A small university city on the Menai Strait, with an ancient cathedral, a Victorian pier and the mountains of Eryri and the island of Anglesey on either side.
Bangor, in Gwynedd, is one of the oldest cities in Wales, with a cathedral founded in the sixth century. It is a small, friendly university city on the Menai Strait, the narrow channel of water that separates mainland Wales from the island of Anglesey. It is one of the heartlands of the Welsh language.
Bangor makes a perfect base for exploring north west Wales, with the mountains of Eryri on one side and Anglesey on the other. The whole area is full of castles, beaches, lakes and some of the most dramatic scenery in Britain. This guide covers six things to see and do.
1. Bangor Cathedral
Bangor Cathedral stands on one of the oldest cathedral sites in Britain. St Deiniol founded a monastery here in the sixth century, and a church has stood on the site ever since. The present building dates mostly from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries, restored in the Victorian age.
The cathedral is a peaceful, simple building, with a long history of worship in Welsh and English. Inside, look out for the Mostyn Christ, a rare medieval wooden carving of Christ. Services are held in both languages.
Beside the cathedral is a Bible Garden, planted with plants mentioned in the Bible. It is a lovely, quiet place to sit. The cathedral grounds are in the heart of the city.
The cathedral is free to visit. It holds concerts and events through the year. It is a short walk from the station and the High Street.
2. Garth Pier
Garth Pier, opened in 1896, stretches about four hundred and sixty metres out into the Menai Strait. It is one of the longest piers in Wales, and one of the finest Victorian piers in Britain. It has been lovingly restored.
Walking along the pier gives wonderful views of the Menai Strait, Anglesey, the Menai Suspension Bridge and the mountains of Eryri. The strait’s strong tides swirl beneath you. On a clear day the views are spectacular.
The pier is lined with ornate kiosks, some of them selling gifts and ice cream, and there is a café at the end. There is a small charge to walk on it. It is a lovely place for a stroll at sunset.
The pier is a short walk from the city centre, at the end of Garth Road. The area around it has a small beach and waterside paths. It is one of the most peaceful places in Bangor.
3. Penrhyn Castle
Penrhyn Castle, on the eastern edge of Bangor, is a huge neo-Norman fantasy castle built in the nineteenth century. It was built for the Pennant family, who made their fortune from the vast Penrhyn slate quarry nearby and from sugar plantations in Jamaica worked by enslaved people. It is looked after by the National Trust, which tells both stories.
Inside, the castle is extraordinarily grand, with carved stone halls, fine furniture and a great collection of paintings. There is even a bed made entirely of slate, weighing about a tonne. The scale and luxury are astonishing.
The castle also has a railway museum, with locomotives from the slate quarries. The kitchens and servants’ quarters show how the house was run. The gardens and grounds have views over the Menai Strait.
The Penrhyn quarry was the scene of one of the longest industrial disputes in British history, a strike by the quarrymen at the start of the twentieth century. The castle tells that story too. Allow at least half a day.
4. The Menai bridges and Anglesey
Two famous bridges cross the Menai Strait near Bangor. The Menai Suspension Bridge, designed by Thomas Telford and opened in 1826, was one of the first modern suspension bridges in the world. Its elegant chains and towers are beautiful.
The Britannia Bridge, a little further west, was designed by Robert Stephenson and opened in 1850. It was rebuilt after a fire in 1970, and today it carries both road and railway. Walking across the Menai Suspension Bridge gives lovely views.
Across the bridges lies Anglesey, an island of beaches, cliffs and villages. Beaumaris, on the eastern shore, has a castle built by King Edward I, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The village with the longest place name in Europe, usually shortened to Llanfairpwll, is just across the bridge.
Plas Newydd, a country house run by the National Trust, has a famous mural by Rex Whistler and gardens beside the strait. Newborough, in the south west of the island, has a huge sandy beach and the tidal island of Llanddwyn. A car makes it easy to explore the island.
5. Eryri (Snowdonia)
The mountains of Eryri, also known as Snowdonia, rise just south east of Bangor. The national park is one of the most beautiful in Britain, with jagged peaks, lakes and valleys. Yr Wyddfa, also known as Snowdon, is the highest mountain in Wales.
The Snowdon Mountain Railway, a rack railway opened in 1896, climbs from Llanberis almost to the summit of Yr Wyddfa. It is one of the most famous railway journeys in Britain. The views from the top on a clear day are breathtaking.
Walkers can climb Yr Wyddfa on several paths, which take around five to seven hours up and down. The mountain can be dangerous in bad weather, so check the forecast and go prepared. Llanberis has shops, cafés and a lake.
The National Slate Museum, in Llanberis, tells the story of the slate industry, and it is free to enter. The slate landscape of north west Wales is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A car or a driver makes it easy to explore the mountains.
6. Zip World and the slate quarries
The Penrhyn slate quarry, at Bethesda near Bangor, was once the largest slate quarry in the world. Its huge terraces were carved into the mountainside by thousands of quarrymen. Slate from here roofed buildings around the world.
Today part of the quarry is home to Zip World Penrhyn Quarry, with one of the fastest zip lines in the world. You fly high over the quarry lake at huge speed. It is an unforgettable experience for thrill seekers.
Other adventure attractions in the area include underground zip lines and trampolines in old slate caverns. North Wales has become a centre for adventure sports. There is plenty for families and adults.
The quarry villages, such as Bethesda, tell the story of the communities that worked the slate. The landscape of the quarries is dramatic and beautiful. A car makes it easy to reach them from Bangor.
Getting there and getting around
Bangor station is on the North Wales Coast line, with direct trains to London Euston in around three and a quarter hours, and to Chester, Manchester and Cardiff. Holyhead, with ferries to Dublin, is about half an hour away.
Liverpool John Lennon and Manchester airports are each about an hour and a half by road. The A55 runs along the coast past the city. A car booked ahead is the easiest way to travel between Bangor, the airports and the ferry port, and to explore Eryri and Anglesey.
Ride with ZeroLanes. From your door, the station or the airport to anywhere in Bangor, at a price fixed before you confirm. Travelling between cities? Get a fixed price for the journey, or keep a car and driver for the day with hourly hire.