The Snowdonia National Park was the third of the UK's designated areas to be created October 1951, and the first to be opened in Wales, preceeded by the Peak District National Park and the Lake District National Park in the same year
The park is located in North West Wales within the county of Gwynedd and Conwy which extends to parts of the the coast in the north and to the west and you can therefore be sat on a beach, yet with stunning views of the mountains Inland. and the llyn peninsula.
The National Park also contains the highest mountain in Wales, Mount Snowdon, or Yr Wyddfa in Welsh at 1, 085 metres / 3560 feet, and with several walks to the Cafe topped summit this is one of the area's most visited destinations. Llanberis at the foot of the mountain though just outside / right on the edge the park boundary is another extremely popular place with lots to see and do in the area, including the base station for the Snowndon Mountain Railway, The National slate Museum, Llyn Padarn (Lake) and the narrow gauge railway that runs along its shore and to the village. There are also guided tours into "Electric Mountain" Hydro Electric scheme.
Other popular areas include Portmeirion Village in an Italian / Mediterranean style where the buildings are not to full scale but quirky, the village was made famous by the 1960's TV series "The Prisoner". The pretty village of Betws-y-Coed is a pretty location surrounded by wooded hills, again another popular tourist destination with the Swallow falls nearby.
On the west coast there are several very good sandy beaches and villages to visit, plus the town of Harlech with its impressive castle which incidently contains the steepest street in the world.
Popular Snowdonia National Park Destinations
Bala
Barmouth
Beddgelert
Bethesda
Betws-y-Coed
Blaenau Ffestiniog
Capel Curig