In the summer of 2021, as Covid restrictions were starting to ease but the world was still pretty strange and we couldn’t really fly, I got together with a fellow blogger, Kirsty, and we decided we wanted a UK day trip. After a bit of research we realised we both liked the idea of Portmeirion so I drove to pick her up and we headed off on a road trip to North Wales together.
Life very much got in the way of this blog so it’s taken me a while to get this post written, but the information it contains is current, and Portmeirion is timeless.
What is Portmeirion?
Portmeirion, where 1960s series The Prisoner was set, is a pretty Welsh village built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1976. It was built using some of the ruins of existing buildings and designed as ‘an ideal village’-it’s now up to visitors to decide whether they think it’s ideal or not! The village is also home to Portmeirion Pottery, which was created by Clough’s daughter Susan, to produce souvenirs for the Portmeirion shop. You can buy that pottery all over the world today.
How do I get to Portmeirion?
We drove, taking the A487 which you can pick up at either Porthmadog or Blaenau Ffestiniog. Driving felt like the easiest way for us, but you can get a train to Minffordd, a mile and a half away if you’d rather. There are local taxi firms who can then drive you to Portmeirion if you don’t want to walk.
How much does the visit cost?
Our tickets cost £18 each which felt reasonable for the visit. Family tickets are better value, and you can see ticket prices for different sized families on their website by clicking my link.
I can’t remember paying for parking, which means we either didn’t or it wasn’t expensive, and the food within the village wasn’t too steep-we paid around £15 for a main meal and a drink at one of the various restaurants on site.
What can I do there?
Portmeirion has a few different places to eat or drink, a hotel, a spa, gardens to wander through, and many other things. We spent most of our time just walking around taking it all in but you can book tours and it would’ve been a lovely place for a spa treatment.
The village feels like more of a place to meander and have a calm, quiet day than anything really exciting or busy-but honestly, sometimes that’s much needed.
Have you visited Portmeirion? Let me know in the comments
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