Conwy is a 'World Heritage Site' so is a marvellous centre to explore for history, from the Iron-age hillfort on the summit of the Conwy mountain, the 13th century castle and walled town, including the Elizabethan Plas Mawr, to the 19th century crossing of the river built by Thomas Telford, facilitating the busy route to Holyhead and Ireland.

Only a few miles up the river Conwy are several places worth a visit, such as Llanrwst, where in the church side chapel you can see the last remnants of the monastery of Maenan, (moved there by Edward 1st and destroyed during the dissolutions of Henry 8th) including the sarcophagus of Llewelyn the Great, and chapel remains of the Wynn family of Gwydir.

Further upstream is Betws y Coed, a pretty town developed at the confluence of the Conwy, the Llugwy and the Lledyr, well known today as a tourist mecca for clothing shops, particularly specialist climbers' shops.

From there you can go further inland to Dolwyddelan (and the ancient castle of Llewelyn) and on to Blaenau Ffestiniog (slate quarries), Penrhyndeudraeth and Porthmadog (narrow guage railway). Return via Caernarfon (castle) and the A5 to Conwy.

Another route from Betws y Coed is via the A5 to Capel Curig and either to Llyn Ogwen (and the short walk to Cwm Idwal), Bethesda and back by the A55, or via the A4086 and the Llanberis Pass.

There, visit the Llanberis Slate Museum and the Llanberis Lake Railway. From there you can even take the Snowdon Mountain Railway to the summit of Snowdon!

Conwy Castle is a dark stoned fortress which has the rare ability to evoke an authentic medieval atmosphere. The first time that visitors catch sight of the castle, commanding a rock above the Conwy Estuary and demanding as much attention as the dramatic Snowdonia skyline behind it, they know they are in the presence of a historic site which still casts a powerful spell.

Conwy, constructed by the English monarch Edward 1 between 1283 and 1289 as one of the key fortresses in his "iron ring' of castles to contain the Welsh, was built to prompt such a humbling reaction.

A distinguished historian wrote of Conwy, "Taken as a whole, Conwy's incomparably the most magnificent of Edward 1's Welsh fortresses'. In comparison to other great Edwardian castles it is also relatively straightforward in design, a reflection of the inherent strength of its siting.

There are no concentric "walls within walls' here, because they were not needed. Conwy's massive military strength springs from the rock on which it stands and seems to grow naturally. Soaring curtain walls and eight huge round towers give the castle (a World Heritage Inscribed site) an intimidating presence undimmed by the passage of time.

The views from the battlements are breathtaking looking out across mountains and sea and down to the roofless shell of the castles 125ft Great Hall. It is from these battlements that visitors can best appreciate Conwy's other great glory, its ring of town walls.