8 Best Things To Do in Aberystwyth | A Coastal Town in Mid Wales!
Aberystwyth is a University town in Mid Wales in the county of Ceredigion. Its location on the coast brings floods of tourists on their Aberystwyth holidays and weather-enthusiasts come for Aberystwyth weather to see its renowned high tides for photograph opportunities!
There’s more to Aberystwyth than the University and beach though so read on for Aberystwyth tourist attractions and things to do around Aberystwyth, Wales.
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How To Get to Aberystwyth Wales
You can reach Aberystwyth by car easily using M4 and A470 from South Wales, A470 from North Wales or A483 from North England.
Aberystwyth postcode: SY23 2AU
Driving times:
- Aberystwyth to Cardiff – 2.5 hours
- Aberystwyth to Liverpool – 2.5 hours
- Aberystwyth to London – 5 hours
- Aberystwyth to Swansea – 2 hours
- Aberystwyth to Cardigan – 1 hour
- Aberystwyth to Birmingham – 3 hours
- Aberystwyth to Manchester – 3 hours 15 mins
- Aberystwyth to Snowdonia – 1 hour
- Aberystwyth to Newport – 2.5 hours
- Aberystwyth to Nottingham – 3.5 hours
- Aberystwyth to Bangor – 2.5 hours
- Aberystwyth to Leeds – 4 hours
Rent a car in Wales here:
If you’re using public transport, use National Express or Megabus for the cheapest and fastest buses to Aber.
Get the train to Aberystwyth train station. Find your train tickets here through Trainline.
- Aberystwyth to Cardiff train – 4 hours
- Bangor to Aberystwyth train – 4 hours
- Aberystwyth to Bristol train – 4.5 hours
- Aberystwyth to London train – 4.5 hours
See Aberystwyth map below.
Aberystwyth UK Map:
Aberystwyth Street Map:
Aberystwyth Parking
If you’re driving to Aberystwyth then you may need to do a few laps of Aberystwyth town centre to find ample free parking. I visited on a Sunday so was lucky that parking on Aberystwyth seafront was free for the day and we found a space after three laps!
Aberystwyth car parks include Aberystwyth Car Park, Maesyrafon Car Park, Lower Park Avenue Car Park and Aberystwyth station (free for two hours).
Aberystwyth Facts
- Aberystwyth pronunciation is ab-er-ist-with
- Aberystwyth population is roughly 18,000 people
- The place is known locally, and fondly, as ‘Aber’
- Aberystwyth Uni is a popular place for budding students and known as one of the best student experiences in the UK according to the Uni themselves
- Welsh is widely spoken here but you can definitely get by with just English
- For Aberystwyth tourist information centre, head to Visit Wales
Guides for Aberystwyth:
Best Things To Do Aberystwyth United Kingdom
Being a University town, the Aberystwyth nightlife is one to experience. Like lots of places in Wales, you can find boutique shops, local Welsh produce and unique local crafts in Aberystwyth shops but the following are the 8 best things to do in Aberystwyth!
1. Aberystwyth Beach and Aberystwyth Promenade
Lots of Aberystwyth tourism comes due to visiting the beach, promenade and Aberystwyth pier of the town. And for good reason. It’s something you must do on your Mid Wales trip for a scenic, enjoyable walk along the promenade from Aberystwyth North Beach near Constitution Hill to the south at Aberystwyth Castle.
Check out Aberystwyth tide times here.
Admire the flags flying all along the promenade while enjoying fish and chips, amusements in the arcade at the front of the pier and walk the length of the pier to see another perspective of Aberystwyth.
At the Aberystwyth South beach, grab a locally-made Honey Ice Cream but beware of the very brave and sneaky seagulls who will snatch the gelato straight from your hand like it did to my friend!
Just behind South beach and the War Memorial, you can also visit Aberystwyth Marina and Aberystwyth lighthouse remaining in the nautical theme.
2. Aberystwyth Walks
There are some fun walks to enjoy around the town including walking the length of the promenade and pier, circular walk around the castle, many walks on the Aberystwyth coast, walk the Ceredigion coast to Mynachdy’r Graig and walk up and down Constitution Hill.
3. Aberystwyth Railway Station and Constitution Hill
If you want the best scenic view of Aberystwyth then either take the Constitution Hill walk as mentioned previously or for one of the best Aberystwyth activities, ride the Cliff Railway to get to the top of Aberystwyth Hill.
I recommend doing the following as I did: Catch one of the last rides of the funicular railway to the top of the hill, spend some time enjoying the views, watch the sunset, meditate, spot Wales’s highest peaks and photograph the area before taking a fun stroll back down the hill to the town.
Prices:
- Adult / Student one way ride = £4.50 / £3.50
- Adult / Student return ride = £5.50 / £4.50
Tip: As a student town, look out for the many student discounts around!
4. Literary Things to See in Aberystwyth
Literary lovers will enjoy a trip to this seaside resort with a number of notable places to visit as well as having things to do in Aberystwyth when it rains!
