Local towns and areas:

• Cardiff
• Newport
• Swansea

Wales is a truly romantic and magical place to visit, with its rugged cliffs and beautiful coastline and countryside rich in wildlife. Here the landscape is carved into a backdrop of rolling hills, vales, mountains and moorland. This beautiful countryside allows you to relax and enjoy nature, or to discover the quiet towns and villages.

If you are feeling more active there are many sports and leisure activities to suit everyone’s needs and pace, from rock climbing to water skiing, sailing to walking. There are also arts and crafts centres dotted over the area were you can see a range of skills been undertaken. Alternatively you could visit the more lively towns of Cardiff, and Swansea, were you can almost guarantee a wild night out, or an amazing shopping spree.

When you visit Wales you will discover the beauty and magic. Welsh is the oldest tongue in Europe and Wales holds Europe’s oldest national flag. A visit to Wales may help you discover why over half a million people count Welsh as their first language. Or how they have managed to keep their own language whilst being only two hours away from London.

Swansea and the surrounding area are a combination of beautiful unspoiled coast and landscapes. The scenery in this part of Wales is simply stunning with some exciting wildlife, picture postcard villages and lively towns. Swansea bay is the perfect location to relax and enjoy yourself whether you prefer to spend your time cycling around the countryside, walking in and around Swansea, bird watching or living it up in the cities attractions, shopping facilities or nightlife. There is so much to do in this area for the whole family what ever your age or interests.

Swansea offers a host of indoor and outdoor activities, most of which are open what ever time of year, making Swansea perfect whatever the weather or season. There is so much heritage and culture to explore as well as excellent festivals and events. Plus as you would expect from a coastal city there is a multitude of watersports on offer as well as magnificent coastal and inland walking, with plenty of bike tracks. For the more adventurous why not try paragliding, handgliding and microlighting.

Just a short distance from Swansea is the Gower Peninsula, this was the first area in the UK designated as an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Here you will find a mixture of green hills, rugged lime stone cliffs, secluded sandy bays, wooded valleys, and spectacular commons grazed by wild ponies.

If the vast sweep of Swansea Bay is not enough beach for you then take in the picturesque coastal resort of Mumbles or Rhossili, which offers breathtaking views. However there is more to Swansea and Gower than beaches and outstanding natural beauty, all its secrets are waiting to be explored and discovered.

Newport is surrounded by the landscapes of The Wye Valley, Brecon Beacons National Park and Forest Dean all areas of outstanding natural beauty. Here you can escape and relax from the patterns of everyday life and enjoy the peaceful countryside. Take a forest drive, a walk or a cycle into the countryside for a great day out.

Newport is alive with history, heritage, culture and scenery. There is so much to do in this area whatever your age or interests. You can walk back through history to the life of the Romans, see the remains of the Fortress and the Amphitheatre designed to hold 6000 spectators. Learn about the fascinating castles, their inhabitants and colourful history, discover the story of the Civil War, learn about the people who fought for the right to vote and won us democracy as we know it today.

Newport has not only played a great roll in the past from the Romans to the industrial revolution to its Transporter Bridge, and canals with fourteen locks, it is a great place today. The town centre offers many shops to choice from, a lot of which are within a pedestrian area for extra safety and comfort. There are some great pubs, which range from real ale houses to modern style, many of which serve good pub food. There are also plenty of restaurants and places to eat out, some of which serve traditional Welsh cuisine. Newport also offers a great night out whether you are looking for a really wild time or a relaxing evening.