Tenby has been crowned the prettiest seaside town in Wales, according to a new ranking by Love Exploring. The Pembrokeshire harbour town beat famous coastal spots like Portmeirion, Solva and New Quay to take the Welsh top spot, placing seventh on the all-UK list.
Why Tenby took the crown
Writing about the town, Love Exploring said: "Perched on a headland, surrounded by Blue Flag beaches and with streets lined with pastel-coloured houses, Tenby is a sight to behold. There’s also plenty on offer culturally, from the medieval castle walls to Wales’ oldest independent museum, the Tenby Museum and Art Gallery."
The town has been praised before. In August it was named the most beautiful place in the UK by Time Out, and Wales' best seaside town by Which? back in 2025.
Beaches, boats and independent shops
Tenby is home to four Blue Flag-standard beaches: North Beach, Castle Beach, South Beach and Harbour Beach, all within a short walk of each other. Castle Beach is particularly good for rock-pooling.
The town also has a range of independent shops, including Tenby Bookshop on Tudor Square, which stocks local history, walking guides, OS maps and Welsh literature, plus toys and gifts. Jago, an independent fashion and lifestyle store run by a husband and wife, and artist community space The Nook are also popular. Tenby Museum and Art Gallery shop sells postcards, books, prints, greetings cards and original art by local artists.
Caldey Island and coastal walks
A 20-minute boat trip from the harbour takes visitors to Caldey Island, one of Britain's holy islands home to a Mediterranean-style monastery that remains a working monastic community. The island's resident Cistercian monks make and sell luxurious soaps and perfumes using the island's wild herbs, and also produce lavender perfume, chocolate and shortbread.
"On a hot summer’s afternoon, when the air is buzzing with bees busy at comfrey flowers, there is nowhere quite like Caldey Island. The place has a relaxed, slow-paced atmosphere," writes Pembrokeshire Coast.
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path runs right past Tenby, with more beaches, cliffs and villages like Saundersfoot within easy reach, plus Manorbier and Barafundle Bay for a day trip.
