Caernarfon Castle
Conwy Castle
Beaumaris Castle
Conwy Castle
CAERNARFON CASTLE
Harlech Castle
Rhuddlan Castle
Led by medieval historian, Dr Marc Morris
Medieval fortress of Caernarfon Castle
Harlech Castle, inspiration for JMW Turner
Rhuddlan, Conwy and Beaumaris Castles
In the late thirteenth century, in the course of three devastating campaigns, Wales was conquered by the English King Edward I. To cement his victory he built a string of mighty castles which became the greatest chain of fortresses in medieval Europe. Situated along the Welsh coast, against the backdrop of the mountains of Snowdonia, they are among the most beautiful and scenic buildings in Britain celebrated since the eighteenth century by diarists, poets and painters. Today their global importance is recognised by their collective designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Join expert Dr Marc Morris as we explore these magnificent castles.
Available Departures |
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| 05 - August - 2026 | £ 899.00 | Travel Info Book Now |
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Provisional Timings |
Day 1: Arrive independently hotel from 15.00. This evening there will be a welcome reception, private dinner with wine and a talk by Dr Marc Morris – ‘A great and terrible king: Edward I and the forging of Britain’.
Day 2: Rhuddlan, Conwy and Harlech Castles.
Our first visit is to Rhuddlan Castle, which was built during Edward’s first conquest of Wales in 1277. Engineers straightened the course of the River Clwyd, which flows next to the castle, to give Edward’s ships access to supply provisions and troops if opposing armies were a threat on land. Next onto Conwy, a perfectly formed fortress that was constructed at record speed after the second campaign of 1282-83. Conwy is designed to accommodate the king himself – the royal residential suites are some of the best surviving in the country. After free time for lunch (not included) our last castle visit is to Harlech Castle which has inspired many a Romantic painter, including Turner, due to its spectacular location on a spur of rock overlooking the Irish Sea. Tonight, there will be dinner in the hotel restaurant.
Day 3: Dolbadarn, Caernarfon and Beaumaris Castles.
This morning we visit Dolbadarn Castle, occupying a lofty, lonely spot overlooking the water of Llyn Padarn the castle was once a vital link in the defences of the ancient kingdom of Gwynedd. Constructed in the late 12th or early 13th century, the castle stood watch over the strategic route inland from Caernarfon to the upper Conwy Valley. Next onto the great Caernarfon, constructed on an imperial scale incorporating not only ingenious military features into its design but also drawing inspiration from Arthurian legend. After free time for lunch (not included) we visit the island of Anglesey where a revolt against Edward’s rule in 1294 led to the construction of Beaumaris Castle. Work ceased on construction before the castle was completed due to spiralling costs. Return to the hotel for approximately 16.30.
NB: Exact order of itinerary may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion.
Please note: Post tour extra nights are available at a supplement.
Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 40 passengers.
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
The Imperial, Llandudno
The four-star Imperial Hotel is located in the heart of beautiful Llandudno along the seafront with picturesque views across the bay. The hotel provides a bar, restaurant, fitness centre, heated indoor swimming pool, spa, sauna and steam room. Bedrooms are comfortable with en-suite bathroom, TV, telephone, free wifi, hairdryer and tea/coffee making facilities.
Car parking: There is a free small car park at the rear of the hotel on a first come, first served basis. Alternatively, there is pay and display parking along the seafront promenade in front of the hotel.
The Imperial Hotel Website
Your Tour Expert - Dr Marc Morris
This tour takes in the most spectacular of Edward I’s castles in Wales. Your host, Dr Marc Morris, is the author of many bestselling books about the Middle Ages, including a critically acclaimed biography of Edward I, A Great and Terrible King. He also wrote and presented the TV series Castle.
Please note that all our UK tours start and finish at the relevant hotel.
You can normally check in from 3pm onwards but hotels will always be happy to store your luggage if you arrive earlier in the day.
For full details of how to get to the hotel, directions and the nearest train station, please click on the hotel website or call our office for details. These will also be sent automatically with your confirmation.
The welcome reception and first evening dinner / talk will commence at about 6pm - full details will be sent with your joining instructions about 10 days prior to the arrival date.
