Wales is known for its rich culture, lovely countryside, stunning coastal areas, and amazing adventures. It is also known for its heritage sites, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Blaenavon Industrial Landscape and Castles such as Conwy Castle and Caernarfon Castle.
Wales officially has more castles per square mile than any other country in the world. Caerphilly is the largest castle in Wales and is the second largest in Europe behind Windsor Castle. Today, there are still over 600 castles in Wales, our favourite being Conwy Castle in North Wales.
People celebrate by wearing traditional Welsh costumes, eating traditional Welsh dishes such as Welsh cakes, and putting on parades. Despite it being Wales' national day, St David's Day is not a designated public holiday.
Cawl. Dating back to the 14th century, cawl, also known as 'lobscows' in areas of North Wales, is a hearty stew of lamb and seasonal vegetables that is considered to be the national dish of Wales.
A third study, published in 2020 and based on Viking era data from across Europe, suggested that the Welsh trace, on average, 58% of their ancestry to the Brittonic people, up to 22% from a Danish-like source interpreted as largely representing the Anglo-Saxons, 3% from Norwegian Vikings, and 13% from further south in ...
Cambria is a name for Wales, being the Latinised form of the Welsh name for the country, Cymru. The term was not in use during the Roman (when Wales had not come into existence as a distinct entity) or the early medieval period.
Instantly recognisable thanks to its bright yellow petals, the daffodil is considered the national flower of Wales.
With rolling hills, dramatic mountains, hundreds of castles, cascading waterfalls, rare flora and fauna and a coast path that runs along the entire coastline of the country, in Wales - beauty is everywhere. Our cities are compact and our towns bustling with community life.
Wales is famous for its stunning scenery, numerous castles, rugby, its friendly people, the charming Welsh language, its highest mountain, Mount Snowdon, and much more. Famous residents include Roald Dahl, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Jones, Catherine Zeta Jones, and even Jack Daniels.
Dippers, choughs, puffins, guillemots, razorbills, short-eared owls, Manx shearwaters, whimbrel and plovers are also common. Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus), a rare species in Britain, has several nesting places in Wales.
It is considered that the Welsh kings of Aberffraw first adopted the dragon in the early fifth century in order to symbolise their power and authority after the Romans withdrew from Britain. Later, around the seventh century, it became known as the Red Dragon of Cadwaladr, king of Gwynedd from 655 to 682.
It used to be thought that the oldest living thing in Britain was the Llangernyw Yew. This 4,000 year old yew tree stands in a churchyard in the village of Llangernyw, Conwy, north Wales.
Wales became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707 and then the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801.
Bangor is the oldest city in Wales and one of the smallest cities in the UK. It was officially given city status by Queen Elizabeth II in 1974, but the cathedral site dates back to 6th century.
The most common surname in Wales and one of the most prolific in the world. In 1913, the phrase 'keeping up with the Joneses' was coined, and today means to try and outdo your neighbour.
Today, Wales is seen as a Celtic nation. The Welsh Celtic identity is widely accepted and contributes to a wider modern national identity. During the 1st centuries BC and AD, however, it was specific tribes and leaders which were named.
Cornish, Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Manx and Welsh belong to the Celtic branch of Indo-European. Celtic, in turn, divides into two distinct subgroups: P-Celtic (or Brythonic) and Q-Celtic (or Goidelic). Cornish and Welsh are P-Celtic languages, whilst Scottish Gaelic, Irish and Manx are Q-Celtic languages.
What is the national drink of Wales? Perhaps a trickier question to answer, Penderyn whisky is the most famous Welsh spirit, and perry and cider have certainly gained in popularity, but beer is considered by most to be the national drink of Wales.
This basic formula includes pork sausage, bacon, blood sausage, beans, a fried egg, and tomatoes, and then there are some distinctly Welsh additions. The full Welsh breakfast also includes extra bites like laverbread, cockles, and Glamorgan sausages.
It's called the Aberffraw biscuit (sometimes Aberffraw cake or Teisen Berffro) and is said to originate from 13th Century Anglesey. It's a basic shortbread that comes in the shape of a scallop shell…