A beautiful seaside village in North Wales, which looks like it’s been lifted straight from Italy has been named the UK’s second prettiest town. Portmeirion, a tourist hotspot in Gwynedd, boasts pastel-coloured buildings and breathtaking views, earning it this high ranking by FBM Holidays.
The rankings were based on several factors including the number of awards the places had won, how often they had featured in previous lists of the UK’s prettiest places, and the number of National Trust sites nearby. Portmeirion is situated on the estuary of the River Dwyryd and is known for its unique history.
The village was designed and built by an architect in the early 20th century. Sir Clough Williams-Ellis created this stunning location between 1925 and 1975, opting for a Baroque style with Mediterranean influences.
READ MORE: The town you’ve probably not heard of 3 hours from London that keeps getting named one of the best places to live
While Williams-Ellis denied that he modelled Portmeirion on the Italian fishing village of Portofino, he admitted to having a deep admiration for it. He used fragments of demolished buildings in the new village, and his work has since been recognised as an influence on postmodernism in architecture.
The village is often called “artful and playful”, and it feels like a mix of old-fashioned charm and dreamy fantasy. Portmeirion in Wales is very romantic and pretty, and it looks a bit like Italy.
Portmeirion has been in TV shows many times. It was really famous for being in ‘The Prisoner’ in the 1960s.
People liked to film there because it’s so unusual. You can stay in hotels or cottages, relax in a spa, shop, eat yummy food, and look at the beautiful estuary.
There’s loads to see and do, like visiting the Italian-style square, Salutation Square, and the old Town Hall, which is now a special listed building. If you like walking, there are 70 acres of woods and 20 miles of paths in Y Gwyllt woodlands.
In these magical gardens, you can find secret spots like the Dog Cemetery, Ghost Garden, Tangle Wood, and the Chinese Lake. There’s even a castle!
Castell Deudraeth is away from the main part of the village, but you can see it when you drive in or out.
If you want to find a place to stay, check out Booking.com and Hotels.com. You can book train tickets via Trainline.
Get the biggest stories from around London straight to your inbox. Sign up to MyLondon’s The 12 HERE for the 12 biggest stories each day.
