Visit the UK’s friendliest city: Swansea

Voted the UK’s friendliest city in a report by Unbroken Britain, Swansea is a vibrant and bustling place, offering one of the warmest welcomes in the UK. Plan a trip to this awesome coastal city and be sure to enjoy these five fun activities. Book train tickets to Swansea in advance to get the cheapest deals and take the stress out of your journey.

Visit the botanical gardens

Swansea’s botanical gardens in Singleton Park is impressive to say the least. With beautiful flora throughout the year and a perfectly coiffed grassy lawn, visitors can bumble along beautiful herbaceous and wildflower borders while also discovering a plethora of rare plants in the three large glasshouses.
swansea.gov.uk/botanics

Head to the beach

Swansea Bay is Wales’s Waterfront City beach, with an expanse of golden sand and a number of great walks that are perfect for ramblers. The beach stretches for five miles along Swansea Bay and is easily reached by bus once you arrive at Swansea station.

Eat load of ice cream

Ask a local where to go for ice cream in Swansea and you’ll likely hear Joe’s Ice Cream Parlour come up time and time again. There are now three Joe’s in Swansea with the original on St Helen’s Road being largely favoured as ‘the best’ of them all. Their secret to delicious ice cream? It’s a secret of course… Famous for their out-of-this-world fresh vanilla scoops, visitors will also discover an incredible menu of ice cream flavours including Strawberry Marshmallow, Caramel Honeycomb, Turkish Delight and Welshcake.

Check out the castle

Slap bang in the centre of town, Swansea Castle can’t be missed. Small but mighty, the castle dates back to the 13th century and is now just a fragment of its former self. With a Pizza Express, H&M and McDonald’s but moments away, it’s tough to imagine what life at the castle was once like, and only a few ruined walls remain as clues.

Shop till you drop

The largest indoor market in Wales can be found in Swansea and it is every bit as good as it sounds. Filled with independent boutiques and shops selling gifts, jewellery and cards, not to mention all the fresh food stalls selling fish, seafood, meat, vegetables and fruit, the market is an absolute must-visit.
swanseaindoormarket.co.uk