The hidden gem seaside town nestled in the UK with the ‘greatest' castle and local puffins
Beaumaris in Wales took the tenth spot on an expert list of discovered destinations in Europe, thanks to its long
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Beaumaris is one of Europe's hidden gems, taking tenth spot on a new list
Credit: Alamy
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A neighbouring island has scores of puffins to watch, perfect for nature enthusiasts
Credit: Getty
According to holiday rental site
The town is said to be ideal for "the explorer who's enchanted by rugged shorelines, medieval castles, and boat trips to wild islands".
Beaumaris is a seaside town on the Isle of
Those looking for a more cultural break are also in luck, as it has a stunning
It's known as the greatest ever built because it was the last of the royal strongholds created by Edward I in Wales – and perhaps his masterpiece.
The castle is surrounded by a moat and has spellbinding views over
Beaumaris has a beach for those keen to get some steps in, but its not advisable for swimmers as it's near the Menai Straits - known for strong tidal currents.
One visitor raved about the town on
Most read in News Travel
The up-and-coming English seaside town with cheap booze and huge beaches
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Beaumaris has one of the 'greatest' castles
Credit: Alamy
Another added: "This small beach with backdrop of pastel painted houses has some absolutely stunning views of the mountains."
Near the beach is Beaumaris Pier, which originally opened in 1846 and rebuilt in 1872.
These days it's a popular spot for crabbing and has a small kiosk near the entrance where you can nab an ice-cream or hot drink, plus souvenirs and beach toys.
From Beaumaris you can easily get to Puffin Island, an uninhabited area off the eastern tip of Anglesey, on one of the regular boat trips or cruises.
It's a wildlife hub for Atlantic grey
Although most definitely a hidden gem, Beaumaris also has the backing of
The Welsh town came in 25th place with a reader vote of 74 per cent.
Plus, the
And the
Europe's Top 10 Best Hidden Gems
Tomar, Portugal
Brisighella, Italy
Nafplio, Greece
Puy-l'Évêque, France
Bremm, Germany
Beynac-et-Cazenac, France
Valdoviño, Spain
Sibiu, Romania
Labeaume, France
Beaumaris, Wales, UK
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Beaumaris is number 10 of Europe's hidden gems
Credit: Alamy
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The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
UK's most remote inhabited island with rare birdlife and the wreckage of a Spanish Armada ship
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The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
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I fell in love with a Turkish security guard on hols – we married 4 weeks later but can only talk on Google translate
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Natalie, 34, fell for security guard Muhammet Çelik, 26, when she met him at a cocktail bar abroad and despite the language barrier the pair married just four weeks later. After weeks of communicating via the language app, the couple quickly realised their connection was real but time wasn't on their side. Natalie's visa was about to expire and neither of them wanted to face the prospect of being apart. Advertisement They explored every possible option to keep her in Turkey legally, from applying for visa extensions to checking different permits, but nothing seemed to work out fast enough. With the clock ticking, they made the bold choice to get married – the pair officially becoming man and wife in a simple £75 ceremony earlier this year. 'Looking back, it all feels like a whirlwind – crazy and magical all at once,' Natalie, who is originally from Seattle, says. 'We had no idea how it would work out, but sometimes love just doesn't wait for perfect timing or perfect plans. 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Irish Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Things for teens to do in Dublin city centre during the holidays
We're past the halfway point of the school summer holidays and boredom is setting in. The annual sun getaway abroad is behind many of us and most parents have to work full-time. Kids can do summer camps, but teens can be tricky - and costly - to keep entertained. These spirited youngsters want to do stuff on their own, which is handy; but it's also nice to join them occasionally, when time allows. Surprisingly, one of the best places for family activities to suit teens is Dublin city centre. With a number of new attractions, it's become a teen-friendly capital. It's now home to some brand-new top entertainment options. These attractions - all opened this year - have positioned Dublin as a great city for family fun. I went out with my son Luc, 15, and his pals, to try them out. Here's what we thought of them. (L-R Sarah Clancy, CEO Little Museum of Dublin, Mary Stack of Fáilte Ireland, Emma Blain, Lord Mayor and First Citizen of Dublin) Little Museum of Dublin The capital's quirkiest museum has just re-opened after a €4million renovation that took a year to complete. It's a new-look, modernised refit that brings the museum - located in a Georgian mansion on iconic St Stephen's Green - into the 21st century. However it has retained its ethos as a 'hospitable, historic and humorous welcome to Dublin.' Visitors are first