Caernarfon



Caernarfon is a Royal town in Gwynedd, North-West Wales. Caernarfon is famous for its breathtaking castle and as a stronghold of the Welsh language. The castle and fortified complex is recognised on the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the finest examples of late 13th-century and early 14th-century military architecture in Europe. It is one of the best places in the world to hear a living Celtic language, with over 80% of the local population speaking Welsh.

Caernarfon provides a good base for visiting other places of interest in North Wales. A few miles’ drive from Caernarfon is Snowdonia National Park which plays host to the highest mountain in Wales, and Anglesey, home of Beaumaris Castle, the last and largest of the castles to be built by King Edward I in Wales.

Other nearby places worth visiting include: Conwy, Llandudno, the Isle of Anglesey, Bangor, and the castle at Harlech.

Opposite the castle, the, makes a great port of call, offering free local advice for getting the most out of a visit to Caernarfon and its surrounding areas.

Get in
The historic town of Caernarfon is easily accessible by car, air, rail, bus and sea.

By plane
Anglesey Airport is 24 miles away via the A55 and provides weekday links by Highland Airways from Cardiff, South Wales (twice daily). Caernarfon Airport is less than six miles away and has a terminal open for private aircraft. Liverpool John Lennon airport is just 90 miles away via the M56, A55 and A487. Manchester Airport is 98 miles away via the M56, A55 and A487, approximately 1 hr 45 min by car.

By train
The nearest train station is Bangor (about 8-miles away), with trains from Chester, Crewe, Manchester, London Euston, Cardiff, and Holyhead (connecting to Dublin ferry). From London Euston takes about 3 hr 20 min.

By car
The roads are good, with Bangor and the A55 expressway around 15 minutes away. Liverpool and Manchester airports are around two hours, Dublin about three hours (including fast ferry) and Cardiff around four and a half hours.

From London allow five hours for your journey. Exit the M6/J20 onto M56. Follow signs for Queensferry / North Wales onto A55. Exit A55/J9 onto A487 then follow signs for Caernarfon onto the A487 for seven miles.

All-day parking is available behind the castle at a reasonable price, with other car parks more ideally suited to short-term parking.

By bus
From London (via Chester) or Cardiff, National Express operates a daily service to Caernarfon, with numerous pick up points along the way.

The town is also served by local bus routes, mainly from other North Wales towns. There are buses every 15 minutes from Bangor (nearest train station) - just check out Arriva Bus route 5. The route takes about 30 minutes, so getting to Caernarfon by public transport is definitely an option.

Local bus companies include Express Motors, Silver Star, KMP Llanberis, Arriva Cymru and Sherpa Buses (for Snowdonia).

Caernarfon's central bus station is called Penllyn.

By boat
Caernarfon is easily reached from Ireland via the port of Holyhead, and an excellent road network. Take the A55 leaving J9 (first exit after crossing Britannia Bridge) onto A487 then follow signs for Caernarfon onto the A487 for 7 miles. Foot passengers, onward travel is available from Holyhead to Bangor by train and takes 30 minutes, and then Bangor to Caernarfon by bus 20 minutes.

Do

 * Walk around the mainly traffic-free streets of the walled town and along the Menai Straits. Guided tours are also available throughout the year by the North Wales Tour Guide Association.
 * Cycle along the traffic-free routes along the Menai and South almost to Cricieth. Bikes can be hired in Caernarfon from Beics Menai.
 * Football: Caernarfon Town ("The Canaries") play soccer in the Cymru Premier League. That's the top tier within Wales, but mostly amateur and on a par with England's fifth tier National League. Their stadium is The Oval, capacity 3000, south end of town off A4871.
 * Welsh Language - Caernarfon is probably the best place to see, hear and speak the Welsh language. Over 80% of the population speak Welsh, so it is an ideal place to practice a few sentences or just to soak up the authentic Celtic heritage.
 * Learn Welsh on a residential course at the Nant Gwrtheyrn Language and Heritage Centre, situated in a spectacular coastal location around half an hour's drive from Caernarfon.
 * Football: Caernarfon Town ("The Canaries") play soccer in the Cymru Premier League. That's the top tier within Wales, but mostly amateur and on a par with England's fifth tier National League. Their stadium is The Oval, capacity 3000, south end of town off A4871.
 * Welsh Language - Caernarfon is probably the best place to see, hear and speak the Welsh language. Over 80% of the population speak Welsh, so it is an ideal place to practice a few sentences or just to soak up the authentic Celtic heritage.
 * Learn Welsh on a residential course at the Nant Gwrtheyrn Language and Heritage Centre, situated in a spectacular coastal location around half an hour's drive from Caernarfon.
 * Learn Welsh on a residential course at the Nant Gwrtheyrn Language and Heritage Centre, situated in a spectacular coastal location around half an hour's drive from Caernarfon.

Buy
Caernarfon has some nice independent shops in the pleasant streets of the walled town. Palas Print sells books, music and coffee, with a good Welsh language selection.

There is also a nice small clothes and accessories shop. Na Nog on the square is an option for presents with a local flavour, like children's clothing with a Welsh theme. For a larger choice of shops, head to Bangor, Llandudno or perhaps Conwy.

Eat
There are a decent number of places to eat within and around the old town walls, in particular the small streets nestled along the western town wall. There are also a few places on the town square. Serving hours can be odd, and without good planning you could end up hungry. However there are still places which serve food all day, including the Black Boy Inn and Anglesey Arms.


 * Black Boy Inn - Popular with both locals and tourists. It has a great locally sourced menu.
 * Anglesey Arms - Great setting on sunny day, with good hearty food and stunning views of the Menai straights.
 * Y Castell - Hotel on Y Maes (town square) formerly known as 'the Castle', refurbished and serving excellent food all day and evenings.

Cafes in Caernarfon include:


 * Crempogau-Just Pancakes - friendly service, offering the best pancakes in town!

Takeaways in Caernarfon include:


 * Bella Pizza Offering good, reasonably priced pizzas just down the road from the Celtic Royal. Vaguely friendly service.
 * Lee's One of the best Chinese takeaways in Caernarfon.

Drink
Drinking is a popular option for nights in Caernarfon. There is a decent selection of small pubs in and around the walls.

B&Bs, hostels and self-catering cottages
An array of accommodation options are dotted in and around the Caernarfon area comprising B&Bs, hostels and quality-assured self-catering facilities ranging from modern flats, converted units on farm complexes to fully residential traditional Snowdonia farmhouse cottages.



Holiday parks and camping
There are several high quality holiday parks and caravan sites in an around Caernarfon offering stunning views and access to plenty of great outdoor activities.



Go next
A number of World Heritage Sites and stunning castle towns lie less than a few miles drive away from Caernarfon, making it a great base for exploring North Wales:


 * Snowdonia National Park - 3 miles
 * Anglesey - 11 miles
 * Beaumaris - 13 miles
 * Conwy - 25 miles
 * Harlech - 27 miles
 * Porthmadog - 20 miles