It's the clichéd Welsh chat we've all had at the end of the summer: "If you get the weather there's nowhere better to have a holiday than Wales".
Now I'm not Judith Chalmers, right, but I like to think I've been around. And the cliché's true. You could spend every spare moment exploring Wales and always find new places and people which delight you in whole new ways. Just a few weeks ago, I picked up a campervan and drove an hour north from Cardiff, my route taking me along a road I'd never driven before which was one of the most beautiful I ever will. That road took me to this perfect village pub with the loveliest surprise out the back. I'd never heard of it before, knew no one who had ever been there or mentioned it.
Here are 16 other places in Wales that totally blew me away. Hopefully you'll find some inspiration for their next holiday or travels.
1. Caldey Island
I think I found inner peace for just a few hours while on Caldey Island, the only time that's ever happened to me or ever will again. On a glorious summer's day, I got on a boat in Tenby's harbour, crossed the short stretch of channel and landed on a beach that could have been in the Caribbean. Caldey Island has been inhabited since the Stone Age and has been home to many orders of monks since the Bronze and Iron Ages. There's an abbey (not open to visitors) and the ancient stone church of St David’s.
You can walk the length of the island along peaceful paved roads, turning off to explore narrow paths and the odd empty old building, until you reach the lighthouse on the island's south coast where you can stare out to sea.
2. Carreg Cennen and Llygad Llwchwr
In a country of more than 600 castles, Carreg Cennen stands out. Built on a remote hilltop (with one side emerging straight from a sheer cliff edge with a 300ft drop below), the only buildings for miles in any direction are the odd farm and the tiny village of Trap in the valley below. The castle dates back to at least the 13th century. I've been coming here for 30 years but I still get emotional standing on that hilltop and staring at the hills of Carmarthenshire all around. It's magical.
But the castle's not the only reason this remote part of the Black Mountains is special. A mile or two's walk through those hills and you'll find Llygad Llwchwr, the eye of the Loughor river, which quietly emerges from a network of caves as it starts its journey to the coast at Llanelli.
3. The abandoned graveyard in the middle of Cardiff
I can't believe I didn't know about this place until fairly recently despite having lived so close to it for so many years. Near Llandaff Cathedral is a cemetery. Most of it is well-kept and visible to anyone walking the adjoining path to Llandaff Fields. But in the north-western corner, between the cathedral and Llandaff Meadow is a section which long stopped being taken care of. Centuries-old gravestones just about emerge over brambles and undergrowth, and yew trees grow with gnarled roots exposed from circular stone beds. You can read a full history of this long-forgotten place here.
4. Ynyshir
It's not going too far to say that Ynyshir is now world-renowned. It's been named as Britain's best restaurant in a leading awards (the first time in 16 years a restaurant outside England had done it) and it seems pretty unarguable that it genuinely is one of the most impressive restaurants anywhere on these islands. The sensational food is, of course, the main selling point. But that's not the only reason this place is wonderful. I went there on a wet February midweek day about five years ago (slightly before it had the level of fame and acclaim it has now) and was the only guest. The room was spacious and lovely, and its remote location sandwiched between the Dyfi Estuary and Cambrian Mountains is special.
5. St Govan's Chapel
Like Carreg Cennen, above, this is another place I've been visiting since I was a kid which never ceases to amaze me: a tiny, centuries-old chapel built halfway down a cliff and perching over thunderous waves below. The chapel, which feels ancient, raw and like few places anywhere in Britain, is a medieval pilgrimage chapel with a history believed to date back to the fifth or sixth century, though the structure you see today is from the 13th century. The inside has a vaulted roof and a simple interior of a bare stone altar, which is much older than the stone walls. You can walk along the clifftop for miles taking in spectacular coastal views the entire time. And you actually have to drive through a military firing range, which is still active and used, before you even reach the cliffs. Pretty unique all round, really.
6. Dinas Nature Reserve, Rhandirmwyn
This is a remote and magical part of Wales, where you can also find Twm Sion Cati's Cave if you know where to look. Its peaceful woodland is carpeted by bluebells in springtime, while the fast-flowing River Towy smashes over boulders nearby.
7. Conwy
OK, I get that for those of you who call Conwy home, it might seem a normal town and a strange addition to this list. But when I first visited the town a few years ago, I thought it was absolutely gorgeous. It's historic and so picturesque from so many angles, whether you're approaching by road over the bridge with the 800-year-old castle ahead of you, or staring out over the water from the harbour or castle ramparts. You can walk the centuries-old town walls, visit the smallest house in Britain (which is as fascinating as the castle) and there are decent places to eat and drink in town too. A lovely place.
