An anonymous 18th century poem set out the Seven Wonders of Wales in order to attract English visitors to the country and, while all seven of the wonders can still be seen today, we thought we’d update the list with our recommendations for today’s travellers!

Pistyll Rhaeadr, Wales’s tallest waterfall © Crown Copyright (Photographer: Catrin Elis)

The poem titled The Seven Wonders of Wales, which is believed to have been written in the late 1700s, aimed to entice Georgian-era tourists to Wales from the rapidly expanding cities of north west England such as Liverpool and Manchester, at a time when new roads were opening up travel.

The short rhyme reads:

Pistyll Rhaeadr and Wrexham steeple,
Snowdon's mountain without its people,
Overton yew trees, St Winefride's well,
Llangollen bridge and Gresford bells.

All of the places mentioned in the poem – with the exception of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) – are located in the counties of Flintshire and Denbighshire, in north east Wales, close to the border with England. It has been suggested that the poem could be seen as an early example of a tourist marketing campaign, tempting English travellers to come and witness these marvels, just a short journey from their homes!

Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Amazingly, all seven of these wonders can still be seen today, and as they are close geographically, are easy to visit on a two- or three-day trip. Pistyll Rhaeadr, the tallest waterfall in Wales, and Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), the highest mountain in Wales, are certainly highlights for many present-day tourists, but we thought we would select seven more recent wonders that are well worth a visit too!

1) The Great Glasshouse at the National Botanic Garden of Wales

The incredible Great Glasshouse, which forms the centrepiece of the National Botanic Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire, is the world’s largest single-span glasshouse. Designed by internationally renowned architects Norman Foster and Partners, the huge, tilted glass dome encases a Mediterranean landscape dominated by a six-metre deep ravine. 

The National Botanic Garden of Wales is a place of international significance dedicated to conservation, horticulture, science, education, leisure and the arts. As a landmark Millennium project, the garden is a fascinating blend of the modern and historic, covering 568 acres of beautiful Carmarthenshire countryside.

2) Wales Millennium Centre

The Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff is one of the most unique and lively performing arts centres in Europe. One of the UK’s top attractions, the landmark building stages musicals, opera, ballet, contemporary dance and a diverse programme of free performances. 

The concept of the striking building is "Welshness" and it was designed to reflect many different parts of Wales, using local Welsh materials such as slate, metal, wood and glass. Inscribed on the front of the dome, above the main entrance, are two lines written by Welsh poet Gwyneth Lewis in Welsh and English. The lines in Welsh read:

CREU GWIR
FEL GWYDR
O FFWRNAIS AWEN
(Creating Truth Like Glass From Inspiration's Furnace).

The inscription in English reads:
IN THESE STONES
HORIZONS
SING

3) Portmeirion Village

Portmeirion is an eccentric Italian style village close to Porthmadog in north west Wales. It was designed and built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1976 and is a now a must-see tourist destination, welcoming nearly a quarter of a million visitors every year. Aside from its iconic architecture, scenic surroundings and vast woodland gardens, Portmeirion is home to luxury hotels, a huddle of historic cottages, a spa and award-winning restaurants. 

Portmeirion has attracted a good deal of interest over the years, especially from other architects, such as prolific American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who visited Portmeirion in 1956 on his one and only visit to Wales, his ancestral homeland. In the 1960s, Portmeirion was the location for the filming of the cult TV series The Prisoner, starring American born actor Patrick McGoohan.

4) Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

The oldest wonder on our list, dating back to 1805, Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in the Vale of Llangollen in North East Wales, is the longest aqueduct in the United Kingdom, the highest canal aqueduct in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Known as ‘the stream in the sky’, it was designed by Thomas Telford, one of Britain’s leading industrial engineers. The 18 arch stone and cast-iron structure was one of the greatest technological achievements of its age and to cross it – on foot or by water – is an unforgettable experience. Boat trips to the aqueduct leave each day from the pretty Welsh town of Llangollen and cruise leisurely through the magnificent scenery of the Dee Valley along the Llangollen Canal.

5) National Stadium of Wales

The premier venue in Wales for large scale sporting and cultural events, the National Stadium of Wales (also known as the Principality Stadium) in Cardiff was opened in 1999 and is famous as the first stadium in the UK with a retractable roof. it is one of the country's most important and iconic buildings - a symbol of 21st century Wales. 

Home to the Welsh rugby team, it is recognised for its incredible atmosphere on match days, especially when the Wales team Is winning! It is an unforgettable experience to hear 74,000 spectators cheering on their teams, with many raising their voices in Welsh song. Welsh poet Owen Sheers captured the essence of watching sport at Wales’s national stadium when he wrote, “There are moments when the many through the few become one”.

6) National Library of Wales

The National Library of Wales, in the town of Aberystwyth on the west coast of Wales, is one of the great libraries of the world and, in October 2025, Aberystwyth was named Wales's first City of Literature by UNESCO. It is home to more than six million books, thousands of important artworks and countless archive documents, creating a mammoth bank of information that forms the collective memory of the nation. 

Not only is it a beloved asset for those with an interest in Welsh history but, with its beautiful architecture and thought-provoking exhibitions, it is also a wonderful attraction in its own right – providing the perfect foreword to any Welsh adventure.

7) Slate landscape of North West Wales

The unique slate landscape of North West Wales, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021, tells the story of the transformation of an upland agricultural society to one dominated by slate production during the Industrial Revolution (1780-1914), with towns, quarries and transport links carving their way through the majestic mountains of Snowdonia down towards the iconic ports.

Dinorwig Quarry (Crown Copyright RCAHMW)

The World Heritage Site includes spectacular quarry landscapes such as Penrhyn, Dinorwig, the Nantlle Valley and Ffestiniog. It also includes the National Slate Museum in Llanberis, Penrhyn Castle and the famous Ffestiniog and Talyllyn Railways, built to transport the slate from the quarries to markets around the world, and both later transformed through the dedication of volunteers into heritage railways. For anyone looking to understand the history of Wales, this is a must-see destination.

If you or your group would like to visit one or more of these seven modern wonders of Wales, or any of the traditional wonders described in the 18th century poem, on a tailor-made tour of Wales, please do contact our team today.

All photos © Hawlfraint y Goron / © Crown copyright (2026) Cymru Wales