{"id":76793,"date":"2020-01-23T16:01:15","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T22:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=76793"},"modified":"2021-08-02T17:34:04","modified_gmt":"2021-08-02T22:34:04","slug":"10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-wales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-wales\/","title":{"rendered":"10 things you probably don&#8217;t know about Wales"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Tucked quietly into the western edge of Great Britain is the tiny, unassuming country of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitwales.com\/destinations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wales<\/a>. Overshadowed by the much larger England to the west, Wales gets much less fanfare from international visitors yet its a place that&#8217;s just waiting to be discovered. \u00a0To help inspire your next trip, here are 10 things you likely didn\u2019t know about Wales but should.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2018\/12\/10-things-you-absolutely-must-do-in-scotland\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> 10 things you absolutely must do in Scotland<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>1. It&#8217;s a booming film location<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_77448\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-77448\" class=\"size-full wp-image-77448\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Tintern-Abbey-credit-Kate-Robertson.jpg\" alt=\"Tintern Abbey | PHOTO: Kate Robertson\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Tintern-Abbey-credit-Kate-Robertson.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Tintern-Abbey-credit-Kate-Robertson-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Tintern-Abbey-credit-Kate-Robertson-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Tintern-Abbey-credit-Kate-Robertson-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Tintern-Abbey-credit-Kate-Robertson-453x340.jpg 453w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Tintern-Abbey-credit-Kate-Robertson-632x474.jpg 632w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Tintern-Abbey-credit-Kate-Robertson-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-77448\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tintern Abbey | Photo: Kate Robertson<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Due to having stunning mountains, rolling green hills and wild Atlantic coastline within close proximity, Wales is quickly being discovered by film location scouts. For example, most of <i>Dr. Who<\/i> was filmed in Cardiff, as is the new hit series <i>A Discovery of Witches<\/i>. There are several set locations outside of Cardiff like Tintern Abbey in Wye Valley (<i>Sex Education<\/i> buffs will recognize this spot) and Freshwater West beach where parts of <i>Harry Potter<\/i> were filmed (this is, sadly, where Dobby the House Elf died and is buried) and Russell Crowe\u2019s <i>Robin Hood<\/i>. While in Cardiff, check out the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cardiffcastle.com\/film-location-tours\/\">Cardiff Castle Film Location Tour<\/a>\u2014numerous flicks have been filmed in this well-preserved 11th-century castle.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>2. Sports are life in Wales<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_77449\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-77449\" class=\"size-full wp-image-77449\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Principality-Stadium-credit-Tom-Martin-Wales-News-Service.jpg\" alt=\"Principality Stadium Cardiff | PHOTO: Tom Martin &amp; Wales News Service\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Principality-Stadium-credit-Tom-Martin-Wales-News-Service.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Principality-Stadium-credit-Tom-Martin-Wales-News-Service-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Principality-Stadium-credit-Tom-Martin-Wales-News-Service-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Principality-Stadium-credit-Tom-Martin-Wales-News-Service-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Principality-Stadium-credit-Tom-Martin-Wales-News-Service-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-77449\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Principality Stadium\u00a0Cardiff | Photo:\u00a0Tom Martin &amp; Wales News Service<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Cardiff has been awarded \u201cEurope&#8217;s City of Sport\u201d award more than once, because of its role in hosting major international sporting events, and have their own top teams in rugby, soccer and ice hockey (you read that correctly). The Principality Stadium, a 74,000 seat building, is located in downtown Cardiff, and when there&#8217;s an event, the whole city rocks. They&#8217;re even hosting the Nitro World Games in spring of 2020\u2014the first time this event will be held outside the US.