Best Shore Excursions from Holyhead Wales
Holyhead is the main port of call in North Wales for cruise ships, with over 50 ships docking there each year. It’s within reach of many of the best places to visit in North Wales, and in this guide, I’ll show you the pick of the best shore excursions from Holyhead.
Holyhead is within easy reach of three of the most popular sights in Wales – the Snowdonia National Park (often now called by its Welsh name, Eryri), Caernarfon Castle and Conwy Castle, and some day tours take you to all three.
The Isle of Anglesey is also a wonderful place to explore, with some of the best beaches in Europe, a World Heritage Castle and some glorious coastline, some of the best of which is around Holyhead.
As well as suggesting some excursions that you can book through this site, I’ll also suggest some self-drive day trips from Holyhead that would give you more off the beaten track views of North Wales.
I hope that this guide piques your curiosity, and that you find it helpful.
North Wales from Holyhead – A Quick Primer
Holyhead is barely half an hour’s drive from the Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri) and World Heritage-Listed Conwy and Caernarfon Castles are another 20-30 minutes away, in opposite directions from each other.
There is enough to see on Anglesey to keep you there several days. Beaumaris Castle is the most popular choice, and many stop by at the village of Llanfair PG (the village with the second-longest place name in the world). The Castle is superb, and I’ll suggest other, better places to see on Anglesey in the article.
You could drive the circuit of the main lakes and mountains in Snowdonia in around 3 hours, giving you plenty of time to do this with plenty of stops along the way.
Shore Excursions From Holyhead – Organised Tours
North Wales Sightseeing – Snowdonia, Conwy and Caernarfon
This North Wales Sightseeing Shore Excursion is an itinerary that I’d devise for first-time visitors.
It includes two breathtaking World Heritage-listed Castles, at Conwy and Caernarfon, and also gives you a glimpse of both historic towns.
Between the two castles, you get a wonderful scenic drive through Snowdonia, taking in the Conwy Valley, followed by the most famous waterfall in Snowdonia, Swallow Falls, and the best view of Snowdon before heading down the Llanberis Pass to Caernarfon.
The two Castles are formidable fortresses but very different in character. There is a picturesque quality about Conwy, with its eight towers and turrets. Whereas Caernarfon is a sturdy, forbidding, angular mass, enough to ward off any potential attacker. Both towns also have exceptionally well-preserved Town Walls, and there are some fine medieval buildings in each.
Anglesey Highlights
Anglesey is magnificent, the largest island in Wales with a few more islands scattered around its own stunning shoreline. And this day excursion from Holyhead, in the short space of 3 hours, does it justice.
You visit Beaumaris Castle, one of the most sophisticated medieval castles ever built. It was the last of English King Edward I’s Iron Ring of Castles around North Wales. They maintained his stranglehold on the local Welsh Princes, but along with his wars in Scotland, also went close to bankrupting him. Beaumaris Castle was never finished, but it’s nonetheless a masterpiece.
You also get to see two of the highlights of the Anglesey coastline. The Menai Strait is the narrow body of water separating mainland North Wales from Anglesey, and they are connected by two bridges, the first of which, Thomas Telford’s Menai Suspension Bridge, elegantly spans the Strait in the shadow of the brooding peak and ridges of Snowdonia. It’s an unforgettable sight.
The tour then stops at the nearby Llanfair PG, the village with the 58-letter long name (OK, I’ll write it, just once – Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch). The main things to see in the village are the signs with the full name (and meaning and pronunciation guide) at the train station and shopping centre.
The final stop of this tour is far more interesting. You also pass South Stack lighthouse and cliffs on your way into Holyhead port, and they’re an even more dramatic sight from land. The cliffs are home to thousands of nesting seabirds between early May and mid-July, and adjacent Holyhead Mountain is full of ancient Celtic and Roman sites.
