Well-Known Tourist Places to Visit and Things to Do in Swansea

May 24, 2022 Mustafa Natalwala 1696 Views

Swansea is a coastal city in Wales, United Kingdom. Some of the best places to visit in Swansea include ruined castles, museums, beaches and art galleries. The beaches in Swansea face the city’s eponymous Bay in the Bristol Channel. These beaches are a hot-spot for leisure, entertainment, dining and more. Some of the top things to in Swansea include surfing, beach sports, paddle boarding, boat cruises, sailing and so on. You can also explore inland terrains like forests, hills and lakes close to the city. These places also offer a variety of activities to do in Swansea, Wales including skydiving, hiking and horse riding.

On the historical side, castles are top among Swansea tourist attractions. There are several ruined and intact castles which you can explore, each with a enticing history. One ruined castle stands smack in the middle of the city and is one of the most fascinating things to see in Swansea. You will get bus and hired cab tours dedicated to these castles. Another popular tour is the Mythical West Wales tour. You will be taken on a guided tour of Swansea sightseeing encompasses sights concerning regional mythology and folklore. The city also has a deep rooted history associated with copper mining. This aspect of its history can be explored at Swansea attractions like South Wales Miners Museum, Hafod Copperworks, Swansea Museum and Cefn Coed Colliery Museum. Copper mining is such an integral part of this city’s history that it got the nickname Copperopolis during 19th century.

Swansea travel is full of cultural experiences in visual arts, performing arts, music and food. The city has several theaters and performance centers which put up wonderful shows of regional and foreign forms of dance and drama. Places to go in Swansea also includes numerous art galleries of various kinds. Some of these exhibit private collection of European and International art while some are dedicated to local artists. The culinary highlights to enjoy when you visit Swansea include Laverbread, Welsh Cakes, Cockles, Welsh Rarebit, Murroughs Brew Tea, Salt March Lamb and Swansea Ice-Cream.

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Table of Contents

The Best 6 Tourist Places to Visit in Swansea in 1 Day (Trip Itinerary)

1. The National Waterfront Museum

This museum is dedicated to the history of industrial revolution and technological innovations in Wales with several segments concerning different eras. It is one of the best places to visit in Swansea for its interactive exhibits which let you engage with history in a way. You will need about 2 hours to tour this museum when you visit Swansea.

2. Swansea Museum

The city’s eponymous museum is also the oldest museum in Wales. It focuses on the history and culture of the city. It is one of the very first Swansea tourist attractions you should explore to help put rest of the trip into perspective.

3. Dylan Thomas Center

This arts center is primarily dedicated to the life and work of renowned Welsh Poets Dylan Thomas. The center also hosts several events concerning visual and literary arts. It is one of the liveliest Swansea attractions to explore.

4. Swansea Castle

Also known as Castell Abertawe is a ruined castle which sits in the middle of the city. It is one of the most fascinating things to see in Swansea, Wales as this historical monument sits in ruins, but is surrounded by modern buildings. It is quite a contrast. You will need about an hour to explore this castle during Swansea travel.

5. Plantasia

This large public hothouse is fascinating place which creates a microcosm of created climate. It has an Arid climate zone and a tropical climate zone. It is among the most fun things to do in Swansea for families. You would need an hour or two to explore this place.

6. Glynn Vivian Art Gallery

The gallery came into existence when Richard Glynn Vivian donated his private collection to the city. Since then, the gallery has received numerous paintings, artifacts, artworks, sculptures, statues and so on. It is one of the most visually enticing places to go in Swansea. You would need about an hour to explore this gallery.

If you are looking to add more attractions to Swansea sightseeing check out the section below. We have compiled an exhaustive list of places and activities in Swansea which you can enjoy in and around the city.

