When I followed a link online claiming to unveil "the happiest place to live in Wales" I was somewhat taken aback by the location being highlighted. However, after spending four days there, it all became perfectly clear.
There were stunning beaches, picturesque coastal towns and villages featuring independent shops and restaurants, charming accommodation options, and all of it nestled within gorgeous countryside. The happiest location is determined by surveying thousands of residents about their sentiments towards their home area, considering not only the property itself but the wider locality, the community spirit and access to essential facilities. In 2025, Anglesey in north-west Wales claimed the top spot.
Anglesey sits as far from my home in Cardiff as you can travel while remaining in Wales and the notoriously inadequate transport links between north and south Wales mean the journey is not one to undertake lightly. It's a 4.5-hour drive from the capital to the island's southern edge. I could reach Malaga on Spain's southern coastline two hours faster.
But the journey wouldn't be nearly as breath-taking. Nor would the final destination. I felt devastated when departure time arrived and would have gladly remained there for another fortnight. In truth, I'd move there if I could.
Is Anglesey worth visiting?
Barely anyone I spoke to in south Wales before making my way north had ever visited Anglesey. I'd briefly set foot there on a couple of occasions myself — once on a fleeting day trip, and once to board a ferry from Holyhead to Dublin. South Walians arguably know less about Anglesey than Scousers do. And it's a lot easier to get to from Liverpool than from south Wales — comfortably less than two hours by car and a little over two hours by train.
Having now spent just half a week there, I can wholeheartedly confirm that it is absolutely worth the journey. The island's entire coastline holds designation as an area of outstanding natural beauty, boasting vast sandy beaches and rugged coves scattered along its uninterrupted 125-mile coastal path.
There are castles, historically rich towns, exceptional restaurants, and it remains one of the very few places across the UK where red squirrels can still be spotted in the wild.
With fewer than 70,000 residents spread across 276 square miles — that's just 0.7 people per football pitch-sized plot of land — you can take in everything the island offers in wonderful peace and quiet. Navigating its unhurried country lanes is a genuine pleasure, and parts of the island are also accessible by train. It's also a stronghold of the Welsh language. — 62% of residents speak Welsh, according to the Welsh Government, compared with 27% across Wales as a whole. You'll hear it spoken widely.
Things to do
Anglesey's principal draw is its scenery, whether that involves rambling through its rural areas, wandering along its beaches and shoreline or taking a dip, kite-surfing or kayaking in its coves. Among the outstanding locations to explore are:
Newborough forest and Traeth Llanddwyn
A destination now internationally renowned for its expansive beach and picturesque lighthouse perched on a rocky promontory. The Corsican pine trees that comprise Newborough Forest appear as though they've stood there since time immemorial but were in fact planted between 1947 and 1965 to supply timber and to secure the mobile sand dunes of Newborough Warren, "one of the largest and finest dune systems in Britain".
The dunes subsequently open onto the expansive beach and Ynys Llanddwyn island. While parking spaces are abundant, visitors should note that this location has become extremely popular, especially amongst the social media community, and you may discover (as occurred during my initial visit) that the sole access road from the nearby village of Niwbwrch, a couple of miles away, has been physically closed off by council workers and bollards when visitor numbers become excessive.
The site's popularity presents genuine challenges for local residents, so please be considerate. Nevertheless, once you reach the beach, it's sufficiently large to accommodate everyone comfortably.
Beaumaris
This charming, historic town's principal draw is its castle, occasionally referred to as "the greatest castle never built" because construction was never completed. It represented the final addition to the so-called "ring of iron" established by Edward I in Wales and "perhaps his masterpiece" according to Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service.
The "fortress of immense size and near-perfect symmetry" boasts four concentric rings of formidable defences including a water-filled moat complete with its own dock. It's a breathtaking location to explore, particularly as visitors can tour the interior chapel and stroll along its battlements. Beyond the castle walls, you'll also discover the "Taylor Swift shop" (note the blue plaque declaring the singer "wasn't born here" - though that hasn't prevented them establishing a shrine to her inside). There are also independent retailers and a handful of quality pubs including The Bull's Head and Castle Court Hotel.
Beaches
You're never distant from an exceptional beach regardless of your location on the island. At the coastal village of Rhosneigr you'll discover broad, expansive sands that serve as a major destination for windsurfing, kitesurfing and surfing. Traeth Mawr near Aberffraw is a sheltered beach with dunes which represent one of the most extensive examples of mobile dune habitat in the UK. There are numerous others, including the beaches at Trearddur Bay and Benllech, both of which prove popular with families and are situated beside seaside villages.
