The Atlas Obscura Guide To Wales

117 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Wales

Updated September 22, 2023

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Gwynedd, Wales

Llechwedd Caverns Trampoline Park

A subterranean playground in an abandoned slate mine.

Devil's Bridge

Llangennith, Wales

Worm's Head Tidal Island

A rocky sea serpent hides caves, blowholes, and a spectacular natural bridge.

Inside the Pool Park Asylum

Ruthin, Wales

Pool Park Asylum

This abandoned asylum in Wales might look haunted, but it's still beautiful.

Gwynedd, Wales

Portmeirion Village

A miniature Italianate fantasy village on the coast of Wales and the set of ITC classic "The Prisoner."

Tintern Abbey

Tintern, Wales

Tintern Abbey

This well-preserved Cistercian Abbey in a romantic pastoral setting has inspired artists like the poet Wordsworth.

Beautiful yellow flowers drape down to form the tunnel.

Conwy, Wales

Laburnum Arch

A breathtaking flower tunnel bursts with beautiful golden blossoms.

St. Govan's chapel.

Pembrokeshire, Wales

St. Govan's Chapel

A hermit's tiny cell built into the cliffside that saved him in South Pembrokeshire.

Pontarfynach, Wales

Devil's Bridge, Ceredigion

Three bridges straddle a stream, one stacked upon the other.

See All 117 Things To Do in Wales

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Wales

Captain Beany in the Baked Bean Museum of Excellence.

Port Talbot, Wales

Baked Bean Museum of Excellence

The world’s only museum dedicated to baked beans.

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Ruins 19

History & Culture 16

History 12

Castles 12

Architectural Oddities 9

Archaeology 7

Abandoned 7

Legends 7

Saints 6

Animals 6

Medieval 6

Transportation 6

Places To Stay 4

Wales Leaderboard

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Recent Wales Activity

jooniur

updated 'Nightmare on Elm Street' Mural
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tylerloeslein

has been to Roman Walls of Cardiff Castle
Jake The Cake

has been to Tommy Cooper Statue
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oystermouth1971

has been to Rhyl Miniature Railway
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oystermouth1971

wants to go to Prestatyn Roman Bathhouse

Stories About Wales

Caraway and candied citrus flavor the buttery sponge.

Welsh Sheep-Shearing Cake Is a Forgotten Pastoral Pleasure

Cacen gneifo was a traditional gift for farmhands during wool-gathering season.

September 22, 2023

The Surprising Second Life of an Abandoned Victorian Sea Fort

“We want it to feel like you’re exploring something for the first time.”

by Roxanne Hoorn

August 31, 2023

The limestone cave of Paviland, in southern Wales, where an ancient, ochre-stained skeleton was discovered in 1823.

Who Was the Red Lady of Paviland?

The 33,000-year-old skeleton was taken from Wales two centuries ago—is it time for the bones to go home?

by Ffion Reynolds and Jacqui Mulville

St. Baglan’s on the Caernarfon Bay in Wales is one of 58 churches in the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches.

The Volunteers Protecting Britain's Medieval Churches

Inevitable decay and sudden explosions are just two of the threats to the centuries-old buildings.

by Victoria Stapley-Brown

January 3, 2022

Meet the Woman on a Quest to Attend Every Wondrous British Festival

The historian behind an online database of eccentric traditions has already visited more than 550 events.

by Bonnie Nicol

December 9, 2021

No lighthouse is complete without a ghostly resident or two.

Haunted Houses Have Nothing on Lighthouses

From drowning to murders to the mental toll of isolation, these stoic towers carry a full share of tragedy.

October 12, 2021

The handball court in Nelson, South Wales, August 8, 1969. The three-walled court and home to Pêl-Law, the Welsh version of the game, has stood in the town since 1860.

Can Welsh Handball Bounce Back From the Brink of Extinction?

The ancient sport of Pêl-Law hangs on, barely, at the last court of its kind. A campaign to revive a related game may help bring it back.

The ancient border between England and Wales was partly natural, thanks to rivers such as the Ceiriog and the Wye, shown here, and partly engineered with a system of earthworks and hillforts known today as Offa's Dyke.

How the Pandemic Resurrected Britain's Ancient Borders

From popping in for a pint to putting on the green, erratic lockdowns have left locals in limbo along the English-Welsh border.

by Richard Collett

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