Pembroke

Two towering Norman castles face each other across Milford Haven's muddy waters, and Pembroke's mighty fortress wins every time. This compact market town grew up around one of Wales' most impressive medieval strongholds, where Henry Tudor was born in 1457 before claiming the English throne. The castle's circular keep dominates everything, rising 75 feet above limestone cliffs that drop straight into the tidal inlet below.

Most visitors dash through on their way to Tenby, which is their loss entirely. Pembroke's main street curves gently downhill from the castle gates, lined with Georgian houses that have seen better days but retain their dignity. The Church of St. Michael stands at the town's heart, its tower visible for miles across the surrounding countryside.

Just south of town, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path delivers some of Britain's most dramatic cliff scenery. Elegug Stacks thrust from the sea like broken cathedral spires, while the Green Bridge of Wales forms a perfect natural arch carved by centuries of Atlantic storms. These limestone headlands can be wild and windswept, even on calm days.

Freshwater East beach lies three miles southeast - a proper stretch of sand that stays quieter than Tenby's more famous strands. Flimston Chapel, now just romantic ruins, perches on cliffs that drop 150 feet to pounding surf below.

The nearest train station is actually in Pembroke Dock, two miles north, with direct services to Cardiff and London. Staying at one of the holiday parks scattered around town puts you perfectly placed for both the Pembrokeshire Coast Path and day trips to St Davids, just 25 miles northwest.