Menai Bridge
Serving as the gateway to the island, this charming town sits at one end of Thomas Telford's legendary namesake bridge. It boasts a variety of intriguing shops, including an antiques store tucked away down a side alley between the high street and car park, alongside a bookshop and the outstanding Dylan's deli. A fine selection of pubs and restaurants caters for every palate, ranging from the intimate Michelin-starred Sosban and Old Butchers to the enormously popular Dylan's restaurant, where floor-to-ceiling glass windows offer stunning views across the Menai Strait and the mainland while you dine.
LlanfairPG
No trip to Anglesey would be complete without a stop at the village boasting the longest place name in Europe (and the second longest on the planet). There isn't a great deal else to see here, but the visit is worthwhile for the sign alone, particularly the one at the village's charming little railway station.
Nearby
Should you feel you've exhausted everything Anglesey has to offer, there are some fantastic destinations just across the water on the Welsh mainland. Caernarfon is a vibrant coastal town featuring another of Edward I's remarkable castles, while a brief drive southwards will bring you to the extraordinary Zip World Llechwedd, where visitors can bounce on netting suspended within a vast underground cavern at Bounce Below, or hurtle along the Titan zip line above the slate-covered hillsides and crumbling stone structures from an era when north Wales stood at the heart of the global slate industry.
Places to eat
Dylan's Menai Bridge stands out as one of the island's finest and most sought-after dining venues. Its expansive glass frontage allows diners to gaze across the Menai Strait, while its comprehensive menu features local seafood, burgers and pizza. For breakfast or brunch, Clustia Mul in Menai Bridge offers a charming option.
The White Eagle is a highly regarded pub and restaurant situated near Rhoscolyn, which was reportedly a favoured spot of Prince William and Kate during William's RAF posting here. The approachable menu offers considerable variety, from cod loin or roast peach and burrata salad to traditional burgers and fish pie.
The Sea Shanty Cafe: A distinctive dining destination that could almost belong in New England, this proved to be my top choice on the island. It's a traditional, bustling seafront eatery with ceilings adorned with shells, glass containers filled with sand from numerous UK beaches and maritime memorabilia at every turn. The menu features dishes like seafood chowder and burgers.
Red Squirrel Tapas: My mum dined here and thoroughly enjoyed it. Describing itself as "quirky", it initially sold coffee and hot chocolate in the village of Niwbwrch but over the past couple of years has been offering tapas from 5-9pm, having launched in 2023 and been taken aback by its popularity.
Y Marram: Initially established in 2011 as The Marram Grass by a pair of brothers in a disused chicken shed on a caravan park belonging to their parents, it swiftly gained a reputation as one of Wales' finest dining destinations before shutting its doors during the Covid-19 pandemic. Having since reopened under the name Y Marram, it now offers food throughout the day, ranging from porridge or a full Welsh breakfast in the mornings through to sophisticated tasting menus come evening.
Sosban and the Old Butchers: This intimate restaurant in Menai Bridge accommodates only a small number of diners and stands amongst the select few Welsh establishments to hold a Michelin star, an accolade it has maintained for a number of years. There is no menu.
Instead, they "create a series of dishes using the best locally sourced produce available to us on the day providing a unique culinary journey not found anywhere else".
Places to stay
Anglesey boasts a wealth of accommodation options, but one particular gem stands out above the rest. The Barn at Cae Bach comprises two cottages constructed from the remnants of former farm barns, lovingly restored by the current owner, who also resides in the charming farmhouse nearby.
The two-bedroom cottage was not only delightful, snug and welcoming inside, but also featured birds nesting above the back door, was surrounded on all sides by fields where scores of rabbits played freely, and offered sweeping views of the imposing dark silhouette of Wales' loftiest peak, Yr Wyddfa, on the horizon. Alternative cottages are available through Sykes Holiday Cottages, alongside impressive establishments such as Chateau Rhianfa, a grade II*-listed former mansion built in French gothic style.
The journey to Anglesey
"It's not the destination," goes the famous saying. "It's the journey." It may not have been coined with the roads between Cardiff and Anglesey in mind, but it suits it perfectly. From the moment you reach the Brecon Beacons, the route unfolds as a breath-taking spectacle that never lets up — whether you're meandering through market towns such as Rhayader and Machynlleth, crossing the rugged peaks of the Cambrian Mountains, passing through picture-postcard settlements like Betws-y-Coed that wouldn't look out of place in the Swiss Alps, or gazing in wonder at the awe-inspiring grandeur of Eryri's mountain ranges.