brought into a special screening room for a fully immersive introduction video, which features a cheeky Molly Malone. The tour is a crash course in Dublin history, carried out with wit, wisdom, eccentricity and charm. It's an educational and entertaining activity for teens - a bit wacky and never boring. The tour is less than an hour, moves at pace and is easy to grasp, and explanations like how Dublin went from "Irish village, to Viking Town, to English city, to proud European capital." There's plenty of humour, and the teens were delighted by effervescent young guide Saul, a world-famous Irish dancer who treated us to a jig around the room. It's highly cultural, with plenty of mentions of some of the city's most impressive figures such as Brendan Behan, Oscar Wilde, Maureen O'Hara and Bono. It also reveals lesser-known tales of the city, such as how both the British and Irish sides in the 1916 Rising agreed to a ceasefire every day to allow the ducks to be fed in Stephen's Green. This one will amuse young culture vultures. I enjoyed the nostalgia of artefacts from the recent past, such as Callcards and Dublin Millennium milk bottles. Family tickets are €45; student entry is €16. Lane7 Stepping into Lane7 on Dublin's Clarendon Row is like stepping back into the 1980s. This is a bowling and gaming venue with a retro vibe, which the younger gang seem to find amusing. For me, it's nostalgia - for them, it's 'Leisureplex, but 80s' as they deemed it. Lane7 is far more swish than Leisureplex and is definitely set up for a night out, or a place to bring a date, or just a cool hangout. It's all graffiti walls and neon lights and funky bar areas. All the old-skool games are here, and many have an American flavour. There's a slick bowling lane, a photo booth called the Kissing Booth, and beer pong. There's also darts, which was the biggest hit with this competitive bunch, and it's interactive, so the board does the 'math' for you. Classic arcade games include Space Invaders and you can also shoot hoops in a basketball toss game or play ice hockey on a board. The bar serves food and drink - with a large cocktail menu - but has a very strict age policy for alcohol, so no worries there for younger visitors. The Dundrum venue is bigger and has more games such as pool and shuffleboard, but to have a place like this to go in the city centre is special. A great, budget-friendly place for young people to meet friends and have fun and more social teens in particular will love it. World of Illusion Dublin World of Illusion This is a place for young scientists, or those with curious minds. A trip to the World of Illusion at Dublin's Central Plaza will leave you fascinated by how our perceptions of the world can be changed by our environment - light, colour, patterns and movement. Up to 70 visual illusions and interactive exhibitions are here to experience, and some of them are mind-blowing. We all loved the Vortex Tunnel, which is simply a static bridge in a dark room. However, add swirling lights and it creates the illusion of movement. So those crossing it feel like they're being thrown about, even though nothing is moving. The infinity mirrors in the Infinity Room is mesmerising: you're in a room the size of a large cupboard, but it feels like it goes on forever. The large kaleidoscope allows you to see your face as a kaleidoscopic pattern, while in the Ames room, you appear to change size, depending on what position you're standing in. The gravity-defying exhibition makes it appear as though you're being blown vertically in the wind, while the head-on-a-platter installation makes it appear as though you're about to be eaten for dinner. The entire visit to the World of Illusion takes no more than an hour and a half, and there is plenty of wonder to discuss afterwards. Student entry is €18.70, while a family ticket is €63.75. For more information, see Sandbox VR It's amazing that a VR venue of such a size is in the city centre. Usually they're far out in the suburbs, involving a hike through traffic, so it's really convenient for it to be so accessible. But Sandbox is another level. It's not just some warehouse where you go to shoot up zombies, this is a social day out in the world's most advanced virtual reality experience. We played Red Light Green Light, based on the Netflix hit Squid Game, and it's all so hyper-real, it feels like you're inside the game. Teens who love tech and gaming adore this place. We were kitted out with the most high-tech VR headsets, 3-D precision body trackers, custom hardware, sensors and haptic vests. All you could hear from the room was the screams and shouts of six teenagers having the time of their lives. They hadn't even left the building when they were planning their next trip back. One of the big draws is Toni, Ireland's first robotic bartender. After the game, players can head for the comfortable bar area for a few cocktails and mocktails. As we drank them, we got to watch footage of our game, showing us both in the real world and the VR alternative universe. With a total capacity of 150 people, Sandbox occupies 11,000 square feet of the new development, Grafton Place, at 39 Nassau Street, just steps away from Grafton Street. Prices vary from €30 to €50 per person, depending on whether the visit is peak or off-peak. Sandbox VR opens from 10am until 11pm to 12pm, seven days a week. For more of the latest breaking news from the Irish Mirror check out our homepage by clicking here.
