Disclosure, we had not planned to visit Port Meirion. We had carefully chosen a short coach tour, “secret gardens of North Wales” staying in Llandudno. However, fate had other ideas. Wales is still in partial lockdown and one of the gardens was not accepting coach parties. So the coach company substituted a visit to Port Meirion the whimsical Italianate village designed by the eccentric 20th century architect Clough Williams-Ellis.
Port Meirion seems designed as a perfect backdrop for Instagram and is popular with television and film companies. It was the setting for the 1960’s series “the prisoner”. Dr. Who has been filmed here and more recently Michael Portillo visited. Craig Revel Horword and Bruno Tonioni were there a couple of weeks ago filming a new driving series which will be shown later this year.
History of Port Meirion
In fact Port Meirion was planned before colour films or television and long before instagram. Clough Williams -Ellis conceived the idea of building an enormous Italianate folly and chose as his setting the Aber La estate near Penrhyndeudraeth. The site is beautiful with steep wooded cliffs overlooking a sandy estuary. There was a nucleus of old buildings and even a dark ruined castle, Castell Deudraeth first recorded in 1188 by Gerard of Wales. He intended to finance his project by turning the old house by the shore into a grand hotel and attracting wealthy guests. It says a lot for his tenacity that he succeeded. The hotel opened in 1926 and he added the last building in 1975 when he was in his nineties.
Gradually he collected old buildings from demolition sites and unloved artefacts from all over Europe to create a village. A cluster of colour washed cottages are grouped around a central piazza. The village also has a church and bell tower. The gardens are beautifully maintained with many unusual plants including several species of rhododendron, hydrangeas, camellias and azaleas. The clever use of arches, slopes and different window sizes makes the village look bigger than it actually is.
Port Meirion pottery
Cough’s daughter Susan was a talented artist and with her husband established a pottery. Her botanical garden designs are very popular. Visitors can buy seconds and discounted ranges from the gift shop.
Port Meirion for Visitors
Port Meirion, the place where the Italian Riviera meets rural Wales has become one of north Wales most popular and iconic tourist attractions. As well as the village itself you can explore the clean well-maintained gardens or take a walk along by the estuary shore and on through the woodlands. on a clear day there are views towards the Snowdonia mountain range. Visitors can catch a train from Minffordd station just a mile away towards Blaenau Ffestiniog in the heart of Snowdonia on a heritage railway.
Tourists can stay in either of the two hotels or one of several cottages or visit for the day. Disabled visitors should be aware that there are lots of steep slopes and steps and that much of the site is inaccessible for wheel chairs. Dogs are not allowed.
Several cafes and gift shops including an Italian style Pizzaria and a gelateria (ice cream shop).
It is advisable to book tickets online.
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17 responses to “Visiting Port Meirion in Wales”
Wonderful colours. I love the powder blue and whites, and the purple and whites
Thank you for taking us on this tour of Wales. Your photography is beautiful!
Anne, just wanted to add that I couldn’t “like” the post as the “likes” wouldn’t load.
janet
What fun and delightful colors! We watched “The Prisoner.” “I am not a number. I am a free man!” 😉 I don’t even worry about pronouncing Welsh names but as I live in the State, no one would know anyway (or hardly anyone.)
janet
Hi Anne. Nice photos. Portmeirion is such a wonderful, unique place and a great place to stay for a short break. It’s a photographer’s dream isn’t it? I too have done a Thursday Doors post featuring Portmeirion and another post focussing on The Prisoner and the parallels with covid restrictions, titled ‘We’re all Prisoners now’.
Never been there but ‘The Prisoner’ was compulsive viewing in our house back in the day It couldn’t have been filmed anywhere else. It’s the perfect location for it.
I love this little village. I was a fan of The Prisoner when it aired in the 60s. I may try to find some old shows streaming somewhere. There are lots of beautiful and interesting doors and details, but my favorite is the Fire Engine door. Thanks for linking with Thursday Doors.
PS, I’m still trying to figure out how to pronounce Penrhyndeudraet 🙂
It is easy compared to some of the other Welsh names. I found you comment in spam.
🙁 – I never understand spam.
Feels like I’ve just been to Wales 🙂 And everything is spotless! Those shades of blue on the doors are so warm and inviting.
With thanks,
Pat
Thanks for visiting
We visited here many years ago, and were also fans of The Prisoner (though not during its first showing in the 60s!) I can’t remember if we were inspired to visit Port Meirion by The Prisoner, or vice versa.
I have never watched the prisoner. I suspect most of today’s visitors are too young to have seen it. Port Merion works well as a backdrop for SF type programmes because the proportions are not quite right and it can feel claustrophobic but at first glance it looks genuine.
Hi Anne, I learn a great deal from your posts. I have never heard about Port Meirion, yet it is considered one of the most popular tourist attractions in Wales. Sometimes “fate” works out in our favour. Your photos are wonderful and help me “see” this area. Thank you for sharing an excellent post with a great deal of useful and interesting information.🙂
Thanks for your kind words.
Sounds like this twist of fate leading you to Port Meirion was a good one! I’d not heard of Clough William-Ellis before but I’ve heard of Port Meirion (though I’d always assumed it was spelled Merion). I’d love to go one day but in the mean time your introductions, history and fab photos have given a great insight into the area. xx
I had to check the spelling. When I lived in Bangor we had a Port Meirion china shop but it was too expensive for me.