Llandudno is a wonderfully unique seaside town and a noteworthy Conservation Area that has always tried to preserve as much authentic Victorian character as possible.
Llandudno takes you back in time, celebrating the most beautiful elements of its history, from its classically Victorian promenade and elegant terraces to the small decorative details, which is why a visitor’s ultimate Llandudno bucket list has to start with a walk along our impressive Prom and end with dinner beside the sea.
Here is our ultimate Llandudno bucket list of must-dos and things to see:
Walk the Promenade
Leave our Llandudno hotel and step back in time; enjoy a stroll along our magnificent Promenade. Stop for an ice cream, play on the beach or find a spot to sit and read or watch the world go by.
No matter the weather it’s always a good idea to walk the Promenade; the views are different with every day, wrap up on stormy mornings and watch the crashing waves or wander along on sunny afternoons and enjoy watching the water gently lap the shore.
Capture the Views from the Pier
If you continue walking along the Promenade, you’ll reach the iconic Grade II listed Llandudno Pier that stretches out into the Irish Sea. Completed in 1878, Wales’s longest Pier doesn’t just offer a lovely walk with stalls and shops, it boasts the most spectacular views; walk to the end and look back at Llandudno to see the Eryri mountain range dramatically framing the Promenade, the Great Orme to the right, the Little Orme to the left and the Happy Valley Park on the hillside – wherever you look there’s a view to capture.
Hike a Mountain
For anyone who loves to bag a peak or roam along walking trails, North Wales invites you to find your perfect hike, whether you are a fan of lowland walks, mountain hikes, rambles or scrambles. From our spectacular coast to our lush green countryside, you’ll find your ultimate bucket list hike in and around Llandudno. Take on one of the 6 paths up the ever-popular Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), or simply step out of our Llandudno hotel and up to the top of the Great Orme – a real classic Llandudno must-do walk and one that delivers 360-degree views.
Discover historic sites
Mosey around a magnificent medieval castle – Castell Conwy. Find this famous fortress just a few minutes’ drive from our North Wales hotel. An impressive castle that took King Edward I’s architect just four years to build, including the castle walls, finishing in 1287. The Conwy Castle is particularly well preserved, with restored spiral staircases that welcome you to climb its great towers and walk the entire circuit of its battlements.
Or if you’d prefer to venture underground for your historical sites, a half an hour walk or 7-minute drive from our Llandudno hotel will bring you to the Great Orme Copper Mines. Here you can explore tunnels mined over 3,500 years ago in our prehistoric ancestors’ search for copper. While on the surface you can witness, ‘how our ancestors turned rock into metal at the smelting shelter and peer down the 145-metre-deep Victorian mine shaft’.
Ride the Tramway
Discover our Great Orme Tramway, ‘Britain’s only funicular, or cable-hauled tramway that travels on public roads.’ Taking people up the Great Orme, our iconic limestone headland that stands at 207 metres. Begin your journey at Victoria Station and then ascend to the summit via the Halfway Station exhibition. At the top of the Great Orme take time to relax, enjoy a picnic or a wander to take in the breath-taking views out to the Irish Sea, over to the Lake District and the Isle of Mann.
Follow in Alice’s footsteps
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known as Lewis Carroll, is believed to have been inspired by a friend’s daughter when he wrote Alice in Wonderland, and it is in Llandudno itself where he supposedly first told his fictional adventure story to 8-year-old, Alice Liddell, his friend’s daughter. A story about a little girl who fell into a rabbit hole and discovered a whole new world with many fascinating characters, and so Alice in Wonderland came into being.
You can follow the Alice in Wonderland trail and discover our Victorian coastal town as you do. Wander and explore to find the statues of the Carroll’s peculiar characters from Alice’s adventures dotted around town and 55 bronze rabbit footprints – pick up a paper map at the Llyfrgell Llandudno Library.
Dine beside the seaside
What could round off a break in Llandudno better than an unforgettable dinner overlooking the sea. Chantrey’s, our award-winning hotel restaurant has held its Two AA Rosettes since 2017, so you can expect nothing less than excellent service and modern cuisine inspired by the classics with a menu that honours local, seasonal and market-fresh ingredients.
A bucket list worthy of any great town and a wonderful dive into Llandudno’s rich history for anyone on a short break or weekend away in North Wales. Walk with history along the Promenade and Pier, travel back in time at breath-taking historical sites or walk your way to far-reaching coastal views, all before you dine with us at our seaside Llandudno hotel.