God’s Country, land of my fathers, Cymru. Wales goes by many names, but the one I’ve always known best is home. I was born and raised in the South Wales valleys, but growing up I didn’t see or understand its beauty until I moved away from it. Moving to London changed how I saw it. I was suddenly gripped by an indescribable pull for the rolling green hills, the slow pace of life, and the smiling, friendly people.
People often talk about ‘hiraeth’, a Welsh word meaning to ache for home. But, to me, that word has too much of a nostalgic meaning – it feels too much like loss. What I feel is something steadier. More like ‘perthyn’, the word meaning ‘to belong’.
I’m writing this as someone who has left but keeps returning. Someone who has watched mist settle over Bannau Brycheiniog, aka Brecon Beacons, driven through winding farm roads that open out onto jagged coastlines and spent the night camping out at castles. Wales has a beautiful roughness to it. Its beauty is not immediate and hard-won; visitors will have to trek, drive and withstand the rain in order to find it. But it’s worth every step of the journey.
Here are seven of the best wonders of Wales for 2026 – the places that I guarantee will stay with you long after you’ve left, just as they have stayed with me over the years.
Waterfall Country, Brecon Beacons
If I could only recommend one place to visit in Wales, it’s Waterfall Country. It has an extremely high payoff for a moderately easy hike. This region has the highest concentration of waterfalls in the UK, with over a dozen between Pontneddfechan and Ystradfellte, in the southwestern part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Walk on woodland paths lined with wild garlic and mushrooms and you’ll be rewarded with four clusters of waterfalls. The crown jewel is Sgwd Yr Eira, where you can walk behind the stream and see spectacular views. Hardy and adventurous travellers can take a dip at the base of the pool, and it’s also a popular site for canyoning.