<\/p>\n<h2>3. It boasts\u00a0stunning historic shopping arcades<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_77450\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-77450\" class=\"size-full wp-image-77450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Castle-Arcade-credit-Kate-Robertson-2.jpg\" alt=\"Castle Arcade | PHOTO: Kate Robertson \" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Castle-Arcade-credit-Kate-Robertson-2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Castle-Arcade-credit-Kate-Robertson-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Castle-Arcade-credit-Kate-Robertson-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Castle-Arcade-credit-Kate-Robertson-2-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Castle-Arcade-credit-Kate-Robertson-2-453x340.jpg 453w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Castle-Arcade-credit-Kate-Robertson-2-632x474.jpg 632w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Castle-Arcade-credit-Kate-Robertson-2-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-77450\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Castle Arcade | Photo: Kate Robertson<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Cardiff is also called the \u201cCity of Arcades\u201d because in downtown Cardiff there are seven luxurious glass-roofed Edwardian and Victorian arcade structures which house hundreds of individual (not chain) cafes, bars and shops. Cardiff Market arcade, the city\u2019s local food market, has been open since the 1700s, but most others were a product of Cardiff&#8217;s coal-mining hey-day in the late 1800s.<\/p>\n<h2>4. Its culinary traditions are like no other<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_77451\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-77451\" class=\"size-full wp-image-77451\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Welsh-rarebit-at-Madame-Fromage-restaurant-credit-Kate-Robertson.jpg\" alt=\"Welsh rarebit at Madame Fromage restaurant| PHOTO: Kate Robertson\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Welsh-rarebit-at-Madame-Fromage-restaurant-credit-Kate-Robertson.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Welsh-rarebit-at-Madame-Fromage-restaurant-credit-Kate-Robertson-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Welsh-rarebit-at-Madame-Fromage-restaurant-credit-Kate-Robertson-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Welsh-rarebit-at-Madame-Fromage-restaurant-credit-Kate-Robertson-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Welsh-rarebit-at-Madame-Fromage-restaurant-credit-Kate-Robertson-453x340.jpg 453w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Welsh-rarebit-at-Madame-Fromage-restaurant-credit-Kate-Robertson-632x474.jpg 632w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Welsh-rarebit-at-Madame-Fromage-restaurant-credit-Kate-Robertson-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-77451\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Welsh rarebit at Madame Fromage restaurant| Photo: Kate Robertson<\/p><\/div>\n<p>That brings us to traditional Welsh foods, of which there are many: the lovely Welsh cakes (thin scone-like pastries with raisins\u2014at Cardiff Market, they make them right in front of you and serve them warm), locally caught seafood, like cockles, and world-famous Welsh cheeses.\u00a0 Then, of course there\u2019s Welsh rarebit dating from the 18th century and consisting of gooey-melted cheese cooked with special seasonings and Welsh beer and served on toast. Best place in Cardiff to try rarebit and sample more than 150 varieties of cheese is at<a href=\"http:\/\/www.madamefromage.co.uk\/\"> Madame Fromage<\/a> in the Castle Arcade.<\/p>\n<h2>5. The Welsh like to party<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_77452\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-77452\" class=\"size-full wp-image-77452\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/St.-Marys-street-at-night-credit-Kate-Robertson.jpg\" alt=\"St. Mary's Street at night | PHOTO: Kate Robertson\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/St.-Marys-street-at-night-credit-Kate-Robertson.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/St.-Marys-street-at-night-credit-Kate-Robertson-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/St.-Marys-street-at-night-credit-Kate-Robertson-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/St.-Marys-street-at-night-credit-Kate-Robertson-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/St.-Marys-street-at-night-credit-Kate-Robertson-453x340.jpg 453w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/St.-Marys-street-at-night-credit-Kate-Robertson-632x474.jpg 632w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/St.-Marys-street-at-night-credit-Kate-Robertson-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-77452\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">St. Mary&#8217;s Street at night | Photo: Kate Robertson<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Cardiff is a very cosmopolitan city, and with more than 50,000 students attending post-secondary institutions here, the energy is electric. St. Mary&#8217;s street is filled with pubs and club hot-spots, and things get so busy on Saturday nights and Sunday that they close off the whole street to traffic. Around the corner on Mill Lane, outdoor lounges are packed with partiers. For the late-night munchies, next-door is Chippy Lane (the name locals give to Caroline Street), a pedestrian street filled with 24\/7 fast food and chip shops.<\/p>\n<h2>6. It&#8217;s home to the longest place name in Europe<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_77453\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-77453\" class=\"size-full wp-image-77453\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Train-station-at-Llanfair-PG-credit-Kate-Robertson.jpg\" alt=\"Train station at Llanfair | PHOTO: Kate Robertson\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Train-station-at-Llanfair-PG-credit-Kate-Robertson.