While I admit I haven’t been to many parts of the world yet, I don’t imagine how many places could be more beautiful than Aberystwyth, Wales. I know, big, scary Welsh word. It’s pronounced (Ah–burr–rist–with), and it means ‘Mouth of the River Ystwyth’, one of the rivers in town.
Aberystwyth is a town in mid-Wales, along the coast. It’s absolutely gorgeous, and I really enjoy when I can spend time there. The beautiful scenery is what made me start wanting to photograph the world around me. There honestly isn’t a ton to do, but if you enjoy hiking or water sports, this is the place for you. (Or, if you don’t like either of those things but want to try anyway, you’re welcome to join the club.)
I would recommend coming sometime between mid-spring and late autumn. Winters in Aberystwyth (Aber) are cold and dark, and early spring is storm season (a downfall of being on the coast). Aber becomes a tourist town in the nicer part of the year, so it can be a little crowded. Spring or fall would be less busy than the summer (excluding Easter time!), so remember to take that into account when planning your trip. The streets can be pretty crowded when the tourists arrive.
So maybe now you’ve decided, “Hey, this sounds like a nice place to visit!” And maybe you’ve arranged your transportation to Aber and found a place to stay. Awesome! But how do you spend your time there? Here’s where I come in. I’ve put together an itinerary, based on my own time in Aber, that you can use to get ideas. There’s more to do than meets the eye, and I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.
Just bear in mind that everything is weather-dependent. It rains a LOT in Aber, which can ruin your plans pretty fast. Account for this before you go, and try to find backups if you can. Feel free to use it as a chance to enjoy the town itself and the lovely people who live there.
But without further ado, here’s a great way to spend five days in Aberystwyth, Wales.
Day 1: Explore Town and the Castle
It’s your first full day in Aberystwyth. You’re (hopefully) prepared for a bunch of hiking and exploring. But first things first, you should check out the town. There are a bunch of local and chain stores scattered around, mixed in with cafes and restaurants. Feel free to just wander around for a while until something interests you. I’ve spent a decent amount of time in Aber and still find something new each time I wander around. Of course, it’s always worth checking Google or a map to see what’s out there before you go out.
In Aber, there’s a main road going through the center of town. Depending on where you’re standing, it’s called Penglais or North Parade. If you take this road uphill, you’ll wind up at A&E (the ER), the National Library of Wales, and then Aberystwyth University. We’re not going that way today.
Going the other direction will lead us into town, and eventually to the castle. Keep walking, the road will shrink and then altogether disappear, replaced by a walkway to the castle. There’s some nice open space and a playground out here. If the weather is nice, families will be out playing, and older kids and university students will be reading or playing soccer/football around the castle.
The castle ruins are pretty cool if you’re not used to seeing things like that. Once you’re used to it, the castle becomes a nice place to hang out, read, study, play around, or just enjoy the views. There are sections of the castle where you can climb around (or up), so make sure you have decent shoes on.
The castle is lovely at any time of day. You can go there to watch the sunrise or sunset, or to admire the views on a sunny day. If you’re a little more adventurous, you can go at night. It’s a little tricky to navigate your way (especially when it’s windy), but it offers a different perspective than during the day and the views are just as nice.
From the castle, you can go down to the seafront. It’s a tradition in Aberystwyth, especially amongst university students, to “kick the bar”. This means walking down to each end of the Promenade (Prom) and kicking the railing at either end. Some students will do this religiously, and won’t walk the Prom without kicking the bar, while others will absolutely refuse to participate in the superstition. People won’t care, or maybe you’ll be judged either way. Depends on who you’re walking with.
There are a few options for ice cream or food along the Prom, but if you duck into any of the connecting streets, you’re bound to find even more. My friends and I personally enjoy going to the Hut (right there by the castle) if we’re hanging out on the beach or going a little further into town for Aberdyfi (pronounced Aber–dovey) ice cream. You should be able to find that if you look for the bubblegum pink building in the middle of Pier Street.
Wherever you try to explore, I’m sure it’ll be great. Today is meant to be an easier, more laid-back day before all the hiking the next couple days.
Day 2: Constitution Hill
Day 2 will probably be a little slow also, so feel free to sleep in today.
You’ve probably noticed the cliff on one end of town by now. It has a railway going up in and a couple buildings at the top. This is called Constitution Hill, or Consti. Consti offers beautiful panoramic views of Aberystwyth. You can go up at any point in the day, but if it’s your first time, I’d suggest going during daylight hours, and NOT in the rain. The path to hike up isn’t lit, and it would be very slippery when wet. That being said, you can go up in the dark. I’ve been able to watch the sunrise from up there, and I’m told it’s very romantic to go at night.
If you go during the day, you have two options to get to the top: hike it or take the Cliff Railway. The Cliff Railway runs every few minutes, and you don’t need to book in advance. There’s a ticket office at the railway’s base. Just head in there, get your ticket, and you’ll be on your way up. It’s the same process if you want to take it back down.
Alternatively, you can hike up. It probably feels longer than it really is, and it’s steep. Depending on when you visit, you can pick blackberries on you way up. There are tons of blackberry bushes along the path.
