At a glance
32 character towns and villages — from medieval Conwy within its 13th-century walls to mountain villages like Beddgelert and Llanberis. Full town guides are in the Towns section.
About North Wales towns and villages
North Wales has a remarkable variety of character towns shaped by very different histories. The medieval walled town of Conwy was established alongside Edward I's castle in the 1280s; its walls remain complete with 22 towers and three original gatehouses — a 1.3 km circuit that is free to walk at any time. Caernarfon has a similar walled heritage, with the town founded by Edward I at the same time as the castle.
The Victorian era created a different set of North Wales towns. Llanberis grew around the Dinorwig and Dinorwig slate quarries; Blaenau Ffestiniog around the Llechwedd and Oakeley slate mines. Betws-y-Coed was transformed by the railway from a small crossing-point village into a tourist destination when the London & North Western Railway arrived in 1868.
The most distinctively Welsh towns are on the Llyn Peninsula and in Gwynedd, where Welsh is the dominant language of daily life: Pwllheli, Criccieth, Aberdaron and Abersoch are Welsh-speaking communities where English is the second language. Ruthin in Denbighshire has one of the finest medieval market squares in Wales. Llangollen — despite its English-sounding name — is one of the most culturally significant towns in Wales, home to the International Musical Eisteddfod since 1947.
Top 8 towns and villages
- Conwy —
- Betws-y-Coed —
- Beddgelert —
- Llangollen —
- Llanberis —
- Harlech —
- Beaumaris —
- Ruthin —
Towns by region
- Snowdonia
- Betws-y-Coed (gateway), Beddgelert (village), Llanberis (mountain base), Porthmadog (harbour town, Ffestiniog Railway), Barmouth (seaside), Dolgellau (market town).
- Conwy & North Coast
- Conwy (walled town), Llandudno (Victorian resort), Colwyn Bay, Abergele, Prestatyn.
- Anglesey
- Beaumaris (castle town, 14 miles from Conwy), Menai Bridge, Holyhead (ferry port), Llangefni (county town), Amlwch.
- Clwydian Range
- Ruthin (market town), Denbigh (castle town), St Asaph (smallest cathedral city in Britain), Mold.
- Wrexham
- Wrexham (largest town in North Wales, football heritage), Llangollen (10 miles, independently minded), Chirk.
Frequently asked questions
Opinion divides between Conwy and Beddgelert. Conwy is the most historically intact — it retains its complete 1.3 km circuit of 13th-century walls with 22 towers, with Conwy Castle rising above the estuary. Beddgelert is the most picturesque village — a cluster of stone cottages at the confluence of two rivers in the heart of Snowdonia, with the Glaslyn Valley stretching towards Aberglaslyn Pass. Harlech is a strong contender — castle above, sea below, Snowdonia behind.
Betws-y-Coed is North Wales's most popular inland resort — a Victorian tourist village at the junction of the A5 and A470, surrounded by Gwydyr Forest on the Afon Conwy. It is the gateway to Snowdonia from the east, with Swallow Falls 2 miles away, Zip World Forest on the edge of town, and the Conwy Valley Railway providing a car-free link to the coast. The main street has more outdoor gear shops per square metre than almost anywhere in Wales.
Llangollen is famous for the International Musical Eisteddfod held every July — a world folk and music festival attracting 4,000 performers from 50+ countries. The town sits astride the Dee in a spectacular valley below the ruins of Dinas Brân castle, with the UNESCO Pontcysyllte Aqueduct 4 miles upstream, Valle Crucis Abbey nearby, and the Llangollen Railway running steam trains east along the valley. It is one of the best bases in North Wales for combining heritage and natural beauty.
Yes — Caernarfon is more than just a castle. The walled town enclosed by Edward I's 13th-century walls is one of the best-preserved in Wales, with the independent Welsh-language town centre within. The Royal Welsh Fusiliers Museum is inside the castle. The town is strongly Welsh-speaking and the cultural heart of Gwynedd. It is also the departure point for trips to the Llyn Peninsula and has excellent restaurants and independent shops on the historic streets.
Harlech is a small but dramatic hill town on the edge of Snowdonia, famous for its UNESCO castle on an almost-vertical rock face above the coastal plain. The town itself is tiny — one street, a few shops, a couple of good restaurants and pubs. Harlech Beach (a 15-minute walk below the town) is part of the UNESCO Slate Landscape. It is a quieter, more intimate base than Betws-y-Coed or Llanberis, with direct access to the Rhinog hills and Cardigan Bay.
It depends on your priorities. For mountains and activities: Llanberis (Snowdon, Zip World, National Slate Museum). For central access to everything: Betws-y-Coed (A5/A470, Zip World Forest, Conwy Valley Railway). For heritage and coast: Conwy (castle, town walls, 14 miles from Beaumaris). For the most beautiful village setting: Beddgelert (Glaslyn valley, Aberglaslyn Pass, Glaslyn ospreys nearby). For the Llyn Peninsula: Pwllheli or Criccieth.