Best Welsh Weekend Breaks (For Food Lovers)

View down the Gwynant Valley on a spring morning. Snowdonia National Park, North Wales.

Cardiff

For a foodie weekend away, add Cardiff to your travel plans. As Wales's capital and largest city, there is plenty to see and do, including the iconic castle, walking along Cardiff Bay for waterfront views, and exploring the shops, markets and National Museum. Three weekly farmer's markets rotate around the city, showcasing over 100 local producers, farmers and artisans with plenty to eat as you browse.

The buzzy food scene offers something for everyone and you can easily eat your way around the world within the city: try authentic Spanish cooking at Asador 44, Indian classics (and a whole tandoori roast chicken on a Sunday) at Purple Poppadom, or Thai fried chicken and rotis at buzzy Brother Thai. Can't decide? Go to Cardiff Market, a historic indoor market now filled with diverse street food kitchens. Save space for an elegant dinner at Gorse, a relative newcomer to Cardiff's food scene that quickly earned a Michelin star for its tasting menus, making the most of traditional Welsh ingredients such as laverbread and bara brith. Will you go for the four, seven or 10-course menu?

The Magnificent Seven, created at the Purple Poppadom.

Swansea

A Welsh city break doesn't just have to mean Cardiff. Swansea, Wales' second-largest city, is undergoing something of a culinary renaissance with exciting new openings and classic institutions being rediscovered. Start your day at Little Valley Bakery: a passionate artisanal bakery using traditional methods and organic flour. The sausage rolls are Great Taste Award-winning, and your sweet tooth is well catered for with generous flapjacks, brownies and cinnamon buns. Anyone with a sweet tooth should visit Joe’s Ice Cream Parlour, a local spot since 1922, that now serves up modern flavours including Nutella Crunch, Cherrylicious and Biscoffi.

The Shed by chef Jonathan Woolway is leading the charge in Swansea's culinary revolution with a daily changing menu that celebrates local producers, featuring seasonal dishes like roast pumpkin and laverbread soup, crispy pigskin and ketchup, and greengage trifle. It's not purely Welsh fare on offer though. Pan-Asian restaurant Muswanna champions Chinese, Japanese and Korean cooking with dishes like deep-fried king prawn won ton with crab roe, Japanese-style chicken curry udon, and beef ribs cooked in sake.

Pembrokeshire

The charming county of Pembrokeshire, in south-west Wales, has plenty to offer. Expect stunning scenery, beautiful beaches and Britain's smallest city, St David's. Foodies will also find 16th-century inns, tasting menus, fish bistros and lively taprooms to fuel all that exploring. Spending a day at the beach? Pick up fish and chips at long-running fish bistro The Shed, which overlooks the pretty quay of Porthgain. It's best known for fish and chips, but also has a fortnightly changing menu, which could include bouillabaisse or mussels.

For fine dining, head to Grove of Narberth's Fernery restaurant for the seasonal five-course tasting menu that champions local produce. For dinner in a memorable location (as well as a pretty hotel), visit Penally Abbey in Tenby. Set on 12th century monastic ruins, the dining room features romantic gothic windows framing postcard perfect sea views.

See our full guide to the best restaurants in Pembrokeshire for more must-visit spots.

Angle, Pembrokeshire

The tiny village of Angle in Pembrokeshire is worthy of an extra mention of its own. Nestled in the southwestern tip of Wales, Angle is wild, windswept and full of coastal charm. Two sandy bays are the main highlights: with golden sands, secluded coves and crystal clear waters that appear almost Mediterranean in summer. Walk the length of the bays and wide mudflats. West Angle Bay makes a great spot for wild swimming – a quick dip being most likely in these brisk water temperatures. Warm up afterwards with a breakfast bun or lobster roll at Cafe Môr on East Angle Bay, which is a first of its kind, solar-powered mobile seaweed kitchen.

Check out our full guide to the 10 best lidos and outdoor pools in the UK for more wild swimming spots.

Gwynedd Seafood Trail

North Wales has always been known for its spectacular coastal views and colourful, quaint towns. Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences are out to showcase the best places to eat seasonal, locally caught seafood in the region. Split into three parts, Bangor & Caernarfon, Llŷn Peninsula, and Eifionydd & Meirionnydd, much of the Seafood Trail falls along the Wales Coast Path, a continuous footpath running the entire length of the Welsh coastline.

