8 Reasons Why You Should Never Go to Wales
When most people (and especially most Americans) plan their first trip to the UK, a handful of destinations usually end up on their itinerary: London, Stonehenge, maybe Oxford, Edinburgh, the Scottish Highlands, and perhaps a hop over to Dublin since it's so close.
I don't know of very many people who add Wales to their first UK itinerary.
In fact, it took me more than five visits to Britain before I finally spent any mentionable amount of time in Wales. Everyone knows about London, and Scotland does a great job of marketing itself to tourists. Wales, on the other hand, largely gets overlooked.
But I get it. Because there are so many reasons why you should never go to Wales.
First, watch this video from Wales:
Why you should never visit Wales*
Reasons why you should probably never plan a trip to Wales include…
1. Castles, castles, castles
Wales has a ridiculous number of castles – over 600 of them, in fact, which leads many people to call the country the “castle capital of the world.” That seems a bit excessive, doesn't it? I mean, does a small country like Wales really need THAT many castles?
Many of them are in ruins now, and a few are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Seems like a lot of upkeep, if you ask me.
And, really, who wants to drive around and see a castle on nearly every hilltop? Doesn't that get old after a while?
2. All the legends
Wales has a lot of legends associated with it and its history, from dragons to magic swords to holy drinking vessels.
The legend of Merlin, for example, was based on the Welsh legends of the wizard Myrddin Wyllt, and many historians argue that King Arthur isn't a myth at all, but instead a real figure from Welsh history (though perhaps not actually a king). There's the mystery surrounding the Nanteos Cup, too, which many believe to be THE Holy Grail.
But c'mon, Wales. No need to be putting fairy tales in peoples heads.
3. Old language
Go home, Wales: your language is drunk.
The Welsh language is an old one – it dates back thousands of years, in fact, and is likely the oldest language in Britain. And yet the language has changed little despite so many millennia passing. It's still ridiculously difficult to speak (well, for us non-Welsh, at least), and don't even bother trying to read signs in Welsh. It's just futile.
This is seriously a place name in Wales:
It means “The Church of Mary in the hollow of the white hazel near the fierce whirlpool and the Church of Tysilio by the red cave.”
Yes. For real. It's one of the longest place names in the world.
If the place names aren't silly enough, Tolkien also based one of his versions of the Elvish language (Sindarin) on Old Welsh. So yes, it's so strange-sounding and old that it was actually the basis for a made-up fantasy language.
4. The scenery
Wales has all sorts of scenery, from rolling hills (that they call mountains) to crashing coastlines. The roads through some of this scenery are twisting and so narrow that two cars literally can't pass one another. And they're often littered with sheep.
The combination of these two things will probably mean that you'll stop a lot when driving and you'll be late to everything.
And then there are the beaches, which are far too empty and clean compared to ones you'll find elsewhere in Europe. Some have even won awards and stuff, which kind of just makes it feel like Wales is showing off.
5. Adventure sports
People in Wales are a little crazy.
Not only do they do things like surfing and whitewater rafting in frigid mountain water, but they also like to fly down mountainsides on bikes, hurtle over old quarries on zip lines, and even invented a sport that combines swimming, coastal hiking, and cliff jumping in a sport the Welsh have dubbed “coasteering.”
I know of New Zealand as an adventure-crazy country, but Wales may be just as insane when it comes to inventive (and abundant) ways to hurt yourself.
RELATED: 7 Epic Adventures to Have in North Wales
6. Adorable towns
Little Welsh towns – like the ones you'll find in Snowdonia – are unbearably cute. With old stone buildings and cozy low-ceilinged cafes and pubs, it's just too much.
Dial back on the quaintness, Wales. Seriously. You're going to leave people very disappointed when they visit other villages after these.
7. Welsh humbleness
People in wales are far too humble. Whereas in Scotland they are quick to tell you what a town or loch or island is famous for, in Wales you almost have to force it out of the locals.
They also don't like to brag about their famous Welsh residents (like Tom Jones and Roald Dahl) or about cool accomplishments (they built the first traffic suspension bridge) or fun facts (Wales is home to a 4,000 year old tree!).
Stop being so darn sheepish, Wales! (I mean, I know you HAVE lots of sheep, but you don't need to act like them.) A little bragging every once in a while will do you good.
8. Not a lot of tourists
Lastly, since most tourist to the UK go to places like London and Edinburgh, you'll find many parts of Wales virtually devoid of any tourists. You can walk into a pub in many small cities and find only locals speaking Welsh (who will give you a strange look when you start speaking English).
Even the touristy places still feel very quiet.
It's a real shock after visiting so many other parts of the UK where you just find busloads and busloads of tourists.
*I don't hate Wales, folks
To address all the angry people leaving comments on this post… of course I don't actually hate Wales!
In case my snarkiness didn't come through, let me state it plainly: this entire post is written tongue-in-cheek.
These are all reasons why you SHOULD visit Wales. I think Wales is an amazing part of the UK, and I'm frankly baffled over why more people don't visit.
With all the castles, beautiful scenery, outdoor adventure, and the fact that there aren't a ton of tourists, there's really no denying that Wales is a great destination.
