Pontypridd

Pontypridd grew up where the Taff and Rhondda rivers meet, and that junction still shapes the town today - a former industrial hub for the South Wales coalfield that has settled into life as a market town with valley heritage at its core. It sits within easy reach of Cardiff, making it a practical base for exploring both the capital and the valleys stretching north.

For staying over, options range from the guest-house feel of Bertie Pontypridd and Central Guest House to the Blueberry Inn, with Heritage Park Hotel and Llechwen Hall Hotel offering a bit more space for those wanting a country-house setting just outside the centre.

Ynysangharad War Memorial Park is the town's green heart, a riverside space that's long been a favourite for a stroll or a sit by the water. History runs deeper still at Rhondda Heritage Park, which tells the story of the coal industry that built this part of Wales. For something more active, The Race Cave and Outdoor Explore Wales cater to those after an adrenaline fix, while Tiny Tumblers Softplay gives families with younger children somewhere to burn off energy.

It's a town that rewards a day spent wandering between the park, the market, and whichever cafe catches your eye, before heading out to the heritage sites and valley scenery that surround it.