This beautiful Victorian town is both a seaside resort and university town, but without the summer crowds of Brighton. This town, Aberystwyth, is situated on Cardigan Bay on the west coast of Wales. TripAdvisor describes its famous, mile-long promenade saying: “It is fantastic to walk along and is about a good mile in length, lots to see and do.
“It is a popular spot for leisurely walks, offering views of the coastline and access to the beach.” Aberystwyth’s beautiful seafront and sandy beach make it perfect for a traditional bucket and spade holiday. It’s one of the biggest towns in Mid Wales and home to the University of Aberystwyth, so there is always plenty going on. There are lots of lovely independent shops in Aberystwyth, so if you are stocking up on holiday gifts, bring an empty case. Polly boutique is a favourite for women’s fashion and accessories and there is Coastal Vintage and Ystwyth Books, both charming second hand shops. Siop Y Pethe, meaning the ‘shop of cultural things’, sells, as you would expect, “a little bit of everything.” Local artist Lizzie Spikes has a delightful shop called Driftwood Designs.
Aberystwyth is also foodie heaven, according to Visit Wales, which describes it as having “an abundance of options for all tastes and budgets.”
Coast magazine describes it as “a charming mix of old-fashioned shop fronts, foodie restaurants and friendly bars.”
“Ultracomida, a remarkable Spanish / Welsh deli and tapas bar, has warmth and atmosphere in spades. Have a quick (or lengthy) stop in Banera, aptly named as it’s situated in Bath Street (Bañera meaning ‘bath’ in Spanish). Here, cocktails and the hefty wine list are the order of the day.”
But a visit to Aberystwyth is all about a walk along the prom or jog if you are feeling energetic. The seafront also boasts the oldest pier in Wales (it was built in 1864), which offers the second best vantage point of Aberystwyth. And the best vantage point is at the end of north beach’s promenade, atop the 430 feet that is Constitution Hill.
At the top of Constitution Hill, at the north end of the prom, you’ll find the world’s largest Camera Obscura which provides a bird’s eye view of more than 1000 square miles, in a 360 degree sweep around Aberystwyth. The Camera Obscura is accessible via the Aberystwyth Cliff Railway. It is the longest cliff railway in Britain and is a treat for all ages and offers superb views of the town, particularly the promenade’s famed autumn and winter starling murmurations, so keep your cameras handy.
Other local landmarks worth a look include Pen Dinas Hill, an Iron Age hillfort, to take a closer look at the 1850s monument, erected as a memorial to the first Duke of Wellington.
Aberystwyth Castle was an English castle built to keep the Welsh out in the 13th century, at the same time as Flint, Rhuddlan and Builth Wells’ castles were erected.
Aberystwyth station is less than a five-minute walk from the town centre, the town can also be reached by car via the main A487 and A44 trunk roads.