The southern end of Cardigan Bay is known as the home of bottlenose dolphins, Dylan Thomas and multi-coloured harbour houses.
On land, South Ceredigion boasts beautiful sandy beaches and quaint seaside towns and hamlets, which have become a popular pull for tourists.
Among them is the popular harbour town of Aberaeron while a short drive south takes you to beautiful sandy beaches and other quaint seaside hamlets like New Quay and the town of Cardigan which have become a popular pull for tourists.
Where is it?
Aberaeron sits on the Ceredigion coast some 17-miles south of Aberystwyth.
The town sits on the mouth of the River Aeron and was built specifically to support a shipuilding industry in the 19th century.
How do I get there?
No railway lines, no dual carriageways, no motorways - Ceredigion makes its visitors work for their stay!
The main artery is the coastal A487 and Cardigan Bay’s major towns and villages - including Aberaeron - sit on this road.
The Megabus provides a service between London and Aberaeron via Cardiff with fares from as little as £1.50.
The TrawsCymru T1C service also runs between Cardiff, Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter and Aberaeron.
You’re looking at a two and a half hour journey by car from Cardiff.
The T2 bus services North Wales but you’ll need a transfer in Aberystwyth to reach the south of the county.
Where to stay?
It doesn’t have a Hilton or even a Premier Inn for that matter but South Ceredigion is full of accommodation options for every budget.
An huge array of coastal caravan parks are dotted along the coast including Haven’s huge Quay West Holiday Park in New Quay.
Likewise there’s no shortage of campsites in the West Wales countryside.
Fforest near Cardigan offers the whole glamping experience within two luxurious and unique campsites where you can stay in a host of shelters including domes, yurts, huts and lodges (prices begin at around £150 for two nights).
If you prefer four brick walls then how about the iconic Harbourmaster Hotel in Aberaeron (Two night’s bed and breakfast starting at around £120).
In New Quay options include the Black Lion (£70 a night) and Penwig (£80 a night).
Alternatively the county - and especially Aberaeron itself - is littered with great bed and breakfast accommodation.
What to eat and drink
If you’re by the seaside then you have to have some fish and chips and there are plenty of outlets to choose from.
If you’re going to visit just one The legendary New Celtic Restaurant in Aberaeron is arguably the pick of the lot.
For something a bit different thought New Quay’s Lime Crab has taken fish and chips to the next level.
Its menu includes tempura prawns with a sweet chilli dip, salt ‘n’ pepper squid ‘n’ chips and fresh scallops ‘n’ chips.
On a sunny afternoon there is simply no other option than to hit the kiosk at The Hive in Aberaeron to sample their famous honey ice cream.
Take a short walk afterwards to the Harbourmaster and enjoy a glass of Pimms or a crisp pint while sitting on the harbour wall.
The Harbourmaster restaurant itself has a renowned reputation for fine dining with a three-course evening menu for £35 often including local seafood.
In New Quay the recently reopened Blue Bell Bistro Deli and Bistro is perfect for a coffee, glass of wine, evening meal or just somewhere to pick up some cured meats, olives and cheeses for an antipasto beach picnic.
Dylan Thomas’ reputed favourite watering hole was the Black Lion but he would struggle to recognise today’s modern, stylish decor, spacious beer garden and delicious menu.
And just around the corner is The Hungry Trout , specialising in freshly caught Cardigan Bay seafood.
If you’re travelling from New Quay to Cardigan then stop off in Tresaith for a pint at the Ship Inn , surely one of Wales’ most picturesque watering holes.
And then in Cardigan itself enjoy woodfired pizza and live music under canvas at the fabulous Pizzatipi .
Things to do
1. Go bottlenose dolphin Spotting in New Quay
They are probably New Quay’s most famous residents - and the village is arguably the best place in the whole of Britain to spot them.
Regular dolphin spotting boat trips leave the pier in the summer season and have a fairly good success rate.
However there are a number of vantage points in the village and especially along the coastal path towards Llangrannog where spotting a dolphin is more than a possibility.
Porpoises and grey seals also populate the waters while a range of interesting seabirds inhabit the shoreline.
You can visit the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre on the pier in New Quay for lots of information.
2. Visit Llanerchaeron’s Georgian Mansion and Estate
The small 18th century Welsh gentry estate is set in beautiful Dyffryn Aeron on the outskirts of Aberaeron.
The estate survived virtually unaltered into the 20th century and was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1989.
The villa was designed and built by John Nash in 1794-96 who had a decent CV - he also build the Royal Pavilion, Brighton, and Buckingham Palace.
Today Llanerchaeron is a working farm with two restored walled gardens which produce fruit and vegetables sold in the shop.
There are extensive walks around the estate and parkland as well as daily activities throughout the school holidays.
- Visit the Llanerchaeron National trust website here .
3. Soak in 900 years of history at Cardigan Castle
Cardigan Castle has been lived in for 900 years and bears the marks of many ages ranging from medieval to Civil War, Georgian to Victorian right up to the present day with the 21st century glass and slate restaurant.
Medieval walls and remains surround a Georgian house and landscaped gardens.
The castle was nearly derelict but saved by a £11m award winning restoration project.
Today it is a celebrated tourist attraction which also hosts art exhibitions, live music and theatre.
- Find more information here .
4. Follow in the footsteps of Dylan Thomas
The dolphins may currently be New Quay’s most famous residents but they weren’t always.
Although Dylan Thomas only lived in the village for a short time during the second world war it is widely believed that many colourful local residents in the town became the basis of his characters in his most widely acclaimed work Under Milk Wood.
