35 Things to Do in Pembrokeshire: Nature, Castles & History

It’s no secret that Pembrokeshire is one of the best places to visit not only in Wales but the entire UK. Even back in Victorian times Pembrokeshire was a popular place to go on vacation, and now in modern times you can still find a lot of things to do in Pembrokeshire, no matter what your interests may be.

Pembrokeshire is a place where you can find the most gorgeous nature, explore a rich and diverse history, walk through the halls or ruins of ancient castles, experience culture at museums and have a great time no matter what your age is.

It may not be a huge place, just a little tip of a little country, but Pembrokeshire has a ridiculous amount of interesting and beautiful places to visit.

Below you will find all the best things to do in Pembrokeshire divided into categories based on the best historical places, beaches, castles, nature and more!

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Best Nature to Visit in Pembrokeshire

If you’re looking for things to do in Pembrokeshire and love nature, you’re spoiled for choices. Everywhere you look you’ll see a quaint countryside, wild beaches and a dramatic coastline.

1. Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

There’s a reason the coast of Pembrokeshire is the UK’s only coastal national park. Pretty much anywhere you go along the Pembrokeshire coast, you will find stunning scenery: dramatic cliff sides with fascinating rock formations, wild landscapes and stunning beaches.

2. Preseli Hills

Perhaps less popular than the renowned coastal path, if you go inland slightly you will find some of the most beautiful hills I’ve ever come across. The landscape is absolutely gorgeous and kept fairly wild and secluded, although you’re likely to find some remnants of past human civilizations: a reconstruction of an Iron Age village, Iron Age fort ruins, stone circles and remnants of Neolithic burial tombs. Also, studies have shown that the stones that make up the famous Stonehenge came from this area.

3. Pembrokeshire Islands

There are several islands off the coast of Pembrokeshire (Skomer, Skokholm, Ramsey Island and Grassholm). Not being on mainland, they are hardly developed and therefore its nature is mostly untouched. This makes the islands fantastic places to see wildlife too.

Historical Places to Visit in Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire also has a long and rich history, and you can learn about it by adding these historical places to your itinerary.

4. Castell Henllys Iron Age Village

Although the village is reconstructed and the structures aren’t original, it’s about as authentic as you can get! The village was rebuilt on the very spot where one once lay, and it really feels like you’re stepping back in time when you visit this living museum. There’s a lot more than just the village to visit here, and any history buff can easily spend a whole day here.

5. Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber

The remains of this Neolithic burial chamber are 5,000 years old! If the stones look familiar, the stones that built Stonehenge were taken from these hills too. The view of the coast from this spot is pretty great too.

6. Foel Drygarn Hill Fort

Located not too far from Pentre Ifan are the remains of an ancient hill fort. The hike is quite short yet steep but absolutely stunning.

7. St. David’s Cathedral

St. David’s Cathedral has a very rich history, and an important one for Welsh history. St. David is Wales’ patron saint, and the cathedral itself became an important pilgrimage site—not just for the Welsh. The Vatican declared two pilgrimages to St. David’s Cathedral was the equivalent to one pilgrimage to Rome. Even if you’re not religious, the cathedral itself is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever been to.

8. St. Non’s Chapel & Well

Located not too far from the Cathedral are the remains of St. Non’s Chapel. St. Non was St. David’s mother and she was said to have given birth to him on a nearby cliff during a storm. The well near the chapel dedicated to her is said to have water with healing powers. The well is still intact, so give the water a try!

9. Narberth Museum

This is a small but mighty museum. Narberth has a long and fascinating history (and was even mentioned in the Mabinogion stories), which is well documented in this museum. It mostly tells the story of life in Narberth throughout the years, and you can learn a lot about a variety of different topics. It’s fascinating how much you can learn from the history of just one tiny town.

10. St. Catherine’s Fort

This fort is unique in that it’s located on a tidal island. What this means is that it’s an island when the tide comes in, but when it goes out, you can walk to it from the beach! That in itself is pretty cool, and you can also go on the island and inside the impressive fort located on it.

11. Tudor Merchant’s House

Also located in Tenby, the house will allow you step back into the past—the 15^th century to be exact. Even if it’s closed when you visit (it was the two times I was in Tenby), I’d highly recommend admiring the outside of this adorable and historical stone building.

