South Wales

Travel Guide

A coastal landscape with rocky cliffs, a beach, and a small settlement on a hill.
A historic stone tower with a flag, surrounded by well-maintained gardens and a clear sky.
A marina with various boats docked, a tall building, and a sunset in the background.
A traditional Tudor-style building with illuminated signs for 'Yates' and 'Yates & Co.'
A coastal landscape with a sandy beach, green hills, and the ocean.

From short city breaksto a countryside retreat, South Wales has you morethan covered. This area of Wales shares itsborders with England and the Bristol Channel and is home to capital city Cardiffas well as the popular coastal city of Swansea.All this has helped make South Wales the home offantastic Welsh culture, sport and of course entertainment.

From coastal retreatsand spa breaks to a range of budget, boutique and luxury hotels, SouthWales has you covered, with Cardiff and Swansea both particularpopular. Indeed, there’s nothing quite like staying in a Cardiff city centrehotel when there is a Welsh rugby game at the national MillenniumStadium, perfectly located right in the heart of Cardiff.

Cardiff has everything andmore if you wish to make this city the focal point of your stay in SouthWales. With unique attractions, entertainment and shopping allwithin a short walking distance, simply hop onto one of the city’s bus toursand get exploring. An area of Wales that is equally fanatical about football asit is rugby, Cardiff plays host to many popular sporting and musical eventsthroughout the year.

For avid mountain bikers,South Wales has it all, regardless of yourability. South Wales has been a popular spot formountain bikers ever since Dafydd Davies built the first purpose built mountainbike trail in the area. Today the area has close to 600km of purpose built mountainbike trails all with unique views of South Wales.Afan Forest and Cwm Cam are two popular mountain bike centres in the area and agreat base for your mountain bike holiday in South Wales.

A little known factabout Wales is that it has more castles than any other country in Europe. Withover 500 castles, wherever you go on holiday in Wales you will not be too farfrom a castle. In South Wales there are someamazing castles to visit with Raglan Castle, KidwellyCastle and Caerphillyup there among the finest in the country. Indeed Caerphilly is well worth avisit as it is the biggest in Wales and almost completely surrounded by aseries of moats. With interactive videos to offer context and fun activitiesaround the castle, a visit to Caerphilly makes for a great family day out.

A visit to the BigPit National Coal Museum offers something different to do while visitingSouth Wales. Head underground and explore a coal mine, with knowledgeable tourguides on hand this is a truly immersive visitor experience.

Alternatively those ofyou interested in art should be sure to get along to the National Museum &Art Gallery located in Cardiff. Not only popular for its art exhibitions butalso the museums rare collection of dinosaur artefacts and a giantturtle.

If it is the coastalbreak you are after in South Wales then a trip to thecity of Swansea needs to be on your list. Here you will be able to relax on thefantastic Swansea beaches or explore the unspoilt countryside along the coast.Gower Peninsula is a special place to visit when in South Waleswith superb beaches and fantastic sites. The Peninsula was the first place inBritain to be named an area of outstanding natural beauty, a place not just forsunbathers and surfers but birdwatchers also with its many beaches circled withwoodland.

The Angel Hotel

The Angel Hotel

3 out of 5
Castle Street Cardiff Wales
The price is €67 per night from 19 Jul to 20 Jul
€67
19 Jul - 20 Jul
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Cardiff. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and 24-hour room service. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful ...
8.4/10 Very good! (3,282 reviews)
"I would paint the place indoor and out, but lovely feel to the hotel and great spot to stay."

Reviewed on 14 Jul 2026

The Angel Hotel
Delta Hotels by Marriott Swansea

Delta Hotels by Marriott Swansea

4 out of 5
Maritime Quarter Swansea Wales
The price is €128 per night from 9 Aug to 10 Aug
€128
9 Aug - 10 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this beach hotel in Swansea. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a beach locale and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in their ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (666 reviews)
"I picked this hotel due to its proximity to Ironman event. I checked that breakfast would be available early on the day of the event. I was repeated told breakfast would be starting at 4:30 for the event. So was a little disappointed on the Saturday evening when I was told that it was actually a ..."

Reviewed on 13 Jul 2026

Delta Hotels by Marriott Swansea
Celtic Manor Resort

Celtic Manor Resort

5 out of 5
Chepstow Road Newport Wales
The price is €153 per night from 19 Jul to 20 Jul
€153
19 Jul - 20 Jul
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Newport. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, 2 indoor pools and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in their ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (1,425 reviews)
"Great place - a pity the redtaurant closes relatively early, and the long queue for breakfast was annoying..."

Reviewed on 11 Jul 2026

Celtic Manor Resort
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
The Spires Serviced Apartments Cardiff

The Spires Serviced Apartments Cardiff

3 out of 5
10 Cathedral Rd Cardiff Wales
Stay at this apartment in Cardiff. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, parking (surcharge) and laundry facilities. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in their ...
9/10 Wonderful! (324 reviews)
"Unfortunately, the parking did present a problem having a large car. However reception were great and allowed us to park in an easier space. The room was smaller than expected. The window did not lock shut so had to be left open. The room could have done with a better clean as there were old crisps ..."

Reviewed on 1 Jul 2026

The Spires Serviced Apartments Cardiff
The Studio - 1 Bedroom Cabin - Amroth

The Studio - 1 Bedroom Cabin - Amroth

3 out of 5
Amroth Bay Holidays, Amroth Narberth Wales
Stay at this apartment in Narberth. Enjoy free parking, furnished balconies and cable TV channels. Popular attractions Tenby Beach and Battlefield Live Pembrokeshire ...
9/10 Wonderful! (6 reviews)
"Our experience was good settee was a bit uncomfortable, bed was was great not much room in the bath room"

Reviewed on 29 Jun 2025

The Studio - 1 Bedroom Cabin - Amroth
Quay Apartments Clarence House

Quay Apartments Clarence House

3.5 out of 5
Clarence Place Newport Wales
Stay at this apartment in Newport. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, parking (surcharge) and a 24-hour front desk. Popular attractions Celtic Manor Resort Golf Club and Riverfront ...
8.4/10 Very good! (155 reviews)
"Booked for 3 people and only had 1 King sized bed and you can open windows and the air on unit was only in the living room which made the bedroom unbearable hot. Wouldn’t stay here again"

Reviewed on 11 Jul 2026

Quay Apartments Clarence House
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Stay near popular South Wales attractions

Things to do

Explore a world of travel with Expedia