Few countries have a culture that is so intertwined with the national game as Wales. On match days huge crowds gather in the stadiums, in pubs, or at home to watch the rugby, and the atmosphere at Parc y Scarlets (Scarlets Park in English) is about as electric as it gets.
Home to the Scarlets, one of the top-flight rugby union teams in Wales, and their feeder team Llanelli RFC, this contemporary stadium replaced Stradey Park, opening its doors in 2008. Curved stands allow supporters to enjoy better views of the pitch, while the approach to the main stand is lined with bricks that are proudly emblazoned with those Scarlets and Llanelli RFC players who have gone on to represent the national team. If you’re planning a visit to Llanelli, or the wider Carmarthenshire area, any time between August and May, then watching a match at Parc y Scarlets delivers a fantastic insight into the Welsh psyche, as well as a great day out.
You can also take an entertaining guided tour of the Parc y Scarlets outside of match days, where you’ll be shown around the luxurious executive hospitality suites, the team gym, the changing rooms where the team famously take ice baths after the match, and various items of interesting Scarlets or Llanelli RFC memorabilia, as well as seeing the pitch from the stands. You might even get to walk on that hallowed turf yourself.
