5 Best Sights in Llanberis, Wales

The grim, majestic mass of Caernarfon Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, looms over the waters of the River Seiont. Numerous bloody encounters were witnessed by these sullen walls, erected by Edward I in 1283 as a symbol of his determination to subdue the Welsh. The castle's towers, unlike those of Edward I's other castles, are polygonal and patterned with bands of different-color stone. In 1284 the monarch thought of a scheme to steal the Welsh throne. Knowing that the Welsh chieftains would accept no foreign prince, Edward promised to designate a ruler who could speak no word of English. Edward presented his infant son to the assembled chieftains as their prince "who spoke no English, had been born on Welsh soil, and whose first words would be spoken in Welsh." The ruse worked, and on that day was created the first prince of Wales of English lineage. In the Queen's Tower, a museum charts the history of the local regiment, the Royal Welch Fusiliers. In 1969, the castle was the location of the investiture of King Charles as Prince of Wales, an event featured in the third season of the hit Netflix series The Crown. The castle has been undergoing a £4 million renovation to turn the King's Gate main entrance into an accessible visitor center. The castle is in the town of Caernarfon, 7 miles west of Llanberis.

One of the most famous attractions in North Wales is the rack-and-pinion Snowdon Mountain Railway, with some of its track at a thrillingly steep grade. The 3,560-foot-high Snowdon—Yr Wyddfa in Welsh—is the highest peak south of Scotland and lies within the 823-square-mile national park. Weather permitting, trains go all the way to the summit; on a clear day you can see as far as the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland, about 90 miles away. You can take two types of train: a modern diesel-driven version, or a "heritage" version, complete with restored carriages and working steam engine. From mid-March to May, or in times of high winds, the journey is truncated so you don't get all the way up to the summit; if so, tickets are a few pounds cheaper.

Tickets can sell out early on busy days, so try to book in advance.

The town of Llanberis stands beside twin lakes at the foot of the rocky Llanberis Pass, which cuts through the highest mountains in the park and is lined with slabs popular with rock climbers. There are trails from the top of the pass, but the going can be rough for the inexperienced. Ask for local advice before starting any hike. The Snowdon Sherpa serves this area, and there is a parking lot and café at Pen-Y-Pass.

In Padarn Country Park, this museum in the old Dinorwig Slate Quarry is dedicated to what was once an important industry for the area. The museum has quarry workshops and slate-splitting demonstrations, as well as restored worker housing, all of which convey the development of the industry and the challenges faced by those who worked in it. The narrow-gauge Llanberis Lake Railway departs from here.

You can take a day trip on a coal-fired steam locomotive at this narrow-gauge line that operates on the scenic route of a 25-mile abandoned railway line from Caernarfon to Porthmadog, linking with the Ffestiniog Railway. Pre-order a food basket to picnic on the train, the Snowdonia Star.