Holiday rentals in Beaumaris

Named by the Normans who built its dramatic castle for Edward I, Beaumaris translates from the French as “beautiful marshes.” So it shows. This town sits magically on the eastern end of the Menai Strait, the slip of water between the island of Anglesey and mainland Wales. A walk along its seafront on arrival is recommended: you’ll be treated to Snowdonia’s rugged peaks in the distance, the town’s sweetly restored Victorian pier, and pleasure boats, especially in high season, gently puffing along.

The town proper hosts some remarkable historic buildings, including the 14th-century Tudor Rose, one of the United Kingdom’s oldest black-and-white timber-framed houses, and the Beaumaris Courthouse and Gaol, both open as eerie, characterful museums. Beaumaris is also bustling with places to eat and drink: everything is here, including bakeries, bistros, tapas bars, and tandoori restaurants. It’s also a great base to see the island, only 30 minutes’ scenic drive from the beaches at Benllech (with excellent facilities for visitors who need help with access), Red Wharf Bay, and Newborough Sands.

Summers in Beaumaris can often be surprisingly warm for Wales, influenced by Anglesey’s pleasant position in the Gulf Stream. This often makes beachcombing, sunbathing, and sea-swimming a joy, sometimes with seals bobbing alongside you in the water. The warmer seasons also bring boat trips heading out to Puffin Island, nine miles east of Beaumaris at the end of the Menai Strait, which is an uninhibited outcrop teeming with wildlife. April to July are the best months to see puffins there, as well as razorbills, common guillemots, and kittiwakes. Also, if you’re lucky, a porpoise or dolphin might pop round. September is the month of the Beaumaris Food Festival, which fills the town with more than 100 exhibitors, and many happy, hungry mouths. Autumn and winter are quieter, but Anglesey’s milder winters mean they’re a joy for walking and gentler sight-seeing.

The Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path

This coastal path hugs Anglesey’s coast for 130 miles, taking in rolling dunes, woodland, heather, and farmland. From Beaumaris, a walk south to Moel-y-don takes in the beautiful Eisteddfod stone circle, kissing gates in the woodland, and the Menai Suspension Bridge.

Beaumaris Castle

Built by Edward I’s men as part of his campaign to conquer North Wales, Beaumaris Castle is impressively fortified with turrets and walls within walls (it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site on account of its majesty, even though it was never completed). It also played a crucial part in Owain Glyndŵr’s Welsh rebellion and the English Civil War. An exhibition and digital trail delve into all the dastardly details.

Penmon Point

Ten minutes drive from Beaumaris brings you to an unexpected set of ancient treasures: a windy old toll road (bring your change), a pretty dovecote, monastery ruins, and a church with a 10th-century cross. Penmon Point sits at the end of it all, looking out to the kayakers circling Puffin Island, and Llandudno’s headland, Great Orme.