Carmarthen Roman Amphitheatre

The remains of a Roman amphitheatre in Carmarthen are honestly a bit underwhelming at first glance. What you're looking at is essentially a grassy depression with some stonework - the actual arena where gladiators once fought is now just a sunken field on the outskirts of town. But that's precisely what makes it interesting. This is one of only seven known Roman amphitheatres in Britain, and standing there, you realise how rare it is to walk on ground where thousands of people gathered nearly 2,000 years ago.

The site sits near the River Tywi, and the amphitheatre would have held around 5,000 spectators - a huge gathering for Roman Wales. You can still make out the terracing where people sat, though you'll need a bit of imagination to picture the crowds. It's the sort of place that appeals most to history buffs and archaeology enthusiasts rather than families after a quick photo stop. Kids will probably get restless within 15 minutes unless they're genuinely into Roman Britain.

Carmarthen itself is just a short walk away, which makes this easy to combine with a town visit. If you're camping at one of the nearby sites - Quarry Lodge or Church House Farm are closest - it's worth a morning wander before heading elsewhere. The site appears to be freely accessible, though there's limited interpretation on the ground, so do some reading beforehand. Proper footwear essential after rain; the field gets boggy.