Trains, Trams & Gardens of Wales Twin Centre

Trains, Trams & Gardens of Wales

Including the Snowdon Mountain Railway

8 Days 2^nd September 2027

Experience some of the best attractions in Wales most beautiful landscapes and popular attractions including Aberglasney Gardens, the Gwili Steam train, Llandudno’s Great Orme tram, the Llanberis lake steam train and slate mine and the fantastic Snowdon Mountain Railway up to the summit! Staying in comfortable hotels enhances your holiday and allows comfortable relaxation and leisure time throughout the holiday.

 

 

Tour Itinerary

 

 

Thursday – Leaving Wiltshire and crossing the Severn bridge into Wales, we head to St Fagans National museum for a lunch time stop. An opportunity to explore the 50 historic buildings from all over Wales that have been re-built for you to experience the life and times of Welsh folk from Celtic times to the present day. A fascinating living museum standing in the grounds of St Fagans castle and gardens, a late 16^th century manor house donated to the people of Wales by the Earl of Plymouth in 1948. We continue to our first hotel in Swansea our base for the next 3 nights. Plenty of time to relax before tonight’s 3 course dinner.

 

Friday – After a leisurely breakfast we travel the short distance to visit one of the finest gardens in Wales, set in a serene and beautiful location. The Aberglasney gardens are 10 acres of heritage garden excellence which lies in a fully restored Elizabethan Cloister Garden and is the only surviving example of its kind today. Explore the Yew Tree Arch, the indoor Tropical garden showcasing a wealth of flowers and trees that constantly change each season, we are including a delicious cream tea for you to enjoy around lunch time in their tea rooms, idyllically located overlooking the Pool garden, cosy if the weather isn’t kind but a suntrap if we enjoy this treat on the terrace!

 

Saturday – This morning we visit Parc Howard museum which showcases some of the greatest ideas and inventions from Llanelli, a town of innovation and change. Browse the painting gallery showcasing some of the finest Welsh artists, or the Llanelly pottery stories gallery. This afternoon we enjoy a scenic drive to the beautiful Gower peninsula. This delightful scenery with its cliffs, beautiful beaches and woodlands will lead us back to Swansea and a visit to the waterfront. An opportunity for some lunch or indeed a visit to the National Waterfront museum (free entry) telling the story of industry and innovation in Wales over the past 300 years. Back to our hotel mid-afternoon to relax before dinner.

 

Sunday – We leave Swansea this morning and travel to rural Carmarthenshire, West Wales for a nostalgic experience taking a heritage steam train for a return journey from Abergwili Station through the beautiful Welsh countryside which follows the River Gwili on a steady uphill journey through farmland and wooded hillsides. The Gwili railway has the distinction of becoming the first standard-gauge preserved railway to operate in south-west Wales. Since this new station has opened, you’ll pass alongside the Gwili Falls where the river tumbles over rocky outcrops, these views can only be seen from the extended length of track and had been hidden for the past 50 years. After this step back in time, the coach will collect us and continue up to Caernarfon and our 3* superior hotel, our base for the next 4 nights. Tea and coffee on arrival.

 

Monday – Today we visit the ‘Queen of Welsh Resorts’, everyone’s favourite, ‘Llandudno’ with its beautiful Victorian architecture and Edwardian elegance, and pier. We include a ride on a beautiful, restored tram up to the Great Orme. The tram will climb a mile through the Great Orme Country Park and nature reserve to the Orme’s spectacular summit. There is a restaurant at the top for a welcome cuppa if you wish before returning at leisure back down to the town to enjoy the shops, beach promenade and a spot of lunch. Back to the hotel mid-afternoon for an opportunity to use the hotel’s superb indoor swimming pool if you wish.

Tuesday – A free day in Caernarfon to explore its beautiful medieval castle, enjoy lunch in one of the many cafes on the scenic waterfront or pick up a bargain in the weekly market that runs every Tuesday in the castle square.

 

Wednesday – Today we visit Llanberis and this morning we will take you to the summit of the majestic Snowdon mountain on a heritage diesel train for breathtaking views. As the train travels up the mountain, you’ll experience aw-inspiring views of waterfalls, viaducts, gorges and remnants of abandoned farms, chapels and medieval settlements. There will be a 30-minute stopover once you’ve reached the summit that welcomes more than six hundred thousand visitors a year! On a clear day the views can stretch as far as Ireland, obviously this all depends on the weather for that day! An opportunity for a bathroom stop and grab a coffee and a souvenir before your journey back down this iconic mountain. We continue our day at the Llanberis Slate mines. Between 1787 and 1969, the Dinorwig Quarry was the second largest in the world. After its closure the site was soon purchased as a hydro electricity scheme. In 1972 the buildings from the original mines where re-opened as one of the branches of the National museum of Wales, allowing visitors to see displays of slate splitting and trimming skills. There is a row of miner’s cottages also to explore and get a taste of life for these workers and their families who dedicated their lives to mining the slate. This afternoon we are including a miniature stream train ride on the Llanberis lake railway around the quarry lake for more amazing views of the quarry.

 

Thursday – As we reach the end of the tour, we leave Wales and head back to Wiltshire after a memorable holiday.

 

 

Your Hotels

 

 

Mercure Swansea Hotel – Swansea 3 Nights

 

 

All en-suite bedrooms have TV, free toiletries, hairdryer, hospitality trays, and free Wi-Fi. The hotel has a brasserie restaurant and cosy bar. The hotel does NOT have a lift, but ground floor rooms are available on request.

 

 

3* The Celtic Royal Hotel – Caernarfon 4 Nights

This 3* Superior hotel prides itself on its fabulous award-winning standards of customer service. Just 5 minutes’ walk from Caernarfon Castle, all the stylish bedrooms are en-suite with TV, hairdryer, free Wi-Fi, and hospitality tray. The hotel also has fabulous leisure facilities including a superb indoor swimming pool.

 

 

Price Includes

 

Luxury Coach Travel with Extra Leg Room

Home Pickup, Full Hostess Service

7 Nights Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Tea/Coffee after Dinner Each Evening

Visit to St Fagans Living Museum

Entrance to Aberglasney Gardens with Cream Tea

Entrance to Parc Howard Museum

Visit to Swansea Waterfront

Return Steam Train Journey on Gwili Steam Railway

Visit to Llandudno Including Great Orme Tram Ride

Return Journey up to the Summit of Mount Snowdon on the Heritage Diesel Train

Visit to Llanberis Slate Quarry

Return Steam Train on Lake Railway Llanberis

Porterage for Both Hotels

1 Night Entertainment at Celtic Royal

8 Days £1,159.00

Single Supplement £250 (Limited)

Double for Sole use