Despite being a small country, Wales is divided into regions, especially in terms of tourism. A road trip in South Wales is full of unexpected experiences and beautiful destinations.
From rugged coastlines to gorgeous valleys to surreal nature, you will get a chance to soak up the best of South Wales on a road trip. But this part of Wales isn’t just known for its exquisite nature, but rich history, culture, fantastic food, and whatnot.
With that being said, let’s create a list of all the best South Wales road trips so that you enjoy an unforgettable holiday time in this part of the country. So, here we go!
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Table of Contents
Planning Your Trip
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Best Time to Plan a South Wales Road Trip
Wales is a beautiful country that can be visited throughout the year. However, the climate remains unpredictable most of the time as unexpected rain can happen anytime.
However, as we also mentioned in our North Wales road itinerary post, the best time to visit is the months from April to June. The springtime is when the country is in its absolute beauty where the flowers bloom up and the carpet of snowdrops makes way to daffodils, bluebells, and crocuses.
The time from June to October is also ideal to plan South Wales road trip, especially if you are covering Welsh outdoors. Also, the weather during these months remains quite pleasant and warm.
Saint Govan’s Chapel and Barafundle Beach
One of the most astonishing locations in South Wales is Saint Govan’s Chapel. It has all the charm and exquisiteness to make you fall in love with this place. The chapel is known for its strategic location and is standing comfortably halfway down a steep cliff.
Not just this, right next to the chapel are the rocks that make the entire setting even more enthralling. From the cliff, one can savour the dramatic views over the sea.
Talking about the chapel, it dates back to the 13th century and once served as the place where St. Govan used to live as a hermit. He took shelter at this place after escaping from pirates. He devoted his life to the almighty after being saved from the pirates.
Along the coast, there is another equally amazing tourist site and rightfully distinctive in nature than St. Govan’s Chapel. It is the very famous Barafundle Beach. Surrounded by cliffs, the beach is a perfect spot to enjoy nature and its surrounding after a spiritual tour at the chapel. You can imagine the beauty that oozes at this place by the fact that Barafundle is one of the finest beaches in the world.
St. Davids
Just for your information, St. Davids is the smallest city in the UK. For years, it has been a pilgrimage site for tourists. Do not be amused to know that the city is built on a monastery site by St. David back in the 6th century.
However, the geographical location says that the city is located within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Engirdled by the stunning coastal scenery and the rich wildlife, the city has so much to offer to its visitors.
The key attraction in the region is the St Davids Cathedral which traces its history from the 12the century. Built using the dusky purple sandstone, the cathedral is indeed one of the most iconic religious sites in the country.
At the cathedral, you can also learn about the history of St. Davids as it houses an impressive collection of exhibits. Another key highlight of St. Davids is the Orel y Parc Gallery which is situated in the National Park Information Centre.
The gallery is known to house a grade A landscape gallery which displays arts and artefacts from a collection of Amgueddfa Cymru National Museum Wales.
There are also the Gothic ruins of the Bishop’s Palace which is situated on the opposite side of the river bank where the cathedral is located.
Gower
An unspoilt and beautiful region in South Wales, the Gower peninsula calls you for an indelible time amidst nature. Such is the charm of this place that it was one of the first places that were given the designation of “an area of outstanding natural beauty.
But hey, that’s not all! The region is also quite famous for its historical attractions. The whole peninsula has a varied landscape wherein the northern coastline is dotted with salt marshes leading into the Loughor Estuary and the southern coast is all about beaches and cliffs.
Despite being a quaint, little site, Gower is packed with contrast and variety. Worm’s Head is probably the most popular tourist site in Gower. It is a rocky promontory that goes into Rhossili Bay. On a sunny day, a visit to this tourist site is an amazing thing to do on your road trip to South Wales.
Rhossili is a small village which is a part of the Gower Peninsula. Now if you do not know, this beautiful site makes into every list of the world’s best beaches and certainly for all the good reasons. The 3-mile-long Rhossili beach features golden sand, towering cliffs, and the famous Worm’s head at one end. Not to forget, it offers splendid natural beauty and an amazing vibe to make your time memorable.
Apart from that, there are other popular and worth-visit beaches as well such as Pobbles Bay, Mewslade Bay, Broughton Bay, and Blue Pool Bay. Having said that, Gower also offers some good opportunities for water sports and adventure lovers as it is also a popular destination for stand-up paddle boarding, horse riding, rock climbing, and mountain biking.
