Lampeter

University students setting the pace along narrow streets lined with Georgian terraces - that's your first impression of this small Ceredigion market town. Lampeter might be one of Wales's smallest university towns, but it punches well above its weight for character and countryside access.

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David dominates the town centre, its neo-Gothic buildings adding proper gravitas to what could otherwise feel like just another quiet Welsh market town. Students keep the pubs lively during term time, though come summer the pace drops to a gentle amble.

Cae Hir Gardens makes for a lovely afternoon out, especially if you're into wildflower meadows and organic growing. The seven-acre site feels properly Welsh - part cultivated garden, part natural woodland. History buffs should seek out Gaer, the Iron Age hillfort that overlooks the Teifi Valley. It's a bit of a walk but the views are cracking.

Countryside here is proper mid-Wales: rolling green hills, stone walls, and sheep everywhere you look. The River Teifi meanders through the valley bottom, while Henfaes-fach Plantation offers decent walking if you fancy stretching your legs in the woods. For something completely different, the Church of St Silin at Cribyn showcases medieval Welsh stonework at its finest.

Getting here means the A482 from Aberaeron on the coast, or up from Llandeilo if you're coming from the south. The nearest proper shopping is Carmarthen, about 45 minutes drive.

Staying at one of the holiday parks scattered around the Teifi Valley gives you easy access to both the Ceredigion coast and the Cambrian Mountains. Lampeter sits bang in the middle - perfect for day trips to Aberystwyth's seaside or exploring the quieter bits of rural Carmarthenshire.