Rich in history and natural beauty, Wales has a culture distinct from the rest of the UK. Travellers are attracted to Wales because of its beautiful landscape, the wide open spaces of its stunning national parks and the wealth of history and culture.

Wales is situated on the western shores of Great Britain, has three National Parks (including the only coastal National Park in the UK), five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and only 3 million people! And there is more; two languages, over 400 castles, the largest impressionist art collection outside of Paris and a landscape that offers opportunities for all kinds of activities such as walking, cycling, climbing, golf, mountain biking, water sports, paragliding to name but a few.

You could find yourself in a National Park or at a World Heritage Site. You could be admiring the golden sands of a Blue Flag beach, or a Premier Garden. When you visit Wales you'll learn the more you explore the more you'll discover.
Many artists, poets and painters have been inspired by Wales. Visit Wales and be inspired yourself!

	Location:	Central West - Great Britain
	Size:	8,023 square miles
	Population:	2,903,085
	Capital City:	Cardiff
	Language:	English, Welsh (Cymraeg)
	Currency:	GBP Sterling (£)
	Country Code:	+ 44
	Time Zone:	GMT
	Electricity:	240 volts AC, 50Hz. Square 3 pin plugs
	Ferry Ports:	Holyhead, Fishguard, Pembroke, Swansea
	Airports:	Cardiff International
	Size:	www.visitwales.com

By Car South Wales enjoys good motorway connections with the rest of the UK. The M4 links London with Bristol and via the Severn Bridge, Newport, Cardiff, Swansea, and Carmarthen. The M50 links the Midlands with South Wales. North Wales has no motorway connections. However there are still good road connections with the rest of the UK. The island of Anglesey is along the A55 road along the North Wales coast.

By Rail Arriva Trains Wales operates most local rail services in Wales. Fast and frequent First Great Western services run between London Paddington and Cardiff, taking only two hours. This hourly service also runs to Swansea, with onward connections to West Wales. High speed trains also link London Euston with the North Wales coast.

By Bus Arriva operates a large amount of bus services in North Wales. First Cymru operates services in South West Wales. Stagecoach operates services in South Wales.

By Ferry Ferries connect Wales with Ireland with regular services operated by Irish Ferries, Swansea Cork Ferries and Stena line. Neighbouring Scotland has good ferry connections to Northern Ireland and Belgium, while England is connected to the rest of Europe by ferry, Eurostar and Eurotunnel.

By Air Key European and Intercontinental centres are linked to Cardiff International Airport via the following gateway airports: Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris and Dublin. Most airlines fly into London-Heathrow or London-Gatwick however Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool Airports have also developed into important ports of entry for travellers from all over the world.

National Waterfront Museum (Swansea)

The most prestigious development to hit Swansea bay, a visit to the National Waterfront Museum will be unlike any visit you've ever made to any museum. Ever!

Snowdonia National Park

The second largest after the Lake District, Snowdonia National Park covers 823 square miles of the most beautiful and unspoilt countryside in North West Wales.

National Museum and Gallery (Cardiff)

The art collection dates back over 500 years and includes one of the best impressionist collections outside Paris. The Natural History – Man and the Environment display includes the skeleton of a blue whale and the largest leatherback turtle in the world. The popular Evolution of Wales display brings visitors face to face with dinosaurs and woolly mammoths in an exploration of evolution in the region.

Welsh Castles

Wales has more castles per square mile than any other country in the world. Over 500 sites have been counted from the earth mounds of Bronllys Castle and craggy ruins of Castell Dinas Bran to the majestic structures of Caernarfon Castle and the romantic turrets of Castell Coch.

Although Cardiff boasts most of Wales' national institutions, including the National Museum, the appeal of a visit lies outside the towns, where there is ample evidence of the war-mongering which shaped the country's development. Castles are everywhere, from hard little stone keeps of the early Welsh princes and the mighty Carreg Cennen to Edward I's doughty fortresses such as Beaumaris, Caernarfon and Harlech. Passage graves and stone circles (such as on Holy Island ) offer a link to the pre-Roman era when the priestly order of Druids ruled over early Celtic peoples, and great medieval monastic houses, like ruined Tintern Abbey, are easily accessible.



All these attractions are enhanced by the beauty of the wild Welsh countryside. The backbone of the Cambrian Mountains terminates in the soaring peaks of Snowdonia National Park and the angular ridges of the Brecon Beacons; both are superb walking country, as is the Pembrokeshire Coast in the southwest. Much of the rest of the coast remains unspoilt, though long sweeps of sand are often backed by traditional British seaside resorts, such as Llandudno in the north or Tenby in the south.



Large, sprawling and boisterous, Swansea is the second city of Wales, with around 200,000 people, and has great aspirations to be the first; it's certainly far more Welsh than Cardiff. Close inspection reveals Swansea's multifarious charms - some intact old corners of the city centre, the spacious and graceful suburb of Uplands, a wide seafront overlooking Swansea Bay and a bold marina development around the old docks. Spread throughout are some of the best-funded museums in Wales.