Visit these great small towns in Wales to get the best weekend getaway this Easter break!
After the stressful period of exams and assignments taking a mini vacation will help you de-stress, giving you refreshed energy. Here are five small towns just 2 hours away from Cardiff for your perfect weekend, because you deserve it!
1. Abergavenny
Located at the bottom of Black Mountains, Abergavenny is the entrance of Brecon Beacons National Park.
The town-market is a special element here. The market would open every Sunday with various themes.
Abergavenny Museum is another interesting place to be explored. This museum was built beyond a former hunting lodge in grounds of ruined Norman fortress and gatehouse.
Visit http://www.visitabergavenny.co.uk/ to know more!
Where to stay:
Great Western Hotel is a good choice. It is just beside the train station with a medium price of 60 pounds per night.
The Kings Head will be an ideal choice with a maximum of 70 pounds per night.
Degree of recommendation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Distance from Cardiff: 26 miles (65 min by train)
2. Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is the fourth largest town in Wales and is located just south of the Brecon Beacons National Park.
The Brecon Mountain Railway is easily accessible by cycle and car, you can have a brilliant view of nature through the railway.
The town museum explains the story which makes Merthyr so important in history for Wales and Britain as a whole.
Visit http://www.visitmerthyr.co.uk/ to know more about Merthyr!
Where to stay:
Travelodge offers a cheaper price (under 50 pounds).
Castle Hotel will meet your comfort demands if you want to live in the town centre.
Degree of recommendation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Distance from Cardiff: 23 miles (60 min by train)
3. Caerphilly
North of Cardiff in the valley of the Rhymey River lies Caerphilly, a town whose origins go all the way back to the Roman period.
It is separated from the Cardiff suburbs of Lisvane and Rhiwbina by Caerphilly mountain and gives its name to Caerphilly cheese.
Caerphilly is dominated by its castle, which is the largest in Wales and second largest in the UK after Windsor.
The town developed south of the castle very slowly and remained small until the 19th century.
Find out more here: http://www.visitcaerphilly.com/
Where to stay: Travelodge, Ty Castell Guest House, Castell Cottages
Degree of recommendation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Distance from Cardiff: 7.5 miles (20 min by train)
4. Chepstow
Chepstow lies in Monmouthshire, not far from the border with England on the River Wye.
In the late eighteenth century the town was a focus of early tourism as part of the “Wye Tour”, and the tourist industry remains important.
The castle stands in the centre of the town, with plenty of handsome Georgian townhouses around.
Chepstow Castle, situated on a clifftop above the Wye and its bridge, is often cited as the oldest surviving stone castle in Britain.
Find more about:
http://www.visitwales.com/explore/south-wales/wye-valley-vale-usk/must-do-in-and-around-chepstow
Where to stay: Beaufort Hotel and The First Hurdle Guest House (less than 50 pounds)
Degree of recommendation: ⭐⭐⭐
Distance from Cardiff: 28 miles (normally less than 1h by train)
5. Crickhowell
Most people visit the small town of Crickhowell in the summer months for hill walking and fishing in the nearby countryside, which in the Brecon Beacons National Park.
The Green Man Festival takes place annually in mid-August at nearby Glanusk Park.
Because it is a place of the holiday, the hostels in town maybe a slightly high in price but luxurious also, such as The Bear Hotel which based in a former coaching inn dating from 1432.
Find more about: https://www.visitcrickhowell.co.uk/
Where to stay: The Old Rectory Hotel with a lower price around 55 pounds.
Degree of recommendation: ⭐⭐⭐
Distance from Cardiff: 44 miles (Cardiff Central to Abergavenny by train , then take bus to Crickhowell / approximately 1h 30 min)