12. Carew Tidal Mill

Included in your ticket for Carew Castle (see below), visiting this mill will be a pleasure for both history buffs and those interested in machines and sustainability. It’s definitely the best mill I’ve ever visited, with lots of information and restored machinery. In fact, it’s only one of five restored tidal mills in the entire UK! As the name suggests, it’s powered by tidal water. We can learn about green energy from the past!

Best Castles to Visit in Pembrokeshire

If you’re looking for more historical places to visit in Pembrokeshire, what better place than a castle? Castles are a great place to learn about the politics of a place, and visiting them is a great thing to do on a rainy day in Pembrokeshire. You can hide inside from rain in the restored ones, and the castle ruins are best visited in rain, in my opinion, because they look much more mysterious in fog and gloom.

13. Pembroke Castle

This is by far the best castle in Pembrokeshire, in my opinion. Not only is much of it well preserved and restored, but it has such an extensive display of exhibits. I ended up spending way more time than I expected here. It’s also one of the most important castles in the UK because it was birthplace of King Henry VII. For more modern fame, it was also the film location of Me Before You.

14. Carew Castle

This castle is located in a fascinating location because it’s set along a tidal river. This means that sometimes the castle is surrounded by water, and sometimes (when the tide is out) not. The Castle itself is very impressive and pretty, with different architecture styles showing how many different hands it passed. It also has a rich history that you can read about in the many exhibits and informational signs within the restored buildings.

15. Narberth Castle

Although not as impressive as the two restored castles above, it’s actually a great place to visit if you love castle ruins. The benefits of this are that you’ll likely have the whole place to yourself, you can use your imagination to think about what it once looked like and it’s totally free to explore! Narberth Castle was once very powerful, so it’s humbling to see such a mighty place in ruins.

16. Tenby Castle

This castle ruin is even less impressive. Not much remains of Tenby Castle, but I’m including it here for the views you’ll find. Castle Hill has perhaps the best view in Tenby, and it’s hard not to fall in love with the town while standing here.

P.S. While you’re in Wales, are you interested in seeing what literary connections it has? There are quite a few even though literary travel in Wales isn’t too well known.

Best Beaches in Pembrokeshire

Since it’s a popular summer vacation destination, Pembrokeshire is almost synonymous with beaches. And because they’re so beautiful, the beaches in Pembrokeshire are worth visiting all year round. There are many but here are some of the best.

17. Freshwater West Beach

Many of Pembrokeshire’s beaches have reached the status of the “best,” and Freshwater West Beach is no different. It’s perhaps my favorite beach in Pembrokeshire (partly because I’m a Harry Potter fan), so if you love beaches then a trip here will be one of the best things to do in the area for you.

18. Whitesands Bay

Located near St. David’s, this is just another one of many highly rated beaches in Pembrokeshire. Characteristic of most of Pembrokeshire beaches, the beach is surrounded by gorgeous cliffs on both sides.

19. Tenby North Beach & Castle Beach

Although located right next to a town, it’s one of the cutest towns in the world, so even if you prefer more secluded and wild beaches you won’t mind too much. These beaches are within walking distance to each other and are both great fun.

20. Barafundle Bay Beach

Voted one of the best beaches in the UK, this huge beach is definitely deserving of that vote. The walks along the cliffs next to it are really nice too.

Best POI Along the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path

Walking the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path is one of the best things to do while here. You likely aren’t going to have several months to hike the whole path in one go, so here are some of the highlights I found.

21. Dobby’s Grave at Freshwater West Beach

Even if you’re not a Harry Potter fan, this area is a beautiful place to visit. If you’d like to take a walk along the coastal path, I’d recommend starting from the beach at Angle, a nearby village. This is a pretty walk and very doable in a day. Do keep in mind that you can’t walk along the coastal path on the other side of Freshwater West Beach, as it’s in use by the military.

Find out how to visit Dobby’s grave film spot using public transportation (it’s tricky but possible).

22. St. Non’s Cliffs

You can walk to this part of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path from St. David’s. The cliffs here are as beautiful you can get, so this is a great place to walk along the coastal path if you’re planning to visit St. David’s.

23. Green Bridge

You can drive here or walk from St. Govan’s Chapel. It’s one of the most stunning rock formations along the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path and definitely worth going out of your way for. The stretch of the path between here and St. Govan’s Chapel also has some fascinating views, like Huntsmans’ Leap, Elegug Stacks, The Cauldron and a few dramatic bays.

