Explore Portmeirion, the extraordinary Italianate village designed by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis — a pastel-coloured fantasy of piazzas, domes and subtropical gardens perched above a private estuary. Utterly unlike anywhere else in Britain.
What to expect
Wander at your own pace through a sequence of colonnaded piazzas, baroque fountains, a campanile, a pantheon and follies assembled from architectural salvage across Europe — all above a tidal estuary of startling beauty. The subtropical gardens are lush year-round with exotic plantings. The village contains the celebrated Portmeirion Pottery shop and two excellent restaurants for a long, leisurely lunch with estuary views. Every corner offers a photograph worthy of a design magazine.
Good to know
Portmeirion is approximately 20 minutes by taxi from Criccieth (around 8 miles). Pre-book entry tickets online to guarantee access during peak season — popular summer days can reach capacity. Allow a minimum of 3 hours; half a day is ideal. The on-site Hotel Portmeirion restaurant is excellent for a relaxed lunch — book ahead.
More to do in Criccieth
- Castell Cricieth: Expert Guided Tour Inside the Ancient Walls
- Welsh Highland Railway: Steam Journey Through Snowdonia
- Pure Wales: Private Guided Day Through Llŷn Peninsula Secrets
- David Lloyd George Museum & Highgate: Wales's Most Famous Son
- Wales Coast Path: Criccieth to Black Rock Sands Guided Walk