Anglesey (Ynys Môn) was once called “Môn, Mam Cymru”, the mother of Wales, because its fertile fields fed the mountain kingdoms on the mainland. It is low and green compared with neighbouring Snowdonia, and much of its coast is protected as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Visitors cross the Menai Strait on Thomas Telford’s Menai Suspension Bridge (1826) or the Britannia Bridge. On the far side are the elegant small town of Beaumaris with its unfinished castle, the dune-backed beaches of Newborough and Llanddwyn Island, the seabird cliffs of South Stack, and Neolithic tombs older than the pyramids.
Highlights
- Beaumaris Castle: a moated, symmetrical masterpiece, part of a UNESCO site.
- Llanddwyn Island: a tidal island with lighthouses and views of the mountains.
- South Stack: a lighthouse below cliffs alive with seabirds.
- The Menai bridges: engineering landmarks over a tidal strait.
- Llanfairpwll: the village with the 58-letter name.
- Bryn Celli Ddu: a 5,000-year-old passage tomb.
Quick facts
| Where | Off the north-west coast of Wales |
|---|---|
| Coast path | About 200 km (130 miles) |
| From Bangor | About 15 minutes over the bridge |
| Ideal stay | 1–3 days |
| Best for | Beaches, wildlife, castles, coastal walks |
| Getting around | Car or local buses; trains to Holyhead |
How long to stay & where to base yourself
Anglesey works as a day trip from Llandudno or Bangor, but two or three nights let you enjoy the beaches and coast path. Beaumaris is the most attractive base; Rhosneigr and Trearddur Bay suit beach lovers.