24. St. Govan’s Chapel

This is one of the most unique and exciting places I came across on the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, not to mention one of the most Instagramable sort-of-hidden gems in Pembrokeshire. This adorable little chapel was built into the cliffs on the spot where St. Govan supposedly hid from pirates. And it’s a good hiding spot; the chapel seems to blend in to the two cliffs it’s built between.

25. Barafundle Bay

This bay is so beautiful that it has been voted one of the most beautiful in the UK. There’s more to see in this area than just the beach, so I’d recommend walking along the coastal path here to explore it.

Best Places for Animal Lovers in Pembrokeshire

Because the coast is protected with National Park status, that also means the wildlife is well protected too. Whether you see the animals in the wild or at a farm, there are plenty of things to do in Pembrokeshire if you want to hang out with cute animals.

26. Puffins at Skomer Island

Puffins are probably the most adorable birds in existance and you can see a huge puffin colony on Skomer Island! The puffins go there to look after their chicks from April to August, so take a boat trip to this island off of Pembrokeshire mainland to see them then!

27. Folly Farm

This is actually a zoo but with the added bonus of having a petting zoo with barn animals. It’s an especially great place to go with kids who love animals.

28. Alpaca Trekking

When you think of Wales you probably think of sheep. After all, there are more sheep than humans in Wales. So I was very surprised to come across a brochure for alpaca trekking. Basically, you take alpacas out for a walk in the beautiful green landscape of Wales. Definitely one of the more unique experiences you’ll have in Pembrokeshire!

29. Dolphin and Whale Watching Boat Tour

The coast of Pembrokeshire is also a place where you can find dolphins and whales. Although a sighting of either isn’t as guaranteed as a sighting of sheep on land (you will be seeing sooo many of those), you can take a boat tour guided by professionals who will take you to spots where you might see a dolphin or whale!

Best Places for Art Lovers in Pembrokeshire

You probably shouldn’t go to Pembrokeshire just for an art trip, but there are options to add some local art into your Pembrokeshire itinerary.

30. Oriel Y Parc Gallery

This art gallery is among several museums run by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority. Although the gallery is quite small, it holds fascinating exhibits, including ones from local artists. It also doubles as the visitor center for St. Davids and best of all, entry to exhibitions is free!

31. Tenby Museum & Art Gallery

Conveniently located on Castle Hill, this museum not only contains information about the area’s natural and maritime history but also has a fine art collection. It was established in 1878 and is the oldest independent museum in Wales!

Best Places to Have a Fun Time in Pembrokeshire

And finally, if you want a break from all that history and nature and looking for a thrill or break from sightseeing, here the most fun and exciting things to do in Pembrokeshire.

32. Oakwood Theme Park

If you’re seeking thrills after all that peaceful nature and rich history, this theme park is the place to go. The Megafobia wooden roller coaster has been proclaimed the best ride in the UK and one of the best in the world!

   

33. Go boutique shopping in Pembrokshire’s cutest towns

Some of Pembrokeshire’s cutest towns, such as Tenby, Narberth and Pembroke, have boutique stores that you can spend all day shopping in. My favorite was Golden Sheaf in Narberth. This store is also an art gallery where you can shop for artwork from local artists.

34. Coasteering

Ever heard of coasteering? It involves climbing up the coastal cliffs and rocks and jumping into the water. There’s no better place for coasteering than Pembrokeshire, and it’s said that this is even where this exhilarating sport was invented.

35. Surfing

Pembrokeshire is also known as a great place to go surfing. I think the best place I came across was at Freshwater West Beach (I don’t surf myself, btw, just saw lots of surfers there).

Looking for a guided tour of Wales? Book below!

Where to Stay in Pembrokeshire

It’s best to stay in a town while in Pembrokeshire. You won’t find any bustling cities (no cities at all, in fact, unless you count the tiny St. David’s), and the towns have everything you may need yet are quiet and peaceful.

I’d stay either in Tenby, Pembroke, Haverfordwest or St. Davids.

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There it is! A complete guide to the best things to do in Pembrokeshire. I hope you get to visit this stunning little part of the world one day, because as you can see it has tons to offer!

Looking for more Wales trip planning inspiration?

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