Top 10 things to do in Gwynedd and Snowdonia
Gwynedd holds Snowdonia, with Wales’s highest mountain, big castles, slate heritage, steam railways and the Llŷn peninsula coast. It is the heart of North Wales for walkers and families.
- 1
Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)
📍 LlanberisMountain, walksThe highest mountain in Wales, with several paths and a mountain railway to near the top.
- 2
Caernarfon Castle
📍 CaernarfonHistory, castleA huge Edward I castle on the waterfront, part of a World Heritage Site.
- 3
Portmeirion
📍 Near PorthmadogVillage, gardensAn Italianate village on the coast, built by Clough Williams-Ellis.
- 4
Harlech Castle
📍 HarlechHistory, castleA castle on a rock with sweeping views of the bay and the mountains.
- 5
Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways
📍 PorthmadogTrains, familiesNarrow-gauge heritage railways through the mountains.
- 6
Zip World Slate Quarry
📍 Bethesda and Blaenau FfestiniogAdventureZip lines and underground adventures in an old slate quarry. Check age limits and booking.
- 7
Swallow Falls
📍 Betws-y-CoedWaterfall, walksA popular waterfall in a wooded gorge near Betws-y-Coed.
- 8
Llechwedd Slate Caverns
📍 Blaenau FfestiniogHistory, undergroundUnderground slate mine tours at Blaenau Ffestiniog.
- 9
Penrhyn Castle
📍 Near BangorHouse, gardensA 19th-century neo-Norman castle with gardens and an industrial railway museum.
- 10
Llŷn Peninsula
📍 Aberdaron and AbersochCoast, beachesA quiet peninsula of beaches, headlands and small villages, including Aberdaron.
Where to base yourself
Last checked: October 2026.