A perfect 5-day itinerary in Snowdonia

In this post, we want to share our 5-day itinerary in Snowdonia (now called by its Welsh name, Eryri).

With jaw-dropping landscapes, stunning coastline, and a unique heritage, there’s no shortage of things to do on a getaway to Snowdonia National Park.  The problem is deciding what to do first!

We’ve just spent a week in North Wales, spending 2 nights in a treehouse near Machynlleth, followed by 5 days in Snowdonia.

When planning our visit we included a mix of family-friendly activities to see the best of Snowdonia.  We went hiking, to the coast, to castles and did an underground adventure in the slate mines. Plus, we took trips out to Portmeirion and Anglesey.  Unfortunately, we didn’t climb Mount Snowdon (for medical reasons), but you could easily swap a day to include it.

So, to find out what we got up to, read on for our perfect family-friendly 5-day itinerary in Snowdonia.

*contains affiliate links

Covering a total of 823 square miles Snowdonia National Park (Eryri) is Wales’ largest National Park.  You can find it in the North of Wales.

Snowdonia is home to 9 mountain ranges and Wales’ highest peak, Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa).  It is the perfect place for hiking, outdoor adventures, history, and connecting with nature.

To make the most of all that Snowdonia National Park has to offer, you need to spend between 5 and 7 days in the area.  This will allow time for some fantastic hikes, to explore some towns and villages and head to the coast.

We went at the start of June and had a good mixture of rain and sunshine.  It was pleasant temperature for hiking, but on other days it was sunny enough to hit the beach.

Snowdonia is the wettest area in Wales, with over 3000 mm of rain a year.  You should expect some rain whatever the season and pack a waterproof. It is worth investing in a good quality jacket, such as this North Face waterproof which I took.

If you are going to climb Mount Snowdon, you might want to invest in some good waterproof trekking trousers too.  It can get extremely cold at the top, so wear lots of layers.

Summer (June to September) is probably the best time to go, but obviously you’ll get more crowds then.

You’ll find plenty of choice of accommodation in Snowdonia to suit all budgets.  We booked a self-catering cottage in Betwys Garmon, on the A45 between Waunfawr and Rhyd-Ddu .  Although this tiny hamlet doesn’t have many facilities in the village, it is an ideal location for exploring Snowdonia.

Other good places to base yourself are Beddgelert or Betwys y Coed.  You can find a good choice of self-catering cottages and guest houses on Booking.com.

Snowdonia is in the northwest of Wales but is fairly easy to get to from the rest of the UK.  We arrived from the South, via the M4.  However, we left on a more direct route towards Liverpool on the A55/M56.  We then returned towards London on the M6/M40 via Birmingham.  The journey to Surrey took about 5.5 hours.

If you are coming by train, head for the station at Betws-y-Coed.

The easiest way to get around Snowdonia is by car.  There is a bus service, but you will have the restrictions of timetables.  Plus, the buses only go to the major destinations.

Hopefully we have helped with some basic information for your trip planning.  So, without further delay, read on for our family-friendly 5-day itinerary in Snowdonia National Park.

The first day of our Snowdonia itinerary is about exploring Portmeirion in Gwynedd.  Portmeirion is by the coast on the outskirts of Snowdonia and was an ideal stop on our journey from Machynlleth.

When you think of North Wales, you probably conjure up images of mountains and lakes.  So, you might be rather surprised by a visit to this Italianate tourist village.

Portmeirion, with its colourful buildings, sunken piazza, giant chess set, and ornate architecture looks like something out of a fairy tale.  It is about as un-Welsh as you can get!  It was designed and built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975.  The Welsh architect was keen to prove you can develop a naturally beautiful location, without spoiling it.

Later, in the 1960s, Portmeirion became the filming location for the cult TV series, The Prisoner.  Today, it’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in North Wales.

You have to pay an admission charge, which isn’t that cheap, but it is one of the most unique places in Wales.