Snowdonia and Three Castles
This Snowdonia Essentials tour is the longest of the shore excursions from Holyhead that I’ve chosen, and it also shows you the most.
It covers similar ground to the first tour I’ve listed here, visiting Conwy and Caernarfon Castles with a scenic drive (and photo stops) through Snowdonia in between.
It also takes you further than other tours, to the viewpoint above wondrous Nantgwynant, lone of the most beautiful valleys in Wales, which is just below Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa in Welsh), the highest peak in Wales.
And there’s the bonus of visiting Dolbadarn Castle, one of the most picturesque Castles in North Wales, This small Castle was one of the strongholds of the native Welsh Princes until the invasion of English King Edward I. It stands on a hill between two lakes next to the village of Llanberis, with the Snowdon massif a magnificent backdrop.
Sea Kayaking On Anglesey
If you’re planning to try out a few activities on your cruise, then this may well be for you. Rhoscolyn is a strung-out seaside hamlet at the southern end of Holy Island, on which Holyhead is located. However, once you’re out of the port it takes very little time to get well off the beaten track, and the coast around Rhoscolyn is still relatively undiscovered.
It’s one of the most beautiful coastlines in Britain, and one of the best hidden gems in Wales. It’s a very varied section of coast, from the sandy curve of Borth Wen beach at the southern end of the village to the colourful cliffs around pebbled Porth Saint beach, just to the west. But the highlight of the Rhoscolyn coast is Bwa Gwyn, a stunning white sea arch, and you can get very close – indeed right underneath it.
This Rhoscolyn sea kayaking tour is geared towards kayakers of all abilities, including beginners, and it’s a fantastic way to experience the Anglesey coastline up close.
Day Trips From Holyhead – Self-Driving
You can get further off the beaten track while onshore in Holyhead – and indeed further, full stop – if you opt to rent a car and drive yourself.
One of the advantages of Holyhead as a cruise port is that the A55 North Wales Expressway means that the North Wales mainland is less than half an hour away, and there are more options open to you. Here’s my pick of the best:
Anglesey Off The Beaten Track
Distance: 80 miles (125 km)
Highlights: superb coast walks and beaches, ancient burial chambers, medieval churches and a World Heritage Castle
This trip from Holyhead takes you onto ‘mainland’ Anglesey from Holy Island, following the A5025 north to Church Bay (Porth Swtan in Welsh), with its glorious beach and a small museum in the last thatched cottage on Anglesey, open Thursdays to Sundays 12 to 4 pm in season.
Follow the A5025 to the lovely village of Cemaes, and turn off for the tiny coastal church of Llanbadrig, which the Dalai Lama described as one of the most peaceful places he had ever visited.
The A5025 continues in an anticlockwise direction around the island, and there’s a remarkable former copper mine at Parys Mountain, a short drive south of the town of Amlwch. It’s a 10-15 minute climb from the car park to the viewpoints at the top, where you can really appreciate this otherworldly landscape.
There are also some superb beaches on the east Anglesey coast. Traeth Lligwy is big, sandy and popular in summer, as is nearby Benllech, which has more facilities.
Beyond there, you could pause for lunch at the Ship Inn on Red Wharf Bay, before continuing to another of the finest churches on Anglesey at Penmon Priory. From there, it’s a short hop to the World Heritage Castle at Beaumaris, one of the loveliest seaside towns in Wales.
From Beaumaris, it’s a 15-minute drive back to the A55, which takes you all the way back to Holyhead Port or Marina.
Snowdonia And Portmeirion
Distance: 120 miles (190 km)
Highlights: awesome mountain views and a gorgeous Italian-style village partly inspired by Portofino on the Italian Riviera
This trip takes you through the most scenic parts of Snowdonia, eventually reaching the beautiful Italianate fantasy village of Portmeirion, overlooking an estuary on the North Wales coast.
