Snowdonia, North Wales & Chester

Here are a few words you might want to know today. Helo (hello) and diolch (thank you), to start. And one phrase you might hear is Croeso i Gymru – “Welcome to Wales”. Because today we’re leaving Manchester and heading straight for the border of Wales. Your first stop of the day is Conwy. This must be one of the most picture-perfect harbour towns in the world. You can see a castle perched by the sea, the ‘world’s smallest house’, and lots of cute restaurants boasting the best fish and chips.

Our journey continues as you venture along the winding, scenic roads of the Snowdonia National Park and along Llanberis Pass. Nature shows off today as the road snakes between towering peaks, their rugged and craggy faces riding steeply around you. We arrive in Betws-Y-Coed, a quaint town known as the gateway to Snowdonia. It’s also famous for its alpine trees and cosy cafes, which is perfect because this is your lunch stop for the day. If it’s a cold day, why not warm yourself up with a bowl of Cawl, a hearty meat and vegetable stew that is sometimes considered the national dish of Wales.

As we leave Betws-y-Coed, you’ll be surrounded by a wild and varied landscape, from lush woodlands to cascading rivers as we leave the dramatic peaks of Snowdonia behind. The landscape softens as we enter beautiful farmland; patchwork fields and charming market towns are your guides as we leave Wales behind and enter England once more as we head for the historic town of Chester.

This ancient city is yours to explore this afternoon. It has the most complete city walls in Britain, not to mention the oldest racecourse and the largest Roman Amphitheatre. And then there’s the 1000-year-old cathedral brimming with medieval carvings. Where will you start your exploration? After this history-and-beauty-filled day, we head back to the city of Manchester.