Swansea By the River Tawe

Wales is a European country located in southwest Great Britain. It is known for its rugged coastline, Welsh language, and Celtic culture. Swansea is a city that sits on the south coast of Wales. It is a coastal city and the second-largest in the country.

The National Waterfront Museum is housed in a renovated warehouse. It features a slate-and-glass extension. Among the collections here are maritime paintings and boats in the Swansea Marina.

The Mumbles (photo above) is a limestone massif that forms the gateway to the Gower Peninsula.

Oystermouth Castle sits on a hill above the Mumbles.

On Mumbles Head is a lovely lighthouse.

There are beaches to explore among them the sandy beaches at Langland and Caswell Bay that are popular with surfers. The Gower Peninsula offers recreation like walking, waterskiing, sailing, wakeboarding, and golf.

Norman Castle at Pennard and Oystermouth is of interest to tourists.

Along the way, you can see Arthur's Stone which is a famous monument along the ridge at Cefn Bryn.

Another castle worth visiting is the Weobley Castle.

Three Cliffs Bay is a beautiful bay on the south coast of the Gower Peninsula. It was named for the three cliffs jutting into the bay. There is a beach to enjoy and camping spots for caravans.

Dylan Thomas Birthplace is the restored home of Welsh poet and writer Dylan Thomas. Highlights here include an Edwardian afternoon tea party, lunch, or dinner in the home. Visitors can also choose to spend the night. There are guided tours available that will take you to the places that Dylan Thomas enjoyed visiting.

Dylan statue in Swansea.

Clyne Gardens is among the most popular green spaces in Swansea. There is parkland and gardens with rhododendrons and azaleas. Among the highlights is a gazebo that was built by an old admiral to watch out for ships entering Swansea Bay.

There is a bamboo-filled Japanese garden, an artificial lake, and waterfalls.

Clyne Chapel built in 1908 is lovely.

Swansea Market is an indoor market that offers over 100 stalls of goods from food to clothes to jewelry and much more.

At the Swansea Marina, you can watch sailing vessels.

The Swansea Museum is the oldest in Wales. There are six galleries displaying everything from ancient Egyptian mummies to exhibits about life in Swansea during the two World Wars.

The Glynn Vivian Art Gallery was founded in 1911. It displays the artwork donated by Richard Glynn Vivian, an art collector from a wealthy copper family. There is an art collection from famous masters like Monet and contemporary Welsh artists such as Bewyr Williams, Gwen John, Ceri Richards, and Augustus John. The gallery also has a large collection of Swansea China and porcelain.

Plantasia is a huge public hot house that consists of two temperature zones – tropic and arid. Visitors can learn about the flora and fauna and also see tarantulas, parrots, chameleons, and geckos. It has been used as a location for the BBC cult show “Doctor Who”.

Swansea was once known as Copperopolis, at the heart of the copper industry in Britain. You can learn about this and take an interesting ride onboard the Copper Jack. This is a public boat running along the River Tawe to Swansea Marina.

Sail Bridge over River Tawe

At the Margam Country Park, you can enjoy nature and see deer roaming around.

The park also has beautiful ornamental gardens. It is located 20 minutes outside of Swansea.

Take a stroll along Swansea's Promenade.

Stop at the Marina Towers Observatory. In 2022 the building was renovated and is now a restaurant and bar. It offers a terrace with the best views.

Singleton Boating Lake offers a fun afternoon. You can rent a pedalo and enjoy peddling around the lake enjoying the views of gardens and historic buildings. You can also see ducks.