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Destinations in Mid Wales | Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Mid Wales

Mid Wales stretches from the Brecon Beacons in the south to the mountains of Southern Snowdonia in the north, from the English border to the Cardigan Bay coast. It covers three counties, dozens of market towns, hundreds of miles of walking paths and some of the emptiest landscape in Britain. This is not a place you visit for attractions. You come for the land itself.

Where should I go in Mid Wales?

That depends on what you are looking for. The Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) have the highest mountains in southern Britain, waterfall walks and the dark sky reserve. Central Powys is quieter still: market towns like Builth Wells and Llandrindod Wells surrounded by green valleys and the Elan Valley reservoirs. The Ceredigion coast runs along Cardigan Bay with harbour towns, dolphin watching and the Wales Coast Path. Southern Snowdonia has Cadair Idris, the Mawddach Estuary and the castle town of Harlech. North Powys stretches from Welshpool to Machynlleth, with Lake Vyrnwy and the Montgomeryshire canal.

What is the landscape like?

Varied, and wilder than people expect. The Cambrian Mountains in the centre of the region are among the most sparsely populated uplands in England and Wales. Red kites circle overhead, rivers run fast and clean, and the roads wind through valleys where farms outnumber houses. The coast is different again: wide bays, rocky headlands, bottlenose dolphins offshore and long beaches that empty out as soon as you walk five minutes from the car park.

Which towns are worth visiting?

Brecon is the gateway to the national park, with a cathedral, independent shops and a good food scene. Aberystwyth is the largest town on the coast, a university town with a promenade, pier and a funicular railway up Constitution Hill. Machynlleth has a Wednesday market, the Museum of Modern Art and the Centre for Alternative Technology nearby. Rhayader is the gateway to the Elan Valley. Crickhowell has more independent shops per head than almost anywhere in Wales.

Every town here has its own character. None of them are trying to be something they are not.

Mid Wales rewards the visitor who picks one area and stays a while. Book a cottage in the Brecon Beacons for walking, a B&B in Aberystwyth for the coast, or a farmhouse in the Cambrian Mountains for the silence. Each area has its own character, and a week is barely enough to feel you have scratched the surface. Browse our accommodation search to find your starting point.

Discover Mid Wales Destinations

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Number of results: 52

, currently showing 1 to 20.

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Abermaw | Barmouth

Address

Barmouth, Gwynedd, LL42 1LS

Telephone
01341 280556

info@barmouth-wales.co.uk

Barmouth

Barmouth is one of the most picturesque resorts on the Welsh coast and is surrounded by the unrivalled splendour of the Snowdonia National Park.
Trefaldwyn | Montgomery

Address

Montgomery, Powys, SY15 6HN

Montgomery

Montgomery, known in Welsh as Trefaldwyn, is a little town with a big history! It's seen everything from the Iron Age to the Romans, Saxons, Normans and even the English Civil War! This Georgian gem is tucked away from the hustle and bustle.
Y Trallwng | Welshpool

Address

Welshpool, Powys, SY21 7DD

Telephone
01938 552043

touristcentre@welshpooltowncouncil.gov.uk

Welshpool

Welshpool is nestled in the heart of the picturesque in north Powys / Severn Valley. Explore Powis Castle, take a scenic walk along the Montgomery Canal, or browse the independent shops and traditional markets for local treasures. Discover the…
Llandrindod Wells

Address

Llandrindod Wells, Powys, LD1 6BL

Telephone
01597 822600

llandrindodtic@btconnect.com

Llandrindod Wells

Llandrindod Wells, or 'Landod' as it is known to locals, is the administrative centre of Powys and one of its largest towns. As the name suggests, Llandrindod Wells owes its origins to the spring waters.
Y Drenewydd | Newtown

Address

Newtown, Powys, SY16 2BB

Telephone
01686 625544

enquiries@newtown.org.uk

Newtown

Newtown, a charming town in the heart of Mid Wales, offers visitors a unique blend of history, natural beauty, and modern amenities. With a rich industrial heritage, visitors can explore the Montgomery Canal, Severn Way, and other attractions. The…
Pontrhydfendigaid

Address

Pontrhydfendigaid, Ceredigion, SY20 8TG

Telephone
01970 612125

aberystwythTIC@ceredigiong.gov.uk

Pontrhydfendigaid

At the heart of Pontrhydfendigaid - 'the bridge of the blessed ford' (known locally as ‘Bont’) is a narrow hump backed bridge across the river Teifi, whose source is about 5 miles away in the hills, at Teifi Pools.
Y Borth | Borth

