Inside the walls
First-timersThe old town around the castle.
Caernarfon town guide
Things To Do In Caernarfon
A walled town around one of the great castles of Europe, on the Menai Strait, where Welsh is the everyday language and Snowdonia and Anglesey are both close.
5
Hostels in the city
9.5
Average, from 397 reviews
1283
The castle begun
1969
A royal investiture
25 miles
The Welsh Highland Railway
Edward I's castle and a Welsh-speaking town
Caernarfon Castle was built by Edward I of England from 1283, to hold down the Welsh after his conquest, and it was designed to look like the walls of Constantinople. With the town walls, it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Edward's castles in north Wales. Prince Charles was invested as Prince of Wales here in 1969.
Today the town is one of the most strongly Welsh-speaking places in the country, where most people use Welsh every day.
Caernarfon sits on the Menai Strait, facing Anglesey, with the mountains of Eryri behind it. Two days is right.
Where to stay
Stay inside the walls or near the harbour.
Harbour
ViewsAlong the Menai Strait.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 5 top-rated hostels. Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Caernarfon
Caernarfon Castle is the main event: climb the Eagle Tower and walk the walls for views over the town and the strait.
Walk the medieval town walls and the harbour. The Welsh Highland Railway, the longest heritage railway in Britain, runs by steam from Caernarfon through the mountains to Beddgelert and Porthmadog.
Cross the Menai Strait to Anglesey for Beaumaris Castle, another of Edward's fortresses, and the beaches and forest at Newborough and Llanddwyn Island.
Yr Wyddfa, Snowdon, is reachable from the Rhyd Ddu path on the Welsh Highland Railway, or from Llanberis.
Free things
Free things to do in Caernarfon
The town walls, the harbour and the waterfront are free.
Newborough beach and Llanddwyn Island on Anglesey are free.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Caernarfon
Caernarfon has pubs and cafés inside the walls, and fresh seafood from the Menai Strait, especially mussels.
A pub meal is £12 to £16.
Nightlife
Going out in Caernarfon
Caernarfon's nightlife is its pubs, where you will hear Welsh spoken more than English.
A pint is £4.50 to £5.50.
Getting around
Getting around Caernarfon
The town is walkable. There is no mainline station; buses reach Bangor, the nearest station, in about twenty minutes, and Llanberis in about twenty-five.
The Welsh Highland Railway runs to Porthmadog. A car makes Anglesey and the mountains easier.
Costs
What Caernarfon costs
Caernarfon is cheaper than the south. A careful day is £40 to £55.
The costs that add up are the castle and the railway.
The currency is the pound sterling. Cards work almost everywhere, including contactless on buses.
Safety
Staying safe in Caernarfon
Caernarfon is very safe.
The Menai Strait has strong tides and currents; do not swim in it.
Emergency number is 999 or 112; for mountain rescue, call 999 and ask for police, then mountain rescue.
Day trips from Caernarfon
Castles, Anglesey and the mountains.
Anglesey
Beaumaris Castle and beaches.
Beddgelert
A mountain village in Eryri.
Llanberis
The base for Yr Wyddfa.
Conwy
Another of Edward's castles.
What's on
What is on while you are there
The food festival fills the town in May.
May
Caernarfon Food Festival
Castle square
Local food and drink.
May to September
Walking season
Eryri
The best months for the mountains.
Hostels
Where to stay in Caernarfon
The top-rated places to stay in Caernarfon right now, live from Hostelworld.
When to go
May to September is best.
Jan
Wet
Feb
Wet
Mar
Spring
Apr
Spring
May
Food festival
Jun
Long days
Jul
Busy
Aug
Busy
Sep
Good
Oct
Wet
Nov
Wet
Dec
Quiet
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. It rains in every month.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in pounds.
Excludes the castle and the Welsh Highland Railway.
—
- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Caernarfon travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is Caernarfon Castle worth it?
Yes, one of the great castles of Europe.
Is Welsh spoken in Caernarfon?
Yes, it is the everyday language for most people.
How do I get to Caernarfon?
By bus from Bangor station, about twenty minutes.
Can I climb Snowdon from here?
Yes, from Rhyd Ddu on the Welsh Highland Railway, or from Llanberis.
How far is Anglesey?
Just across the Menai Strait.
How many days do you need?
Two.
When is the best time to visit?
May to September.
Say yes to hostels, meet the world
Compare Caernarfon hostels — live prices, real reviews and free cancellation on most bookings. Then meet the people already there in the app.
Get the App.