Houses and Gardens

Bodelwyddan Castle: Bodelwyddan Castle, in association with National Portrait Gallery, has brought the 19th Century back to life and features over 100 portraits from the gallery's collection. The castle rooms range in decoration from the early to late Victorian period is complemented with furniture from the Victoria and Albert Museum and sculpture from the Royal Academy of Arts. The free audio tour helps to bring to life these attractive rooms.
www.bodelwyddan-castle.co.uk

Penrhyn Castle: Built for the wealthy Pennant family on the profits of Welsh slate and Jamaican sugar. Penrhyn Castle is an extravagant example of early 19th century neo-Norman architecture. Buried within its walls lie an earlier mock castle and medieval hall, each a tribute to Penrhyn's long and fascinating past, with links to the Welsh princes, a pirate and an Archbishop of York.

Plas Newydd: The home of the Marquis of Anglesey ? situated on the banks for the Menai Straight. It has an exhibition devoted to the work of Rex Whistler and his largest painting can be seen in the Dining Room.

Erddig Hall: Erddig Hall, Gardens & Country Park is a very special place. It is a unique family home that has captured the way of life of a bustling household community during the early years of last century.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Plas Mawr: In a town blessed with a wealth of historic houses, Plas Mawr reigns supreme. In the narrow streets of Conway stands 'Plas Mawr', the 'Great Hall', built between 1576 and 1585 for the influential Welsh merchant, Robert Wynn. Plas Mawr is an architectural gem, the finest surviving town house of the Elizabethan era to be found anywhere in Britain.
www.cadw.wales.gov.uk

Valle Crucis Abbey: Valle Crucis Abbey is the best preserved medieval monastery in north Wales. Taking its name -'the vale of the cross' - from the ancient cross-pillar of Eliseg nearby, it was established in its beautiful valley location in 1201.
www.cadw.wales.gov.uk

Rug Chapel: Rug Chapel and Llangar Church are delightful religious sites are located close together in beautiful countryside just west of Corwen. Rug is a rare example of a little-altered private 17th century chapel.
www.cadw.wales.gov.uk

Chirk Castle: 700year old Chirk Castle, a magnificent marcher fortress, commands fine views over the surrounding countryside. Started in 1295 by Roger Mortimer, Justice of North Wales, and completed 15 years later, this castle is an awe-inspiring spectacle with massive drum towers and 15ft thick walls.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Powis Castle: Powis Castle and its world famous gardens are overhung with enormous clipped yew trees, and contain rare and tender plants in colourful herbaceous borders.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Bodnant Gardens: The garden at Bodnant is one of the finest in the world. It is situated above the River Conway looking across the valley towards the Snowdonia range.

Ness Botanic Gardens: In 1898, Arthur Kiplin Ripley, a Liverpool cotton Broker, founded Ness Gardens by building his house on a gorse-covered sandstone out crop. He systematically incorporated surrounding fields into what has now become one of the country's leading botanic gardens.