Llandudno

Llandudno is a Victorian-era seaside resort situated on the picturesque north coast of Wales. Once a favourite of Queen Victoria, Llandudno still retains an old-world charm that sets it aside from other British seaside resorts. Llandudno is set between the cities of Bangor and Chester and is easily accessible by road and rail.

For other places with the same name, see Llandudno (disambiguation).

Understand

Llandudno has the distinction of being the largest seaside resort in North Wales. It lies between two notable carboniferous headlands, the Great Orme and the Little Orme  with the Irish Sea on one side and the estuary of the River Conwy on the other with sunset views of Puffin Island. It is these headlands and the two waterfronts, the North Shore and the West Shore, that give Llandudno its special appeal.

Although settlements have existed on the Great Orme since the Stone Age and an Iron Age hill fort survives at Pen-y-Dinas, Llandudno was developed as a seaside resort in the Victorian era. As such, it has Victorian charm - large Victorian houses, fine hotels lining the bay, a pier, boat trips round the headland, Punch and Judy on the wide promenade, an excellent lifeboat service, and a fine theatre with ballet, opera, orchestral concerts, ice shows and pantomime in season.

Llandudno has a prominent Welsh speaking community, greatly increased by the frequent visitors from rural communities further inland whose primary day-to-day language is Welsh.

As a simple mnemonic for English speakers, in Welsh the double LL is pronounced similar to "thl". The U is usually pronounced as an I. So Llandudno is pronounced "thlan-did-no".

Get in

By train
  • Through trains from London Euston, 6 times a day, change at Llandudno Junction
  • Through trains from Manchester, every hour on weekdays (2½ hours). 
  • Through trains from Liverpool (approx. 2-2½ hours), change at Chester or change at Chester and Llandudno Junction (it depends on the timetable how many changes there'll be).
  • Trains from Crewe, every hour on weekdays, change at Chester and/or Llandudno Junction.
  • Trains from Cardiff, every two hours on weekdays, change at Llandudno Junction.
  • Trains from Holyhead, every hour on weekdays, change at Llandudno Junction.
  • 🌍 Llandudno railway station. (updated Nov 2019)

By car

From England: From the M6, take the M56 in the direction of Chester, North Wales. Take the M53 in the direction of A55, North Wales at the end of the M56. This becomes the A55, stay on this for 30 miles or so until you see signs for the A470 turn off. From here follow signs for Llandudno.

By plane

Nearest airports are Liverpool John Lennon Airport  and Manchester Airport but only Manchester is directly linked by train (from airport by train to Manchester Piccadily, then change train). From Liverpool airport: take a bus to Liverpool Lime Street station, then take a train.

By bus

Local buses operate from Rhyl (every 12 minutes), Bangor (four per hour), Caernarfon, Llanberis and Llangollen but there are no daily long distance coach services to Llandudno. National Express has a daily service from London calling at Llandudno Junction (three miles away). There is a weekly National Express service to Newcastle upon Tyne on Sundays.

Get around

See
  • 🌍 Bronze Age Copper Mines, Pyllau Road, ☏ +44 1492 870447. Bronze age mines on the upper slopes of the Great Orme. Tours start off with a brief talk on the mine and seeing tools found in excavations, before heading down into the mines! Great fun and well worth a visit, although the tours aren't very long. The mines are slippery, confined and claustrophobic. 
  • 🌍 Bishop's Quarry. Fossils in the exposed limestone faces of Bishop's Quarry near the summit. 
  • 🌍 Oriel Mostyn Gallery, 12 Vaughan Street (The Mostyn is 200 meters from Llandudno Train Station), ☏ +44 1492 879201. Contemporary art and design 
  • 🌍 Victorian Pier, North Parade, ☏ +44 1492 876258. the finest in Wales, second longest in Britain and one of a dwindling number of recreational piers in the country. 