Things to do in Swansea

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Swansea

Oystermouth Castle
National Waterfront Museum
Dylan Thomas Center
Plantasia
Swansea Museum
Swansea Castle
Glynn Vivian Art Gallery
Egypt Center
Mission Gallery
Dylan Thomas Birthplace
Brangwyn Hall
Loughar Castle
Taliesin Arts Center
Attic Gallery
Landore Collections Center
Hafod Copperworks
Morris Castle
Museum Park
Palace Theatre
Elysium Art Space
Welsh Museum of Fire
South Wales Miners Museum
Cefn Coed Colliery Museum
Pennard Castle
Oxwich Castle
Weobley Castle
Arthur’s Stone
Gower Heritage Center
Exposure Art Gallery
Swansea Bus Museum
1940s Swansea Bay Museum
Mellow Mango Gallery
Mumbles Lifeboat Museum
Orei Ceri Richards Gallery

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Swansea

Lliw Reservoir
Kilvery Hill
Crymlyn Bog
Pluck Lake
River Tawe

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Swansea

Singleton Park
CWM Donkin Park
Clyne Gardens
Plantasia Tropical Zoo
Brynmill Park
Swansea Botanical Gardens
Swansea Grand Theatre
Aberavon Aqua Splash
Victoria Park
Grosvenor Casino
Wales Ape and Monkey Sanctuary
Volcano Theatre

Shopping in Swansea

Swansea Indoor Market
Oxford Street
Uplands Market
Parc Tawe
Quadrant Shopping Center
Independant Quarter
Swansea City Center
Gower Gallery
Morfa Shopping Park

Beaches & Islands in Swansea

Bracelet Bay
Swansea Bay
Caswell Bay Beach
Aberavon Beach
Limeslade Bay
Langland Bay
Burry Holms Beach
Three Cliff Bay
Rhossili Bay
Pwlldu Bay
Broughton Bay

Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventure in Swansea

Hiking
Kayaking
Mythical West Wales Tour
Paddle Boarding
Boating
Horseriding
Skydiving
Sailing
Surfing
Boat Cruise

Sightseeing in Swansea

Mumbles Pier
Castle Square
Copr Bay Bridge
Neath Canal
Trafalgar Bridge

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Swansea

Remo’s
Vesuvios
Beach house
The Front Room
Treatz Desserts
Gilligan’s
Nomad Bar & Kitchen
Castellamare
Cariad Cafe
The Shared Plate
Truffle
Bambu Beach Bar
Juniper Place
Maisies Street Food
Gower Seafood Hut
Dark Mumbles
Forte’s Ice Cream Parlour
Lotus
Slice
Istanbul
Coffee Fresco
Hoogah Cafe
Diablos
Arthur Neave

Where to Stay in Swansea?

Here below we have listed some of popular and high rated hotels in Swansea. You can check below hotels and book your stay as per your needs.

Luxurious Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Budget Hotels

Custom Tours Package in Swansea

How to Reach Swansea?

By Air

The closest airports to reach Swansea are Bristol, Birmingham and Cardiff. You will first have to get to the city and then catch a hired car, bus or train to visit Swansea.

You can also pick Heathrow and Gatwick airport and then take a direct or connecting train from London City to reach Swansea.

By Road

You can use trains under Great Western Railway for Swansea travel. Some of the major connecting stations include London, Bristol, Reading, Swindon, Newport, Cardiff, Port Talbot and Neath.

You can get buses from several cities in Wales as well as major cities in UK. You will also come across many round-trip tour buses which cover some of the best things to do in Swansea, Wales in a day.

If you want to journey by road, you should head for motorways M4, M6, M5, M32, M42 or M50.

By Water

The closest docks with ferry services are Pembrokeshire and Rosslare. These docks facilitate ferries to UK, Ireland and France. Both these docks are easily accessible with direct trains to and from Swansea.

Image Reference

The National Waterfront Museum – Reading Tom / Flickr
Swansea Museum – Reading Tom / Flickr
Dylan Thomas Centre – Ham / Wikimedia Commons
Swansea Castle – Reading Tom / Flickr
Plantasia – Russell Ede / Flickr
Glynn Vivian Art Gallery – Steve Williams / Flickr