Dolaucothi Gold Mines are the strongest reason to make time for Lampeter. The Romans worked gold here, and the site still lets visitors explore a rare piece of industrial archaeology where ancient mining, later workings, and Welsh hill country overlap.
The mines are about nine miles south-east of Lampeter, so they are not a casual town-centre stroll. With a car, though, they turn Lampeter into a worthwhile base for one of the more unusual historic days out in inland Wales.