The oldest city in Wales is also one of the UK's most underrated staycation gems.
Bangor is a city with roots more than a thousand years old but one which has become a modern, bustling town that is home to a large student population. According to Bounce, the city pulled in 1.5 million Google searches over 2023, make it one of the most searched for tourist spots in the country.
There is plenty to do in the city, not least visiting the magnificent 19th-century castle with its impressively Victorian architecture and landscaped gardens, which was built for the Hon Robert Edward Ward and his family in 1852. Today visitors can take a guided tour around the castle and its gardens.
Bangor Cathedral sits on a site with religious routes dating back to the 6th century. In around the year 530AD a noble man named Deiniol settled on this site and built in a church. Around it he drove poles into the ground and connected them with weaved branches. The technique was called 'bangor' at the time, giving the city its names. The current iteration of the cathedral is probably around 700 years old, previous versions having been destroyed and burned down at various points.
If Gothic architecture doesn't hold your attention for too long, then there are different kinds of thrills to be had in Bangor. The Zip World Penrhyn Quarry is one of the world's fastest and longest in Europe zip lines. For a small fee the staff will strap you into a harness and launch you over the top of deep craggy quarries.
A stroll around the nearby GreenWood Family Park is perfect both for families and for getting all of that adrenalin out of your system. The adventure park offers a range of attractions, including rides, shows, and outdoor activities amidst beautiful woodland surroundings
Garth Pier is one of the the finest surviving Victorian pier in Wales, standing proudly in the sea as it does as a perfect example of a wooden promenade. It stretches nearly half a kilometre out into the water and provides spectacular views up and down the strait and across to Anglesey.
If you are planning a trip to Bangor, then coinciding it with the National Eisteddfod at the start of August may be wise. The music and arts festival celebrates all things Welsh and has done so at sites across the country for decades. A ring of standing stones which form part of the ceremonies has been created at each location, with Bangor's having stood in place since it hosted the Eisteddodd in 1971. Today you can walk up to see the stones on the grassy hillside and enjoy lovely views across the Menai Strait.
The city is also well situated as a base from which to explore the rest of North Wales. As on Tripadvisor reviewer notes: "Bangor is a University Town ideally situated for touring North Wales. From here you can visit the picturesque bays of Anglesey, go hiking, cycling or horseriding in Snowdonia, visit the best preserved Castle in the UK at Caernarvon where Queen Elizabeth's son Charles was invested."
In terms of getting there, Bangor is close to Manchester and Liverpool. The university has some helpful advice about how best to get there.
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