The Conwy Valley runs south into the heart of Snowdonia, making this one of the best bases for exploring the national park. Betws-y-Coed, a popular walking village at the confluence of four rivers, is 15 miles south on the A5 and reachable by train on the Conwy Valley line. Snowdonia itself is within an hour's drive, with Mount Snowdon and a range of other peaks accessible from Llanberis and Capel Curig.
Caernarfon, with its own massive Edwardian castle and well-preserved town walls, is 20 miles west along the coast — a half-day trip that makes a natural pairing with Conwy. Bangor, the small university city on the Menai Strait, is a few miles further and the gateway to Anglesey. Llandudno, the Victorian seaside resort, is just 5 miles east and easy by bus or car.
