Nestled on the cliffs above the River Dwyryd estuary in Eryri, Portmeirion is a whimsical village that brings a taste of the Italian Riviera to rural Wales. Designed by Welsh architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, the folly village was built over 50 years from 1925 to 1975. While Williams-Ellis denied that it was directly modelled on Portofino, he admitted to wanting to capture the Mediterranean atmosphere.
With its pastel-washed buildings, terracotta roofs, and a central piazza, Portmeirion is renowned for its playful architecture and subtropical gardens. Endangered buildings and artefacts from around the world were imported and reassembled to create covered corridors, roofed porches, and brightly coloured houses. The village is now celebrating its centenary, marking 100 years since construction began.
Portmeirion gained fame as 'The Village' in the cult 1960s TV series The Prisoner, and later appeared as Renaissance-era Italy in four episodes of Doctor Who in 1976. Many of its structures are listed for architectural significance, including a Buddha statue originally created as a film prop for the 1958 movie Inn of the Sixth Happiness.
The 70-acre Gwyllt woodland offers subtropical forests with some of Britain's largest trees, secret gardens, and a Japanese garden with a pagoda. The village also boasts its own beach, a gelato parlour, cafés, restaurants, and shops. Accommodation ranges from the historic Hotel Portmeirion to self-catering cottages and a motorhome park.
Visitors are reminded to be cautious of tidal conditions when exploring the estuary sands, as the tide can come in quickly. High tide times are displayed on admission tickets. Despite this, the area remains a popular destination, recently named one of the best places to visit in the UK in 2026.