This is our third Travel Editions tour and we have no hesitation in awarding it ten out of ten like the others. Travel Editions deliver exactly what it says 'on the box' and at a very reasonable price for such a very specialist , everything included service. Marc Morris did an excellent job as the tour leader...a rare experience to be guided around Edward 1's Castles of Wales by an historian and author who knows his subject inside out. Meeting other like minded people is also a positive part of the enjoyment. Given the intensity of the schedule (two days with a pre-tour dinner and talk the evening before) was just about right again We're now looking for our next one.
Review by Jefferson who travelled 19-July-2022
Packed and interesting days. How wonderful to have such an expert tour guide as Marc. The hotel looked after us very well and is in a very attractive location.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 19-July-2022
Would have preferred a better standard of food, such as that served in the normal restaurant rather than the options offered to the group. And would be happy to pay more for the better quality. However, I understand it is difficult to cater for a large group of 30-odd. Otherwise everything else was splendid !
Review by Anonymous who travelled 19-July-2022
A fabulous short break, Mike our tour manager was excellent, Marc Morris our expert was brilliant, very knowledgeable and informative without going over the top. Would thoroughly recommend this trip
Review by Rowan who travelled 19-July-2022
Review by Anonymous who travelled 19-July-2022
Marc was excellent, but I wished we had had more time at each of the castles visited. One castle wasn't open and another had changed access, both of which, apparently, Travel Editions only found out about too late to do anything. The tour would have been better over three days. Almost everyone stayed the extra night so this should have been included, presumably you are trying to make it look cheaper than it is. The coach was always late, on the second morning, about half an hour late. I could have visited these sights independently, in future I think I will choose to do that.
Review by Powis who travelled 19-July-2022
A most enjoyable couple of days with Marc Morris giving us detailed information about the castles and their history. The hotel was good and food also and a very compatible group of travellers. All our trips with Travel Editions (5) have been excellent and we hope to try another.
Review by Wright who travelled 19-July-2022
We both very much enjoyed the tour, which was very well designed to strike the right balance between the guided parts of the castle visits, the free time to explore and the fairly lengthy coach journeys. Marc Morris was an excellent tour leader, who pitched his expert and comprehensive information about the sites at exactly the right level, was very approachable, answered questions clearly and, in particular, dealt patiently and sensitively with one member of the group who appeared to have learning difficulties. The administration of the tour by Mike Stone was also excellent and he dealt extremely efficiently with such problems as arose, such as members of the group turning up late or not at all. One minor issue was that the hotel's arrangements for the group's breakfasts was poor. The hotel staff were extremely good and welcoming, but too few were assigned to cater for the group and they arrived too late on both mornings. That, however, is a very minor criticism of what was a very entertaining and enjoyable 2½ days.
Review by Mitcheson who travelled 15-July-2019
This was a very crammed two and a bit days. Both our tour manager, Mike and accompanying historian, Marc were excellent. But the days were cramped, and greater enjoyment would have been achieved, admittedly at greater cost, to spread the castle visits over three days, thereby permitting us to explore Conwy, Biwmares, Caernafon and Harlech beyond the castles.
Review by Douglas who travelled 15-July-2019
The only thing that took any shine of the holiday was the disorganisation of the hotel staff at breakfast on the first morning. When a 4 star hotel could take lessons from e.g. Premier Inns that is poor. One of the staff said she could take my order for breakfast then left me to serve myself. Indeed the selection of food available for breakfast was a little narrower than what one can get at budget hotels. For all other aspects of the holiday - no complaints.
Review by Turner who travelled 15-July-2019
The tour guide, tour manager, and coach driver were all lovely, helpful, and informative and managed to get us around the planned itinerary with great skill. The hotel was delightful; the food delicious; and the hotel staff were really friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. A fabulous few days all round. Thank you!
Review by Underwood who travelled 15-July-2019
Our expert guide, Dr Marc Morris was excellent making the castles we saw come alive and giving us enough information while not overloading us with facts. Quite tiring seeing 6 castles in two days but very enjoyable.
Review by Grimshaw who travelled 30-July-2018
Very enjoyable tour. The Hotel and our Tour Manager Nick both excellent. Dr Marc Morris's superb knowledge of the castles helped to make this a memorable tour.
Review by Wills who travelled 30-July-2018
food in the hotel in Durham jn the evening could have been bettter
Review by Rawlinson who travelled 30-July-2018
The castkes are wonderful. Nick lookwed after us wittily and well. Marc was, of course, an wexpert guide to the castles.