No matter which route you decide to follow, there will be plenty of independent and seasonal-focused cafés and restaurants to fuel your journey. From Thai-style fishcakes at Llofft in Felinheli, to locally caught lobster at The Potted Lobster in Abersoch, it’s a seafood lovers’ hotspot. There’s also a chance to try some delicious Welsh lamb at Morfach in Caernarfon.

If you’re looking for places to stay during a multi-day walking holiday, Llety Arall in Caernarfon is perfect for hikers and casual tourists. This community run establishment provides spacious rooms and a communal kitchen for guest use in the heart of Caernarfon. If you find yourself exploring the Llŷn Peninsula, The Lion Hotel in Criccieth is a well-placed stop-off for a night, with an excellent breakfast in the morning.

Anglesey

Anglesey is an island located off the northwest coast. Boasting over 120 miles of coastline, the island is renowned for its natural beauty, alluring beaches, historic sites like Beaumaris Castle, and landmarks like the Menai and Britannia bridges. It’s also known for great food, much of it unique to the island and using local produce.

Seafood is naturally a highlight here. Anglesey's on the Menai Strait, which means fresh mussels, oysters and even lobster – head to The Lobster Pot to try it all, including lobster grilled, thermidor or mornay. Also harvested from the Strait is Halen Môn, or Anglesey Sea Salt, a quality salt used by chefs around the world for its unique taste. It makes the perfect souvenir to take home. Anglesey even produces wine; visit Red Wharf Bay Vineyard for a wine tasting where you can try their white, made from the Spanish Solaris grape, and red, made from the Rondo.

Abergavenny

Time a visit to Abergavenny for September and you'll be there for the famous Abergavenny Food Festival. The festival takes over the town with demos, debates, food stalls and outdoor feasts. For 2025, visiting chefs and food writers include Sami Tamimi, Thomasina Miers and Ixta Belfrage.

But there's plenty for foodies to explore in Abergavenny whatever time of year you're visiting. The town is filled with independent shops and restaurants – visit the The Angel Bakery for seasonal fruit pastries and perfect artisanal baguettes, and head to The Marches Deli for local artisan produce, great cheese and hampers. The Kitchen at The Chapel is a casual stop-off for breakfast and lunch (don't miss the homemade soda bread) while the Michelin-starred Walnut Tree Inn is just outside town.

Stay at the Angel Hotel, a Georgian former coaching inn in the centre of town. The menu features quality, locally sourced ingredients, with lavish home-cooked breakfast spreads and award-winning afternoon teas, enhanced by a dedicated tea sommelier.

Snowdonia

Looking for an active break in Wales? Tick something off your bucket list and head to Snowdonia to hike up Mount Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales and England. There are six paths up Snowdon. If this is your first time, the Llanberis Path is considered the easiest, with a total round trip distance of 9 miles, and a total climb of 975 metres. Check out our guide to the best walks in the UK for more hiking inspiration.

The village of Llanberis at the foot of Snowdon makes a great base for a long weekend of hikes, sightseeing and food, with some good local places to eat. Further afield on the edge of Snowdonia, Palé Hall is nestled in a 50-acre estate with breathtaking views of the Dee Valley for a peaceful country house retreat, complete with fine dining restaurant and more casual bistro. The afternoon tea makes a great post-walk reward.

view from mount snowdon — Credit: Rachel Gunter

Hay-on-Wye

Hay-on-Wye is best known for being the first 'book town' in the world and home to the legendary literary festival, but it’s also carving out a name for itself on the culinary map. Chapters Restaurant has a menu that champions hyper-local, often homegrown, produce and was awarded a Michelin Green Star for its commitment to sustainability and zero-waste practices.

Get back to nature with a glamping break in Hay-on-Wye that will immerse you in your surroundings. By the Wye is a riverside glamping retreat that lets guests embrace the wild without sacrificing comfort. Safari tents are hidden in the trees, raised on wooden platforms with views of River Wye below. Tents contain the essentials such as proper beds, hot showers and a wood burning stove, with room for up to five guests. You can order food hampers to your tent treehouse, such as breakfast deliveries or a barbecue feast.