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Train-station-at-Llanfair-PG-credit-Kate-Robertson-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Train-station-at-Llanfair-PG-credit-Kate-Robertson-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Train-station-at-Llanfair-PG-credit-Kate-Robertson-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Train-station-at-Llanfair-PG-credit-Kate-Robertson-453x340.jpg 453w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Train-station-at-Llanfair-PG-credit-Kate-Robertson-632x474.jpg 632w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Train-station-at-Llanfair-PG-credit-Kate-Robertson-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-77453\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Train station at Llanfair PG | Photo: Kate Robertson<\/p><\/div>\n<p>It might look like someone fell asleep on their keyword but Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is an actual town on the island of Anglesey. We dare you to say that quickly three times (or at all). The 58 letters mean \u201cSt. Mary\u2019s Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and church of St. Tysilio of the red cave\u201d and this small village, (Llanfair PG for short) has a sign at the train station that shows you how to pronounce the name phonetically. When it comes to the Welsh language it\u2019s on all the signs, and there are still many people, in the countryside especially, that you will hear speaking it.<\/p>\n<h2>7. Accommodations are literally fit for a king<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_77454\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-77454\" class=\"size-full wp-image-77454\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Conwy-Castle-credit-Kate-Robertson.jpg\" alt=\"Conwy Castle | PHOTO: Kate Robertson\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Conwy-Castle-credit-Kate-Robertson.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Conwy-Castle-credit-Kate-Robertson-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Conwy-Castle-credit-Kate-Robertson-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Conwy-Castle-credit-Kate-Robertson-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Conwy-Castle-credit-Kate-Robertson-453x340.jpg 453w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Conwy-Castle-credit-Kate-Robertson-632x474.jpg 632w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Conwy-Castle-credit-Kate-Robertson-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-77454\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Conwy Castle | Photo: Kate Robertson<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Home to more than 600 of Europe\u2019s finest surviving examples of medieval castles, including Edward I\u2019s Conwy Castle, Wales has been called the \u201cLand of Castles.\u201d To fulfill your fantasy of staying in one of these royal abodes, book<a href=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/Haverfordwest-Hotels-Roch-Castle-Hotel.h11871041.Hotel-Information\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Roch Castle Hotel<\/a> at St. David\u2019s in Pembrokeshire (Britain\u2019s smallest city), originally built in 1195. Another unique accommodation just outside of St. David\u2019s is<a href=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/Haverfordwest-Hotels-Twr-Y-Felin-Hotel.h11871255.Hotel-Information\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Twr-y-Felin Hotel<\/a>, a luxurious contemporary art boutique hotel designed around an old 1806 windmill (the Blas restaurant here is one of the best places to experience traditional Welsh dishes with an upscale twist). Then there\u2019s<a href=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/Aberystwyth-Hotels-Nanteos-Mansion.h5195970.Hotel-Information\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Nanteos Mansion<\/a>, a luxurious 18th-century Georgian country mansion just outside of Aberystwyth, that\u2019s rumored to be haunted. (We dare you to wait until dark, then fire up your flashlight to explore the pet cemetery in front of the mansion).<\/p>\n<h2>8. They have their own creative takes on gin<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_77455\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-77455\" class=\"size-full wp-image-77455\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Seaweed-gin-credit-Kate-Robertson.jpg\" alt=\"Seaweed Gin | PHOTO: Kate Robertson\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Seaweed-gin-credit-Kate-Robertson.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Seaweed-gin-credit-Kate-Robertson-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Seaweed-gin-credit-Kate-Robertson-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Seaweed-gin-credit-Kate-Robertson-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Seaweed-gin-credit-Kate-Robertson-453x340.jpg 453w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Seaweed-gin-credit-Kate-Robertson-632x474.jpg 632w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Seaweed-gin-credit-Kate-Robertson-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-77455\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Seaweed Gin | Photo: Kate Robertson<\/p><\/div>\n<p>That the Welsh love gin may not be such a big secret. But what you might not know is that the Welsh also like to infuse their gins. Take for example the Da Mhile distillery&#8217;s small-batch seaweed gin, infused with algae gathered from the Cornish Coast, or the rhubarb and ginger crumble infused gin at Aber Falls. Best place to try a gin cocktail? Head to the<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedeadcanary.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Dead Canary<\/a> cocktail bar in Cardiff, inspired by the great Welsh poet Dylan Thomas\u2019 <i>Deaths and Entrances<\/i>. The drink menu is a book full of businesscards of famous Welsh people and a corresponding drink\u2014like the Christian Bale (Bombay gin, absinthe vermouth, blood orange liqueur and Peychaud\u2019s bitters).