Wales (Cymru), west of England, is one of the four nations of the United Kingdom. This Wales travel guide covers what draws visitors: medieval castles (Conwy, Caernarfon, Cardiff), the national parks of Eryri (Snowdonia), Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) and the Pembrokeshire coast, and the Welsh language, seen on every road sign. Allow 7 to 10 days for a first tour, ideally from May to September.
This guide brings together the highlights, two itineraries, budget, entry requirements and Met Office climate data, with an original comparison: how much more it rains in the mountains of Eryri than in Cardiff, month by month.
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The Welsh capital takes a day or two: Cardiff Castle, right in the centre, combines Roman remains, a Norman keep and 19th-century Gothic Revival interiors; Cardiff Bay, a redeveloped former coal port, is home to the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) and the Wales Millennium Centre. On match days, the Principality Stadium transforms the city. On the outskirts, the St Fagans open-air museum traces Welsh life.
Eryri (Snowdonia)
Snowdon and its reflection, in Eryri National Park.
In the northwest, Eryri National Park is the country’s great mountain range. Its summit, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), rises to 1,085 m (3,560 ft): several paths lead up, and a rack railway climbs from Llanberis in season. Lakes, glacial valleys and slate-mining villages (Blaenau Ffestiniog) complete the visit. The climate is much wetter than in Cardiff (see below).
Conwy, Caernarfon and the castles of the north
Conwy Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The castles and town walls built by King Edward I in the 13th century, including Conwy, Caernarfon, Beaumaris and Harlech, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Conwy keeps its walls almost intact, and you can walk along them.
The Pembrokeshire coast
In the southwest, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is followed by a clifftop walking trail. Here you will find St Davids, the smallest city in the UK, with its cathedral, the colourful resort of Tenby and beaches such as Barafundle Bay. In spring and summer, boats go out to watch seabirds, including puffins on Skomer Island.
Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons)
Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, north of Cardiff, offers bare hills and waterfalls. Pen y Fan, its highest point (886 m, 2,907 ft), is one of the busiest hikes in the country. The park is also an International Dark Sky Reserve.
Portmeirion, Hay-on-Wye and Anglesey
Portmeirion, an Italian-style village built in the 20th century on an estuary, is a curiosity of the north. Hay-on-Wye, on the English border, is the « town of books », with its second-hand bookshops and its literary festival in spring. Anglesey (Ynys Môn), linked to the mainland by bridges, has coastlines and lighthouses.
Itinerary suggestions
7 days: the south and Pembrokeshire
Days 1–2: Cardiff (castle, bay, St Fagans)
Day 3: Bannau Brycheiniog, hike up Pen y Fan
Days 4–6: the Pembrokeshire coast: Tenby, St Davids, the coast path, a boat trip
Day 7: back along the coast via Swansea, or toward Hay-on-Wye
10 to 14 days: the grand tour
Days 1–2: Cardiff
Days 3–4: Bannau Brycheiniog and Hay-on-Wye
Days 5–7: Pembrokeshire
Days 8–11: Eryri, Portmeirion, Caernarfon, Anglesey
Days 12–14: Conwy and Llandudno, then back via Chester or Liverpool
Wales is ideal for a road trip: narrow roads, driving on the left. It combines easily with London at the start or end of your trip. To compare with other Celtic destinations, see our guides to Scotland and Ireland.
When to go to Wales
The best time is May to September: 17 to 22 °C (63 to 71 °F) in the afternoon in Cardiff, nearly 200 hours of sunshine from May to July and very long days (more than 16 hours of daylight in June). The climate is oceanic: it rains often all year, with 10 to 16 days of precipitation a month in Cardiff. April and June are the driest months (72 and 74 mm, 2.8 and 2.9 in). Autumn and winter are mild but grey and damp.
