Caernarfon

Medieval walls rise from the harbour like something from a fairy tale, but don't let Caernarfon's picture-perfect appearance fool you - this is a proper working town with gritty edges. The castle dominates everything, its polygonal towers casting long shadows over the quayside where fishing boats bob alongside pleasure craft.

Most visitors dash straight to Caernarfon Castle and miss the real character of the place. The town spreads beyond its famous walls into a maze of narrow streets where Welsh is the first language and pubs serve pints to locals who've never left Gwynedd. Market day brings farmers down from the hills, their Land Rovers caked in mud.

Snowdonia looms just beyond the town boundaries. You're within striking distance of Yr Wyddfa itself - what the English insist on calling Mount Snowdon - plus the knife-edge ridge of Crib Goch for those who fancy a proper scramble. The Snowdon Mountain Railway chugs up from nearby Llanberis, though purists will tell you it's cheating.

Getting here couldn't be easier. The A487 runs straight through town, connecting Caernarfon to the A55 and the rest of Wales. Bangor's just 8 miles northeast if you need a proper shopping centre or railway station.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense for exploring both the town and the mountains. You're close enough to nip into Caernarfon for fish and chips by the harbour, yet far enough out to wake up to views of Snowdonia's peaks. Several campsites dot the area around Beddgelert and Llanberis, putting you right in the heart of walking country.