Address

Borth, Ceredigion, SY24 5JU

Telephone
01970 612125

Ceredigion

Borth is a charming coastal town in Mid Wales, part of the Dyfi Biosphere and the only UNESCO Biosphere reserve in Wales. With a Blue Flag Beach, excellent surfing, stunning natural surroundings, unique local legends, and a railway station on the…
Y Fenni | Abergavenny

Address

Monmouthshire, NP7 5HD

Abergavenny is the traditional gateway to South Wales and to the Brecon Beacons National Park. The old market town is surrounded by beautiful border countryside and home to the best food festival in the UK.
Corris

Address

Corris, Gwynedd, SY20 9SS

Corris

Located 5 miles north of Machynlleth, Corris boasts a surprisingly rich vein of local attractions nearby together with thrilling mountain biking in the forest, excellent fishing at Llyn Myngul (Tal y Llyn Lake) and challenging walking on Cadair…
Bala & Penllyn

Address

Bala, Gwynedd, LL23 7AD

Telephone
01286 679686

tourism@gwynedd.llyw.cymru

Bala

Bala & Penllyn is an area within the Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park surrounded by the peaks of Aran Benllyn, Arenig Fawr and the Berwyn Mountains and home to the largest natural lake in Wales,
Aberhonddu | Brecon

Address

Brecon, Powys, LD3 7AD

Brecon

Brecon is a historic market town where you'll enjoy losing yourself...not only in the narrow streets and passageways lined with Georgian and Jacobean shopfronts, but in the sense of timelessness about the place.
Llanandras | Presteigne

Address

Presteigne, Powys, LD8 2AD

Presteigne

Presteigne, (Llanandras in Welsh), was once the county town of Radnorshire and nestles at the heart of the Mid Wales Marches on the border of Wales and England. Presteigne and Norton have been designated by DarkSky International as the very first…
Llwyngwril

Address

Gwynedd, LL37 2JS

Telephone
01341 280787

barmouth.tic@gwynedd.gov.uk

Llwyngwril is a coastal village with a population of around 500. The village falls within the Snowdonia National Park.
Blaenau Ffestiniog

Address

Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, LL41 3HS

Telephone
01766 512981

porthmadog.tic@gwynedd.gov.uk

Blaenau Ffestiniog

Blaenau Ffestiniog is famously known as the "slate capital of Wales" and the "town that roofed the world". Its industrial role has long since diminished, yet Blaenau Ffestiniog attracts many visitors because of its rich slate history.
Cei Newydd | New Quay

Address

New Quay, Ceredigion, SA46 0JP

Telephone
01970 612125

aberystwythtic@ceredigion.gov.uk

New Quay

A visit to New Quay is all about sandy beaches that extend in an arc around the bay, the harbour where boat trips will take you dolphin spotting in Cardigan Bay, and the great Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas enjoyed a few pints in the local.
Dinas Mawddwy

Address

Dinas Mawddwy, Gwynedd, LL49 9LP

Dinas Mawddwy

North-east of Machynlleth and south-east of Dolgellau, the village of Dinas Mawddwy is just to the side of the A470 at the junction with the mountain road to Lake Vyrnwy and Bala.
Dolgellau

Address

Southern Snowdonia, Dolgellau, Gwynedd, LL40 1PS

Dolgellau

Dolgellau is the ideal base to explore southern Snowdonia's dramatic scenery, adrenalin-fuelled activities and world heritage attractions. It's a historic mountain town built on the wool trade and steeped in folklore.
Aberystwyth

Address

Ceredigion, SY23 2AG

Telephone
01970 612125

aberystwythtic@ceredigion.gov.uk

Welcome to Aberystwyth - a beautiful and lively seaside town on the Mid Wales coast. Enjoy stunning natural beauty, cultural attractions, unique shopping and dining, and a range of accommodation options. Easily accessible by railway, bus, or car,…
Llanidloes

Address

Llanidloes, Powys, SY18 6EQ

information@llanidloes.com

Llanidloes

Llanidloes is a small historic market town in Mid Wales; it is the first town along the River Severn.
Newcastle Emlyn

Address

Carmarthenshire, SA38 9AE

Telephone
01267 231 557

Newcastle Emlyn is a town straddling the counties of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire in west Wales and lying on the River Teifi.