Month
High °C (°F)
Low °C (°F)
Rain mm (in)
Rainy days
Per 7 days
Sunshine (h)
Day length
Crowds
Prices
Verdict
January
8.6 (47)
2.5 (36)
127 (5.0)
15.6
3.5
54
8 h 21
Low
Low
❌ Grey, damp, short days
February
9.2 (49)
2.5 (36)
93 (3.7)
12.0
3.0
76
10 h 01
Low
Low
⚠️ Cool, Six Nations rugby matches
March
11.3 (52)
3.9 (39)
85 (3.3)
12.3
2.8
117
11 h 50
Low
Low
⚠️ Cool, early spring
April
14.4 (58)
5.7 (42)
72 (2.8)
10.7
2.5
177
13 h 52
Moderate
Medium
✅ The driest, green landscapes
May
17.4 (63)
8.5 (47)
78 (3.1)
11.2
2.5
198
15 h 37
Moderate
Medium
✅ Sunny, ideal for hiking
June
20.1 (68)
11.1 (52)
74 (2.9)
10.4
2.4
195
16 h 36
High
High
✅ Long days
July
21.8 (71)
13.1 (56)
84 (3.3)
11.2
2.5
200
16 h 10
Very high
Very high
✅ The warmest, school holidays
August
21.4 (71)
12.9 (55)
105 (4.1)
12.4
2.8
185
14 h 37
Very high
Very high
✅ Warm but wetter
September
19.1 (66)
10.7 (51)
86 (3.4)
11.8
2.8
152
12 h 40
Moderate
Medium
✅ Mild, fewer crowds
October
15.3 (60)
8.0 (46)
129 (5.1)
15.0
3.4
104
10 h 43
Low
Medium
⚠️ Rain increasing
November
11.6 (53)
4.9 (41)
131 (5.2)
15.6
3.6
65
8 h 53
Low
Low
❌ Very rainy
December
9.1 (48)
2.8 (37)
140 (5.5)
15.2
3.4
50
7 h 52
Moderate
Medium
⚠️ Rainy, Christmas markets
Temperatures, precipitation, precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) and sunshine: 1991–2020 Met Office normals (Bute Park station, Cardiff). « Per 7 days » and day length on the 15th of the month: Destination de Voyage calculation (monthly proportion; NOAA solar algorithm). Crowds and prices: estimates.
Cardiff or Eryri: how much more rain in the mountains?
The mountains of Eryri stop weather systems coming in from the Atlantic. At Capel Curig, in the heart of the park, the Met Office records 2.2 times more rain than in Cardiff over the year (2,697 mm against 1,204 mm, or 106.2 in against 47.4 in), and highs 2 to 4 °C (4 to 7 °F) lower.
Month
Rain Cardiff mm (in)
Rain Eryri mm (in)
Ratio
Rainy days per 7 days (Cardiff / Eryri)
High Eryri °C (°F)
January
127 (5.0)
310 (12.2)
2.4
3.5 / 4.4
7.0 (45)
February
93 (3.7)
258 (10.2)
2.8
3.0 / 4.4
7.1 (45)
March
85 (3.3)
213 (8.4)
2.5
2.8 / 3.8
8.8 (48)
April
72 (2.8)
156 (6.1)
2.2
2.5 / 3.6
11.4 (53)
May
78 (3.1)
142 (5.6)
1.8
2.5 / 3.2
14.4 (58)
June
74 (2.9)
144 (5.7)
2.0
2.4 / 3.3
16.6 (62)
July
84 (3.3)
158 (6.2)
1.9
2.5 / 3.5
18.2 (65)
August
105 (4.1)
190 (7.5)
1.8
2.8 / 3.8
17.8 (64)
September
86 (3.4)
206 (8.1)
2.4
2.8 / 3.7
16.0 (61)
October
129 (5.1)
274 (10.8)
2.1
3.4 / 4.3
12.8 (55)
November
131 (5.2)
300 (11.8)
2.3
3.6 / 4.9
9.8 (50)
December
140 (5.5)
346 (13.6)
2.5
3.4 / 4.6
7.6 (46)
Destination de Voyage calculation from 1991–2020 Met Office normals for Cardiff (Bute Park) and Capel Curig (Eryri).
For the mountains, aim for May–June: that is when the gap with Cardiff is smallest and days are longest.
From October to February, more than 250 mm (9.8 in) of rain falls each month at Capel Curig: favour the south coast and Cardiff.
