Fantasy comes alive as you seek the Holy Grail! "Y Cymru", or companions, is what the Welsh call themselves. Their warm hospitality and gentle humor and culture permeate every aspect of life, creating a holiday you'll treasure.
The "Land of Song" is bucolic, rustic, charming and most of all abidingly hospitable. Rolling emerald hills, moors and azure pristine waterfalls are the tapestry backdrop for over 600 intriguing castles, predating even King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table and magical Merlin. Jam-packed with a cornucopia kaleidoscope of travel opportunities, Wales showcases the following Travel Diary:
CARDIFF
Spend several days imbibing in history, cuisine and architecture and culture in quaint and scenic Cardiff. You can explore by bike or on foot and reap vast rewards you'll long treasure. The Romans first built a fort here in 53 AD, but not much is known of the area until a knight in the service of William the Conqueror acquired land here in 1093. This sleepy country village transformed into a bustling port in the mid 1800's later enhanced by the burgeoning coal industry. The result today is grandiose architecture! The Norwegian Church built for Norwegian soldiers is a not-to-be-missed gem. You may enjoy the glittering Welsh Opera at the Wales Millennium Centre, or a hands-on trip to a scenic museum at Techniquest. Don't miss the National Museum of Cardiff, with its colonnaded portico and delicious statue of David Lloyd George. A trip to St. Fagans National History Museum is well worth your time. This open-air museum showcases farmhouses, chapels, and school houses from around Wales, as well as a recreated Celtic village and Tudor mansion. You'll delight in Llandoff Cathedral, formerly a 6th century Monastic community beside the River Taf, two miles north of the city. Sir Jacob Epstein's celebrated statue, Christus, is mounted on a concrete arch nearby. The crown jewel of Cardiff for many sojourners is Cardiff Castle, a rainbow parfait of architectural styles, which began life as a simple Roman fort. Rich in medieval details and romantic images, this ornate structure and divine grounds offer a marvelous deja-vu for Welsh history.
TINTERN ABBEY
Never overlooked by historians or travelers, Tintern Abbey offers a wealth of opportunities. This beloved skeletal ruin makes a great day trip, picnic and enchanting adventure. While many poets were inspired by the wooded Wye Valley, it is Wordsworth's famous sonnet that has embodied the romantic abbey and its sad demise. The grace and charm inspire and you may want to spend an hour contemplating the stunning pastoral scenery. I chat with a fellow sojourner from London, who is sketching poetry and puffing on a pipe.
CAERLEON AND HAY-ON-WYE
Known internationally to book lovers, the quaint village Hay-On-Wye, in the Black Mountains, has over 30 second-hand book shops. Surrounded by rolling hills and valleys, the town also features the Hay Castle, charming pubs, and many historic inns. Of course you will want to pick up a couple of native son Dylan Thomas' tomes as souvenirs! Not far down the road lies Caerleon, a Roman fortress from 74 AD, and home for the 2nd Augustan Legion. These fascinating fortress elevations reveal the military and social strategy for the nearly 6,000 infantry who based there. It is considered one of the largest and most significant Roman military sites in Europe.
TENBY, TREGARON AND ISLE OF ANGLESEY
Near Tenby is the Dylan Thomas BOATHOUSE, where the famous native son poet lived and wrote. Stop by for a tour, coffee and Welsh cakes. Not far from Tenby, a charming village by the sea, is the stunning Pembroke Castle, a not-to-be-missed Norman architectural gem, steeped in enchanting tales of yore. Down the road is the world-acclaimed St. David's Cathedral. 
Seemingly in Wales, around every bend is another story. The Isle of Anglesey is loaded with picturesque bridges, castles and unique boutiques. For modern-day "castle-hoppers", Beaumaris is a prime example of a well-preserved Norman period structure, complete with occasional period re-enactments.
As I leave the welcoming and pastoral countryside of Wales, I know I will have memory insurance for years to come.
"I said some words to the close and holy darkness and then I slept". A CHILDS CHRISTMAS IN WALES...by Dylan Thomas.