ireland, Scotland, and England. For the least-strenuous route to the top, board the round-trip Victorian rack-and-pinion train. Either way, you can stop in for a mountaintop lunch at the summit cafe.

Accessible by a vintage tramway and a modern cable car, Great Orme is a prominent headland commanding extensive views of the area. Composed of limestone formed over a period of more than 300 million years, these old cliffs abound in fossil remains of primitive fish, sponges, corals, mollusks, and other invertebrates. The headland is part of a nature reserve that includes a Bronze Age copper mine, landscaped gardens, a parish church, and an award-winning summit complex. Tourist facilities include a gift shop, cafeteria, visitor center, play area, and hotel. Stop by on a clear day for a sweeping view stretching all the way to the Isle of Man.

An "Italian" village on the coast of North Wales, Portmeirion Village is a fantasyland built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975. The village's playful architecture is painted bright colors and offset by thick, green foliage. Inside these buildings you'll find hotels, restaurants, boutiques, and everything else you'd expect from a Mediterranean holiday, including a nearby body of water. Get great views of the village from the central piazza and check out Battery Square for some laid-back souvenir shopping.

Take a stroll along the pedestrian-only, Victorian Llandudno Promenade. Separated from the adjacent street by a strip of garden, the walkway provides a peaceful way to appreciate Llandudno's shore. Amble past stately Victorian hotels and stop in the town's swimming pool for a dip. Head to the bandstand where local bands--many of which are of the brass variety--perform. Check the schedule at the Venue Cymru, a theater located next to the town pool that hosts plays, shows, and musical performances. Finding parking near the walkway during summer can be challenging.

Conwy Castle has everything you imagine a medieval castle would: massive defensive walls with round towers, fortified gateways, and a perch on a rocky outcropping next to a body of water. UNESCO recognizes the castle as one of Europe's best examples of military architecture from the late 13th and early 14th centuries. Take a self-guided tour and visit the great hall, private chambers, and chapel, then head to the top of one of the towers for views of the surrounding Welsh countryside, the River Conwy, and the Irish Sea. Interpretive signs throughout the site present its history. Disabled visitors receive free admission, but wheelchair access is confined to the visitor center.

A site where the most fashionable Victorians once promenaded to the accompaniment of Jules Rivière's orchestra, Llandudno Pier is still frequently used as a set for period pieces. The pier has two entrances, the North Parade and the original entrance off Happy Valley Road. These entrances are split by the Grand Hotel, which looks out over the water and the pier. A stroll down the pier will reward you with views and a look at the exquisitely crafted ironwork balustrade. Stalls with shops and snacks line the pier, and occasionally a historic ship docks at the end.