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PORTHMADOG
Porthmadog is one of the main holiday destinations in north west Wales - its an attractive holiday location with a well developed marina and harbour and has a shopping facilities which will cater to all needs. It is ideally y located for exploring the beaches of the Llyn Peninsula and the northern Meirionydd coast, the mountains of Snowdonia and the main terminus of the Ffestiniog Railway.

One of the most prominent features of the town is the long breakwater known as the Cob, which was built in the 19th century by William Maddocks and still retains a working Toll at the southern end. There is a fine Maritime Museum on the harbour as well as the terminus of the Welsh Highland Railway and also the famous Cob Records shop at the beginning of the Cob, which is well worth a visit.

The market at Porthmadog is held every Friday, during the summer months, at Heol y Parc Car Park, near one of the biggest tourist attractions in North Wales, the Ffestiniog Railway, the oldest narrow track passenger carrying railway in the world. Also nearby is the harbour with its numerous sailing yachts. Because of this the town and the market have grown together to develop into one of the most popular of tourist centres offering a wide range of goods and other facilities.

There are a number of other attractions based here including Porthmadog Pottery and the Madog Car & Motorcycle Museum, which has one of the best collections of British motorcycles in the country - both places are ideal to amuse the whole family in the event of rain.

A few miles inland is the beautiful mountain village of Beddgelert - home of Rupert the Bear, and an ideal location for families to spend a lazy afternoon pottering about on the bank of the Glaslyn River. It is also an ideal starting point for walkers and climbers. The village of Tremadog stands just outside Porthmadog and is famous for being the birthplace of T.E.Lawrence - Lawrence of Arabia.

A few miles to the north of the town is Black Rock Sands beach at Morfa Bychan and attracts large numbers of families to the miles of open sand there as well as being a Mecca for watersport enthusiasts.

Over the Cob at nearby Penrhyndeudraeth is one of the wonders of modern Wales - the italianate village of Portmeirion, built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis and the home of world-famous Portmeirion pottery and the site of the 60's cult series 'The Prisoner'. The village itself is beautiful in all weathers and seasons and is an experience that few visitors can afford to miss.