Located within a former waterfront warehouse, the National Waterfront Museum is a popular museum that takes you back to the Industrial Revolution. The exhibits at the museum reveal the changes that took place in the kingdom of Wales in the last 300 years and the industrial and technological development that took momentum. The museum organizes guided tours, educational events and cultural activities in order to bring more and more people under its roof and acquaint them with Welsh history. The National Waterfront Museum also serves as a popular venue for corporate events, private functions and exhibitions.
The high tide islands of Middle Head and Mumbles Head, topped by Mumbles lighthouse, provide the eastern backdrop to Bracelet Bay. The gorse covered nature reserve of Mumbles Hill lies behind. To the west the bay is dominated by the large complex of the excellent Castellamare café-bar and restaurant, with a small children's playground and aerial masts on the hill above. The upper beach is lined with ridges of seaweed-encrusted rocks and enticing pools; low tide reveals wide stretches of sand. Bathing is safe except in rough surf and the beach is rarely crowded. You can walk to Mumbles Head at low tide. Its stone lighthouse, built in 1794 and now solar-powered, is not open to the public.
Mumbles Pier was built in 1898 as the Swansea-Mumbles railway terminus. The decorative ironwork balustrades of the pier need a tinge of paint and the giant toy figures are out of place, but it provides a pleasant stroll and a good place to fish. The pavilion has been restored to its former Victorian glory with maritime blue ironwork with the chandeliers, cane chairs gracing the café-bar. It provides traditional seaside entertainment of contemporary arcade amusements and modern versions of old games along with a ten-pin bowling alley. The mock castle behind the pavilion has several bars, from basic establishments to a nightclub, adding to the entertainment mixture that seaside piers are all about. There's a fish & chip shop and car parking on the hill above.
Oystermouth Castle dates back to the 13th Century when the lords of Gower made this, rather than Swansea castle, their prime residence. The ruins are impressive and fun to explore. As well as dramatic curtain walls, towers and winding passageways. It has beautiful examples of 14th-century tracery in the windows of the chapel. The views over the bay and across to Mumbles are spectacular from the high points of the castle which sits on a small hill set back from the seafront. In summer the courtyard is used for open air performances of opera and drama and in mid year medieval tournament is staged.
This is an internationally reputed 19th century botanical garden. With its mature landscaping and views it is a delight at any time of year. The best time, however; is in late spring when everything is blooming with colour. The gardens cover 20 hectares (50 acres) and features a variety of bird and wildlife as well as 2,000 plant species, including a famous collection of rhododendrons & azaleas. There's an American skunk cabbage patch, a bluebell wood, bog gardens and a Japanese bridge with attendant waterfall. Tours are also available. The gardens originally belonged to Clyne Castle, a stately home built by Swansea industrialists and now part of the university. Beyond the gardens are Clyne Wood and the Clyne Valley Country Park, huge areas of green space with footpaths and a section of the Celtic Trail cycle route.
Lying between the university and the Sketty end of Gower Road, Singleton Park is the city's main green space. It's the venue for many local events from the Proms in the Park to the Swansea Show. It's a great place to laze on summer days, shaded by trees and with views over the sea or for walks on colder days. The highlight of the park is the walled botanical garden, at its most spectacular in August, but with a good array of winter-flowering plants as well. The temperate and tropical hot houses are always welcoming, with collections of cacti, rain forest plants, orchids and begonias.
The city's covered market is one of the biggest of its kind in UK. Though the current glass roofed building is post war, there has been a market on this site since the Middle Ages. It's very animated, friendly and distinctly Welsh. The rotunda at the center is surrounded by fresh cockle and laverbread stalls, the two most renowned local specialties. More seafood and fish, all freshly caught, plus games are available on stalls near the Union Street entrance. There are excellent general butchers, bacon specialists, bakers offering traditional Welsh-cakes, cheese and continental sausage sellers and fruit and veggie stalls. You can also find books, toys, pet supplies, hardware, clothing, haberdashery and household items.
The Glynn Vivian was founded as a community arts center with a bequest by Glynn Richard Vivian, a member of one of the wealthy 19th Century copper industrialist families of the area. It still maintains strong links with the community and engages in many educational projects. On display are Swansea china and porcelain from around the world, old masters and a strong 20th Century art collection with works by Hepworth, Nash and Nicholson as well as the Welsh artists Ceri Richards, Augustus John and Gwen John. The gallery's temporary exhibitions on different aspects of contemporary art are well worth seeing.
Three Cliffs Bay is stunningly beautiful, especially near low tide. A huge expanse of sand follows the curves of the Pennard stream and curls round the grassy dunes that extend out from the western slopes. Water laps around the three cliffs which look like a section of dragon's neck, jutting out from the eastern point. The cliffs are a favorite with climbers with both easy and hard ascents. Beneath them an archway leads through to Pobbles Bay, which shares the beach with Three Cliffs and Oxwich Bay when the tide is right out. Swimming is not safe due to fast tidal flows and swirling currents. The bay can only be approached by a long walk, either from Penmaen or from Southgate via Pennard Castle.
Dylan Thomas was one of the brightest British literary artists of his time. His childhood home in Swansea is now a famous city monument. From detailed guided tours of the old house to tasting authentic English cuisine from that era, you can experience it all here at a very nominal price. Overall, it is an unmissable landmark in this seaside town.