The Ultimate 10 Day Wales Road Trip Itinerary

Last Updated on 15th January 2024

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The Ultimate 10 Day Wales Road Trip Itinerary

Are you planning a Wales trip but you’re not sure where to start when it comes to putting a Wales coastal road trip itinerary together? This huge Wales road trip route, guide and itinerary is for you!

Planning a road trip in Wales is no easy feat, especially if you only have 10 days to spend in Wales. Thankfully, I’ve embarked on many road trips in Wales over the years and as I’ve covered a vast amount of this beautiful country, I’m here to help you plan your very own trip to Wales!

With my experience of a North Wales road trip itinerary, a South Wales adventure and everywhere in between, along with the help of some recommendations from Which? Recommended Provider, Classic Cottages, who offer dozens of holiday cottages in Pembrokeshire and beyond, I’ve put together this 10-day itinerary for an epic Welsh road trip!

Wales road trip map

As you can see from the map above, this 10-day Wales road trip itinerary begins in North Wales on the Isle of Anglesey. Next, you’ll head south down the country to Portmeirion Village, Snowdonia National Park and Pistyll Rhaeadr Waterfall before continuing towards Aberystwyth and the Pembrokeshire Coast.

The road trip continues through the national park and into the Gower Peninsula where you’ll spend a few days admiring the outstanding beauty of the coastal way before heading to Swansea Bay, Barry Island and eventually concluding the trip in Cardiff!

Anglesey/Harlech – Day 1
Portmeirion Village – Day 2
Snowdonia National Park (Eryri) – Day 2/3
Pistyll Rhaeadr Waterfall – Day 3
Aberystwyth – Day 3/4
Pembrokeshire Coast Path (St Davids, Broad Haven, Tenby) – Day 4/5
Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – Day 6/7
Mumbles/Swansea/Swansea Bay – Day 7/8
Barry Island – Day 9
Cardiff – Day 9/10

Anglesey – Day 1

This 10 day road trip in Wales begins on the beautiful Isle of Anglesey where you can enjoy the island’s many beaches and coastal walkways.

Beaumaris Castle in the east of Anglesey cannot be missed and it’s also worth driving all the way north to Holy Island to have a wander along the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path and to spot the South Stack Lighthouse.

Best things to do in Anglesey on a Wales road trip itinerary

Beaumaris Castle
Anglesey Sea Zoo
Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path
Penrhos Feilw Standing Stones
Goleudy Ynys Lawd – South Stack Lighthouse
Traeth Mawr Big Beach

Where to stay during your Wales road trip itinerary

Once you’ve explored everything that the Isle of Anglesey has to offer, I’d suggest driving an hour south to the gorgeous seaside resort town of Harlech. Here, you can spend a few nights at the stunning Swn y Don property, which comes equipped with spectacular sea views, a fantastic sun room and a fully-equipped gallery kitchen.

I would recommend spending two nights at this property in Harlech as it’s the perfect place to base yourself after driving down from Anglesey and it’s also a great spot to visit Portmeirion Village and Eyri National Park as part of the Snowdonia road trip.

Portmeirion Village – Day 2

An hour’s drive from Anglesey will take you to the remarkable Portmeirion Village which is undoubtedly one of the best places to visit on any Wales road trip.

You’ll begin day 2 of your 10-day road trip in Wales at this fascinating folly tourist village in Gwynedd which resembles a charming Italian-inspired village, full of quaint houses, adorable tea rooms and breathtaking views of the expansive coastline.

I’d recommend allocating 2-3 hours at Portmeirion Village and it’s a good idea to arrive as early as possible once the village opens (around 10 AM) so that you have plenty of time to explore Portmeirion before heading off to the next destination on your itinerary.

Eryri National Park (Snowdonia) – Day 2/3

After a few hours of exploring Portmeirion, it’s time to head into Eryri National Park, also known as Snowdonia. There are plenty of incredible walks to experience in and around Snowdonia and depending on how much time you want to spend walking (and your level of fitness!), you could perhaps even tackle a part of the mountain!

If you’re not in the mood for a huge walk, Snowdonia is still a truly wonderful place to drive through and as there are plenty of lay-bys located throughout the national park, you can stop as many times as you like to admire the beauty all around you.

