Conwy Castle, North Wales, United Kingdom

Conwy Castle is one of the most impressive medieval castles in the United Kingdom. King Edward I built it between 1283 and 1287 during his conquest of Wales, as both a military stronghold and a symbol of royal authority. It stands on a rock beside the estuary of the River Conwy in north Wales and is famous for its eight massive towers, two barbicans and views of the mountains and the sea.

The work was directed by James of St George, the leading military architect of his time, and the castle and town walls together cost about £15,000, a huge sum for the period. Much of the structure survives remarkably well. Visitors can walk the battlements, climb the towers and explore the great hall, the chapel and the royal apartments of the inner ward, described as the best-preserved medieval royal chambers in England and Wales. The town walls, 1.3 km long with 21 towers and three gates, still enclose the old town and are among the finest in Europe.

Visitor Information

Conwy Castle belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd, listed in 1986 together with Caernarfon, Beaumaris and Harlech. From the towers there are views towards Snowdonia, the estuary and the bridges next to the castle: Thomas Telford’s suspension bridge of 1826 and Robert Stephenson’s railway bridge of 1848. A short section of the town walls is closed for safety work and is expected to reopen by Easter 2027.

From 1 September 2026 to 31 March 2027 an adult ticket costs £12.90, seniors over 65 pay £11.60, juniors aged 5–17 and students £9, and a family ticket costs £41.30; children under 5 enter free, and booking online saves 5%. A joint ticket with the Elizabethan town house Plas Mawr costs £16.30. The castle is open from 9:30 to 17:00 between March and October (until 18:00 in July and August) and from 10:00 to 16:00 from November to February, with last admission 30 minutes before closing; it is closed on 24–26 December and 1 January. Wear comfortable shoes, because the spiral staircases in the towers are narrow and uneven.

The castle stands at the edge of the old town, 600 metres from Conwy railway station; more trains, including services from Chester, stop at Llandudno Junction, 2 km away across the river. Buses between Llandudno, Conwy and Bangor stop 200 metres from the entrance. Drivers arrive by the A55 and will find pay-and-display parking by the visitor centre and long-stay car parks outside the town walls.