I suggest following the A5 road towards Betws-y-Coed, turning off onto the A4086 for Capel Curig, then following the A498 down to Beddgelert, eventually joining the A487 near Porthmadog. It’s a short drive from there (no need to go into the town – everything is signposted) to Portmeirion village.
Portmeirion was the concept of Welsh architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, who designed some buildings, such as the Italian-influenced Campanile (belltower), and ‘rescued’ other which would otherwise have been demolished. It was only ever intended to be a holiday village, and there are two hotels (one a restored 19th-century Castle) and a village full of apartments, suites and cottages. It’s a magical place to stay, and somewhere to return one day.
Head back via the A487 to Caernarfon and the Britannia Bridge before the final journey back to Holyhead.
Caernarfon and the Llŷn Peninsula
Distance: 120 miles (190 km)
Highlights: mighty Caernarfon Castle, stunning mountains and coastal scenery, ancient churches and an awesome beach
Caernarfon is very easy to reach from Holyhead, 20 minutes down the A55 onto the mainland and a similar amount of time on the A487 road which whisks you to the centre of this Royal Town. If you haven’t visited before, Caernarfon Castle is one of the must-sees of your entire cruise, one of the most formidable castles built in the entire Middle Ages. Allow a good hour to explore it and do all the wall walks.
See Also: 20 Best Things To Do In Caernarfon
Caernarfon is the northern gateway to the Llŷn Peninsula, one of the most beautiful parts of the British Isles. It’s a patchwork of green fields, with volcanic rocky hilltops, pilgrims’ churches and some of the finest beaches in North Wales, and indeed Europe. It’s also one of the main strongholds of the Welsh language, which most people there speak as their first language (everyone speaks English too).
From Caernarfon, I suggest driving the few miles south to Dinas Dinlle, one of the best Llŷn Peninsula beaches. At low tide it’s a vast expanse of sand and shingle, with the three jagged peaks of Yr Eifl a few miles to the south. A few miles beyond, the pilgrimage church at Clynnog Fawr was one of the main stops for medieval pilgrims travelling south to Bardsey Island. It’s a mightily impressive church which is so large thanks to centuries of donations from pilgrims.
Head off the main A499 road onto the B4417, which climbs into the mountains, passing another, much smaller and more humble pilgrims’ church overlooking the sea at Pistyll. Continue along this road until the large village of Nefyn, and follow the road into the next village, Morfa Nefyn. Turn right at the junction in the village, and park up.
Your destination is a tiny village of little more than ten houses, one of which is a pub right on the beach. Visiting Porthdinllaen may not be on many cruise passengers’ to do lists, but in the 19th century the choice for Wales’ main port for sea traffic to Ireland was between Porthdinllaen and Holyhead. The latter won out, of course, while Porthdinllaen remained a tiny fishing hamlet with the Ty Coch Inn, one of the best beach pubs in the world.
You have to walk the last kilometre each way to reach the village, along a path that runs along the golf course. It’s a wondrous experience, with views back up the coast to the mountains that you’ll never forget, like the one above.
Southern Snowdonia via Barmouth and Harlech
Distance: 170 miles (260 km)
Highlights: the stunning drive through Snowdonia, one of the best seaside towns in Wales and one of the most dramatic Castles you’ll ever see at Harlech
This is the most ambitious self-drive tour from Holyhead, but perfectly feasible.
Head over the Menai Strait to the mainland, where you join the A5 route through part of Snowdonia, with a brief detour as per the Portmeirion tour for the best view of Snowdon just beyond the village of Capel Curig on the A4086.
Backtrack a mile (2 km) from the viewpoint, rejoining the A5 for the journey through the pretty village of Betws-y-Coed. Once you’re through the village, turn right to join the A470, the main north-south road through Wales. You’re now doing a section of the great A470 road trip through Wales.
In 30 miles (50 km) you’ll pass through the wild moorland and mountains of the Lledr Valley, the UNESCO slate quarrying town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, the Rhinog mountains and Coed-y-Brenin (the King’s Forest) before reaching your turn-off at Dolgellau.
