Wales

• Assembly at Manchester Airport

• Bonus – Guided tour of Chester, England: This ancient Roman town is steeped in history. The Battle of Chester determined its fate as part of England when the Anglo-Saxons defeated the Welsh kingdoms here around 605/604 A.D. The city vibrantly expanded through the Medieval period, withstood the agony of the English Civil War, and progressed elegantly through the Georgian and Victorian periods.
• Check into 4-star (AA) Dunoon Hotel

Photo Credit: Dunoon Hotel

• Stay in Llandudno ~ Llandudno was the holiday destination of Alice Liddell, the girl who inspired Lewis Carroll and on whom he based Alice in Wonderland. She first came to the town in 1861 aged eight and stayed at Tudno Villa Apartments – now St Tudno Hotel – on the North Shore. One of it more popular features is the Great Orme Tramway, which takes you to the top for beautiful views. The Great Orme headland is a massive chunk of limestone that rises 207m/679ft straight out of the sea. Little wonder that its name, given by the Vikings, means ‘sea monster.’ While in Llandudno. Take an evening walk up the Little Orme and over to Porth Dyniewaid Angel Bay with its amazing views.

Visit Wales

Visit Wales

• Guided tour of Conwy ~ A busy market town, loaded with shops and boutiques, Conwy rests on the river by the same name which leads out to the Irish sea. A medieval fortress town the walls of which remain intact, Conwy Castle is one of the most impressive in Wales. One of Edward I’s ‘iron ring’ of castles, he had it built to keep the independence-minded Welsh in their place.

Visit Wales

Visit Wales

• Partially guided tour of Bodnant Gardens. The British are known for their magnificent gardens, and this one in North Wales is one of the grandest in Britain. Garden lovers easily spend a day among its 80 acres. Started by Henry Pochin, an industrial chemist, in the late 1800s, over the years it has become a magnificent grand park, including five Italianate terraces, river-side gardens, lined meadows, a lily pond, and colorful flowers from around the world.

Visit Wales

Into Snowdonia ~ National Slate Museum, Dolbadarn Castle, and Bedgelert

Photographer Credit: Dan Struthers

• Guided visit of the Welsh National Slate Museum: The Victorian workshops built in the shadow of Elidir mountain comprise the site of the vast Dinorwic quarry. Mining and quarrying were important industries in Wales and a way of life for many Welsh, and the workshops and buildings are designed as though quarrymen and engineers have just put down their tools and left the courtyard for home.
• Llyn Padarn stroll: We’ll leave 45-60 minutes for lunch or snack at the Museum and outer cafes, as well as easy stroll around the banks of Llyn Padarn. There are beautiful view in all directions from the small park in front of the Llanberis Miners Hospital.
• Dolbadarn Castle walk: Walk 1km up to Dolbadarn Castle, a ruin with an early 13th-century keep that perches on a small, rocky hill at the foot of the dramatic Snowdon Massif, and has beautiful views all around. Built by Llywelyn ap Iorwerth in about 1230, it guarded the main route through Snowdonia’s mountains to Anglesey, the stronghold of the princes of Gwynedd.

• Beddgelert: Visit Beddgelert, a must-visit in Snowdonia, and set where the Colwyn and Glaslyn rivers converge makes for a charming scene that just begs to have its picture taken. Beddgelert is especially popular with hikers and outdoor enthusiasts as a place to begin a climb of Snowdon or the nearby Moel Hebog with its stunning views. The village itself has a quaint church and main street lined with boutique shops, galleries, and excellent inns are worth a stroll.

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• Male Voice Quire: Suggest those who are interested take in the male voice choir practice at St John’s Methodist Church, 7:00 p.m., on vibrant Mostyn Street, right at the heart of the town. Methodism and chapel going, mining, danger, discipline, poverty, and patriotism all played their part in rooting male choirs into the heart of communities. What else can explain how macho, work-hardened men could get together, stand in public and bare their souls so movingly in song?

Along the Menai Straight – The Royal Welch, Caernarfon and Beaumaris

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  Guided tour of Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum: The Royal Welch fought in the American Revolution, both at Bunker Hill and Yorktown, and is the only British regiment not to have surrendered their colors at Yorktown. They have many claims to fame, but one that stands out is that the regiment is among the first to capture an Imperial Eagle during the Napoleonic Wars.

