Caernarfon is a small walled town on the Menai Strait in northwest Wales, dominated by one of the most impressive castles in Britain. Edward I built Caernarfon Castle in the late 13th century as a seat of English power in Wales, modelling its banded stonework and polygonal towers on the walls of Constantinople. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The town itself is worth a wander — the medieval walls are largely intact and you can walk along parts of them. The old streets inside the walls have independent shops, pubs, and cafes. The harbour, once a busy slate-exporting port, is now a pleasant waterfront with boat trips across to Anglesey.
Caernarfon is a stronghold of the Welsh language — you will hear it spoken everywhere. It makes a good base for exploring Snowdonia to the south and the Llyn Peninsula to the west. Conwy, with its own magnificent castle, is about 30 minutes east along the coast.