To get the most of your visit to Portmeirion, make time for the two walks.  The coastal walk at Portmeirion leads past the hotel to a viewpoint overlooking a wide sandy estuary.  The tide was out when we were there, and the views were breathtaking.

The second of the two walks follow through the exotic woodlands at Portmeirion.  Here you’ll find an enormous collection of tropical trees, flowers, and a Japanese garden.  Plus you’ll find some more unusual features, such as the pet cemetery and the ghost garden.

After your walks head back to village for some real Italian ice-cream in the gelateria and a quick browse round the gift shop, where you’ll see the famous Portmeirion pottery.

For the afternoon, head to the historic town of Caernarfon, on the north west coast of Wales.

Caernarfon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to one of Wales’s best-preserved- medieval castles.  It was once a royal residence and was the site for the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales.

King Edward I built the imposing Caernarfon Castle in 1283 and today it still dominates the town.  After a visit to the castle, you can explore the narrow, cobbled streets or take a walk by the waterfront.

Caernarfon isn’t huge, so is easy to explore by foot.  Afterwards, it is a good place to stock up on groceries if you are self-catering.

Day 2 of our 5-day itinerary in Snowdonia is about exploring the idyllic village of Beddgelert, in the heart of Snowdonia.  The day includes hiking, folklore, pubs, and a dragon or two!

The day starts at the National Trust car park at Crafwlyn, on the outskirts of Beddgelert.  From here you have a choice of two family-friendly trails.  The trails lead to ancient woodland, a waterfall, and the remains of an ancient tower.  According to legend, the summit of the Dinas Emrys walk is the original home of the Welsh red dragon.

If you plan to do a lot of walking in Snowdonia, it is advisable to take an Ordnance Survey map.

We loved the quaint village of Beddgelert.  It’s chocolate-box pretty and one of the most charming destinations in Snowdonia.

One of the must-do attractions in Beddgelert is a short walk to Gelert’s Grave and the nearby bronze statue.  Here you can find out all about the story of the Welsh legend, a dog called Gelert.

Beddgelert is a traditional Welsh mountain village with stone buildings, a woodcraft shop, an ice-cream parlour, and several pubs.  One of the other tourist attractions here is the Sygun Copper Mine, where you can do a self-guided tour of the historic copper mines.

Click here for more details on things to do in Beddgelert.

Day 3 of our itinerary in Snowdonia involves an underground adventure with Go Below.  If you’re visiting Snowdonia with kids, this is a fantastic attraction, which all the family enjoyed.

The 5-hour Go Below adventure takes you on a series of mini adventures in an abandoned slate mine.  The activities include boating, zip-lining, climbing, and abseiling, deep below the mountains.

It is suitable for children over 10 years old, but there is a 7-hour extreme version for adults.  For more details you can see the Go Below website.

The meet point for the Go Below adventure is at the café in Conwy Falls Forest Park, so the next stop is a visit to the waterfall.  A circular woodland walk leads from the car park to the River Conwy, where you’ll see the spectacular Conwy Falls.

Conwy Falls runs through a natural gorge and plunges over the boulders into a deep pool.   You can watch the waterfall from a viewpoint.  It is possible to climb down, but it’s quite precarious and a steep climb up. If you go in August, you may see salmon, travelling upstream to lay their eggs.

Whilst there, you should stop for a break at the Conwy Falls Café.  The café was designed by Clough Williams-Ellis, the mastermind behind Portmeirion and has the same style architecture. More importantly, it also serves a delightful selection of homemade cake!

The final stop on day 3 of the itinerary in Snowdonia is at the picturesque town of Betwys-y-Coed.  Known as the “Gateway to Snowdonia,” this popular village is a hub for walkers and visitors to the National Park.

From Betwys-y-Coed you can walk to Swallow Falls or the enchanted Fairy Glen.  However, if you’ve had enough walking, you can explore the village and browse craft and outdoor gear shops.  Oh and of course, if you’re with kids, stop for an ice cream!

On day 4 in Snowdonia take a day trip to Anglesey and Holy Island, on the northwestern coast of Wales.  With an area of 261 square miles, Anglesey is the largest island in England and Wales.

