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You’ve heard of Brighton. You know Blackpool. You’re probably familiar with Whitstable. Those are a few of the seaside towns that made it on to Time Out’s roundup of the 16 greatest in the UK right now. They’ve been well-known tourist destinations for years, but there are other places on the list that remain more under-the-radar and are just as worthy of a visit.
Do you know, for example, Porthmadog? The ‘chilled-out’ north Welsh harbour town came in at number 13 on our coastal towns guide. It’s not technically on the sea – it’s on the Glaslyn Estuary – but it’s only a 10-minute drive or 30-minute walk to the beach so we reckon it still counts.
A former slate port backed by the gothic peaks of Eryri [Snowdonia] National Park, Porthmadog doesn’t have the same kitsch colour scheme as other towns on the list. But our writers said that ‘what Porthmadog may lack in primness, it makes up for with rugged drama and alternative spirit’.
Headline attractions here include Ffestiniog Railway, which is the world’s oldest narrow-gauge railway and the mighty, narrow Cob, a mile-long embankment with views of both Snowdonia and the estuary. In the town itself is a parade of cool independent joints, like the legendary vinyl palace Cob Records, excellent indie bookshop Browsers and top pub The Australia, which serves up pints brewed by the locally-based (but nationally adored) Purple Moose Brewery.
The nearest beach is the hidden Borth-y-Gest, which you can get to via a half-hour or so walk past cottages and along pretty shrubbed paths. Or, you could bring your car down to Morfa Bychan [Black Rock Sands], which is one of the only beaches in the UK where cars are allowed to drive on the sand. When the tides are low, it feels pretty invigorating to cruise along the shoreline.
To top all of that off, staying in Porthmadog gives easy access to the Eryri mountains and is just a 38-minute drive from Wales’ tallest, Yr Wyddfa [Snowdon]. And you’re a stone’s throw from the one-of-a-kind Italian-inspired village of Portmeirion, which is one of Time Out’s top places to visit this year.
🏖️ See Time Out’s full list of the UK’s greatest seaside towns.
ICYMI: This iconic British train scenic route has been named one of the best in the world
Plus: This ‘spotlessly clean coastline’ is officially the third-best beach in Britain.
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