Review by who travelled 30-July-2018
This tour was excellently chosen and carried out. Both the tour manager, Nick Hancock, and the tour lecturer, Marc Morris, were knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. St George's Hotel was also very good indeed.
Review by who travelled 30-July-2018
Review by who travelled 30-July-2018
Marc Morris our tour guide was a mine of information about everything we saw. Mike our tour manager was very efficient and entertaining. Hotel room and food was of a good standard. Altogether a worthwhile tour for anybody with an interest in the history of this part of the world. .
Review by Rodwell who travelled 30-July-2018
Expert Dr Marc Morris surpassed our expectations of how much 13th century history we would learn and tour manager Nick Hancock made sure everything went smoothly. We climbed turrets, walked battlements and admired views - mostly in the dry. Hotel was comfortable and staff very helpful.
Review by Hall who travelled 30-July-2018
Had a great time, Marc Morris is very knowledgeable and puts it across in an extremely accessible fashion. It was brilliant to be able to visit Edward I’s castles with someone who’s an undoubted expert on the historical context, Edward I and the castles themselves.
Review by Wall who travelled 30-July-2018
Considering this was Nick Hancock's first tour he carried out his duties admirably and came across very friendly and personable. Historian Marc Morris is as captivating to listen to as his books are to read, a truly wonderful tour! WG Warburton
Review by Mr W Wallburton who travelled 19-September-2016
1) Nick was an excellent tour manager with a great sense of humour 2) Marc, our historian, was an authoritative and entertaining guide who gave us a memorable talk on the first evening. 3) Overall, an excellent trip. Many thanks
Review by Mr William Lawrence who travelled 19-September-2016
Marc was really good - he pitched it just right and it was all very very interesting. Nick was very kind, helpful and looked after us very well. Not too keen on all the 'chat' over the microphone on the bus - would rather just enjoy the scenery than all the jokes/anecdotes etc. A little local knowledge from time to time from Nick would have been more helpful - realized it was his first trip but on return we googled a few things - the bridge cutting into the castle at Conwy - Thomas Telford - also Thomas Telford bridge over the Menai Straits and the Robert Louis Stephenson bridge which had awful fire in 1970's now road rail bridge which we crossed. into Anglesey. Also lovely view of Snowdonia from the island but could we see Snowdon or was the cloud too low? Also nice bit about hotel at dinner first night but Mostyns came to prominence in 17th Century and still own much of Llandudno - just a little on this might be interesting.and how they preserve the town as it is etc etc. The main thing we went for was Marc and the castles but just a little on other things by the tour manager is always appreciated.
Review by Mrs Christine Marriott who travelled 19-September-2016
As with our experiences on other Travel Editions' tours, we have thoroughly enjoyed this expedition. The hotel location was superb, and the organisation worked extremely well in the hands of Mike and Marilyn. No other person than Marc Morris could have guided us through the complications of Edward 1st's attempts to subdue the Welsh. Each tour we have been on has left us with a fascinating series of recollections. We look forward to our next tour, that of Cathedrals and Churches of the South West Midlands in September with Mike Hope.
Review by Mr Malcolm Peach who travelled 11-July-2016
I would like to comment on Marc Morris who was an excellent guide. Lively and interesting. Also I would like to mention the extremely high standard of the hotel staff, particularly in the restaurant Attentive, good natured with a smile.
Review by Mrs Rosemary Cross who travelled 11-July-2016
Expert guide excellent
Review by Mrs Lacey Baxter who travelled 11-July-2016
What a great trip this was. The organisation was first class. Marc Morris is a quality historian and shared his passion with us all. Looking forward to our next trip with travel editions in September.
Review by Mr Phillip Parkin who travelled 11-July-2016
Louise and I both enjoyed a fascinating tour of the castles. It was inspiring to be in the company of such an informed expert as Marc Morris who also injected humour into his resumes. The overall organisation was slick and the coach driver deserved a medal for dealing with some narrow passing points!
Review by Mr Mark Beesley who travelled 11-July-2016
Good use of time re talks, site visits, travelling, and free time. Dr Marc Marris very informative and approachable and Mike Morris organised the group well without being patronising. An extra night in the hotel should have been included as very few people went home after the 17:30 return to the hotel
Review by Mrs J Hogan who travelled 11-July-2016