Remember, you’ll still be staying at the Swn y Don property in Harlech as you explore the National Park and as it’s only a 15-minute drive from Harlech to Snowdonia National Park, you can very easily come and go between the two places.

Pistyll Rhaeadr Waterfall – Day 3

Pistyll Rhaeadr Waterfall - 10 day Wales road trip itinerary

*Note, this day will include quite a lot of driving.

On day 3 of your Wales road trip, you can either choose to spend more time inside Eryri National Park or you can depart from your accommodation in Harlech and head to the next destination on your itinerary; Pistyll Rhaeadr Waterfall.

It can take anywhere between one and two hours to drive to Pistyll Rhaeadr Waterfall, depending on whether you depart from your accommodation in Harlech or from the mountainous landscapes of Snowdonia, so just make sure that you leave with enough time to get to the waterfall and explore the area.

If you just want to admire the waterfall from the ground, it’s super easy to get to from the nearby paid car park or from the free lay-bys on the road leading up to the waterfall, so you don’t need to worry about scrambling up the rocks or heading off on a tiring trek to get to the top!

Where to stay during your Wales road trip itinerary

Once you’ve had your fill of the waterfall, it’s time to drive two hours to your next accommodation for the night.

For a more unique place to stay during your Welsh road trip, book a stay at the Ffion secluded shepherd’s hut, which is peacefully tucked away in the Cambrian mountains, not too far from Devil’s Bridge in Ceredigion.

This property is just a 20-minute drive from Aberystwyth and as it’s located just minutes from Devil’s Bridge, it’s the perfect place to stay! It will take around two hours to drive from Pistyll Rhaeadr Waterfall to this accommodation near Ceredigion, so again, be sure to bear this in mind when planning your route and departure times.

Aberystwyth & Devil’s Bridge – Day 3/4

Depending on what time you arrive at your accommodation near Devil’s Bridge on day 3 of your road trip, you can either check out Devil’s Bridge on day 3 or just head straight to your accommodation and then get up nice and early to head to Devil’s Bridge on day 4.

From Devil’s Bridge, it’s just a short 20-minute drive to Aberystwyth where you can spend a couple of hours strolling along the beach, eating delicious seafood and wandering through the castle grounds.

There’s not a tonne of things to see and do in Aberystwyth, so you can easily spend just a few hours there before heading into Pembrokeshire National Park.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park – Day 4/5

As it’s a 2-hour drive from Aberystwyth into the heart of the national park, I would suggest spending the night in Fishguard or St Davids on day 4 of your itinerary so that you can wake up nice and early on day 5 to explore places such as St Davids, Broad Haven, Little Haven and Tenby.

On the night of day 4 of your itinerary, you can opt for the Sea View holiday cottage in Fishguard or Puffin Place in St Davids if you decide to drive further along the Pembrokeshire Coast.

St Davids

The Ultimate Guide Of The Best Things To Do On A South Wales Road Trip

If you stay in either the Sea View holiday cottage in Fishguard or Puffin Place in St Davids, you’ll be in the perfect place to explore the latter early on day 5 of your itinerary!

St Davids is famed for being the smallest city in Britain and while you definitely don’t need to spend all day there, it is worth dedicating a couple of hours to exploring the city’s mighty cathedral, as well as the adorable chocolate shops, tea rooms and old timey pubs.

Broad Haven/Little Haven

A 30-minute drive along the coast will take you to the seaside towns of Broad Haven and Little Haven. You don’t need to spend very long in these coastal towns, but they’re both lovely places to stop to breathe in the sea air and enjoy a lovely stroll along the beach.

Carew Castle

Another half an hour’s drive takes you to Carew Castle & Tidal Mill whose exciting history spans more than 2,000 years!

The external grounds of Carew Castle are arguably just as impressive as the fortress’ interior grounds, so be sure to spend at least an hour or so exploring the premises!

Tenby

The stunning harbour and seaside resort town of Tenby is the next stop on your Wales road trip itinerary and depending on how long you spend in each of the other places on day 5, you should have plenty of time to check out the town in the evening.

Tenby North Beach is arguably the main attraction in the town and it’s actually been voted as one of Wales’ top seaside town resorts! You can also check out the ruins of Tenby Castle, the Tudor Merchant’s House and the many exciting exhibits at Tenby Museum and Art Gallery if you have time!

