Set on its own peninsula overlooking the Dwyryd Estuary, Portmeirion was built by visionary architect, Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925-1975. The village, inspired by the multicoloured facades of Portofino, looks like it was ripped straight from the pages of a fairy tale.
Walking through the archway into the village, you’ll immediately feel transported out of North Wales to a little slice of an Italian rustic village with its Riviera-inspired architecture, expansive exotic gardens and a sandy beach.
“Utopian dreams of the perfect town were a perpetual background to my work and play”
– SIR CLOUGH WILLIAM-ELLIS
Portmeirion is home to two hotels, multiple self-catering cottages, a spa and a selection of restaurants, cafes and shops. If you’re visiting North Wales, make sure to add this to your list of places to stop. The village can easily be done in a few hours.
The Welsh border opened up just two days prior to our visit so we were very lucky to experience it with basically no people around.
Good to Know
Here are some tips that will make planning your visit a little easier:
- Open daily from 9:30am – 5:30pm with free parking
- Entry fee for an adult is £13 which is a little pricey but the fee goes towards the maintenance and upkeep of the village.
- Entrance for NHS workers is free.
- The cafes are only offering takeaway at the moment, which you can sit outside to enjoy.
- Not all of the shops & cafes are currently open. Check their website for the most up to date details for your visit.
Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd, LL48 6ER
