Portmeirion
Portmeirion, near Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd, Wales
Portmeirion feels unlike anywhere else in Wales, which is exactly why it endures. Its Italianate village design, subtropical planting and estuary setting create a place built as much for wandering and looking as for conventional sightseeing. It can be theatrical, even dreamlike, yet it still sits convincingly within the wider landscapes of Meirionnydd and the Eryri fringe. For visitors, Portmeirion is particularly rewarding when taken slowly. It is less about ticking off individual sights than about atmosphere, architecture and the peculiar pleasure of finding such an eccentric composition on the Welsh coast. That makes it a valuable contrast to the list’s castles, museums and industrial sites, and it remains one of the country’s most recognisable singular places.