Wales

Why Choose an Escorted Holiday to Wales?

Wales is one of those places that British travellers routinely intend to visit and consistently put off. The result is that a large proportion of people in this country have never spent proper time in a nation that has some of the finest mountain and coastal scenery anywhere in the British Isles, a castle density that is unmatched in Europe, and a living language culture quite unlike anything in England. Snowdonia, the Pembrokeshire Coast, the Gower Peninsula and the Brecon Beacons are all genuinely world-class landscapes.

For British-Indian passengers, a Welsh tour from Midlands pick-up points is an especially comfortable and accessible proposition: no flights, reasonable journey times, and a destination that most passengers will not have explored in any depth. We guide Wales with the same attention that we bring to our international itineraries - the history here, from the Iron Age hillforts through the Norman conquests to the industrial revolution that built the coal and steel economies, is rich enough to reward it.

Indian-Friendly Features on Our Wales Tours

• Indian dinners included on most multi-day tours, with Indian restaurants in Cardiff and Swansea
• Vegetarian options available throughout and confirmed in advance
• No beef or pork compulsory in any included meals
• Midlands, Leicester and Birmingham pick-up points for all departures, with Wales easily accessible
• No flights required - comfortable coach travel from your local pick-up throughout

Best Time to Visit Wales

April and May are excellent: waterfalls running full from winter rain, the hills green and the main sites largely uncrowded. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is spectacular in spring.

June to August brings the best weather for coastal walking and Snowdonia mountain excursions. Snowdon's summit train is extremely busy in August - book ahead.

September and October are excellent for the Brecon Beacons and the Wye Valley, with autumn colour across the hillsides and the summer crowds gone.

December suits Cardiff's well-regarded Christmas market and the warmth of Welsh towns in winter, with the landscape taking on a different but equally striking quality.

Popular Destinations Within Wales

Snowdonia National Park - the highest mountain in England and Wales at 1,085m, with the Snowdon Mountain Railway offering a gentler ascent. The wider park has lakes, passes and dramatic ridge scenery across hundreds of square kilometres.

Pembrokeshire Coast - the only National Park in the UK designated primarily for coastal scenery. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the sea stacks of St Govan's Head and the cathedral city of St Davids (the smallest city in Britain).

Cardiff - the capital, with Cardiff Castle and the Victorian arcades at its centre, the Cardiff Bay waterfront development and the Millennium Centre. More interesting than the reputation suggests.

The Brecon Beacons - now re-designated as the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. Open moorland, dramatic waterfalls in the Vale of Neath, and the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal for a slower pace.

Conwy and North Wales Castles - Edward I's ring of castles in North Wales - Conwy, Caernarfon, Harlech, Beaumaris - form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Caernarfon Castle in particular is extraordinary.

The Wye Valley and Tintern Abbey - the ruined Cistercian abbey in its wooded valley setting, just across the border in the south, is one of the most romantic ruins in Britain.

Practical Information

• Currency: Pound Sterling (£)
• Language: English and Welsh (bilingual signage throughout); Welsh spoken as a first language by around 29% of the population
• Time zone: GMT in winter, BST (GMT+1) in summer
• Electricity: Type G plugs (230V). Standard UK plugs throughout.
• Tipping: Included in your Star Tours holiday price
• India bookings: Call our India line free on 1800 123 181 181 (10am-7pm)
• ABTA & ATOL: All our Wales holidays are fully protected