Beaumaris

A small seaside town, with a castle, Victorian pier, shops, restaurants, art and craft galleries to explore, there’s lots to see and do.   

Originally the site of a Viking settlement called Porth y Wygyr, or Port of the Vikings, it was established around 1295 when Edward I of England started the construction of Beaumaris Castle, now a United Nations World Heritage Site.  This is also how the town got its name, as most of the workers were French and referred to the area as “beaux marais” or beautiful marshes. 

From the seafront, you can look across the Menai Strait to Snowdonia, on which the view is ever-changing.  The Victorian pier and Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian architecture make it a pleasant town to stroll around and perhaps enjoy an ice cream from the locally renown Red Boat ice cream parlour. 

If you fancy getting afloat, there are trips out to Puffin Island to watch the seals, puffins and other sea life as well as down the Strait and through the perilous “Swellies” and past the statue of Nelson, who is believed to have said, “if you can sail the Menai Strait you can sail anywhere”.  For the more adventurous, you can try a ride on “The Blast” to experience the high-speed manoeuvres, sharp turns, and exhilaration of a high-speed RIB (other, more sedate options, available) or perhaps try your luck at fishing, in some of the best grounds in the UK.