Snowdonia & North Wales

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Includes  Why Go? Ruthin...... 724 Rugged mountain trails, historic train lines, World Heritage Llangollen ...... 725 castles and rejuvenated seaside towns ensure North Wales Snowdonia holds its own against attractions down south. The region National Park ...... 728 is dominated by Snowdonia National Park, where mighty Blaenau Ffestiniog. . . . 735 peaks scrape moody skies. Protected by such a formidable mountain shield, it’s little Snowdon...... 739 wonder that the less-visited Llŷn Peninsula and the ancient Porthmadog ...... 743 island enclave of Anglesey have retained their traditional Caernarfon ...... 747 language and culture. Bangor...... 748 In fact, the whole region feels properly Welsh: you’ll hear Conwy ...... 750 the language on the street, see the Celtic legacy in the land- scape, and soak up the cultural pride in galleries, museums Llandudno...... 752 and attractions, all the way from the beaches of the North Beaumaris ...... 756 Coast to the river- threaded heartland of northeast Wales. In Holyhead...... 757 many ways, North Wales distills the very essence of Welsh- ness – just don’t mention that to the folks in Cardiff.

Best Places to Eat When to Go ¨¨ ¨¨Blas (p748) May is the driest month and Llandudno celebrates the warming weather with its Victorian Extravaganza festival. ¨¨Soul Food (p734) ¨¨May to September arguably gives you the best hiking ¨ ¨Osteria (p748) weather, but the warmest months – July and August – bring ¨¨Coconut Kitchen (p745) crowds. ¨¨Tyddyn Llan (p728) ¨¨The Snowdon train runs to the summit between Easter and November. ¨¨In July you can shuttle between the beaches and Best Places to Llangollen’s International Musical Eisteddfod and Fringe Sleep Festival. ¨¨Ffynnon (p729) ¨¨Late autumn and early winter bring the heaviest rains, while late winter and early spring are particularly raw and bracing. ¨¨Victoria House (p747) ¨¨Cleifiog (p756) ¨¨Totters (p747) ¨¨Bodysgallen Hall (p754) 5

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