Waterfall Country
Located in Brecon Beacons National Park, Waterfall Country is a beautiful tourist site which houses more than a dozen waterfalls between Pontneddfechan and Ystradfellte.
Though they are not the biggest and the most tropical falls in the country, their location, beauty, and the fact that you can actually walk behind some of these waterfalls make Waterfall Country a must-visit place on your road trip in South Wales.
These falls can be easily categorized into two categories – individuals (the ones that can easily be covered and required less time & effort) and waterfall hikes (a collection of several falls that are connected by a trail and require more time & effort).
The individual ones are Henrhyd Waterfalls and Melincourt Falls. Whereas, the ones that require hiking are Four Waterfalls Walk, Elidir Trail, The Waterfall Country Loop, and Sychryd Gorge Waterfall Walk.
Brecon Mountain Railway
Along with Snowdonia, Brecon Beacon National Park is one of the highly popular places to visit in Wales. And as the name suggests, Brecon Mountain Railway lies in Brecon Beacon National Park.
It is a 10-mile road trip from Pant to Torpantau High in the region of Brecon Beacons. On the route, all the trains travel non-stop. It is also known as one of “the great little trains of Wales”.
The route is quite scenic as it passes through the valley on some parts of the original Brecon to Merthyr route railway that was constructed in 1859. Not just this, the train ride also takes you into the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Along the route, the train is also a highlight which is a vintage steam train. It gives you an old vibe from the 20th century as you hop onto the steam train and treat yourself with an unforgettable journey.
On the return journey, the train stops at Pontsticill Station, which is another picturesque site. There is a Lakeside Cafe which you can visit while returning and admire the spectacular view.
Besides, you can also take a walk alongside the beautiful Pontsticill reservoir or just can sit and unwind yourself. Not just this, there are also Licenced Tearooms at the main station of Pant where you can find yourself a refreshment or can buy some gifts or souvenirs from the gift shop.
Hay-on-Wye
A beautiful little market town that has to be on your South Wales road trip is Hay-on-Wye. This town is a real deal when you are travelling in the southern part of Wales as it has so much to discover and experience.
Beautifully nestled Wye Valley, Hay-on-Wye is touted as the world’s first book town. Despite being a small village, it has more than 30 bookstores. Whereas, the popularity of the entire town is somewhere around 1500.
One of the best things to do in Hay-on-Wye is visiting these bookstores a unique and beautiful experience. But apart from that, there are more enthralling things to do here. Hay Festival is a very famous event that happens in the month of May. So, if you are planning your trip during that time then you have another-must thing to do in Hay-on-Wye.
As an adventure buff, one can also indulge in canoeing on the River Wye. Besides, there are also plenty of coffee shops and independent stores to refresh and shop. Hay Castle and Llanthony Priory are also two popular tourist attractions in the region which remains flocked with tourists and locals.
Black Mountain Pass
Such is the significance of Black Mountain Pass that it is also considered one of the best routes from north to south to east to west. The route is well-paved and passes through the Black Mountains from Llandovery to Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen.
Not just this, the drive is one of the most surreal ones in the country. The road across the Black Mountains stretches up to 15 miles. You can expect the roads to be a little tight while the views are absolutely stunning and treat to the eyes.
The exquisite views beyond the harpins turns is the key highlight of the entire road trip. Along with that, the route also passes through valleys, high hedges, and pastures.
Cardiff
No road trip to South Wales is ever completed without covering the capital of Wales, Cardiff. Being a popular city and a tourist attraction, Cardiff literally has so much to offer to its tourists.
So, make sure you make Cardiff one of the stopovers on your South Wales road trip. Amongst all the top attractions, Caerdydd is a must-visit. Cardiff Castle is another renowned tourist site in the city which remains flocked with hundreds of tourists.
Being a lively city, Cardiff has much more in its fold. National Museum is one of the most enthralling free things to do in Cardiff. The museum is known to house some of the most exquisite collections of artefacts.
Butetown is probably the most interesting area in the city. It is known as the country’s first multi-cultural community. It is known for Tiger Bay which separates the downtown from the bay. It was also the birthplace of Shirley Bassey, a popular singing icon of Wales.
Tenby
Tenby is yet another destination in Wales that has huge popularity amongst tourists. The town has a distinctive vibe with brightly coloured houses, unique shops, and astonishing beach views.
Apart from that, the town is also known for its rich history and heritage. It has always been a popular fishing village in the country and is also touted as one of the most beautiful seaside towns in the country.
