I want to take my mum to south wales for her birthday as I've heard it's a beautiful place. What are the prettiest places to see and can anyone recommend areas to take day trips too. I'm thinking pretty coastlines.
Pembrokeshire is lovely, especially the north; St Davids is worth a look, Whitesands Bay has everything you could want in a beach, Fishguard is where they filmed Under Milk Wood and there are porpoise off Strumble Head (although we missed them.) Try http://www.visitpembrokeshire.com/
I don't know anything about Cardiff, but try http://www.visitcardiff.info/
Oops, sorry, Einstein, I stand corrected. I'd always thought of West Wales as being Aberystwyth etc - hadn't realised it extended to Pembs. Thanks for the additional info - storing it up for my next visit (especially the chocolate...!)
Wales is a beautiful place and as has already been said West Wales is particularily so but if you want to stay in Cardiff there are places to go and see Cardiff Castle the Welsh Folk museum the Milenium Stadium and so on but if you want to come to Wales come to North Wales the scenery is unbelievable and free (but don't go to Rhyl)
P.s. Shame that the accomodation in Cardiff has already been sorted. I'd have seen somewhere in Pembrokeshire if I'd known. Is it realistic to take day tours to say, Whitesands Bay and Caldy from Cardiff? Many thanks!
Yes, Einstein, Castell Coch is open to the public - in fact I think it's Welsh National Trust, and it's well worth a look, if only to marvel at why someone would build something looking like a film set for Robin Hood in the middle (figuratively speaking!) of Wales... Also, can't remember where the Neath Valley waterfalls are in relation to Cardiff, but they're very nice as well. But not particularly coastal.
If you're already commited to Cardiff, why not explore the Brecon Beacons - they're really beautiful. Ogmore-on-sea is probably the best beach in the area. Further afield, i'd recommend the Gower too.