Holyhead

Holyhead sits on the western tip of Anglesey, and the South Stack Lighthouse on the cliffs is the first thing you notice as the ship approaches. The town has been a maritime crossing point for centuries. Roman ruins and Victorian warehouses line the hilly streets, and the constant movement of ferries to Ireland keeps the port busy. The air smells of saltwater and the heathland that covers the nearby coast. South Stack itself is the main attraction, with a winding staircase cut into the cliffs leading down to the lighthouse. Birdwatchers come for the puffins and razorbills that nest on the rock faces in spring and summer. The Breakwater Country Park has easy walking trails with views across the harbour. In town, a few pubs serve decent food and local ale. Anglesey's interior, with its Neolithic burial chambers and quiet farmland, is worth exploring if you hire a car for the day.