The A496 then follows the north shore of the breathtaking Mawddach estuary before reaching Barmouth (Abermaw in Welsh), which is home to one of the best and most popular beaches in Wales, and some of the best views in Britain, especially of the Mawddach estuary. In summer Barmouth is a classic traditional British seaside resort, its beach – the closest to England’s West Midlands – drawing hundreds of visitors a day, but with plenty of space for everyone.
The A496 coast road heads north, reaching Harlech in about half an hour. Harlech is best-known for its World Heritage Castle, which also inspired the Welsh rugby anthem Men of Harlech, but the first thing you’ll see of Harlech is its extraordinary beach, a vast swathe of sand with the peaks of Snowdonia in the background. The Castle, two miles further on, is one of the most dramatic Welsh castles, built at the summit of a former sea cliff with the peaks of Snowdonia a wondrous backdrop.
From Harlech, follow the A496 until you meet the A487, turning left and following it past Caernarfon to the Britannia Bridge crossing to Anglesey. The A55 Expressway takes you the rest of the way back to Holyhead.
Best Shore Excursions From Holyhead – Final Thoughts
I hope that you have enjoyed reading this article and find it useful for planning a shore excursion from Holyhead.
For further inspiration, take a look at some of my other articles on North Wales:
Castles In North Wales
- Best things to do in Conwy – A stunning UNESCO Heritage town on the edge of Snowdonia National Park
- Best Things To Do In Caernarfon – one of the most imposing medieval castles in the world, and a great base for exploring Snowdonia and the North Wales coast
- Things To Do In Beaumaris – Anglesey’s World Heritage Castle and one of the loveliest towns in Wales
- 22 Best Things To Do In Harlech – World Heritage Castle, a world-class beach and a superb base for exploring southern Snowdonia and beyond
- 12 Best Things To Do In Criccieth – step back to yesteryear in this gorgeous seaside town on the Llŷn Peninsula
Magical Anglesey – the Biggest Island in Wales
- Llanddwyn Island – One of the most special of all Welsh islands
- Anglesey beaches & coastline – Home to some of the best beaches in the UK
- 13 Best Churches on Anglesey To Visit
- Best walks on Anglesey – Eight of the best Anglesey walks to help you discover more of this magnificent island.
- Things To Do In Amlwch – the largest former copper mine in Europe, amazing coastal scenery and more
- Lighthouses on Anglesey – Well worth seeing & great places for walks
- Best things to do on Anglesey – the largest of Welsh Islands
- Things To Do In Holyhead – the complete guide to Anglesey’s major port town and the surrounding area
Best Places in North Wales
- Best beaches in North Wales
- Best castles in North Wales
- Things to do in Snowdonia – North Wales’ extraordinary National Park
- Llŷn Peninsula beaches – The Llŷn Peninsula beaches are among the best in Wales
- Things To Do On The Llŷn Peninsula – the magical corner of Wales to the west of Snowdonia
- Best Things To Do in Llandudno – the Queen of Welsh Seaside Resorts
- A5 Road Trip Wales – Thomas Telford’s amazing historic road across North Wales
- Betws-y-Coed – A picturesque Welsh mountain town in the spectacular Snowdonia National Park
- Portmeirion – A gorgeous Italianate village on an estuary on the North Wales coast
- Barmouth Beach – A wonderful Welsh seaside resort
- Welsh Slate Landscape – UNESCO World Heritage Site in North West Wales
- Things To Do In Bangor, Wales – the best base for travelling around North Wales by public transport
More Beautiful Places to Visit in Wales
- Landscapes in Wales – Breathtaking landscapes in Wales you must see
- Rivers in Wales – Some of the most beautiful scenery in Wales
- Lakes in Wales – Where you find some of the best views in Wales
- Landmarks in Wales – famous places in Wales to Explore