Whatever the month, pack a waterproof jacket and check the mountain forecast before heading up Yr Wyddfa.
Budget for a trip to Wales
Item (per person per day)
Budget
Comfort
Accommodation (shared double room)
about £30 to 45 (hostel, simple B&B)
about £75 to 125 (hotel, boutique B&B)
Meals
about £25 to 35 (pubs, cafés)
about £40 to 65
Transport
about £13 to 20 (train, bus)
about £25 to 40 (car rental, fuel)
Sights
about £8 to 13
about £15 to 30 (castles, Snowdon railway)
Total
roughly £75 to 110 per person per day
roughly £150 to 235 per person per day
Indicative estimates excluding travel to Wales, converted at the European Central Bank rate of 23 October 2026.
Getting around Wales
Getting there: fly into Cardiff Airport or, with more international routes to choose from, into London, then continue to Cardiff by train.
By car: the most flexible option for the national parks. UK traffic drives on the left (travel.state.gov); country lanes are narrow and sometimes single-track, so plan short stages.
By train: Cardiff, Swansea and the north coast are well served; there are some scenic lines (Conwy Valley, Cambrian Coast) and heritage steam railways in Eryri.
By bus: a useful network in the parks, with hikers’ shuttles around Yr Wyddfa in season.
On foot: the Wales Coast Path follows the entire Welsh coastline.
Where to stay in Wales
Region
Best for
Recommended bases
Cardiff
City, culture, no car
City centre, Cardiff Bay
Eryri
Hiking, mountains
Betws-y-Coed, Llanberis, Beddgelert
Pembrokeshire
Coast, families
Tenby, St Davids
North
Castles
Conwy, Caernarfon, Llandudno
In July–August, book early in the national parks and on the coast.
Entry requirements, health and safety
US citizens: according to the U.S. Department of State (travel.state.gov, last updated August 11, 2025), all US citizens travelling to the UK for tourism, family visits, business meetings or short-term study of 6 months or less must have an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before travel, and the passport must be valid for the entire stay. According to GOV.UK (Apply for an electronic travel authorisation, read on 26 October 2026), an ETA costs £20 and lets you travel to the UK for up to 6 months; other websites may charge more, so apply through the official service. An ETA does not guarantee entry.
UK citizens: travel to Wales is domestic: no entry formalities apply.
Health: medical care is widely available, but in smaller towns it may take longer for help to arrive (travel.state.gov). Travel insurance is still useful. Emergencies: 999.
Safety: violent crime is rare (travel.state.gov). You will be arrested if you bring pocket knives, blades, mace, tasers or pepper spray into the UK.
Mountains: the weather changes fast in Eryri and Bannau Brycheiniog; be properly equipped and leave word of your route.
Practical tips for Wales
Money: pound sterling; cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere. See our currency converter.
Language: everyone speaks English; a few words of Welsh (« diolch », thank you) are appreciated.
Phone: check your plan’s roaming conditions before you go, or use a travel eSIM.
Wales is part of the United Kingdom: US citizens need a valid passport and an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA, £20), according to travel.state.gov and GOV.UK. UK citizens need no formalities.
What is the best time to visit Wales?
May to September according to Met Office 1991–2020 normals; May and June combine sunshine, long days and moderate crowds.
How many days do you need in Wales?
7 days for the south (Cardiff, the Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire), 10 to 14 days to add Eryri and the castles of the north.
How do you get to Wales?
Many international travellers fly into London and take the train to Cardiff; Cardiff Airport and Bristol Airport are other options, depending on routes.
Is Welsh spoken in Wales?
Welsh is an official language alongside English and is heard mostly in the north and west; everyone speaks English.
Does it rain a lot in Wales?
Yes, especially in the mountains: about 2.2 times more in Eryri than in Cardiff over the year, by our calculation from Met Office normals.
Our sources
Met Office: 1991–2020 normals for Cardiff (Bute Park) and Capel Curig (Eryri), via the climate tables of the Wikipedia articles « Cardiff » and « Capel Curig »
Destination de Voyage calculation: Eryri/Cardiff rain ratio, rainy days per 7 days, day length (NOAA solar algorithm)
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