The Dylan Thomas trail takes visitors to just some of the sites made famous by the poet.
From the real homes of the characters who inspired Thomas to the Post Office where he sent his scripts to London, his home ‘Majoda’ and of course all his favourite watering holes.
- You can learn all about the Dylan Thomas trail here .
5. Visit amazing beaches like Mwnt, Tresaith, Poppit Sands and Penbryn
Ceredigion’s best beaches can all be found in the south of the county.
Mwnt and Penbryn are both owned by the National Trust with the former being a little harder to find, making it a quieter spot with fewer crowds.
Tresaith and Poppit Sands on the other hand are among the more tourist friendly.
Tresaith is set in a small sheltered sandy bay with a waterfall cascading over the cliffs to the beach.
The beach is very popular with families during the summer offering safe swimming and rock pools and a second beach is accessed by crossing below the waterfall.
There are public toilets a café, a first aid post, a shop and The Ship Inn Pub providing lots of tables inside and out, for meals overlooking the beach.
The beach has a slipway and is a popular sailing destination.
Poppit Sands is backed with sand dunes at the mouth of the Teifi Estuary.
It is a blue flag bathing beach making it an ideal holiday location. Lifeguards patrol the beach between July and August.
6. Go crabbing and sink a pint on the harbour wall in Aberaeron
Aberaeron harbour is a real meeting place, perfect for a brisk walk or a picturesque pit-stop.
With chip shops, cafes, shops, restaurants and bars in close vicinity.
The harbour wall is hugely popular for crabbing - especially with families. Get yourself a spool of fishing line from and some bait and a bucket and then watch the children excitedly pulling hungry crabs out of the harbour water.
Just make sure you put them back safely afterwards!
While the kids are entertained, get yourself a pint or an ice cream and listen to the clunking music of boats in the harbour while admiring Aberaeron’s multi-coloured houses - a legacy of the fishermen forefathers of this small community.
Once, as the story has it, fishermen would paint their terrace homes around the dock in varying colours so they could recognise their own as they returned from the sea.
7. Walk the coastal path to Cwmtydu
This four-mile trek from New Quay takes you to a perfect picnic spot below an old lime kiln and can offer stunning views across to the Lleyn peninsula.
The walk is steep to start but soon levels to give you a clear view of the path ahead, dropping into tiny coves and up again onto the cliff paths.
Along the way you’ll pass Bird Rock - a site of special scientific interest with colonies of nesting birds.
The next stop is Seal Bay - where young seals are born and mature seals can often be seen basking in the sea.
At most times of year the path is full of wild flowers from thrift early in the year to sea campion in the summer.
- Find out more here .
8. Learn to surf in Llangrannog
This picturesque seaside village six miles southwest of New Quay is better known for its Urdd Centre but is a popular spot with Ceredigion surfers whenever a large south westerly swell is running in winter time.
Park in the Llangrannog car park and walk down to the shore or walk around Carreg Bica to the north which leads to a beach called Cilborth, which usually has marginally better surf.
The village has a few cafes and shops and gets very busy during the summer months.
It also has two beachside pubs - perfect for some evening grub and a few well deserved drinks after a day in the water.
9. Have a spa afternoon at the Cliff Hotel
The Cliff Hotel and Spa in Cardigan sits on a stunning location and is the perfect location to unwind and chill out.
The spa facilities include a well equipped gym, heated indoor hydro spa, sauna, jacuzzi, steam room and a fabulous day spa offering individual treatment rooms, rasul, manicure and pedicure station and a spray tanning booth.
Everything you need for the ultimate health and spa experience.
- Find out about hotel spa packages here .
10. Explore caves, coves and cliffs by coasteering or kayaking
There’s no better way to explore the coast than by getting wet in the wild surf!
Head to Cardigan Bay Active where their coasteering experience is described as “everything your mum told you not to do at the beach”.
Sessions are adapted to your needs from non swimmers to the adrenaline seekers.
Alternatively take a sea kayak tour along the coastline taking in wondrous views of Cardigan Bay.
The centre also offers white water river rafting, stand-up paddle boarding, surfing, canoeing, climbing and more.
- Plan your adventure here .
When to go
August Bank Holiday (26th, 27th, 28th) is a huge event in Aberaeron.
On the Saturday and Sunday the celebrated Rugby Sevens tournament is hosted and Bank Holiday Monday sees Aberaeron’s annual carnival take place - with fairground rides, activities, food stalls and fancy dress taking over the town.
Before that - on July 9 - the 20th Cardigan Bay Seafood Festival takes place at Aberaeron Harbour.
Over the years the festival has beena highlight on the food calendar in Wales and several thousand people are expected to flock to the quayside this summer to see and taste local seafood cooked by celebrated and celebrity chefs.
If you’ve got children...
Why not head to the famous Urdd activity campsite in Llangranog .
Organised activities ranging from archery to horse trekking, go-karting to quad biking.
Or visit the Ski Centre and head down the dry ski-slope.
Further afield?
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is just around the corner from Cardigan offering some of Wales’ most breathtaking scenery.
Venture further into the neighbouring county for day trips to Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo or Oakwood Theme Park .
Head north for shopping and a great night out in Aberystwyth - the unofficial capital of West Wales - or keep travelling up and you’ll soon reach the southern tip of Snowdonia National Park.
Are you a local from South Ceredigion? Or a frequent visitor? We’ve love to hear your recommendations. Just comment below.
