At a glance
7 days · All 7 regions · 4 UNESCO sites · Day 1: Conwy · Day 2: Great Orme + Beaumaris · Day 3: Glyderau mountains (Cwm Idwal) · Day 4: Caernarfon + Newborough Beach · Day 5: Snowdon (Watkin Path / Rhyd Ddu / Railway) · Day 6: Portmeirion + Ffestiniog Railway + Llechwedd · Day 7: Pontcysyllte Aqueduct + Chirk Castle · From ~£130 per person per day.
7-Day North Wales Itinerary — The Complete Week
Seven days in North Wales covers all seven regions and gives time to do the mountains properly — two separate mountain days allow genuine exploration of both Snowdon and the Glyderau without rushing. This itinerary is designed for visitors who want to experience the full range of what North Wales offers: UNESCO castles, mountain walking, the heritage railways, a coastal village, underground industry and one of the finest engineering achievements in the world.
Getting here: M56 → A55 North Wales Expressway. Junction 19 (signed "Llandudno Junction / A470 / Betws-y-Coed") for the Conwy Valley and Snowdonia. Manchester to Conwy: ~85 miles, 1h 30m.
Day 1 — Conwy Castle and Town (North Coast)
Arrive in Conwy by mid-morning. Conwy Castle (£13.10 adult Cadw) — the UNESCO Iron Ring castle with eight towers and the Great Hall. Allow 1.5–2 hours. Then the free town walls circuit (1.3km, 21 towers) — the finest free experience in North Wales. Afternoon: explore Conwy quayside or drive to Llandudno (4 miles). Evening: base in Llandudno or Conwy — the north coast is home for nights 1 and 2.
Day 2 — Great Orme and Beaumaris Castle (Anglesey)
Morning: Great Orme — ascend by the Victorian cable tramway (adult ~£8 return, seasonal) or by car via the Marine Drive toll road. The 207m summit gives panoramic views and the wild Kashmiri goat herd that roams freely. Allow 2 hours including the Bronze Age Copper Mines if time allows (adult £9.75). Afternoon: drive 30 minutes via A55 and Britannia Bridge to Anglesey. Beaumaris Castle (£8.50 adult) — the most technically accomplished of Edward I's castles, surrounded by its original water-filled moat. Allow 1.5 hours. Evening: return to Llandudno or continue to Llanberis (45 min) for nights 3–5.
Day 3 — Glyderau Mountains via Cwm Idwal
A serious mountain day. Early start essential — depart by 8am.
Drive to the Ogwen car park on the A5 (LL57 3LZ, 20 minutes from Llanberis). Walk the path from the car park to Llyn Ogwen and into Cwm Idwal — a glacial cirque that is a National Nature Reserve, with Llyn Idwal and the famous Idwal Slabs rock climbing face. From Cwm Idwal, ascend to the Glyderau plateau via the Devil's Kitchen (Twll Du) — Glyder Fawr (1,001m) and Glyder Fach (994m), with the extraordinary Cantilever Stone. Return via the east ridge and Bwlch Tryfan, or descend via the same route. Alternatively, ascend directly from Llyn Ogwen to Tryfan's North Ridge (Grade 1 scramble, 917m). Distance: 7–9 miles return, allow 6–7 hours. The Ogwen Valley café at the car park provides hot drinks.
Note: this is Day 3's mountain day — Snowdon is on Day 5. The Glyderau and Tryfan are a completely different mountain environment from Snowdon.
Day 4 — Caernarfon Castle and Newborough Beach
A gentler day between the two mountain days. Morning: Caernarfon Castle (LL55 2AY, £13.10 adult) — the grandest of the Iron Ring fortresses, with the Eagle Tower, the Queen's Gate and the still-intact town walls. Allow 2–2.5 hours. Optional: the free Segontium Roman Fort (10 min walk). Afternoon: drive 18 miles to Newborough Forest car park (LL61 6SG) and walk to Newborough Beach and Llanddwyn Island — two historic lighthouses, St Dwynwen's church ruins and extraordinary views of the Snowdonia mountains across Caernarfon Bay. Return to Llanberis base.
Day 5 — Snowdon (1,085m)
The Snowdon day. Early start — depart by 7:30am.
Snowdon is the highest mountain in England and Wales at 1,085m. Three route options for Day 5:
- Watkin Path (recommended for variety): Start from Nantgwynant car park (LL55 4NL). Ascends through the Cwm Llan valley past the Gladstone Rock, Victorian copper mine ruins and a series of waterfalls, becoming steep and rocky on the final ridge to Yr Wyddfa summit. 9 miles return, allow 6–7 hours. The least-used of the main routes — often quieter than the Miners' Track.
- Rhyd Ddu Path: The quietest approach, from Rhyd Ddu village on the western side (LL54 6TN). Open moorland scenery, excellent views of the Nantlle Ridge. 8 miles return, allow 5–6 hours.
- Snowdon Mountain Railway: From Llanberis (LL55 4TT), ~£45–62 return. Pre-book at snowdonrailway.co.uk. A completely valid alternative, particularly if weather makes walking conditions poor.
Afternoon: National Slate Museum (Llanberis, free) — the original Victorian quarry workshops, working demonstrations. Allow 1.5 hours if energy remains.
Day 6 — Portmeirion and Ffestiniog Railway
Move base to Porthmadog or Criccieth (nights 6–7). Morning: Portmeirion (LL48 6ER, adult ~£12) — Sir Clough Williams-Ellis's extraordinary Italianate village on the Dwyryd Estuary, begun in 1925. The coloured buildings, formal gardens, piazza and woodland walks are unlike anything else in Britain. Allow 2–3 hours. Afternoon: drive to Porthmadog (LL49 9NF) and take the Ffestiniog Railway to Blaenau Ffestiniog (1 hour, narrow gauge, through spectacular mountain scenery). At Blaenau: Llechwedd Slate Caverns Deep Mine tour (from £20). Return by train to Porthmadog.