Do
  • 🌍 Great Orme Tramway, Victoria Station, Church Walks, LL30 2NB, ☏ +44 1492 577877. Ride the traditional tram (built in 1902) to the summit of the Great Orme, enjoy the visitor centre and visit Randolf Turpin's Bar in the Summit Complex. (updated Apr 2018)
  • 🌍 Llandudno Cable Car. from the Happy Valley to the summit of the Great Orme. 
  • 🌍 Walks over the Great Orme. perhaps visiting Saint Tudno's church.
    Summit trails
    Easiest and quickest route - Haulfre Gardens Trail colour coded olive green (Victoria Tram station, Haulfre Gardens, Llwynon Road, Tyn y Coed Road, Bryn Eisteddfod Terrace, Pyllau Road, Great Orme Copper Mines)
    Longest route - Happy Valley Trail colour coded blue (Happy Valley Gardens, Powells Well, St Tudno's)
    Steepest route - Zig Zag Trail colour coded black     
  • Happy Valley. Walk and enjoy the magnificent views. 
  • Haulfre Gardens. Walk and enjoy the magnificent views. 
  • Marine Drive. Walk, cycle, drive or ride a coach around. There is a toll of £2.50 for cars but that includes free parking at the summit car park, which is reached by a side road via Saint Tudno's Church. The toll is generally not in place after 7PM. 
  • 🌍 Llandudno Ski and Snowboard Centre, Happy Valley, ☏ +44 1492 874707. artificial ski slope and toboggan run 
  • Penderyn Distillery, Old Board School, Lloyd St LL30 2YG (400 yards northwest of station), ☏ +44 1492 701530. Daily 09:00-17:00. Whisky production ceased in Wales in 1894, but in 2000 Penderyn re-started in the Brecon Beacons, and in 2021 opened this distillery; another near Swansea opens in 2023. They also produce other spirits. Tour £11.50. (updated Jan 2023)
  • 🌍 North Beach. Ride a donkey or just enjoy the sun 
  • 🌍 paddling pool, North Shore Beach. Take a dip in the lovely, large pool , on the east end of the promenade. 
  • 🌍 West Shore. Ride a donkey or just enjoy the sun 
  • 🌍 Bodafon Farm Park, Bodafon Road, ☏ +44 1492 549060. a working farm that includes a bird of prey sanctuary (lots of owls included). 
  • Rock pools. Take the stairs on the west side of the pier to some rock pools (at low tide only!). 

Buy
  • Llandudno has long been considered North Wales’ 'heavyweight' shopping destination. There are two major modern retail parks in the town — ‘Mostyn Champneys’ and ‘Parc Llandudno’ — boasting a range of popular stores.
  • Amidst the wide boulevards and Victorian awnings of the main shopping street, you’ll find lots of independent shops and family businesses alongside big high street names.
  • The famous colourful stick of rock with inner layer spelling out Llandudno.

Eat

Llandudno is home to many food venues catering for all tastes and budgets.

Budget

Cheaper venues include:

  • 🌍 The Palladium, 7 Gloddaeth Street, ☏ +44 1492 860023. Pub/Bistro of the J. D. Wetherspoon chain. Be aware that there is often a very long wait for food here at peak times, owing to the popularity and sheer size of the venue 
  • 🌍 Fortes, 69 Mostyn Street, ☏ +44 1492 877910. Italian & Bistro. Llandudno's famous traditional ice cream, which has been serving freshly made ice cream for the past century. 
  • 🌍 Fountains, 114 Mostyn Street, ☏ +44 1492 875600. Trendy bar/bistro with decent selection of good quality sandwiches, pizzas and wraps 

Medium range

For those seeking a medium priced meal, there are several Italian and other ethnic cuisine restaurants in the town:

Splurge
  • The Empire Hotel. 
  • The Seahorse. 
  • No.1s Bistro. 

Drink
  • Cafe Culture. 
  • Waterstone's Cafe. 
  • Upstairs At Clair's. 
  • Fortes. 
  • Badgers. which specialises in traditional-British lunches and pastries 

Nightlife

Though not on a par with the likes of Blackpool, Llandudno does have a vibrant nightlife scene with several popular bars and clubs. Busier in the summer months when tourists swell the ranks of revellers, a decent night out can be found in Llandudno all year round owing to the sizeable local crowd.

Along with the obvious Friday and Saturday nights, Wednesday can also be busy with certain nightclubs offering popular reduced rates. Llandudno's 'trendier' bars can be found in the area of Upper Mostyn Street (walk down the Promenade towards the Cenotaph, then turn left down Gloddaeth Avenue).

