Aberaeron in Ceredigion has been consistently ranked as the prettiest town in Wales, celebrated for its pastel-coloured houses and scenic harbour. The town, which sits on the West Wales coast, has been recognised as one of the finest places to live by the coast.
Love Exploring described Aberaeron as standing out with its cheerful pastel-painted terraced houses and relaxed charm. The town is known for its honey ice cream and serves as a base for coastal walks and dolphin-spotting boat trips along Cardigan Bay. It is also a stop on the Wales Coast Path, popular with walkers and cyclists.
A Picturesque Harbour Town
The fishing town features Georgian and Regency-era houses surrounding a picture-perfect harbour, offering a more peaceful alternative to Tenby or Portmeirion. Visitors can enjoy seafront walks with views of moored vessels and the ocean, with opportunities to spot bottlenose dolphins and grey seals.
Aberaeron is celebrated for its fresh seafood dining scene, with restaurants and pubs, alongside its well-known honey ice cream served at The Hive beside the harbour. Independent retailers include the bookshop Gwisgo Bookworm. The town lies on the Wales Coast Path and The Coastal Way, ideal for autumn walks.
Celebrity Praise and the Harbourmaster Hotel
Jeremy Clarkson described the town as "achingly beautiful" after a visit. He said: "Every one of the terraced cottages around the harbour is a different colour. There was a trendy-looking shop selling honey ice cream and an old Citroën van where you could get Hackney-style hipster street food.
"It was achingly beautiful, and it was full of Enid Blyton kids going fishing and eating chips out of newspaper." He suggested his experience at the Harbourmaster Hotel exceeded his visit to the Four Seasons in Miami, Florida, saying: "This is the best hotel ... in the world. The staff were fantastic, the view was pretty, they sold Hawkstone, and for dinner, I had deep-fried cockles followed by sea trout."
The Harbourmaster Hotel is a five-star boutique property on the Georgian quayside, with 11 rooms, a bar, and a seafood restaurant.