• Partially guided tour of Caernarfon and Castle: Built on the banks of the River Seiont, Caernarfon’s architectural production stands alone as the most impressive of the castles in Wales, another of those built by Edward I to suppress the ever-troublesome Welsh princes. Its polygonal towers were unique, and its massive structure intimidating.
• Photo stop the town with the longest name in Wales, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

Visit Wales

• Partially Guided tour of Beaumaris and Castle: Beaumaris is a wonderful seaside town with a mix of architecture from the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian periods. Its name is from the Norman ‘beau marais’, meaning fair marsh. Beaumaris castle is another of the Edwardian ‘iron ring’ castles, this one perfectly symmetrical and surrounded by a moat.

Visit Wales

Portmeirion and the Ffestiniog Railway

• Guided tour of Portmeirion: Enjoy a taste of Italy in on Cardigan Bay, with this Italianate village built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975 .  Stunning architecture, beautiful location, and sandy beaches.  Enjoy a bit of lunch while there.

Credit: Dan Struthers

• Ffestiniog Railway: Ride the Ffestiniog Railway which runs between Porthmadog’s harbor and the former slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, 13.5 miles away.  This vintage railway has been running for nearly 200 years and runs past spectacular views of Snowdonia National Park.  It is the world’s oldest narrow gauge railway, and was originally built to take slate from Snowdonia’s quarries to the harbor.

• Guided tour of Llanwrst ~ Llanwrst is a charming town and home to ‘Tu Hwnt I’r Bont’ one of the most photographed buildings in Wales.  Now a pleasant tearoom, this vine-clad building was constructed in the 15th century and served originally as a farmhouse, and later as a courthouse.  We’ll briefly visit St. Grwst church, which contains the remains of one of the country’s most famous kings, Llywelyn the Great (1173 – 1240).

• Male Voice Choir: One last opportunity to hear the St. John’s Methodist Church Male Voice Choir.

Around the Great Orme, Llyn (Lake) Idwal or Betws-y-Coed, and Whiskey Tasting

• Great Orme: Coach around the Great Orme.  The Great Orme headland is a massive chunk of limestone that rises 207m/679ft straight out of the sea. Little wonder that its name, given by the Vikings, means ‘sea monster.’ 
• Llyn Ogwen: For confident walkers only, this is an opportunity for a light to moderate three-mile hike to and around Llyn Idwal.  The National Trust maintains an improved path from the parking area and around the lake, or llyn.  However, most of the path is laid stone and uneven, while other parts are loose gravel.  While most of the path is improved, in multiple locations around the lake there exists patch of rough natural stone.  Those who are not physically fit, poor of sight, or not confident in their footing should not attempt the walk.  Walking sticks and good shoes are encouraged.  For those capable of walking without assistance on uneven surfaces the views around the lake are stunning!  The walk can be made at a slow to moderate pace in two hours.  The llyn is at the base of Cwm Idwal, a headwall of sheer cliffs known as ‘The Devil’s Kitchen’ from the plumes of mist that often shoot up out of its rocky crags.

• Partially guided tour of Betws-y-Coed: For those unable or unwilling to walk, we’ll stop for lunch, shopping, and leisure at this attractive riverside town.  It gets its name from its location in the heart of the Gwydyr Forest, literally translated as the “temple in the wood.”  The durable 500-plus year-old Pont-y-Pair bridge and the ruins of the old Pany Mill are located in the town.  The town is also known for its waterfalls, especially the Swallow Falls and Conwy Falls.

Visit Wales

Visit Wales

Visit Wales

• Tour and tasting at Aber Falls Distillery: Although whiskey has been distilled in Wales since the middle ages, the industry was eliminated during the 19th Century’s Temperance Movement and ceased to exist for over a hundred years.  Revived in the 1990s, Welsh distillers have been winning global awards for their fine quality.     

Personal Exploration Day and Farewell

• Llandudno Suggestions:
  • Llandudno Cafes and Boutiques
  • Little Orme walk – ~2.5 miles
  • Great Orme walk – ~6 miles
  • Great Orme Tramway
  • Great Orme Cable Car
  • Great Orme Mine
  • West Shore beach
  • Home Front Museum

• Return to Manchester Airport

• CHECK OUT OF HOTEL
• FLY HOME – Departure for most from Airport to return home.