Lonely Planet Wales: Plan the Trip of a Lifetime | Detailed Itineraries & Maps | Insider Tips | Covers Cardiff, Brecon Beacons & Southeast Wales, Swansea and more

by Amy Pay

Lonely Planet's local travel experts reveal all you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime in this latest edition of our guide to Wales. Discover Wales most popular experiences and best kept secrets from gazing out to sea from one of Tenby's glorious golden beaches; to sailing to the remote island of Ynys Enlli, Europe's first International Dark Sky Sanctuary; and exploring medieval Caerphilly Castle to watch historical re-enactments. Build a trip to remember with Lonely Planet's Wales travel Our classic guidebook format contains the most comprehensive level of information for planning multi-week tripsAll-new structure and design that's easy to use so you can navigate Wales effortlessly Exciting itineraries help you create your perfect adventure with suggestions for extended journeys, day trips, walking tours and activity-led excursions Expert local recommendations on eating, drinking, nightlife, shopping, accommodation, festivals, when to go and more Vibrant photography and maps including a pull-out map of WalesGet fresh takes on must-visit sights from Pen-y-Fan to St David's Cathedral and Bishop's Palace Essential information toolkit containing tips on arriving, transport, local etiquette, using money, LGBTIQ+ travel advice, useful words and phrases, accessibility and responsible travel Connect with Welsh culturethrough stories that delve deep into local life, history and traditions Cardiff; Brecon Beacons & Southeast Wales; Swansea, the Gower & Carmarthenshire; St Davids & Pembrokeshire; Mid-Wales; Snowdonia & the Llŷn; Anglesey & the North
  Create a trip that's uniquely yours and get to the heart of this extraordinary country with Lonely Planet's Wales.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Reference, History

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2001

Reviews

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated and well written guide book. The cover of the book has a lovely soft finish and the pages inside are of a good quality. A great gift for anybody interested in Wales.

[Hermien · Rating 5 out of 5]

This rating is as much for the country as for the book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do like how Lonely Planet guides cover more than just the "best" parts of a country, like the Rick Steves' guides. Mostly the places mentioned to stay and eat had good reviews on Google Maps, too. A few had closed, but this guide is from 2021 so that's understandable. I do wish there was more information about traveling in the winter though--it's hard to tell which roads are sometimes closed or what walking trails aren't passable in winter.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

the copy I read was a 2021 edition.
It has a cheerful picture of a steam train climbing a grassy hill past grassy fields with a shaggy sheep in the foreground.
every page is packed with information. It has places for eating and sleeping, sights, getting there, shopping, worth a look, and diagrams of walking tracks.
It is a very useful book, but I need to buy one to take with me. I will have to return this to the library.

[Syntaxx · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are two ferry routes to Wales from Ireland: Dublin > Holyhead, or Rosslare > Pembroke/Rosslare > Fishguard.

Holyhead is on the northernmost part of Wales, literally an island unto itself, separated from the mainland by a sreait of choppy water.

Public transport is spotty, and a car is recommended/required to see most sights. Wales is a great country for biking, hiking, birding, and the like. Not super handicap accessible tho.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did like this book. Very handy and informative etc but I wish there had been photos for me to refer to as that helps a little more with planning etc. But the guide is helpful.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent guide book with many helpful links.

[JC Cornell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love all the Lonely Planet guides.

[Joyce Meijs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good suggestions.

[Katrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great guide. I read the general parts and all the descriptions of locations I have been to myself. I loved to read about this amazing small country and got absorbed in the history part, too. I must say though that I have been to places in Northern Wales, which are not featured in this book, and I wonder why this is so. Ok, I understand that not every ruined castle, can be mentioned, but I would have liked a more thorough part on castles. I also wonder how running did not make it into the sports part. There are so many races! I took part in two, myself, the Conwy Fun Run and the Gary Speed memorial 10k. But yea, I might be not the best reviewer of this book since I already come with enough experience :D Still, it covers everything you might want to know about Wales and really makes you hungry for the vast landscapes and windswept beaches of Wales..

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent guide book that answers many of the questions you may have before visiting. I especially liked the sections on language and also the nice feature of highlighting other books that may be of interest.

[R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

of the different travel books around, Lonely Planet is probably my preferred series.... and this is a good one

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good source of information on an area that't harder to find.