Not just a party town - from staying in Dylan Thomas’ house to climbing around in an ancient castle, Swansea is a culture lover’s paradise, according to Lizzy Dening...
Where to eat
When it comes to fantastic views, it makes sense that the only way is up. The Grape and Olive is housed on the top floor of Wales’ tallest building (don’t worry – there’s a lift!) and even on a typically wild and rainy night it delivers some pretty special views. Cosy up in a booth and tuck into local mussels, lobster tails or steaks – prices vary, but start from a reasonable £10 for traditional fish and chips.
For a nightcap, avoid lairy Wind Street and head for Morgans Hotel, a stunning Grade II listed hotel and restaurant with its own champagne bar (call ahead though, as it’s sometimes closed for private functions).
Where to shop
For quirky boutiques and independent cafes – plus a beautiful beach if the weather’s friendly – head west down the coast to Mumbles. This cute town is home to the best ice cream in the area courtesy of Joe’s Ice Cream. Try the chocolate North Pole and whatever you do, don’t offer to share it – it will severely test any friendship. Pop into the Oystermouth Gallery for homeware, or pick up a traditional, hand-carved lovespoon from the Lovespoon Gallery. These are carefully crafted from a single piece of wood, and make for really special gifts – look for keyholes for new home owners; bells for weddings or even be truly presumptuous with one suggesting how many children a couple should try for. Risky.
Refuel atCafé 93 which does a nice mixture of hot meals (including a highly recommended Welsh beef burger), homemade pizzas, sandwiches and cakes – plus no one will bat an eyelid if you order wine for lunch. You are on holiday, after all! After a wander through the Mumbles, assuming you’re there in the summer months, pop into Oystermouth Castle for a glimpse of history. It’s largely atmospheric ruins, but with a bit of imagination (and insight from the lovely volunteers who run it) you can totally feel like you’ve stepped into Game of Thrones. It’s supposedly haunted too – so keep your eyes peeled.
Where to stay
For a quirky overnight, you can’t beat 5 Cwmdonkin Drive. It’s the house where Swansea national treasure Dylan Thomas was born and everything, from china dogs to the Edwardian loo, has been painstakingly recreated in period detail to match descriptions in his stories and poems. As a big Dylan fan, nothing could prepare me for how exciting it felt to eat Welsh cakes and sip tea in the living room where the family assembled in A Child’s Christmas In Wales. Even better, after a home cooked meal following a traditional Welsh Edwardian menu (cockles, creamy salmon and the fanciest dessert ever) the house’s staff left for the night, leaving us to explore alone – taking silly selfies in Dylan’s room, poring over the bookcases in his dad’s study and playing old vinyl records. It was like being in a National Trust property where you can touch everything – we even slept in the room he was born, with the wind and rain lashing against the windows. Seriously, go if you can, it’s very special.
If that’s not enough Dylan time for you, head back into the city for a trip to the Dylan Thomas Centre, where a lovingly curated exhibition of recordings, manuscripts and films will take you through his remarkable, tragically short, life.
For more Swansea inspiration, visit www.visitswanseabay.com/