Tour Overview
Wales is a country of great geographical variation with long stretches of attractive and often rugged coastline. North Wales is one of the most popular tourist areas in the British Isles, with many lively coastal resorts. Inland, the region of Snowdonia has long been popular with walkers and climbers. The scenery of mid-Wales includes rich farming valleys, the broad sandy sweep of Cardigan Bay and rolling hill country. South Wales is mainly known for its industrial heritage but the western part of the coast between Carmarthen Bay and St David’s is similar to that of the more pastoral west country of England, and backed by some equally beautiful countryside.Day by Day Itinerary
Day 01: Manchester, England – Llandudno, WalesUpon arrival at Manchester Airport you will be welcomed to Great Britain by your local iExplore Representative, and privately transferred to your hotel across the border in Wales. You may like to visit Conwy Castle, which can be seen from your hotel, a multi-turreted stronghold that was built by Edward I. You can explore almost all the sections of the castle and its walls and enjoy breathtaking views of the coastline before being taken to your hotel where the rest of the day will be at your leisure to relax and enjoy the facilities of your hotel on the coast. During your stay you will be confirmed for two nights at Bodysgallen Hall Hotel in Standard Room accommodations inclusive of continental breakfast. Bodysgallen Hall Hotel is a charming country house hotel located in a wooded park on a hill with views of Conwy Castle and Snowdonia National Park. The hotel consists of a main house and many self-contained cottages, some with private gardens. Bodysgallen Hall also features fine dining in their award-winning restaurant and offers a health club with beauty/relaxation remedies.
Bodysgallen Hall Hotel- Standard Room Day 02: North Wales
Spend the day exploring North Wales with your driver-guide (8 hours). Cross the impressive Britannia Bridge to Anglesey Island where you will visit Beaumaris Castle, also built by Edward I as the last link in the “iron belt” of fortifications around North Wales. Also visit Wales’ most significant castle, Caernarfon. The castle has a bloody and symbolic past and since 1284 it has been the site of the investiture of every Prince of Wales since. You will travel further along the coast to Snowdonia National Park, another area of exceptional beauty with Mount Snowdon at its heart. The area was once famous for its slate mining and you will enjoy a unique experience where you will take a train deep into one of the disused mines to an underwater lake.
Breakfast
Bodysgallen Hall Hotel- Standard Room Day 03: North Wales – Machynlleth
Spend another day exploring Wales with your driver-guide. This morning you may like to visit the Bodnant Gardens, situated above the River Conwy on a ground sloping towards the west and looking over the valley to the Snowdonia Mountains. Or, you may like to take a trip on the Ffestiniog Railway, the oldest independent railway in the world, which was founded in 1832. The railway was built to transport slate from the quarries in the mountains around Blaenau Ffestiniog, but during the last fifty years, the railway has become a leader in railway preservation and you will be able to experience the outstanding natural beauty of Snowdonia as you travel through areas inaccessible by road and undisturbed by the sights and sounds of modern life. Later today travel to the village of Portmeirion, a fantasy village based on the Italian town of Portofino, and the setting for many films and the TV series “The Prisoner”. After sightseeing you will be transferred a short distance to Machynlleth where you will stay overnight today. You will be confirmed for one night at the Ynyshir Hall Hotel in a Standard Room, inclusive of Welsh breakfast. Ynyshir Hall Hotel is a charming country house set among breathtaking scenery in the secret heart of Wales. The hotel is surrounded by mountains that were once the refuge of the Celtic Princes and graced by valleys of infinite shades of green. The Georgian House sits on 14 acres of glorious gardens on the edge of the Dyfi estuary and surrounded by one of Britain’s finest bird reserves. The 9 individual rooms have carefully chosen color schemes, working in harmony with antiques, rugs, Welsh pottery and bold paintings. The elegant candle-lit restaurant sparkles with its crystal glassware and polished cutlery.
Breakfast
Ynyshir Hall Hotel- Standard Room Day 04: Machynlleth – Cardiff
Your driver-guide will take you through one of the most beautiful areas of Wales today, Cardigan Bay and Pembroke National Park. See Aberystwyth, a traditional 19th century seaside resort. Also stop in St. David’s, the UK’s smallest city with a population of 6,000. The patron saint of Wales, St. David, set up a monastic community here in AD 500 becoming one of the most important Christian shrines. Today you can visit the present 12th century cathedral and the stunning ruins of a 13th century Bishop’s Palace. Your driver-guide will also take you along the stunning coastline of the Pembrokeshire National Park, the country of Dylan Thomas, before taking you to your hotel in Cardiff. You will be confirmed for two nights at the Hilton Hotel in a Standard Room including Welsh breakfast. The hotel is located opposite of Cardiff Castle and close to the city center. All the rooms are of contemporary style and include a bathroom with walk-in shower, large desk, Internet access, armchair, 32” TV, etc. The Razi Restaurant serves Welsh dishes and offers views over the city. Further hotel features are the two bars, a spa with 20-meter heated indoor pool, gym, sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi.
Breakfast
Hilton Hotel- Standard Room Day 05: Cardiff
Spend the day with your driver-guide discovering the area in and around Cardiff. Dominating Cardiff is Cardiff Castle founded on Roman and Norman walls, however the exterior is now a riot of Victorian Gothic design and is more a stately home than defensive castle. Continue out of Cardiff to the Museum of Welsh Life at St. Fagans, an open-air museum that depicts how the people of Wales lived, worked and spent their leisure time over the last 500 years. Finally today travel to Caerphilly to visit the stronghold that is Caerphilly Castle, dating back to 1268. Return to your hotel in the center of Cardiff.
Breakfast
Hilton Hotel- Standard Room Day 06: Cardiff – Tintern – Manchester
Travel with your driver-guide into the heart of Wales, driving through the beautiful Wye Valley and the Brecon Beacon Mountains. Visit the ruins of Tintern Abbey, one of the greatest monastic ruins of Wales. It was only the second Cistercian foundation in Britain, and the first in Wales. The present day remains are an amalgam of several phases of construction spanning 400 years. Continue to Welshpool to visit Powys Castle, which was built by Welsh princes and is now home to the Earl of Powys. You may like to explore the world famous garden with Italianate terraces and the finest collections of paintings and furniture in Wales. Travel through Dee valley in the northeast corner of Wales, visiting one of the pretty little towns, Llangollen before your driver-guide says good-bye to you at your hotel at Manchester Airport. You will be confirmed for the night at the Hilton Manchester Airport in a Standard Room, inclusive of buffet breakfast. The hotel is only 5 minutes away from the airport by the hotel’s complimentary shuttle bus. All rooms are contemporary and there is a restaurant and bar.
Breakfast
Hilton Manchester Airport Hotel- Standard Room Day 07: Depart Manchester
Today make your way to the terminal on the hotel’s complimentary shuttle bus, which takes about 5 minutes.
Breakfast
