Conwy walking tour & city guide

Conwy Castle and the walls

Conwy Castle, with eight great round towers, is one of the finest medieval fortresses in Europe, and visitors can climb its towers for views over the estuary. The town walls, almost 1.3 kilometers long with 21 towers and three gateways, still surround the old town, and much of them can be walked.

The town and the quay

Inside the walls, Plas Mawr is a remarkable Elizabethan town house with colorful plasterwork. On the quay, the Smallest House in Great Britain, painted red, is only about 1.8 meters wide. Three bridges cross the river beside the castle, including Thomas Telford's 1826 suspension bridge, now for pedestrians only.

A classic walk around Conwy

Start at the castle and climb its towers, then cross Telford's suspension bridge for the classic view of the castle. Return and climb onto the town walls at the Upper Gate, walking down along the walls with views over the rooftops.

Finish on the quay, with the smallest house, fishing boats and views across the estuary to Deganwy. The walk is about 3 kilometers.

Visiting tips

Conwy is about an hour from Chester and three hours from London by train. Llandudno, a Victorian seaside resort, is 10 minutes away, and Snowdonia National Park, with Wales's highest mountain, is a short drive inland. Welsh is widely spoken in the area.