Tenby is a walled medieval town on the Pembrokeshire coast of south-west Wales, built on a headland between two sandy beaches. The old town sits inside the well-preserved Tenby Town Walls, its streets lined with colourful Georgian and Victorian houses that drop steeply to Tenby Harbour. It is genuinely pretty in a way that goes beyond the typical British seaside resort, and the combination of good beaches, an intact old town, and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park all around it makes it a strong destination.
North Beach is the larger of the two main beaches, wide and popular with families in summer. South Beach is less sheltered but longer and quieter. Castle Hill, a headland between them with the ruins of a Norman castle, gives excellent views along the coast in both directions.
A short boat trip from the harbour reaches Caldey Island, a working Cistercian monastery open to day visitors, with a small shop selling the perfume and shortbread produced by the monks.
Summer brings significant crowds and the town books out early. Out of season, particularly in spring and autumn, Tenby is significantly quieter and the coastal path walks in the national park are at their most rewarding.