Cowbridge, a market town in South Wales located roughly 30 minutes from Cardiff, has been recognised for its gardens, pubs, and high street. The Sunday Times named it the best place to live in Wales in 2017.
The town features a range of independent shops and restaurants, along with a weekly farmers' market held every Saturday at Arthur John's car park. Visitors can browse handcrafted produce including meats, cheeses, plants, herbs, and fresh fish.
Local Shops and Market Offerings
Organisers note that all products at the market have been "grown, reared, caught, brewed, pickled, baked, smoked or processed" by the stallholders themselves. Independent retailers outnumber chains in the town, with shops such as No39, selling furniture and gifts, and Stwff-Stuff, offering bags, jewellery, and trinkets.
The Happy Days Vintage Home Store provides a relaxed browsing experience, stocking nostalgic toys, records, clothing, postcards, and retro signs, alongside a café among the collection.
Physic Garden and Visitor Praise
The Physic Garden, a half-acre site, features a "glorious array of medicinal plants and herbs" historically used for healing and culinary purposes. It underwent restoration by the Welsh Historic Gardens Trust and was formally opened by Queen Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, in 2008.
Visitors describe the garden as a "tranquil haven". One wrote: "An absolute haven in the centre of town. Have been here many times when we've needed an uplift. Volunteers are helpful and really well informed about what is growing."
Another added: "A little oasis of calm...we recently met a friend for lunch in Cowbridge and we got there early so we decided to spend some time walking around the Physic gardens...it was so calm and peaceful."
Dining, Attractions, and Nearby Sites
The town's dining options include The Bear Hotel, which received a 2025 TripAdvisor award, and the Penny Farthing, holder of a 2024 Travellers' Choice award. The nearby Hare and Hounds appears in the Michelin Guide and has secured a Bib Gourmand for "good quality, good value cooking".
For food enthusiasts, the Elephant and Bun delicatessen stocks charcuterie, cheeses, wines, and cider, while the award-winning ice cream parlour Fablas comes highly recommended. The town also has parks and walking routes, with nearby attractions including Hensol Castle Distillery, the Vale Resort Golf Club, St Hilary Vineyard, and Warren Mill Farm.
