Newtown

Newtown's hotels and guesthouses tend to be small and independently run, reflecting the town's scale, with a handful of options right in the centre within walking distance of the river, the canal and Broad Street's shops and cafés. A stay here suits visitors who want a comfortable, unfussy base for exploring the Severn Valley rather than a resort-style experience, and rates are generally lower than in more touristy parts of Wales. Traditional coaching inns and pub-with-rooms options give Newtown a proper local flavour, often pairing a bed for the night with a decent dinner and a pint downstairs.

Beyond the town itself, the surrounding villages of Montgomeryshire offer country house hotels and farmhouse bed and breakfasts, some within striking distance of Gregynog Hall and Dolforwyn Castle. These rural options tend to book up around key events, such as concerts at Gregynog or the Royal Welsh Show over in Builth Wells, so it is worth planning ahead in the busier summer months. Whichever you choose, Newtown's position on the A483 and the Cambrian railway line means it is straightforward to combine a stay here with day trips further into mid-Wales or across the border into Shropshire.

Newtown's compact centre and riverside setting mean most of its attractions can be covered on foot, with a little further afield for those wanting castles and canal walks.

• Robert Owen Memorial Museum — a small, free museum on the Broad Street site of Owen's birthplace, telling the story of the mill worker turned social reformer whose ideas on education and fair labour helped inspire the co-operative movement.
• Powysland Museum — housed in Y Lanfa, a restored canalside warehouse in nearby Welshpool, with displays covering Montgomeryshire life through the ages, including exhibits on the Laura Ashley company that has strong local roots.
• Montgomery Canal towpath — a recently resurfaced stretch of towpath runs around 15 miles between Newtown and Welshpool, ideal for an easy walk or cycle ride past locks, wildlife and quiet countryside.
• Parc Dolerw — a large riverside park beside the Severn, close to the town centre, with open green space, a walled garden and paths following the river.
• Castell Dolforwyn — the ruins of a thirteenth-century Welsh castle built by Llywelyn the Last, perched on a hilltop a few miles from Newtown with sweeping views over the Severn Valley.
• Gregynog Hall and Gardens — a striking half-timbered mansion set in 750 acres of parkland a short drive from town, with formal gardens, woodland walks and a regular programme of events and concerts.
• Oriel Davies Gallery — a contemporary art gallery in the centre of Newtown with a changing programme of exhibitions, a shop and a café.

The town centre has a solid spread of independent cafés and traditional pubs. The Bank, on Broad Street, is a popular spot for coffee and light meals in a converted bank building, while The Buck Hotel and The Elephant and Castle offer classic pub dining in the heart of town. For something more contemporary, the café at the Oriel Davies Gallery serves light lunches alongside its exhibitions, and the weekly market on Broad Street has long been a fixture of Newtown life for fresh, local produce.

Camping around Newtown means making the most of the Severn Valley's gentle hills, riverside meadows and the quiet towpath of the Montgomery Canal, rather than the dramatic coastal pitches found elsewhere in Wales. As everywhere in Wales, wild camping is not a legal right and pitching up on open land, riverbanks or common ground requires the explicit permission of the landowner; campers should stick to established campsites and caravan parks, of which there are several dotted around Newtown and the neighbouring villages, offering both touring pitches and tent camping.

The terrain here is markedly gentler than the mountains of Snowdonia or the Brecon Beacons further south, making it well suited to family camping, canal-side dog walks and easy cycling rather than serious hillwalking, though the Cambrian Mountains and the source of the River Severn on the slopes of Pumlumon are within a manageable drive for those wanting wilder scenery. Sites along the Severn Valley often make a feature of river or countryside views, and several welcome caravans and motorhomes as well as tents.

Late spring through to early autumn is the most comfortable window for camping in this part of mid-Wales, when the ground has dried out after the winter rains and the valley's farmland and woodland are at their greenest; midweek and shoulder-season visits are typically quieter than peak summer school holidays. For those who prefer a roof over their heads without giving up the outdoor setting, a growing number of glamping options in the area, including shepherd's huts, pods and safari tents, offer a more comfortable alternative to a traditional tent while keeping the same rural, riverside surroundings that make camping near Newtown appealing.