<\/p>\n<h2>9. It&#8217;s home to the largest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings outside of Paris<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_77456\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-77456\" class=\"size-full wp-image-77456\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/National-Museum-Wales-credit-National-Museum-Wales.jpg\" alt=\"National Museum Wales | PHOTO: National Museum Wales\" width=\"800\" height=\"515\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/National-Museum-Wales-credit-National-Museum-Wales.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/National-Museum-Wales-credit-National-Museum-Wales-300x193.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/National-Museum-Wales-credit-National-Museum-Wales-768x494.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/National-Museum-Wales-credit-National-Museum-Wales-600x386.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/National-Museum-Wales-credit-National-Museum-Wales-528x340.jpg 528w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-77456\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">National Museum Wales | Photo: National Museum Wales<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The large collections of Impressionism and post-Impressionism (think greats like Monet, Renoir and Cezanne) are housed at the<a href=\"https:\/\/museum.wales\/cardiff\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> National Museum Wales<\/a> in Cardiff. This concentration of art comes mostly thanks to the Davies sisters, Welsh siblings who inherited their father\u2019s fortune and amassed one of the most influential art collections in Britain. Something else you likely didn\u2019t know: Entrance to the museum is free!<\/p>\n<h2>10. Wales has amazing National Parks and hiking trails<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_77457\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-77457\" class=\"size-full wp-image-77457\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Wales-Coast-Path-in-Pembrokeshre-credit-Kate-Robertson.jpg\" alt=\"Wales Coast Path in Pembrokeshire | PHOTO: Kate Robertson\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Wales-Coast-Path-in-Pembrokeshre-credit-Kate-Robertson.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Wales-Coast-Path-in-Pembrokeshre-credit-Kate-Robertson-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Wales-Coast-Path-in-Pembrokeshre-credit-Kate-Robertson-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Wales-Coast-Path-in-Pembrokeshre-credit-Kate-Robertson-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Wales-Coast-Path-in-Pembrokeshre-credit-Kate-Robertson-453x340.jpg 453w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Wales-Coast-Path-in-Pembrokeshre-credit-Kate-Robertson-632x474.jpg 632w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Wales-Coast-Path-in-Pembrokeshre-credit-Kate-Robertson-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-77457\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wales Coast Path in Pembrokeshire | Photo: Kate Robertson<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Wales has 1,368 miles of the finest<a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitwales.com\/en-us\/things-do\/adventure-and-activities\/walking\/national-walking-trails-wales\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> national walking trails<\/a> in the world. The longest is the Wales Coast Path, an 870-mile uninterrupted route along the country\u2019s coastline, offering stunning Atlantic seascape views as you wind through small villages and along rugged clifftops, sheltered coves and long sandy beaches. In the northwest corner of the country is Snowdonia National Park, where a mountain range of 13 peaks topping out at more than 3,000 feet, including Mount Snowdon, the tallest in Wales, makes it one of the most popular places in the U.K. to hike and climb.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Where to stay in Cardiff<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/Cardiff-Hotels-Jurys-Inn-Cardiff.h876498.Hotel-Information?chkin=10%2F26%2F2019&amp;chkout=10%2F27%2F2019&amp;regionId=6054272&amp;destination=Cardiff+%28and+vicinity%29%2C+Wales%2C+United+Kingdom&amp;swpToggleOn=true&amp;rm1=a2&amp;x_pwa=1&amp;hotelName=Jurys+Inn+Cardiff&amp;sort=recommended&amp;rfrr=HSR&amp;pwa_ts=1572109129542&amp;neighborhoodId=6190554\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jury\u2019s Inn<\/a>, a lovely hotel housed in a grand Victorian building in the heart of the city, is within walking distance to most downtown attractions and nightlife.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/app\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-47693 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/OrbitzApp.jpeg\" alt=\"Orbitz, app, iPhone, travel, deals\" width=\"600\" height=\"100\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/OrbitzApp.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/OrbitzApp-300x50.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/OrbitzApp-400x67.jpeg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Don&#8217;t overlook Wales on your next U.K. trip!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":274,"featured_media":77487,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[2660],"class_list":["post-76793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-europe","tag-adventure"],"acf":{"api_active":false,"api_title":"","api_excerpt":"","api_featured_image":false,"api_lob":"Hotels"},"posts_api_cpm_point":"","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>10 things you probably don&#039;t know about Wales | Orbitz<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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