Where to stay in Tenby on your 10 day Wales road trip itinerary

Sea Blue House is located directly in the heart of Tenby, just minutes from the adorable centre of the town, as well as a short stroll from the expansive beaches and breathtaking coastline, so it’s a great place to base yourself while exploring the Pembrokeshire Coast/Tenby!

Gower National Park – Day 6/7

On day 6 of your road trip around Wales, I would suggest leaving Tenby bright and early so that you can make the 2-hour journey into the Gower Area of Outstanding National Beauty.

This is by far my favourite place to explore on a Wales road trip and while I definitely think you can spend a lot longer in this part of the country, I think two days should be enough time to scratch the surface of what it has to offer.

Best things to do in Gower on a Wales road trip itinerary

Rhossili Bay is undoubtedly one of the best places to visit in Gower, and perhaps in the whole of Wales, as it’s such an incredibly stunning part of the coastline.

There are also plenty of wonderful beaches to enjoy in this part of the country, as well as several clifftop walks and areas of fascinating history such as King Arthur’s Stone.

Rhossili Bay
Worm’s Head
Oxwich Bay Beach
Tor Bay
Three Cliffs Bay
King Arthur’s Stone

Discover more places to stay as you road trip through Wales here!

Mumbles/Swansea/Swansea Bay – Day 7/8

From Gower, it will take you around 40 minutes to drive to the Mumbles/Swansea Bay area where I recommend spending the rest of day 7 and all of day 8 of your Welsh road trip.

There are so many incredible things to see and do in Mumbles and Swansea, including several beaches, castles, bays, museums, intriguing art galleries, souvenir shops and more.

Best things to do in Swansea Bay on a Wales road trip itinerary

Caswell Bay Beach
Langland Bay
Oystermouth Castle
Bracelet Bay
Mumbles Pier
Swansea Castle
Swansea Museum
Swansea Market

Barry – Day 9

Many people will know of Barry Island from the hit TV show Gavin and Stacey, but even if you’re not a fan of the sitcom, the seaside town of Barry in the southwest of Wales is still worth a little wander around as you make your way towards the final stop of this 10-day itinerary.

If your Wales road trip is planned for the summer months, then you’ll have had plenty of chances to take advantage of the many incredible beaches in Wales, including Barry Island Beach and Pleasure Park!

Fans of Gavin and Stacey can also do a spot of sightseeing around the town to visit some of the famous filming locations from the series, including Stacey and Gwen’s house and Marco’s Cafe on Barry Island!

Best things to see/do in Barry

Barry Island Pleasure Park
Gavin and Stacey filming locations tour
Marco’s Cafe
Jackson’s Bay
Friars Point
Barry Island Beach

Cardiff – Day 9/10

It’s just a 20-minute drive from Barry to Cardiff which will be your final stop of this Wales itinerary and I’d recommend spending day 9 and 10 of the trip in the Welsh capital city.

You’ll need to dedicate a couple of hours to exploring the remarkable Cardiff Castle and it’s also worth heading to Cardiff Bay for a relaxing wander around.

Best things to do in Cardiff on a Wales road trip itinerary

Cardiff Castle
Doctor Who Walking Tour
Wales Millennium Centre
Bute Park
Cardiff Bay
The Cardiff Market

Bonus places to visit during Wales road trips

If you have more time to spend in Wales or you just want to plan more Welsh road trips in the future, you can also add some of the places below to your Wales itinerary!

Brecon Beacons National Park
Newport
Porthmadog
Fishguard
Caernarfon Castle
Trip into Chester in England

10 day Wales road trip itinerary – conclusion

I really hope this 10 day Wales road trip itinerary has helped inspire you to plan your own trip throughout this beautiful country!

From trekking along the Cambrian Way to embarking on the Snowdon Mountain Railway to exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Gwynedd and Anglesey to experiencing huge parts of the Wales Coastal Path, there are so many wonderful things to experience on a Wales road trip!

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Do you have any more recommendations for the best driving routes in Wales in 10 days? Are there any other places you would add to this Wales travel itinerary? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram at @imjustagirl_16.