I only spent a handful of days in northern Wales, but it was long enough for me to conclude that Wales is very special (and I'm definitely not saying that just because I have a Welsh surname…).
In fact, I think my next trip to the UK might be JUST a trip to Wales!
Who's ready to plan a trip to Wales?
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*Note: I was a guest of Visit Wales and Visit Britain on this trip, but all opinions – along with replies to all nasty comments left by people who haven't actually read this post – as always, are 100% my own.
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
I loved your article. And, prior to reading the these comments, Wales was on our short list of places to visit in consideration of a move. Less interested now…. while you are a delightful writer, I am disheartened by the defensiveness displayed by the Welsh commenters! Read it before you react to it, people. The catchy title worked on you as it did for all those that “got” the article. Amanda, please remember, people that are not full of hate and discontent cannot spew hate and discontent. Not about you! Please, keep on!
Thanks, Jane! And don’t worry, I don’t take the negative comments here seriously – they actually just kind of amuse me, because it proves that people don’t even read things before they leave their angry comments!
My mother and I are heading to Oxford next month for graduation. I’m very much looking forward to visiting Wales. I have been a Tom Jones fan since a child and told my dad when I was 8 that I was gonna go there. I can wait to send him pics 30 years later. Thanks for the well written article.
well, they’ve won the rugby now so they’re probably a lot happier , beating the English is a major part of the Welsh id.
I am American and just came back from Wales yesterday after spending a week there. I went to visit a childhood friend. Before I visited, I was so excited to see all the things you have mentioned, but my host refused to show me any place much beyond Cardiff. It turns out that many Welsh have never been to the places you have mentioned due to road way conditions…one lane to be specific. Weather is also a concern…while I was there two named stormed came through with 30pmh winds and cold temperatures. There is a high rate of depression among the Welsh. I also learned that with this depression comes lack of selfcontrol with the tongue and anger. The specific Welsh people that I visited were rude to strangers and muttered and grumbling about everyone and everything all the time…racial comments made. If I could do it over again, I would go in a time that is warmer (I visited in mid March) and not entangled myself with the person I visited. I wanted to sign up for a Meet Up hiking group, but was told by my host not to make those plans. If the people that I visited are a representation of Wales, then it would not be good. It’s strange but, just like in your article, the Welsh who pride themselves on sarcasm, don’t handle it well when sarcasm is use by Americans. They take why we say literally. I sensed that many may they have a chip on their shoulder (they are overly sensitive) and lash out before asking for clarification. It has been said that 1 in 6 people are taking antidepressants in Wales.
I think my biggest takeaway was that even though this country speaks English, there is still a huge vocabulary difference. The person I visited would become highly frustrated with me because he claimed I wasn’t listening to him, but the truth was that when he needed me to use my navigation map app, he never called it that. Instead, his directive was to “get on the sati” (I guess this is short for the satilite?? or internet? ) …and when he asked me if I brought a rucksack (which sounded like ruh-suk), I wasn’t quite sure what he ment…and later when I didn’t show up with one he again lit into me for not listening. That is when I learned that he was referring to a backpack or bookbag as more commonly used in my area of U.S. When I wanted to go to a museum that cost money, I was told that “there’s nothing to really see of interest” and “not worth the money.” So, although I love my Welsh friend, our long awaited visit was encompassed with the air of depression and a lot of miscommunication problems. His Welsh accent was heavy and he left out consonants at the end of syllables and at the end of words. He was continually frustrated with me for not listening (understanding) what he was saying and the when he was angry he would not speak directly… he would use harsh sarcasm. So this posed another problem – interpreting his sarcasm funny or angry. Because his reactions were so big, I assumed that he was trying to be funny and would smile or laugh. I realize now that he was really being mean and so my reaction just frustrated him more. Ugh! I can only remember one time when there was a laugh between us. Although, I was encouraged by him to come a visit, he was embarrassed of his living conditions and that attitude prevailed during the entire visit. Well, It’s good to be home. I hope all Welsh people are not like this.
Sorry to hear you had such a poor experience there! Winter is definitely not the best time to visit anywhere in the UK, so if you go back, I’d definitely recommend going in summer!
Hi Disappointed,
I’m so sorry your experience of Wales and it’s people didn’t live up to your expectations. I wish to say that I am stunned. I am Welsh and, in my 58 years experience of living in Wales, I can only apologise for your experience, and say that the majority of Welsh people are warm, welcoming, friendly and helpful. I love living in Wales, and cannot imagine living anywhere else. It is such a beautiful country, and always delightful to explore. When we travel to other countries there can be culture differences, which can be amusing, odd or outright disagreeable to us. A family visit to France a number of years ago resulted in us vowing never to visit the country again. We came across rude, arrogant and aggressive people, who showed us no kindness or tolerance. Even when we were lost, we asked numerous people for help. Even showing them a piece of paper with the place name of where we needed to go, and trying to explain we were lost, was met with disdain. We turned to the gendarmes for help and were told to go away! We haven’t given France or the French people the opportunity to show us that they are nice and worth visiting. I sincerely hope you will give Wales another chance. Wales is spectacularly beautiful. I recently spent a day in West Wales visiting Rhossili Bay, which is breathtakingly beautiful. Having some refreshments, we were delighted to chat with an American couple and then a Swedish couple. Both couples completely over-awed by Wales, looking forward to more exploring, and commenting on the friendliness of everyone they had met so far into their trip. My husband was born abroad but has made Wales his home for almost 40 years, and he couldn’t imagine living anywhere else!