Day 7 — Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Chirk Castle
The final day heads east through the Dee Valley — the one region of North Wales most visitors miss. Drive from Porthmadog via A470 → A5 to Llangollen (approximately 50 miles, 1 hour 15 minutes). Morning: Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (LL20 7TY, towpath crossing free) — Thomas Telford's 1805 UNESCO masterpiece, 307 metres long and 38 metres above the River Dee on 18 cast-iron arches. Walk the towpath across for free — one of the most extraordinary engineering experiences in Britain. Allow 1 hour including the walk from the car park. Optional: hire a narrowboat for a section of the canal at the Trevor Basin. Afternoon: Chirk Castle (LL14 5AF, National Trust, ~£17) — an Iron Ring castle completed in 1310, still inhabited and with exceptional state rooms, parkland and yew hedges. Allow 2 hours. Return home: A5 → M54 → M6 for Birmingham/London, or A483 → M56 for Manchester.
Budget
Per person, two sharing, mid-range: Accommodation (7 nights) ~£500–700 · Attractions total (without Railway) ~£120 · Snowdon Mountain Railway (optional) ~£45–62 · Food ~£45–55/day · Parking ~£5–10/day. Total: approximately £950–1,200pp for 7 days. Budget option (hostels, walking all mountains, free attractions): from ~£650pp.
Tips for the Week
- Pre-book: Snowdon Mountain Railway, Llechwedd Deep Mine, Ffestiniog Railway, and Pen-y-Pass parking (if not using the Sherpa)
- Days 3 and 5 are the mountain days — check the weather forecast at mwis.org.uk the evening before each
- The Snowdon Sherpa bus (seasonal) connects Llanberis, Pen-y-Pass and Betws-y-Coed — use it for Day 5 if Pen-y-Pass parking is unavailable
- Bodnant Garden (Tal-y-Cafn, 10 miles from Conwy) fits well on Day 1 afternoon or as a morning addition on Day 2
Frequently asked questions
Day 1: Conwy Castle (UNESCO) and free town walls. Day 2: Llandudno Great Orme and Beaumaris Castle (UNESCO). Day 3: Glyderau mountains via Cwm Idwal — a serious mountain day in the Ogwen Valley. Day 4: Caernarfon Castle (UNESCO) and Newborough Beach/Llanddwyn Island. Day 5: Snowdon (1,085m) — choice of Watkin Path, Rhyd Ddu route or Snowdon Mountain Railway. Day 6: Portmeirion and Ffestiniog Railway to Llechwedd Slate Caverns. Day 7: Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (UNESCO), Chirk Castle and Llangollen — then home. Four UNESCO World Heritage sites, two mountain days.
The itinerary separates the two major mountain days to allow recovery time. Day 3 uses the Ogwen Valley (Llyn Ogwen, Cwm Idwal, the Glyderau range) — a different and less-crowded mountain environment from Snowdon, with Tryfan's distinctive profile, the glacial science of Cwm Idwal and the arctic-alpine plant communities of the National Nature Reserve. Day 5 is then Snowdon — by the Watkin Path (the most varied and least-used of the main routes), the Rhyd Ddu path (quiet western approach) or the Mountain Railway if preferred. This ordering means Day 4 (Caernarfon and Anglesey) provides a gentle recovery between the two demanding days.
Day 5 Snowdon choices: (1) Watkin Path — the most varied route, ascending through the Cwm Llan valley past waterfalls and Victorian mine ruins, becoming steep on the final rocky ridge to Yr Wyddfa summit. 9 miles return, allow 6–7 hours. Start from Nantgwynant (LL55 4NL). (2) Rhyd Ddu Path — the quietest main route, approaching from the western side through open moorland. 8 miles return from Rhyd Ddu village (LL54 6TN), allow 5–6 hours. (3) Snowdon Mountain Railway from Llanberis (~£45–62 return, pre-book) — combines well with the National Slate Museum before or after.
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (pronounced "Pont-kuh-SUTH-tee") is a UNESCO World Heritage canal aqueduct completed in 1805 by Thomas Telford — the longest and highest navigable aqueduct in Britain. It carries the Llangollen Canal 38 metres above the River Dee on 18 cast-iron arches, 307 metres long. The towpath crossing is free and gives the extraordinary experience of walking at tree-top height over the valley, with a narrow iron trough carrying the canal water beside you (and nothing but a railing on the other side). It is one of the finest engineering experiences in Britain and entirely free. Postcode: LL20 7TY.
The itinerary works best with two or three bases rather than one central location. Suggested bases: nights 1–2 in Llandudno or Conwy (north coast); nights 3–5 in Llanberis or Betws-y-Coed (Snowdonia — convenient for both mountain days and the Caernarfon/Anglesey day); nights 6–7 in Porthmadog or Criccieth (south Snowdonia and Llŷn gateway, convenient for Day 6 Portmeirion and Day 7 Pontcysyllte drive). Moving bases twice involves packing and unpacking but gives far more immersive access to each area and reduces daily driving significantly.
Per person, two sharing, mid-range (7 nights): Accommodation ~£500–700. Attractions: Conwy £13.10 · Beaumaris £8.50 · Caernarfon £13.10 · Snowdon Railway ~£45–62 (or free walking) · Portmeirion ~£12 · Ffestiniog Railway ~£22 return · Llechwedd £20 · Chirk Castle ~£17 NT · Pontcysyllte Aqueduct crossing free. Food ~£45–60/day. <strong>Total: approximately £900–1,200pp for 7 days.</strong> Budget option (YHA hostels, walking Snowdon, free attractions where possible): from ~£600pp total.