Wales Holidays 2012

When it comes to holidays, Wales is so often over shadowed by her Celtic neighbours Scotland and Ireland, however, spend some time here and you are sure to be won over by it’s beautiful landscapes, friendly people and easy charms.

It’s certainly a bit of a myth that as soon as a stranger walks into a Welsh pub that the locals start talking in their native tongue and there’s a lot more to the country than rugby and male voice choirs.

Cardiff and Swansea

Cardiff is the capital and most vibrant and cosmopolitan part of Wales. It is home the the magnificent Millennium Stadium, the new home of Welsh rugby and has gained kudos among sci-fi fans in recent years as ‘Doctor Who’ is filmed here. Cardiff also has a vibrant music scene and has been the birthplace of a number of leading Welsh bands in recent years including Catatonia, Super Furry Animals and the Manic Street Preachers.

There are numerous pubs and clubs where live music can be enjoyed at weekends. If it’s museums you are after, St Fagans National History Museum is not to be missed. If you are visiting the city from February to March, it would be worth seeing if you can get some tickets for a Six Nations match. The atmosphere can be electric, especially if playing England.

Swansea is Wales’ second city by the sea. It’s an earthy place with a keen sens of humour all of it’s own. Swansea feels a lot more ‘Welsh’ than Cardiff and the Welsh language can be heard more often in the streets and pubs here.

Brecon Beacons

The Brecon Beacons is a fantastic wilderness encompassing four mountain ranges which offers walkers, trekkers and adventurers all manner of opportunities for enjoying the great outdoors. Rock climbing, paragliding, mountain biking and horse riding are all available here and if you are looking for somewhere to base yourself, the small town of Abergavenny is as good a spot as any.

The Brecon Beacons have been designated as a national park of which Wales has three. The other two are the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in South Wales which is best for coastal scenery and the Snowdonia National Park in North Wales which contains the highest mountains in Wales.

Another reason to visit this part of the country is the Brecon Beacon Jazz Festival which runs from the 12th to 14th of August this year. This year’s festival will feature Femi Kuti and The Positive Force, Monty Alexander and Allen Touissaint.

Wales is a fantastic country to visit and you should make a point of holidaying here at least once. You may be pleasantly surprised just how good it is.