Visiting Historic Castles of North Wales

North Wales is home to many grand and majestic castles. Some have been converted into manor houses and inhabited, and some have been abandoned completely. Each has a different story to tell, but all of them are brimming with history and intrigue. If you’d like to submerge yourself in the rich roots of the area, we highly recommend visiting historic castles in North Wales.

Caernarfon Castle

The one with the eagle statues

Caernarfon is situated an hour’s drive away, but we think the journey is very much worth it! This is one of the grandest castles in North Wales – known as one of the strongest fortresses in the middle-ages. Caernarfon was constructed one of several castles erected by Edward I, after he led England to victory in a war against the Welsh, which ended in 1284. Alongside the castle, Edward and his military architect built walls around the town and a quay. Its seemingly impenetrable defences were a clear message to attackers that is could withstand immense assault, but also offered more subtle messages with eagle statues and multi-coloured masonry. Although its defences aren’t as quite as strong as its siblings, it was seen as a seat of power due to its location eight miles from Bangor.

Unlock 700 years of secrets with a visit to Caernarfon Castle.

You can book tickets for Caernarfon Castle in advance, or on arrival.

Address: Caernarfon Castle, Castle Ditch, Caernarfon, LL55 2AY

How to get to Caernarfon Castle: 1-hour drive

Parking: There are several car parks nearby, such as Slate Quay, which a 3-minute walk away.

Conwy Castle

The one with eight towers

What better way to carry on our recommendations than with Caernarfon’s sibling castle, Conwy – the second of three built by Welsh conqueror Edward I. Just like its military counterpart, Conwy Castle boasts over 700 years of interesting history and an intimidating defence structure, as well as an ‘iron wall’ around the town. The eight towers and two barbicans saw a lot of battle, from the siege of Madog ap Llywelyn in1294, all the way to the English Civil war in 1642. Finally, parliamentary forces overtook the castle and slighted it. It was then stripped of its lead and iron to stop it from being used again. Today, visitors can walk around the castle and climb the vast staircases to obtain fantastic views. We highly recommend a visit!

You can book tickets for Conwy Castle in advance, or on arrival.

Address: Conwy Castle, Rose Hill St., Conwy, LL32 8AY

How to get to Conwy Castle: 35-minute drive

Parking: Conwy Castle has dedicated short and long stay car parks.

Beaumaris Castle

The unfinished masterpiece

Beaumaris Castle was the last to be built by Edward I and military architect in his ‘iron ring’ of castles on the North Wales coastlines. The stunning castle never actually completed construction – dubbing the nickname ‘the greatest castle never built’. However, it was said to be his masterpiece – utilising a ‘walls within walls’ structure that was seriously high-tech for the 13^th century. You can visit Beaumaris Castle today, and we recommend it.

You can book tickets for Beaumaris Castle in advance, or on arrival.

Address: Beaumaris Castle, Castle Street, Beaumaris, LL58 8AP

How to get to Beaumaris Castle: 1-hour drive

Parking: There is dedicated on-site parking, as well as limited street parking nearby.

Beeston Castle

The one with the woodlands

Beeston Castle’s origins date back to 4,000 years in the Bronze Age. Its structure was inspired by the Crusader’s Castles and Richard II is said to have buried bags of gold somewhere in the castle. Beeston boasts arguably the best views of any nearby castles. From the top, you can see across 8 counties! Although Beeston Castle is on the outskirts of England – an hour’s drive from our base at Oak View – you’ll love spending the whole day here, especially with children. The whole family will love exploring the vast woodland park. Who knows – maybe they’ll even discover Richard’s treasure!

You can book tickets for Beeston Castle in advance, or on arrival.

Address: Beeston Castle, Chapel Lane, Tarporley, CW6 9TX

How to get to Beeston Castle: 1-hour drive

Parking: There is dedicated on-site parking.

Rhuddlan Castle

The one that settled the town

Rhuddlan Castle is steeped in history. Its origins stretch back to the eighth century, when the town of Rhyl didn’t even exist. It is said that early form of the castle is the reason that Rhuddlan town was marked and created, and it was originally built to distinguish a westward barrier between England and Wales. After being used to battle the Normans, Rhuddlan Castle was built in its final form by Edward I in 1282, for a massive cost of £9,613. With Rhuddlan Castle just a 20-minute drive away, we recommend visiting the ruins and learning more about its highly interesting history.

You can book tickets for Rhuddlan Castle in advance, or on arrival.

Address: Rhuddlan Castle, Castle Street, Rhuddlan, LL18 5AD

How to get to Rhuddlan Castle: 20-minute drive

Parking: There is dedicated on-site parking.

Where to stay in North Wales

If you love North Wales just as much as we do, then why not make a more permanent base for yourselves here? Oak View Lodge Park in Bryn Morfydd is perfectly situated to enjoy the magic of the stunning local area, and explore all that North Wales has to offer. Visiting Historic Castles in North Wales is just one of the fun days out you can enjoy with your family here.

Find out more about luxury lodge ownership in North Wales