8. Wales v Ukraine
It's likely this was the most emotionally charged sporting event I've ever been to. Everything about it was spine-tingling, from what was at stake in sporting (and national pride) terms, to the infinitely more important backdrop of what was (and still is) happening in Ukraine as this game took place in Cardiff. Wales' players and fans did what they could to show their support for their Ukrainian counterparts in the stadium, Wales badges were handed out to families mingling outside before kick-off, Dafydd Iwan sobbed as he sang Yma o Hyd and, of course, Wales made it to the World Cup. The whole thing was an incredible experience, with all those circumstances meaning there may never be anything quite like it ever again. Everyone who was there should always remember how fortunate they are.
9. Llyn y Fan Fach
Wales has lots of beautiful lakes, but none quite like this one, which is shrouded in Welsh legend and is accessible only by foot. Surrounded on all sides by mountains in one of the remotest parts of Wales, catch Llyn y Fan Fach on a clear summer's day and it's one of the best places anywhere in the world for a walk and a lakeside picnic. But catch it on a misty day and it will feel otherworldly, whether you're standing at the water's edge and peering up at those steep hills rising out of the lake, or standing on that ridge with 360-degree views all around. You can read more about the legend of the lake here.
10. Tenby
Yes, Tenby. All of it. I love everything about it. But it wasn't always this way. For years, I never bothered going to Tenby. I don't know why, it must have been some vague notion held over from a visit as a surly teenager that it wasn't very nice. My view on it now couldn't be further away. We all know how beautiful that seafront is, and if you're lucky enough to live or stay in one of those houses the views out to sea are also breathtaking. On a summer's day, there is nowhere better to be, with three gorgeous beaches all within walking distance of each other. The choice of restaurants and bars is now superb — like Tap and Tan, where they serve mouth-watering meat platters described by some as 'the best food they've ever had'. You can read more about what it's like to live in those stunning houses here.
11. Paternoster Farm
Another one-of-a-kind place for this list. You will struggle to even find this restaurant on a map but persevere because it's worth the effort. When you do find it, at the end of a track and located in converted farm buildings you will get to eat some of the best food in Wales served in arguably the country's most unique restaurant. It's run by a former lawyer who quit the rat race to focus on her food, which is off-the-scale delicious. You can read our review of Paternoster Farm here (spoiler: we were blown away).
12. The Gwent Levels
Somehow, despite existing beside and between two Welsh cities, this huge area of land with its sea walls and hidden waterways barely gets a mention. Ask any of your friends if they've been there and, unless they're from the area, I bet the answer is no. The levels are an inter-tidal zone of saltmarshes, mudflats and sands which run along the northern coastline of the Severn estuary. Human activity here goes back to Roman times, and the monks of the Middle Ages were very active here, creating the historic watercourses. There are lots of ways to see this fascinating place: visit the Newport Wetlands Nature Reserve, Parc Tredelerch, or simply drive or cycle east out of Cardiff through villages like Peterstone Wentloog and Marshfield.
13. The Wales Air Show
This is a world class event which I finally got to visit for the first time. It's a remarkable experience to stand on Swansea beach and watch Typhoons, Red Arrows and other planes converging from all directions to show what they can do. The sound and power is phenomenal. Huge crowds set themselves up on the beach for the day, there are loads of stalls, a feeling of celebration in the air and there's the lovely Singleton Park right there too if you fancy a break from the sand for a little stroll. You can see the best pictures from this year's show here.
14. Llanthony Priory
Tintern Abbey is far better-known and gets all the headlines, but Llanthony Priory will blow you away. It's been well-hidden deep in the countryside on the border of Wales and England for nearly a thousand years. The extensive ruins that now remain clearly show how magnificent it once was. And built into the ruins itself is the Llanthony Priory Hotel, where you can descend into a tiny, stone-vaulted room for a drink in a bar like no other.
15. The Bwlch
The view from the top of the Bwlch is basically Wales summed up in one view. It's the mountain between the Ogmore and Rhondda Valleys and from its top you can stare down on those villages that have played such an integral part in making Wales what it is today. So this place is not just about the views, it's about the heritage. And not only is it an amazing place to stand and survey the Valleys below, it's also one hell of a good climb if you like cycling. There are lots of roads in Wales to rival it for views, though, like this mountain road you've probably never driven that's the best you ever will or this unknown road with the best views in Wales.
16. Yr Wyddfa
OK, sure, this is an obvious one. It's famous, it's massive, and it's so popular that there are often long queues of people waiting to summit. But that doesn't change the fact that, no matter how many pictures you've seen, nothing can prepare you for what it's like to stand at the summit of Wales' highest mountain.
You can choose several different routes up Yr Wyddfa, some more challenging than others, and the force of nature during the winter months is brutal and terrifying in equal measure. Climbing it should be on everyone's bucket list.
