Few towns in Wales carry their history quite so proudly as Caernarfon. Wrapped almost entirely within medieval walls on the shore of the Menai Strait, it grew up around one of the most spectacular castles in Europe — a fortress-palace built to overawe a conquered Wales, and later the setting for the investiture of the Prince of Wales. Add Roman roots older than the castle by a thousand years, a proudly Welsh-speaking heart, and a narrow-gauge railway that steams off into the mountains, and you have a small town that packs an astonishing amount into a morning's walk.
This is a self-guided walk around the walled town and its quay — no ticket, no timetable. It's a compact mile or so on mostly flat streets, with an optional climb onto the walls and up to the Roman fort. Follow the stops in order and you'll loop back to where you started, in the shadow of the great castle.
The walking tour, stop by stop
1. Caernarfon Castle — start here
Begin at the colossus itself. Edward I began Caernarfon Castle in 1283, and with his master mason James of St George he raised the castle, the town walls and the quay together — a gigantic project that took some 47 years and cost around £25,000, a king's ransom at the time. Notice the unusual angular towers and bands of coloured stone, thought to deliberately echo the imperial walls of Constantinople. The mighty Eagle Tower anchors one corner, and it was here, in 1911 and again in 1969, that the Prince of Wales was invested. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and simply enormous.
2. Castle Square (Y Maes) & the Lloyd George statue
Step out into Y Maes, the broad market square that has been the beating heart of the town for centuries — still home to a lively street market on certain days. Presiding over it is a statue of David Lloyd George, the Welsh-raised Prime Minister who led Britain through the First World War and grew up just down the road. It's the perfect spot to get your bearings before diving into the old streets.
3. The old town streets
Wander into the tight medieval grid inside the walls — Palace Street, Hole in the Wall Street and their neighbours — a cheerful jumble of independent shops, pubs and painted frontages. This little warren has changed remarkably little in layout since Edward's surveyors laid it out over 700 years ago, and it's still very much a working Welsh town, where you'll hear far more Welsh spoken than English.
4. St Mary's Church
Tucked into the north-west corner of the town walls stands the little Church of St Mary, built in the early 14th century as the garrison church for the English soldiers and settlers of the new town. Cleverly, its walls actually incorporate part of the town's defences — a rare survivor, and a peaceful pause on the circuit.
5. The town walls
Caernarfon's walls are among the most complete in Britain: built between 1283 and 1292, studded with eight towers and two twin-towered gateways, they run for almost half a mile and still throw a near-unbroken ring around the old town. Follow their line and, where you can, climb up for the views — over the slate rooftops one way and across the shining Strait the other.
6. The Slate Quay & the Menai Strait
Down on the waterfront lies the Slate Quay, from where millions of tons of Welsh slate — quarried in the mountains inland — were once shipped out to roof the cities of the world. Today it's a breezy spot to watch the boats and gaze across the Menai Strait to Anglesey (Ynys Môn). From near here, too, the Welsh Highland Railway sets off on its narrow-gauge journey through the heart of Eryri (Snowdonia) — a grand day out in its own right.
7. Segontium Roman Fort
If you've legs left, finish where Caernarfon really began. On the hill a short walk east of the walls lie the foundations of Segontium, a Roman auxiliary fort founded around AD 77 to hold a thousand soldiers, and garrisoned for some 300 years. Long before Edward's castle, the Romans knew this was the spot to command the Strait — and standing among the low stone footings, with the view opening out below, it's easy to see why.
Map of the spots in this guide
The route and its stops, mapped — follow the red line and tap a pin for the name.
Make a day of it
Once you've closed the loop, there's plenty more to enjoy. Go inside the castle and climb its towers, ride the Welsh Highland Railway into the mountains, or simply settle on Y Maes with a coffee and watch the town go by. Caernarfon also makes a brilliant base for the whole region — the peaks of Eryri (Snowdonia), the beaches of the Llŷn and the island of Anglesey are all within easy reach.
Staying the night? Caernarfon is a characterful gateway to Eryri (Snowdonia), the Llŷn and Anglesey. We list welcoming guest houses, hotels, B&Bs and self-catering in and around the town — many bookable direct with the owner.
- How long is the Caernarfon walking tour?
- The walled-town loop is about a mile on foot, so allow around two hours at a gentle pace — more if you go inside the castle, walk the walls, or climb up to Segontium Roman Fort.
- Is it suitable for children and pushchairs?
- Yes — the town within the walls is compact and mostly flat, and children love the castle and the quay. The ramparts and the walk up to the Roman fort involve steps and slopes, so those parts are best on foot rather than with a pushchair.
- Can you go inside Caernarfon Castle?
- Yes, the castle is open to visitors (cared for by Cadw) with towers to climb and exhibitions inside. It's a paid attraction; the walk around the town and quay outside is free.
- Is Caernarfon a good place to hear the Welsh language?
- Very much so — Caernarfon is one of the strongholds of the Welsh language, and you'll hear it spoken all around you in the shops, cafés and market.
- What is the Welsh Highland Railway?
- It's a narrow-gauge heritage railway that runs from Caernarfon through the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia) to Porthmadog — a scenic day trip that sets off from near the castle and quay.