After spending four years in London and visiting more than 15 times over the past decade, I’ve explored much of the U.K.—but Wales, England’s closest neighbor, was the one place I could no longer resist. In 2026, the country is celebrating a wave of new openings and milestones, from the launch of Cardiff’s first dedicated contemporary art museum, the Artistic Museum of Contemporary Art (AMOCA), to Wrexham’s new Football Museum. Historic landmarks like Caerphilly Castle, the biggest castle in Wales, have reopened after major restoration with new immersive exhibits. But the year’s most anticipated celebration may be on the west coast, where Portmeirion marks its 100th anniversary.
The journey involves a three-hour train ride from London to Bangor, with carriage cars rocking past villages, grazing sheep, rolling fields, and the pewter-gray of the Irish Sea. After that it is an hour’s drive southwest to the village where the landscape shifts into wooded valleys and winding roads until Portmeirion appears: a colorful, Italian-inspired village on a peninsula inside Eryri National Park. Designed by architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis over five decades based on Portofino, the town suggests an artist’s whimsical imagination—and its centenary year is the perfect time to experience its magic.
What to do in Portmeirion
Ffestiniog Railway steam engines take passengers through Eryri National Park—and back in time.
Photo by Keith Freeburn
Start by wandering the village’s colorful piazzas before heading into the 70-acre subtropical forest surrounding the town, known as the Gwyllt (Welsh for Wildwood). Here, you’ll find 20 miles of woodland footpaths (including a popular 1.3-mile loop), a Japanese garden, and views overlooking the surrounding landscape. You can also stroll along the Dwyryd Estuary, a tidal river mouth where the fresh water meets the sea in North Wales, or follow the nearby sandy coastal paths.
A guided tour with Meurig Jones, Portmeirion’s locations manager, reveals the eccentric stories behind Portmeirion, including Beatles lore and buried treasures. There are also several filming locations throughout the village from The Prisoner, a cult 1960s television series, including the widely recognized chessboard in the central piazza.
Nearby, ride the historic Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways. Departing from Harbour Station in Porthmadog or the nearby Minffordd station just minutes from Portmeirion, these beautifully restored narrow-gauge steam trains travel through the heart of Eryri National Park. Passengers can see waterfalls, forests, slate quarries, and mountain valleys that are difficult to access by car.
Where to eat
The kitchen at Hotel Portmeirion is award winning.
Courtesy of Visit Wales
Award-winning Castell Deudraeth Brasserie inside Castell Deudraeth Hotel serves modern Welsh cuisine in a light-filled conservatory-style dining room. Dishes highlight the region’s proudest ingredients, including classic Welsh lamb shoulder and fresh oysters.
Housed in a restored 1850 Victorian mansion, the 1930s dining room at Hotel Portmeirion was designed to resemble the prow of a ship extending over the sea wall. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame dramatic views of the Dwyryd Estuary, where the changing tides create a constantly shifting backdrop while diners enjoy such dishes as Welsh lamb loin with artichokes and courgettes, rarebit ravioli with leek and mushrooms, Welsh oysters, and scallops.
For something casual, Caffi Glas offers an Italian-inspired café and gelateria with a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere. Expect wood-fired pizzas, hand-stretched paninis, and charcuterie boards featuring Welsh and Italian cheeses. Don’t leave without stopping at Caffi’r Angel Gelateria for Portmeirion’s local ice cream, including its signature Welsh whisky flavor.
If you do take the train to Porthmadog, make the short trip to the Australia, which offers a traditional Welsh pub experience with local ales and comforting classics like a Welsh beef burger and beer battered fish and chips.
Best hotels in Portmeirion
Choose between the pool and sea at Hotel Portmeirion.
Courtesy of Visit Wales
The Portmeirion Hotel is the village’s signature stay, situated in a historic mansion above the Dwyryd Estuary with just 14 individually designed rooms. Expect complimentary breakfast with options like smoked salmon and poached eggs, resort-style shuttle service around the property, and waterfront views as well as an outdoor pool.
A short woodland walk away is the hotel’s grander, more romantic sister property, Castell Deudraeth, sitting within a restored 12th-century castle. The boutique hotel’s rooms feature original stonework, slate floors, and views across the surrounding countryside, while its acclaimed restaurant serves grilled lemon sole and Welsh lamb shoulder shank in an elegant setting with live piano music and windows overlooking a garden.
For travelers planning a longer stay, Portmeirion’s self-catering cottages and village suites offer the chance to sleep inside the colorful buildings that define the destination. Scattered throughout the village, accommodations range from cozy cottages along the estuary to spacious apartments steps from the central piazza.