As for the silly negative comments about the article, I’m quite surprised that there are actually people out there who failed to recognise that the article was tongue-in-cheek, and promoting Wales! I thought it was great?
I agree, I don’t believe you will ever be lonely in Wales. Its one of the friendliest nations on earth! There is also no problem with transport routes, the M4 motorway serves south Wales and trains and A road links are fine across the rest of the country! Weather can be blustery and wet like the rest of the UK…or scorching (its was mid 30’s today)…don’t let it put you off, its certainly not extreme! Only thing I would say is if you are going to ask for directions from the Welsh, take a seat…and put the kettle on!
What’s the best time of year to visit Wales?
You can go any time of year, honestly! I visited in late September and it was quite lovely. I’d probably recommend July-August for the warmest weather, but it’s the UK so you could run into anything no matter when you go!
This Pretty much convinced me to visit Wales. And I want to know, Was this post sarcastic? I mean Wales looks really awesome.
If you read the entire post, then yes you’d know it was written in jest! 😉
Wales is awesome. I love it… Thinking about moving there.
That’s insulting, you have no real reason to hate such a beautiful country. Don’t post things like this. You could offend people and even worse, loose fans. Every time you visit a new country I would recommend noting the good things about it. After all at the end of the day you could have ended up with Welsh readers
I would recommend reading the entire post before you leave a comment! I don’t hate Wales at all – these are all the reasons why I love the country, written completely tongue-in-cheek! (And this is explained very clearly at the end of the post.)
Uhhhhhh……I’m Welsh…
Awesome! Then you should enjoy this post! (If you actually read it all, you’ll see that this is all tongue-in-cheek; I love Wales!)
As a 25 year old Indian (male), I just want to move to Wales with my future wife, and live a peaceful quite life. Love the post !
Mmm…this honestly makes me feel a wee bit sad for Wales! Wales in an amazing place that deserves more attention than it’s given and I could even see myself living there and being happy! Though at the end of the day everyone has their own likes and dislikes I suppose :3
Did you read the entire post? It’s all written tongue-in-cheek – these are all reasons you SHOULD go to Wales, as it’s amazing!
I wouldn’t call it sarcasm at all, it’s called” tongue in cheek” to say it’s sarcastic leads to the misunderstanding that it’s hostile. Tongue in cheek is a form of joking. Oscar Wilde said” sarcasm is the lowest form of wit- but the highest form of intelligence.” Take from that what you will.
I loved, loved, loved this post and the pictures and the sarcasm even though I am never sarcastic (said with sarcasm). According to my DNA I have some Welsh background and would love to visit there someday. You provided some very interesting starting places. Are there inns or bed and breakfast places available most places? Also loved your reference to Lord of the Rings. (I’m a fan!)
I stayed in hotels when I was in Wales, but B&Bs are pretty common in the UK and Ireland, so I have no doubt you could find some great ones! Glad you enjoyed the post!
I enjoyed reading your post. I am going to Wales this June and am very excited. Both of my grandfather’s parents were born in Wales so I feel this trip will be extra special.
I hope you love it, Deborah!
Just came back after spending two days in Snowdonia and loved that train station at Betws-y-Coed along with most of Wales had to offer. I only spent couple of days but Welsh people were brilliant. Humble, helpful and respectful but finding specific food is a pain. Not a lot of south Asians so it was impossible to find Halal food. Wales is definitely underrated and i plan to visit again in summer. Loved your ‘reasons not to visit’ Wales. :p
Isn’t Betws-y-Coed just so cute?? I really need to get back to Wales to see more of it!
I love Wales… It looks mature, stony, chilly, a bit spooky, but positively beautiful. Send me some information about Wales, brochures, info-mails, pictures… cannot get enough of it.
I don’t have any info to send you I’m afraid, but you’re welcome to enjoy the content on Wales that’s on this site!
Wales is amazing but the welsh hate anyone apart from welsh and i dont blame them they want to keep it welsh just how England wanted to keep it English but failed miserably. Their keeping it a true welsh country and not a dumping ground for every nation on earth.
This comment doesn’t really pertain to the content of this post at all, but I’m going to reply anyway. Yes, it’s true that “England wanted to keep it English,” but let’s not forget that England wanted to make most of the rest of the world English, too – they have a long history of colonization, including in Wales! And yet when people from some of those countries they colonized want to move to England, forget about it. People have always been bigoted and xenophobic; it’s just that we’re much more aware of it these days thanks to globalization and the internet.
Very true, i have nothing against mixing cultures but if you were from the uk you would understand . And this post had nothing to do with what i was drolling about so excuse me from diversing the nature of it I was just stating the fact and telling how one of a very few western countries is trying its best to stay to its own even from its neighbours thats why so few tourists .