A travel content creator has shared her visit to an enchanting Welsh village with sub-tropical gardens and stunning architecture which is worthy of your staycation ‘bucket list’
Next time you’re contemplating arranging a break close to home, you might want to consider the recommendation of a travel content creator who maintains she’s discovered an idyllic Welsh spot that “feels like you’re in Italy”.
After visiting the destination, Amy Hulley described the stunning village as thoroughly deserving of a place on your holiday “bucket list” as she shared her experience with Instagram followers. “For a moment I genuinely forgot I was in the UK,” she confessed in a video. Visitors can pay an admission charge to explore the village for the day, or book accommodation in one of its quaint hotels and cottages.
The location? Portmeirion in Gwynedd, on the edge of Eryri National Park.
Amy added: “Pastel buildings. Arches and domes. Palm trees overlooking the water. It felt Mediterranean, almost cinematic.”
She disclosed her visit happened to coincide with a steampunk event, with period costumes and music enhancing the “fun atmosphere”.
Noting the village’s sub-tropical gardens and striking architecture, Amy explained: “Sir Clough Williams-Ellis began creating it in 1925 to prove that colourful, theatrical design could sit beautifully within nature rather than damage it. Every building was carefully positioned to frame the estuary and protect the woodland around it.”
Writing in response, a previous visitor commented: “A wonderful place to visit, a little expensive but worth it!” Another person admitted: “Wow I can’t believe this is in the UK, Amy. Stunning Italian vibes.”
A second person exclaimed: “Can’t wait to visit here! So picturesque.” And a third Instagram user enthused: “This is beautiful, it’s definitely on my bucket list now.”
Portmeirion’s tourism website proudly advertises: “Experience the magic of staying in Portmeirion. See the dawn break over the mountains of Meirionnydd; watch the tide fill the Dwyryd estuary from shore to shore.
“Stay in one of two luxury 4-star hotels or in a suite in the middle of the village. Portmeirion also offers self-catering accommodation on the picturesque North Wales coast. Situated on the southern flank of its own private peninsula, Portmeirion is a place apart.”
The village also features several cafes and an Italian-style gelateria offering authentic home-made gelato. “There are three shops in the village The Prisoner Shop with souvenirs of the famous series filmed here in 1966-67, the Rob Piercy Gallery and The Ship Shop with gifts, toys, housewares and Portmeirion Pottery best-ware, Portmeirion Pottery seconds as well as preserves, wines, and confectioneries,” the website details.
It also served as the setting for the 1960’s cult classic series, The Prisoner, starring Patrick McGoohan. “It was probably one of the most influential pieces of television of the 1960’s not only in the UK and USA, but also in France, Australia, and many other countries,” the site states.
The website continues: “The series is rich in imagery and visual impact. The surreal architecture of the village with its Mediterranean atmosphere coupled with the high-tech interiors, tannoys, surveillance cameras and piped music create a bizarre combination.”
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