ABOUT LLANDUDNO
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Wales' biggest seaside resort straddles a peninsula with long sandy beaches on either side. Developed as an upmarket holiday town for Victorian visitors, Llandudno still retains much of its 19th-century grandeur, with graceful wedding-cake architecture lining its sweeping waterfront promenade.
Alongside the lost-in-time charms of the British seaside such as pier, promenade, Punch and Judy shows, Llandudno's main attraction is the near-wilderness of the Great Orme on its doorstep, a striking, rough-hewn headland offering breath-taking views of Snowdonia and miles of trails.
There is a fascinating connection to Alice in Wonderland, where Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Lewis Carroll's fictional Alice, used to holiday here with her family. This accounts for statues of the book’s characters around the town, linked by a trail marked with 55 bronze rabbit footprints.
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LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
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Great Orme
From sea level it's difficult to gauge the sheer scale of the limestone chunk known as the Great Orme (Y Gogarth), yet it's 2 miles in circumference and 207m in height. Named after a Norse word for 'worm' or 'sea serpent', this gentle giant looms benevolently over Llandudno. Designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the headland is home to a cornucopia of flowers, endemic butterflies and sea birds, and a herd of around 150 wild Kashmir mountain goats.
Great Orme Bronze Age Mines
Sitting unobtrusively near the top of the Great Orme is the largest prehistoric mine ever discovered. Nearly paved over for a car park, this site of tremendous historical importance has been developed as a must-see attraction, with a visitor centre and the chance to explore portions of the 5 miles of tunnels dug over centuries in search of copper. What is truly astounding is that 4000 years ago the tools used to excavate this maze were just stones and bones.
Llandudno Pier
A trip to Llandudno isn’t complete until you’ve strolled along the Victorian pier, eating ice cream and shooing away seagulls. At 670m, it's Wales' longest pier. When it opened in 1878 its main use was as a disembarkation point for passengers from Isle of Man steamers. Those days are long gone, and candyfloss, slot machines and views of the offshore wind farm are now the order of the day. Kids will love it.
Great Orme Tramway
Head to the top of the Great Orme without breaking a sweat in an original 1902 tramcar. It's one of only three cable-operated trams in the world (the other two are in equally glamorous Lisbon and San Francisco). Trips head up the steep incline every 20 minutes, weather permitting; change to a second tram at the Halfway Station.
West Shore
When the main beach gets too frantic, go west to this considerably less built-up Blue Flag beach on Conwy Bay. The views over Anglesey and the mountains of Snowdonia can be stunning, especially as the sun sets, and there's a model-boating pool at the Orme end.
Llandudno Cable Car
Britain's longest cable car runs a mile from the Happy Valley Gardens above the pier and, if it's not too windy, whisks passengers up to the summit of the Great Orme in just 18 minutes, with superb sea views on route.
Llandudno Promenade
Llandudno's iconic 2-mile promenade is one of its distinctive sights. It was here that Queen Victoria herself watched Professor Codman’s Punch & Judy Show, performed by the same family since 1860 – let's hope she was amused. Mr Punch’s iconic red-and-white-striped tent sits by the entrance to the Victorian pier.
Mostyn Gallery
A sensitively restored, heritage-listed 1901 terracotta-and-brick exterior hides the sharply angled innards of North Wales’ leading contemporary art gallery. Its six galleries house changing and often challenging exhibitions, and were amongst the first to exhibit female artists in Britain. Call in to explore the shop or grab a coffee upstairs, even if you find the art perplexing.
Great Orme Summit Complex
The summit complex isn't the most aesthetically sensitive addition to the Great Orme landscape, but it has picnic tables, a cafe and a gift shop. You can enjoy here artificial skiing/snowboarding, tobogganing and alpine golf with your friends and family.
