The historic Welsh market town of Brecon is situated in one of Wales’ most beautiful and picturesque areas mountain ranges. The Brecon Beacons National Park covers around 519 square miles of land and includes not only some stunning mountains but also beautiful rivers, forests and miles and miles of moorland. Brecon is located at the heart of the Brecon Beacons, north of Merthyr Tydfil and north west of Abergavenny. Brecon is a popular place for walkers to rest their weary feet in and there are plenty of good pubs and restaurants to satisfy the hunger of even the hungriest walkers! Brecon has many excellent shops too selling things such as locally made craft items, tasty Welsh food and souvenirs! Keep reading to find out the best things to see and do in and around Brecon!
Where to stay
In and around Brecon you’ll find many bed and breakfast and hotel accommodation options and the area receives a fair amount of tourists and outdoors enthusiasts. If you’re planning on visiting Brecon and the surrounding area, why not think about staying in something a little more cosy and personal than your average hotel room? Wimdu offer apartments, holiday cottages and short stay guest rooms in Brecon and all over South Wales – find something to suit your needs and budget on Wimdu today!Fun Facts
- Sir Tim Berners Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web owns a house in the Brecon Beacons!
- Pen-Y-Fan, the highest mountain in South Wales is in the Brecon Beacons.
- Prince Charles also has a residence in the Brecon Beacons!
- The SAS train their troops in the Brecon Beacons – the harsh landscape is great for simulating missions.
- The Brecon Beacons has been a national park since 1957!
Things to see and do in Brecon and the surrounding area
Perhaps Brecon’s most well-known landmark is Brecon Cathedral, a small but intriguing church located in the centre of Brecon. The church was founded in the 11th century and is regarded as one of the most unique monastic buildings from that era. Christ College, built in the 16th century, is also worth a visit and some of the buildings are certainly impressive. Brecon holds a jazz festival every August which attracts some of the UK’s finest jazz talent. Brecon is home to several excellent restaurants and cafes – check out the Trecastle Tearooms for excellent cakes and hot drinks and Roberto’s for Italian cuisine with a Welsh influence! Brecon is home to The Regimental Museum which tells the story of the various local military regiments around Brecon. The museum covers The Zulu War, World War 1 and the Boer War and is packed with interesting artefacts and information about the brave local men who fought in these wars. Located near to Brecon in Three Cocks is Black Mountain Activities, a local activity provider where you can do all kinds of great outdoor activities such as archery, walking, clay pigeon shooting and canoeing. There’s something for all the family and is loved with both locals and tourists alike! For those looking to explore Brecon’s surrounding hills why not climb Pen-Y-Fan, South Wales’ highest mountain? It’s quite a walk to the top, but on a clear day you can see for miles and it’s a real treat to see Wales from such a high altitude!Other great towns in the area
Brecon is surrounded by some of South Wales’ best towns including Abergaveny, Hay-On Wye and Llandovery. Abergavenny is known for its excellent culinary scene, pretty streets and range of gift and craft shops. The Abergavenny Food Festival attracts people from all over the UK and you can sample Welsh cheese, meat and local beer at the festival. Hay-On-Wye is known as a ‘book town’ due to the large amount of book shops in the town. The Hay Festival shines the spotlight on the town and features poetry readings, musical performances and interviews with people in the book world. Llandovery is a pretty market town with a castle and some great cafes and delis. All of these towns are framed by some of Wales’ most beautiful and epic landscape – you have to spend some time in this area!Getting Around
Brecon and the surrounding area is quite easily accessible from the M4 motorway which connects London with southwest England and South Wales. The M4 stretches all the way to Swansea in Wales and there are various routes available to head north to the Brecon Beacons. The closest airport to the Brecon Beacons in the area is Cardiff International Airport, located just outside the capital city of Wales Cardiff. Getting around Brecon and the Brecon Beacons is best done with a car, as you’ll find most parts of the national park are not served by public transport. The nearest train stations are at Abergavenny and Merthyr Tydfil and from these towns you can get a bus to Brecon. 
