This trip was organised by SomewhereNew and partially subsidised by LSE for General Course students.
Just a few weeks into the Autumn Term, I took my first weekend trip to Wales with some other study abroad students. We boarded a bus early on a Saturday morning, complete with a tour guide, and started our journey to Wales.
Day 1
Raglan Castle, Wales
Along our bus ride to Cardiff, we stopped by Raglan Castle. While the castle was in ruins, there was still plenty to explore – stairs to climb up and down, passageways that led to places or dead-ends we didn’t expect, and more! Unlike many of the castles I’ve seen so far in the UK, most of this castle was open to the public, so it made for a unique experience! Additionally, there was a flock of sheep in the neighbouring land, which caught our attention.
Caerleon Amphitheatre, Wales
Next, we stopped by the Caerleon Amphitheatre, an ancient Roman amphitheatre that has now been overgrown with grass.
Cardiff Castle, Wales
We arrived in Cardiff in time for lunch. Many of us were pleasantly surprised to find that there was a big rugby game taking place, with Wales facing off Argentina in the Rugby World Cup, so the pubs in Cardiff were packed with fans. While Wales did ultimately lose, it was great to be able to experience the energy inside a pub and the sound of the streets exploding in cheer when the team scored. As our final activity in Cardiff, we walked through Cardiff Castle’s courtyard, pictured above.
Afterwards, we drove a very scenic route to Swansea and checked into the Ibis Swansea Hotel, before heading into their downtown area for dinner and a walk along the beach.
Day 2
The next morning, we ate the included breakfast at the hotel before checking out and starting the journey back. The first stop on the way to London was the Big Pit National Coal Museum. This is an experience that is undeniably necessary for any visit to Wales. A former miner served as our tour guide as he walked us through the mine’s tunnels and taught us about the lives of miners who had once worked there.
Afterwards, we headed to Monmouth for lunch. This small town had a surprising amount of small stores and shops, as well as swans and the ruins of a castle. It was certainly a good place to stop for lunch, as there was a variety of food options available.
Tintern Abbey, Wales
Our last stop before London was Tintern Abbey, which has been described as a “national icon” for Wales. The architecture can definitely be described as iconic – details in the rock are still visible after centuries of weathering and erosion. While there wasn’t much of the structure left for us to see, the building itself was beautiful, open, and surrounded by mountains and forests all around.
Thoughts and Things to Consider
While Wales is very accessible from London for a self-planned trip, I was very pleased to have gone with the tour group, as it meant we could make a lot of smaller stops along the way to our final destination, and I also did not have to do any research beforehand as our activities were pre-planned by professionals. However, I do wish the trip was 2 nights rather than 1 – we did not get to enjoy Swansea in the daytime nor did we get to spend enough time at the Big Pit National Coal Museum to look at the exhibit.
Who Should Go to Wales?
Wales is definitely a place any study abroad student should have on their bucket list! If you would like to take away the stress of planning an entire trip by yourself, going with a tour group like SomewhereNew is a great option.