At the top, you’ll find a café, disk golf, a bowling alley, the Camera Obscura, and more. The café sells nice ice cream, which you might want after you’ve hiked up. You can enjoy the views from up here while you enjoy a snack or a fun activity.
When you’re done with that, you can go back down the way you came, or you can go the other direction. There’s another small town on the other side of Consti with a nice (quieter) beach. If you want to kill more time, that’s an option. You might’ve seen something indicating the Coastal Path if you hiked up. This is a path to Borth, which is about 6 miles. I’ve personally never done it, but I know people who have. Go with a group, or at least with a friend, and make a day of it. You can spend some time in Borth before taking a bus back to Aberystwyth.
Day 3: National Library, Aberystwyth University, and Hiking Paths
I hope you stretched after yesterday, because we’re going uphill again. Find your way back to the main road (Penglais/North Parade), and start walking up the hill. If you’re farther into town, then go the direction opposite the castle. To make things simpler, walk along the right side so you won’t have to cross later.
After a while of walking, you’ll see a sign for the National Library of Wales. Turn off Penglais here and keep walking. You’ll have great views of town as you get closer to the Library, and the library itself is impressive.
The National Library of Wales is the largest library in Wales and one of the largest in the UK. It has rights to every book printed in Ireland and the UK, so there’s no shortage in its collection. Feel free to check it out while you’re here, or save it for another day.
Now head back the way you came and continue your journey up the hill. You’re pretty much at Pantycelyn when you get back from the library. I’m embarrassed to admit that I don’t know the significance of Pantycelyn other than it being Welsh student accommodation for the university. I think it has something to do with one of the royals. If that’s the kind of thing you’re interested in, feel free to look it up. Just don’t expect to get a tour or anything, since it’s still in use.
You won’t miss the Aberystwyth University entrance. If you want to check it out, go right ahead. It really is a nice campus. The university really only advertises the Old College in town, so the actual campus can feel a little disappointing, but don’t let that ruin it for you. You might be able to catch a film at the Arts Centre if you don’t want to aimlessly wander.
If you want lunch at this point, you can go to the Food Hall/Tamed Da, or you can get something at the Student Union. Otherwise, you can go back behind the student accommodation (find the Fine Arts building and keep walking away from campus), and you’ll find a Subway and a small store.
Across from the main university entrance is a path leading to some hiking trails. It’s really nice out there! One spot, called the viewpoint, has stunning views and is a popular spot to stop and have lunch when hiking with friends. If you’re up for it, it really is lovely to explore out there.
Day 4: Free Day
I thought it would be best to give you a free day now. If you’re not used to hiking, you can use this as a chance to recover. Just make sure you’re stretching! If you’re still going strong, then feel free to do any of the previous stuff again, or skip to tomorrow’s plan. You know what’s best for you better than I do.
If you want something to do, here are a few suggestions:
- Visit Devil’s Bridge. You can take Rheidol Railway or a bus there. It’s supposed to be stunning, and there’s a neat story about it if you’re interested.
- Find some indoor activities. Check out restaurants or shops you haven’t been to yet. Maybe you could catch a movie at Commodore Cinema or the university’s Arts Centre Cinema. There’s also stuff like axe throwing if that’s what you’re into.
- Escape rooms. If you can get a ride, there’s an escape room place about a half hour outside Aber. It’s small, but it’s still plenty of fun.
- If it’s a Sunday, check out one of the churches. There’s a wide variety for such a small town. Some of the more popular (English speaking) ones are Elim, Alfred Place, and St. Mike’s. Depending on when you visit, you may find a group of university students going out for lunch, and they’d probably have great recommendations for you.
- Water sports. Whether you’re into rowing, swimming, surfing, kayaking, paddle boarding, or whatever else, Aber has options for it. You can spot seals most of the year and dolphins in the summer. Just know that the water is cold.
However you choose to spend this day, make the most of it. And there is no shame in just chilling in your accommodation watching movies on your laptop all day.
Day 5: Pen Dinas
We’ve reached the final day and the final hike of the trip. On the opposite side of Aber as Consti, there’s another big hill with a monument on top. This is Pen Dinas. There are several ways to get up. Everyone seems to know a different path, and they can be easy or hard depending on which side you go up. Use your phone or a map for this hike, or go with someone more familiar with the area.
Pen Dinas gives you a view of rural Aberystwyth, even more than from Consti. It’s so green out there, especially in the warmer months, and you can usually see and hear sheep or cows out there.
From Pen Dinas, you can also get to the lighthouse and the river. Depending on the way you get there, you may also be able check out the marina (though you can also access this from town).
Pen Dinas is a little more out of the way, so it might take a little longer, but you’d still have plenty of time to do other activities if you wanted to. Of course, since this is your last day, you may also need to use the remaining time to pack and prepare, since you leave tomorrow.
I hope this was helpful for you. Most of these activities could be completed on the same day if you wanted a shorter trip, or extended to do more with each. Just bring your hiking boots, rain jacket, and a tote bag or backpack, and enjoy this picturesque town, even if you’re only here a short while. Odds are, you’ll be ready to come back again.
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