  • Venue Cymru. Modern building on the promenade with a large music stage and also a theatre hosting major shows. It often sells out for popular gigs and comedy so its worth checking well ahead of your visit, what's on. 
  • Fountains. A popular bar offering a varied drinks menu. Quieter atmosphere in the upstairs section, live DJ in the basement. 
  • The Fat Cat. Good food, well-made cocktails. 
  • Club 147. Popular on Friday and Saturday nights when '147' as it is commonly known transforms into a fully fledged nightclub. Also shows sports evens (but be warned; during international football or rugby matches, the crowd supports Wales and anybody but England (with tongue firmly in cheek!) 
  • The Palladium. The flagship Welsh pub of the J.D. Wetherspoon chain set in a former cinema. A very impressive sight. Crowded and often rowdy on weekends. Known locally as Wethers to the extent that some locals would not recognize its official name. 
  • The Cottage Loaf (beside the rear entrance to the Palladium). A stalwart of Llandudno nightlife for decades. Local beers, live music, quiz nights and a great atmosphere. 
  • The King's Head (beside the tram station). Offers a good variety of drinks, live music and quiz nights. Popular with young and mature crowds alike. Hosts outdoor local music evenings during the summer months. (Headstock) 

Llandudno has two full sized night clubs, both about a mile away from the centre of town (down the Promenade towards Craig-Y-Don).

  • Broadway Boulevard. Very popular with the local crowd, Broadway is a large nightclub that attracts some well-known DJs. Drinks offers are available during the week (Wednesday night being the most popular). Be on your best behaviour, though; the door staff are strict and local police pay close attention to revellers. 

Gay scene

Llandudno could certainly be seen as a gay-friendly town when it comes to nightlife. The bars in Upper Mostyn Street attract a decent crowd.

Sleep

Owing to its origins as a Victorian resort, Llandudno has a vast array of family run B&Bs (service consisting of a basic room with a generic cooked breakfast). Llandudno has a wide variety of hotels, ranging in size and quality.

Budget

Medium range

Splurge

Stay safe

Llandudno is considered safe by any standards, though as with any other tourist destination, it is easy to fall into a false sense of security about your own safety. Llandudno is also a fully functioning medium sized town and is therefore subject to the same difficulties as any other town.

Trouble associated with nightlife (drunkenness, anti social behaviour) is not uncommon. The Police take a robust response to incidents and maintain a visible presence on busy nights. Door staff can be strict and entry can be refused to pubs, bars and clubs.

Without the risk of overstating it, as with any town, there are areas in Llandudno which tourists should avoid, though these areas are not areas where tourists would normally travel. These areas include:

  • The area behind and around the ASDA supermarket, opposite Parc Llandudno
  • The council estate behind the Llandudno Rugby Club
  • Parts of West Shore, particularly the council estate and King's Road
  • The area around Llandudno Hospital.

Respect

The massive annual influx of tourists is something that local people are used to. People from Llandudno are generally friendly, welcoming and appreciative of the economic boost that tourists bring to the town.

One issue that can arise is during international football matches. Hoards of fans wearing England strips and filling out the pubs should remember that the Welsh will rarely share their support for the England team and will often (in the spirit of good fun) cheer on the opposing team... even if it's Germany! Don't make an issue out of this, it is not meant to offend. Plus, you are in Wales after all!

Connect

As of Aug 2022, Llandudno and its approach roads have 4G from EE, O2 and Three, and 5G from Vodafone.

Go next
  • Conwy - fantastic castle and walled town, just 5 miles away from Llandudno. Walk the town walls for free, many stairs leading up to them are throughout the town. 
  • A cycle path now exists between West Shore Llandudno and Conwy, very flat and car free. Also suitable for pedestrians.
  • A 'working' riverfront where you can find a riverfront pub for a drink and an ice cream stand that also sells hot drinks along with 'The smallest house in the UK'.
  • A sightseeing boat that takes a 30-minute ride up and down the Conwy River (runs mainly on school holidays).
  • Various independent shops in the town and various independent cafes (including the Tower Coffee House, built into one of the wall turrets, right across from the castle and giving great views of the river). 
  • If you'd like a free place to relax and maybe a read, Conwy Library also has great views of the river from its upper lounge. 
  • You can also take a walk from the river front, through the gate and find your way along a riverfront walk, at the bottom of Bodlondeb. The walk takes you around Bodlondeb, where you can make your way to Conwy Marina, where there is an upmarket pub with a large outside dining area overlooking the marina. 
  • There are many hill walks around Conwy as well (National Trust gift shop under Aberconwy House sells some maps, there's also an independent bookshop in the town).
  • Aberconwy House, 14th-century merchant's house run by the National Trust.
  • Plas Mawr (the Great Hall), one of the finest surviving town house of the Elizabethan era to be found in Britain, run by Cadw (who also run Conwy Castle, see about a joint ticket for both!).
  • Chester - Roman walled city, 50 miles away (one hour by train).
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