Best Places to Visit in Conwy & Denbighshire
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best places to visit in Conwy & Denbighshire are Tan-yr-Ogof Caves, Fairy Falls Waterfall, Lady Emily's Tower, Kinmel Bay Beach, Castell Dinbych, River Conwy, Bryn Euryn Nature Reserve and Conwy Tal-y-Bont.
Conwy and Denbighshire run from a busy seaside coast back into green river valleys and castle-topped hills. The stone set pieces are Denbigh Castle, entered through a great gatehouse of three linked octagonal towers above the Clwyd valley, and the follies and ruins of the Gwrych estate near Abergele, where Lady Emily's Tower stands lonely on the ridge and the Tan-yr-Ogof cave opens its cathedral-like arch on the hillside.
Water runs through the region too: Fairy Falls drops in the heart of Trefriw, the Conwy offers a gentle swimming spot by the old bridge at Llanrwst, and a small waterfall hides above Tal-y-bont. For views and wildlife, the limestone hill of Bryn Euryn rises above Rhos-on-Sea, and on the coast the sands of Kinmel Bay open wide near Rhyl.
Some are grand castles, others quiet caves and river corners. Here are eight places to visit across Conwy and Denbighshire.
Tan-yr-Ogof Caves
Photo: Michael Graham via Geograph.org.uk
Tan-yr-Ogof is a limestone cave high on the hillside of Cefn yr Ogof, a couple of miles east of Abergele in Conwy, on the slopes above Gwrych Castle in an area long worked for its limestone. Its entrance is a fine arched opening, cathedral-like, with a natural pillar dividing it, though the cave itself runs back only a short way before it is blocked.
There is prehistoric interest to the site, and it carries old local legends of a giant and of hidden gold. It is an informal, undeveloped cave reached on foot over rough ground, not a show cave with lit paths.
Fairy Falls Waterfall
Photo: Darren Haddock via Geograph.org.uk
Fairy Falls Waterfall Right in the middle of Trefriw, a village in the Conwy valley of north Wales, the Afon Crafnant tips down an angled slab of rock, dropping something like six to eight metres within easy reach of the streets. Local trails bring you to it on a short and gentle walk.
There is a catch in dry spells: a pipe siphons off some of the water higher up to keep the old woollen mill turning, so after a long dry run the flow thins. Time your visit for wetter weather and it makes a satisfying little detour on foot from the village.
Lady Emily's Tower
Photo: JThomas via Geograph.org.uk
Lady Emily's Tower is a nineteenth-century folly on the Gwrych Castle estate on the north Wales coast, between Abergele and Llanddulas. It stands high on the hill above the castle, built as a lookout and banqueting tower by the castle's creator and named for his wife.
From its height the view runs out over the sea and the hills, though the tower has fallen into disrepair and is closed while its future is worked out. It is a lonely landmark on the ridge above the coast.
Kinmel Bay Beach
Photo: Stephen McKay via Geograph.org.uk
Kinmel Bay Beach When the tide draws back it lays out a broad expanse of sand, the main event on this flat, open stretch of the north Wales coast. Sometimes called Sandy Cove, the beach sits near Rhyl, just across the river mouth from the town, with a promenade and sea defences holding the line behind it and a patch of dunes off to one side.
A large car park, toilets and cafes mean a family day needs little forethought, and through the summer that is exactly what fills it. It is straightforward seaside, easy to reach and easy to enjoy for a paddle and a picnic.
Castell Dinbych
Photo: Eirian Evans via Geograph.org.uk
Denbigh Castle stands on a rocky hilltop above the Clwyd valley, entered through a great gatehouse of three linked octagonal towers around a central hall. Long stretches of curtain wall and smaller towers survive as ruins, along with parts of the old town walls that ran on from the castle.
The gatehouse is the piece that draws the eye, still tall and complex above the entrance. It was raised for Henry de Lacy under Edward I from about 1282.
River Conwy
Photo: Richard Hoare via Geograph.org.uk
This spot on the River Conwy lies at the market town of Llanrwst in the Conwy valley, where steps lead down to a shingle beach beside the old stone bridge of Pont Fawr and the National Trust tea room of Tu Hwnt i'r Bont. It is a gentle place to wade and swim on the wide river, with grassy banks for a picnic, though the current runs strong where the water narrows under the bridge.
The town has parking, cafes and shops close by, and the wooded hills of the Gwydir forest rise around the valley.
Bryn Euryn Nature Reserve
Photo: Stephen Craven via Geograph.org.uk
Bryn Euryn is a limestone hill and nature reserve rising above Rhos-on-Sea, near Colwyn Bay. Its paths climb through woodland and flower-rich grassland to an open, rocky summit, from which the views are wide: inland to the mountains of Snowdonia, out over the Conwy valley, and along the coast and the sea.
The thin limestone soils grow rare wildflowers, and the hill is grazed to keep them. On the top are the faint remains of an early hillfort, and lower down stand the ruined walls of Llys Euryn, an old hall.
It is a popular local walk, a green hill close to the towns, with big views for not much climbing.
Conwy Tal-y-Bont
Photo: Jonathan Wilkins via Geograph.org.uk
This small waterfall drops on the Afon Dulyn, in the hills above Tal-y-bont in the lower Conwy valley. The river falls over rock in a wooded fold of the hillside, reached by a steep lane and a rough path down to a ford across the stream.
It is an out-of-the-way spot rather than a signposted attraction. It should not be confused with the larger Conwy Falls further south near Betws-y-Coed.
FAQs
What is the highlight of Denbigh Castle?
Its great gatehouse, a group of three linked octagonal towers around a central hall, is the piece that draws the eye, still tall and complex above the entrance on its rocky hilltop over the Clwyd valley. Long stretches of curtain wall, smaller towers and parts of the old town walls survive around it, raised under Edward I from about 1282.
Where can you walk for the best views in Conwy & Denbighshire?
Bryn Euryn, a limestone hill above Rhos-on-Sea near Colwyn Bay, climbs through woodland and flower-rich grassland to a rocky summit with wide views inland to Snowdonia, over the Conwy valley and along the coast. It is a popular local walk with big views for not much climbing, and an early hillfort tops the summit.
Is there anywhere to swim in the River Conwy at Llanrwst?
At Llanrwst, steps lead down to a shingle beach on the River Conwy beside the old Pont Fawr bridge and the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont tea room, a gentle place to wade and swim with grassy banks for a picnic. The current runs strong where the water narrows under the bridge, so care is needed.
Conclusion
Conwy and Denbighshire blend a busy coast with green valleys and castle-topped hills. Denbigh Castle raises its three-towered gatehouse above the Clwyd valley, and the Gwrych estate near Abergele keeps its lonely Lady Emily's Tower on the ridge and its cathedral-arched Tan-yr-Ogof cave on the hillside.
Water threads the region at Fairy Falls in Trefriw, the gentle Conwy swimming spot by the old bridge at Llanrwst, and the little fall above Tal-y-bont. For a walk with a view, Bryn Euryn rises over Rhos-on-Sea, and the sands of Kinmel Bay open wide near Rhyl.
From gatehouse castle to hidden fall, these are the places to seek out across Conwy and Denbighshire.