Anglesey is separated from mainland Wales by the Menai Strait.  It is easy to get there from Snowdonia by using the A5 road link over the Menai Suspension Bridge.  Built by Thomas Telford in 1826 this is the first modern suspension bridge in the world.

One of the best things to do in Anglesey is visit the South Stack Lighthouse on Holy Island.

You can park at the RSPB car park and walk to Ellin’s Tower, now home to the RSPB Visitor Centre.  This area is a nature reserve and important breeding ground for many seabirds, including guillemots, razorbills, choughs, and kittiwake.

The Visitors Centre provides binoculars, so visitors can observe the seabirds nesting on the South Stack cliffs. If you’re lucky you can spot puffins, seals, or porpoises.

From the RSPB Visitor Centre, it is a 10 minute-walk to the lighthouse.  Built in 1809, South Stack Lighthouse stands on its own little island.  There are 400 steps to get to it, but once there you can climb to the top of the lighthouse.  South Stack is one of the must-see attractions in Anglesey and definitely worth a visit.

There’s plenty of choice for things to do with kids in Anglesey, including some fantastic beaches.

Trearddur Bay Beach has a long wide stretch of sand, so is very popular with families.  As well as paddling, you’ll find activities such as kayaking and supping.

The tide goes out a long way, leaving rock pools at each side.  You’ll find a couple of cafés at Trearddur Bay beach and public toilets.

On the final day in Snowdonia, head to the village of Llanberis.  Nestled at the foot of Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), Llanberis is a popular starting point for a climb to the summit.  The Llanberis route is one of the easiest in terms of gradient.  If you don’t fancy the steep climb up the mountain, Llanberis is also the departure point of the Snowdonia Mountain Railway.

Remember to book in advance, as the train is very popular.

Unfortunately, a poorly foot meant that we couldn’t climb Mount Snowdon.  Instead, we spent day 5 of our Snowdonia trip exploring Padarn Country Park in Llanberis.  The biggest attraction is Llanberis Lake (Llyn Padarn), one of the largest natural lakes in Wales.

The walk around Llanberis Lake is about 5 miles (8km) and takes just over 2 hours.  The route is flat, apart from the start, where the path heads up past the Quarry Hospital and through the woods.

One of the best attractions at the Padarn Country Park is the National Slate Museum.  The slate landscape of Northwest Wales is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the museum gives a fantastic insight into Wales’s mining heritage.

You could easily spend all day at Padarn Country Park as there’s plenty to do.  If you don’t fancy hiking, you could enjoy some watersports on the lake.  It is a popular location for watersports, including kayaking, supping, and diving.

If you enjoy history, there’s also a 13^th century castle at Padarn Country Park.  Welsh Prince Llewelyn the Great built Dolbadarn Castle to defend the ancient kingdom of Gwynedd.  Only the round tower remains, but you can climb up the spiral case for fantastic views over Llanberis Lake.

Admission to Dolbadarn Castle is free.

If you want more information for your trip to Snowdonia, the Rough Guide Staycations Snowdonia has ideas for other Snowdonia attractions and walks.

Here is a map of the places we visited on our 5-day itinerary in Eryri National Park (Snowdonia).  You can use this to plan your own itinerary.

To save the map to Google Maps on your phone or computer, click on the star next to the title. Once you do this, you’ll be able to find the map in your “saved maps” list on your phone.

To see a list of all the items on the map, click the box with arrow on the left. To enlarge the map, click the box on the right.

We hope this helps you plan your own Snowdonia itinerary?  We would love to hear your questions or comments below.

If you’d like to explore the rest of Wales, you may also like:

• 12 reasons why you need to visit Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
• 15 very best things to do near Cardigan, West Wales
• 12 best things to do in the Gower Peninsula

*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means we may earn some money at no cost to you if you click on one. (Read our full Disclosure Policy)

Pin for later: A perfect 5-day itinerary in Snowdonia National Park (Eryri)