North Wales Explorer - Coast & Gardens

Itinerary

Holiday Highlights

• Hotel for 4 nights in Llandudno with dinner & breakfast
• Porterage 
• Entertainment in the hotel  
• Entrance to Bodnant Gardens
• Entrance to Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens
• Light lunch with tea / coffee at Plas Cadnant Gardens
• Visits to the Isle of Anglesey & Conwy 
• Day at leisure in Llandudno

North Wales Explorer

Coast & GardensDay 1 - Join your tour coach and head to North Wales with comfort stops en route. Arrive in Llandudno and check into the welcoming 3* Marlborough Hotel with dinner, bed & breakfast for 4 nights.

Day 2 - 4 At leisure in Llandudno with two included excursions and a full day at leisure in resort

Whilst in Llandudno you may like to take a ride on the Great Orme Tramway, Britain's only funicular, or cable-hauled, tramway that travels on public roads, opened in 1902. The Tramway climbs a mile (1500m) through the Great Orme Country Park and Nature Reserve to the Great Orme's spectacular summit. The lovingly restored original tramcars are each named after a Saint. (Fare not included - runs throughout the summer). You may like to take a stroll to the 19th-century public gardens at Happy Valley, situated on the east side of the Great Orme, and which afford wide views over Llandudno Bay. Features include a limestone rockery, a colonnaded walk and a newly-restored camera obscura. Llandudno is also home to a new distillery on Lloyd Street, producing award-winning Penderyn whisky (one hour tour from £13.50 - £15 pp in 2025 - advanced booking recommended)

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS
The Isle of Anglesey & Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens
Cross the glistening Menai Straits to 'Ynys Mon' (the Isle of Anglesey). You can't miss the Menai Suspension Bridge, built by Thomas Telford and opened in 1826. It was the first modern suspension bridge in the world and it connects the mainland to Menai Town. Make a stop at Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll and then onto the elegant seaside town of Beaumaris, fronted by its superb 13th century moated castle. The town has a captivating mix of medieval, Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian architecture.  Take a walk through the town, starting with a stroll along the seafront, taking in the pier and the views over the Menai Strait and Snowdonia then continuing through the charming streets with their picturesque cottages, many painted in soft pastel colours. 

Continue to what has been described as one of North Wales best kept secrets, the hidden world of Plas Cadnant Gardens. Enjoy an included soup & sandwich lunch on arrival before discovering three different gardens including an unusual walled garden with curving walls and pool, a secret valley garden with three waterfalls and river and an upper woodland garden with stone outcrops and the remains of a 19C folly. The Walled Garden is mainly flat with gravel paths whilst the Valley Garden has some steep slopes.

Bodnant Gardens & Conwy
Bodnant is one of the UK's most beautiful and famous gardens, spanning 80 acres above the River Conwy.  Created over 150 years, with plants collected and brought to Britain from far afield, and the incredible vision of generations of the McLaren family and Puddle head gardeners, this haven of rarity and beauty with a stunning backdrop of the Carneddau mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia) is a delight for the senses. You can enjoy a wide range of interesting and beautiful plants from all over the world that are suited to the Welsh climate and soil. There are formal gardens, shrub-filled glades, meadows and woods, dells and water gardens as well as historic plant collections. Admission included. There are steep paths and many steps within the garden but the accessible route takes you on a 1.5km walk to see the formal gardens with views across the valley and down to the river while avoiding all steps. 

Head back to Llandudno by way of the historic town of Conwy with its epic World Heritage-listed castle which dominates the town. The medieval town walls are amongst the most complete in Britain and Thomas Telford's elegant 1826 suspension bridge was one of the first of its kind in the world. Look out for the smallest house in Britain - known as the Quay House, this red painted one up one down measures only 3.05m x 1.83m (10 x 6ft). Conwy Morfa beach is a large sandy bay, with a marina that is well worth a look, 

Day 5 - After breakfast head back to interchange and onward to your home towns. Back to top

Accommodation

Change of Hotel New for 2026

Somerset Hotel, Llandudno

The 3* Somerset Hotel is an attractive seafront property on Llandudno's beautiful seafront with views of the pier and the Great Orme. The town centre is just a 10 minute stroll along the flat promenade and the beach is on the doorstep.

There is a seafront coffee shop (with outdoor seating area when the weather is warm) as well as a restaurant, lounge bar and dance floor plus a games room (all on one level). There is nightly entertainment in the hotel.

Free WiFi is available in public areas and there is a lift to all floors (but some internal steps). There are five steps at the hotel entrance as well as a ramp.

Guestrooms are of a good standard with flat screen TV and tea / coffee making facilities. NB There are a limited number of walk-in showers and these can NOT be guaranteed. 

Back to top