Visiting Dylan Thomas’s Laugharne (& other POI in Wales)

Dylan Thomas, one of the most famous (and considered one of the best) poets of the last century, called Laugharne home for the last few years of his life. He called it “the strangest town in Wales,” and even decades after he died, it still holds everything he loved about it.

The sea, nature, literary ties and an old yet lively town make Laugharne worth a visit, even for those who never even heard of Dylan Thomas.

In this post you will find all the Dylan Thomas points of interest in Laugharne and the rest of Wales.

When did Dylan Thomas live in Laugharne?

Dylan Thomas’s family moved to Laugharne in 1949. Although he died in 1953 in the US, his body was brought back to Wales and he was buried in Laugharne.

How to get to Laugharne?

Fairly isolated from any big cities, Laugharne is located in Carmarthenshire, near Pembrokeshire.

If you’re driving, take either A40 or A477 to St. Clears. From here, take A4066 to Laugharne.

To take public transportation, you’ll have to take a bus. There are no trains going to Laugharne, but you can catch a train to Carmarthen, from where a bus (222) runs to Laugharne several times a day.

Where to park in Laugharne?

The place best to park is in the car park next to Laugharne Castle. From here, you can walk to all the Dylan Thomas spots in Laugharne.

Alternatively, you can try to find street parking if it’s not too busy. I found parking not far from the Dylan Thomas Boathouse.

Be aware that the Boathouse does not have parking, so don’t try driving up to it; it’s a dead end street!

Dylan Thomas Points of Interest in Laugharne, Wales

Dylan Thomas Boathouse

This is the house that Dylan Thomas lived in, and now it’s a café. It’s a very peaceful place to watch the tide come in and out. And it’s a great place to write if you’re a writer traveling in Wales.

Writing Shed

Located above the Boathouse is a garage that was converted into a writing shed. This is where Dylan Thomas wrote much of his world-famous poetry.

Although it’s currently closed due to Covid (it’s very tiny), you can still peek inside! There is a window that lets you see the environment that Dylan Thomas wrote in, and I think it’s safe to say it’s the envy of every writer.

Browns Hotel

This is a remodeled hotel that was once frequented by Dylan Thomas himself. It has a restaurant, so feel free to stop by for a meal or drink and imagine Dylan Thomas drinking alongside you.

Dylan Thomas’s Grave

Laugharne is the final resting spot Dylan Thomas and his wife Caitlin, and you can find their grave in the cemetery of St. Martin’s Church.

This beautiful church has an old cemetery lined with yew trees, but Dylan Thomas’s grave is in the new cemetery. It’s easy to find because it’s marked by a simple wooden cross.

Birthday Walk

In Poem in October, Dylan Thomas wrote about a walk he took through Laugharne to Sir John’s hill on his 30^th birthday. You can recreate this walk and retrace Dylan Thomas’s footsteps!

It’s fairly easy to do as you will find a tourist sign by Laugharne Castle pointing you in the right direction.

Speaking of which, you can visit this castle (once owned by writer Richard Hughes, friend of Dylan Thomas), but be aware that it’s only open several days a week and only during peak season.

Where to Stay in Laugharne, Wales

If you’d like to stay overnight in the charming little Welsh town (perhaps a mini writing retreat?), here is where you should stay.

Browns Hotel is an obvious choice for Dylan Thomas fans, since it is well-known as a place he used to drink at.

The Boat House B&B is a more homey option with delicious local food served for breakfast.

And finally, the Dylan Thomas Resort is located just above the Dylan Thomas Boathouse and writing shed, so you can wake up to the same view that Dylan Thomas woke up to!

Other Dylan Thomas locations in Wales

Hungry for more places in Wales with links to Dylan Thomas?

There are plenty! So if you’re a Dylan Thomas fan, you can really make an entire themed trip out of visiting South Wales.

Llansteffan

Not far from Laugharne is another place featured in Dylan Thomas’s poems. Fern Hill is a famous Dylan Thomas poem that takes place in Llansteffan. Dylan Thomas regularly visited Llansteffan during his childhood as he had relatives living there.

A visit to this little town makes it easy to see how it inspired such beautiful poetry.

And if you’re a writer, you’ll be further interested in visiting this Welsh town. Dylan Thomas wasn’t the only writer inspired by Llansteffan, and it has evolved as a literary town. It even has a literary festival every year!

Swansea

Penned a “lovely, ugly town” by Dylan Thomas himself, Swansea is where Dylan Thomas was born and grew up.

Here you can visit his childhood home (5 Cwmdonkin Drive), which is now a Dylan Thomas museum.

Other Dylan Thomas POI in Swansea include Kardomah Café, where he hung out, and the Dylan Thomas Theatre, a theater that Dylan Thomas and his sister were members of.

Tenby

Tenby is a charming seaside town that attracted many writers, Dylan Thomas included.

You can see the building where Dylan Thomas read from the final version of “Under Milk Wood” in 1953 a month before his death in what was formerly the Salad Bowl Café.

---

Let me know in the comments which Dylan Thomas related place in Wales you’re most keen to visit!