One of the best places to visit in Aberystwyth, and all of Wales, is Aberystwyth National Library of Wales. It’s the biggest library in Wales, home to over 6.5 million books and the largest collection of Welsh manuscripts. Everything to do with Wales and Welsh life is preserved in this library and while the main language at the Aberystwyth town library is Welsh, English is widely used.
Here is home to the oldest manuscript in the Welsh language, over 800 years old!
Entry is free with a reader’s ticket but you need to register. Don’t make the same mistake as me and visit on a Sunday (or Saturday) because it closes. As a bookworm, I was gutted the Aberystwyth library was shut. But this is my excuse to return to this great town!
There’s an Aberystwyth bookshop or two to choose from including Welsh-only shops and the UK staple, Waterstones.
Aberystwyth was the home of Welsh poet, Dafydd ap Gwilym, so you can visit the county of his 14th century poems like Mis Mai and Y Gwynt.
There is also the Aberystwyth Art Centre which is explained more below under the museums heading.
5. Kicking The Bar
This is my favourite thing to do in Aberystwyth as it’s an old tradition and something you HAVE to do when visiting the town!
This old tradition dates back to the 19th century and is exactly what you think. Kicking the bar!
At the North Beach end of Aberystwyth water edge, next to Alexandra Hall, and at the foot of Constitution Hill is a long, plain, white, metal bar. Legend says you must walk the length of the promenade and kick the bar at the end for good luck.
There are several myths as to how this tradition came about, some involving health reasons and others involving romance (typically) but it’s a fun thing to do in Aberystwyth and always nice to potentially bring good luck!
6. Aberystwyth Restaurants Pubs
There are many places to choose from to enjoy a nice meal in Aberystwyth including fish and chips on the pier, Ultracomida for Welsh/Spanish tapas, the seafood truck on Aber promenade called Pysgoty or posh dinner at a 5* hotel named Gwesty Cymru.
My top recommendation for Aberystwyth eating out is an Italian restaurant called Little Italy. We stumbled upon this beauty without pre-booking and managed to get the best seat in the house in what is one of the best Aberystwyth restaurants (and best meal from my entire Wales road trip).
The exterior had me first as Little Italy is a humble building with the Italian colours, the sign in English and Welsh, and down a few steps is a stable door as the entrance before the interior made me feel transported to Italy!
But the food. Wow the food! I always order a seafood pasta (it’s a mix of my two favourite things) and it was everything I envision an Italian restaurant to create, and more. And I can honestly, hand on heart say, it was the best garlic bread I’ve ever eaten in my life!
Get yourself to Naples for the best pizza in the world but to Wales’s Little Italy for the best Aberystwyth food.
Being a student town, there are lots of Aberystwyth pubs serving pub grub, hosting quiz nights and holding happy hours. I enjoyed a mid-morning Bloody Mary at Baravin with lovely views of the beach as it’s so close to the sea front.
Don’t miss out on Aberystwyth food festival held every September on Baker Street.
Read Next: Traditional Foods From Wales
7. Aberystwyth Castle
The castle near Aberystwyth sea front is one of the best Aberystwyth attractions. It has been around since the 13th century so holds history and learning like many other castles in Wales. Entry to the castle is free and open at all times!
Near the castle and the promenade is also a building of interest that forms part of Aberystwyth University. It’s of interest because it looks exactly like something out of Harry Potter.
You May Like: Caerphilly Castle & Mountain Guide
8. Aberystwyth Museums
Choose from two museums to visit in Aber: Amgueddfa Ceredigion Museum (Amgueddfa means Museum in Welsh) and Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
Located in the heart of the town is the museum dedicated to everything about the county Ceredigion in Wales. The museum is home to art, textiles and artefacts to demonstrate the heritage of life in Ceredigion and culture of this Mid-Wales region.
Known as the ‘national flagship for the arts’, Aberystwyth Arts Centre is home to everything from music and murals to horror film festivals. You can buy tickets for festivals, productions or exhibitions or even become a member through their website here.
Places Near Aberystwyth
After you’ve completed this list there are some lush places to visit near Aberystwyth in Mid Wales such as Lake Vyrnwy, Aberaeron and Llandrindod Wells.
While in Aberystwyth North Wales is technically under an hour away so why not continue your Wales road trip to the North? Things to do near Aberystwyth include the gorgeous Snowdonia mountain and villages like Dolgellau, Beddgelert and Machynlleth. Head to the Isle of Anglesey to Beaumaris Castle and Llanfairpwll (longest Welsh place name), coastal Llandudno or over the border to Liverpool or Manchester!
Alternatively, head south of Aberystwyth to West Wales and explore the Cardigan coast, places in Pembrokeshire, St Davids, Narberth or Carmarthen.
Aberystwyth Accommodation
Search below for the best Aberystwyth hotels, B&B Aberystwyth has to offer and an Aberystwyth hostel.
Booking.com- Click for the latest prices of Aberystwyth Travelodge here.
- Click here for the latest prices for Aberystwyth Premier Inn.
Read More On Wales Here:
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