There are beaches, in fact, a lot of beaches to treat its visitors. There are beaches in the town where you can rest, relax, unwind, and even surf and swim. Castle Beach is one of those beaches in Tenby that you cannot afford to miss out on your tour to Tenby.
Along with that, the town also gives you access to the beautiful St. Catherine’s Island and spend some quality time. The other popular attractions in the town are Tenby Castle, Caldey Island, Green Bridge, Tudor Merchant’s House, and Five Arches Gate.
Narberth
Narberth is one of those quaint little-known towns that have all the charm and beauty to entice you. It is a market town which is dotted with pastel-coloured Georgian and Edwardian buildings beautifully lined up on the streets.
YOu can indulge in an ultimate shopping tour here at Narberth as the town is dotted with some of the most amazing stores and shops. From antique emporiums to art galleries to clothes and boutique interior delis to gift shops to jewellery shops, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to shopping in Narberth.
How to Prepare for your Trip to South Wales
Before you set off on your way to South Wales, there are a number of things you will need to get organised to ensure a smooth and enjoyable journey. These include what to pack, where to stay and what is the best insurance for your trip to South Wales. All of this is discussed in detail below.
What to Pack for Your Trip to South Wales
When it comes to packing for a trip to South Wales there is one item of clothing that you are going to need all year round: a waterproof. It rains in South Wales on average 250 days a year, meaning that during your trip to Wales you can expect rain at some point. Due to this, the number one item on your packing list is a good waterproof jacket (men’s / women’s).
Second to that, another item to not leave home without is a good pair of warm and, if possible, waterproof boots (men’s / women’s). A lot of the best sights in Wales require a bit of walking to reach them and the conditions underfoot can become very muddy. You do not want to ruin a good pair of white trainers so pack some sturdy boots.
You will definitely need a hat and gloves during the winter months as the wind chill can be bitter. It is also a good idea to pack sunscreen to protect your face from the elements, even in the winter.
Given the beautiful sights that you are no doubt going to see around Wales, we highly recommend packing a good camera for your trip. If you want to read more about the cameras we use and why we love them, check out the link below.
Photography Equipment
Main Photography Camera – Sony A7v Mirrorless Camera and Sony A7iii Mirrorless Camera
Microphone – Sony Mic ECM-B1M
Main Lens – Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8
Zoom Lens – Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8
Camera Tripod – ZOMEI Z669C Camera Tripod
Gorilla Pod – JOBY JB01507-BWW GorillaPod
Action Camera – GoPro Hero 11 and Insta 360 One RS
Drone Camera – DJI Mavic Pro 3
Camera Bag – Wandrd PRVKE 41L and The Nest by Tropicfeel
Phone Tripod – Manfrotto MKPIXICLAMP-BK, Mini Tripod with Universal Smartphone Clamp
Sturdy Phone Tripod & Selfie Stick – ATUMTEK 61″ Selfie Stick Tripod, Sturdy Phone Tripod Stand with Wireless Remote
Hard Drives – LaCie Rugged Mini, 5TB, 2.5″, Portable External Hard Drive
SSD – SanDisk Extreme Pro 1TB Portable NVMe SSD
Travel Adapter –Worldwide Travel Adapter Universal Travel Plug with 4 USB Ports+Universal AC Socke
What is the Best Travel Insurance for South Wales
I know travel insurance is the least enjoyable thing to purchase and look at when you’re planning a trip, however, you wouldn’t want to be without it in the event that something happened. Accidents can happen anywhere and the extortionate medical bills will ruin your trip if you are not covered.
To ensure you have a stress-free trip with no worries about potential medical bills, make sure you cover yourself when you travel. We can recommend using SafetyWing, a backpacker-friendly and cheap insurance company that provides good coverage and support. It is also nomad-friendly, unlike most other insurance companies, meaning you do not need to worry about being out of your home country for too long.
Get a quote for your travel insurance right here and get covered!
So there you have it, your guide for the best things to do on a South Wales road trip. If you have any questions about any of the sights listed above, please drop us a comment down below.
Also, remember to share this with your friends and family that you are going to share this amazing experience with. Sharing is caring and we want to ensure that everyone is fully prepared to maximise their experience completing this stunning road trip.
If you are planning a Wales trip soon then check out our other Wales content right here. Come and find us on social media to see where we are currently exploring. Tag us in your photos from your stay and we will share them with the rest of our community of explorers and backpackers.
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