Introduction
Tenby is one of those places that looks almost unrealistically beautiful, the harbour buildings are painted in sherbet pinks, yellows and greens, and they've looked this way since the Georgian era. The town sits on a headland with beaches on three sides and medieval walls still running around the old town. It's visually extraordinary and genuinely isn't trying too hard.
The beaches are the main draw and they're all different. North Beach is long and popular; South Beach stretches wide and wild; Castle Beach is backed by the ruins and faces St Catherine's Island. In summer it gets busy, but the town absorbs visitors better than most because it has real bones to it, the old streets, the walls, the cafés and the fishing harbour all exist independent of the tourist trade.
Come outside July and August if you can. The crowds thin, the town exhales, and you get to appreciate what it actually is: one of the finest small towns in Britain.
Getting There
Tenby sits at the end of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Train from Cardiff takes about two hours with a change at Swansea or Carmarthen. By car, it's just under two hours from Cardiff via the M4 and A477. Parking in summer fills early, the park-and-ride on the edge of town saves the stress.
Areas to Know
- The Harbour. The heart of it; pastel buildings, boat trips, fish and chips
- Castle Hill. The headland with the ruins, 360° views and the island beyond
- North Beach. The long main beach with the esplanade
- South Beach. Wider, quieter, better for an uncrowded walk
- Old Town Walls. Medieval walls you can walk alongside through the town
