Porthmadog

Porthmadog is a town in Gwynedd.

Understand

Porthmadog is a small coastal town of around 4000 people with a picturesque harbour.

Get in

By train

Porthmadog station is on the Cambrian Coast Line which runs from Machynlleth to Pwllheli. Travel to Machynlleth is from either Aberystwyth or Shrewsbury.

The town is also served by the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway from Blaneau Ffestiniog, Welsh Highland Railway from Caernarfon and the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway.

By car

On the A487 the Fishguard - Bangor road.

Get around

See

• 🌍 Portmeirion, LL48 6ET (Portmeirion is 1 ½ miles South of Porthmadog), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Portmeirion village was created by the architect Clough Williams-Ellis from 1925 to 1976. The location of the cult 60s TV series The Prisoner, "I am not a number. I am a free man". (updated Dec 2017)

Do

• 🌍 Ffestiniog Railway, Harbour Station, LL49 9NF, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. The Ffestiniog runs through several miles of attractive terrain to Blaenau Ffestiniog. From Blaenau you can either proceed north on the standard gauge Conwy Valley Line to the coast at Llandudno or you can return to Porthmadog. A round trip (Porthmadog - Blaenau - Porthmadog) will take approximately 4 hours (more if you break the journey along the route) and it is therefore an excellent way of occupying a day.  
• 🌍 Welsh Highland Railway, Harbour Station, LL49 9NF, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. runs trains from Porthmadog via Beddgelert to Caernarfon through picturesque scenery of Snowdonia.  
• 🌍 Welsh Highland Heritage Railway, Tremadog Road, LL49 4DY, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail].  
• Wales Coast Path

Buy

• Cob Records, 1-3 Britannia Terrace. Shop specialising in bargain second-hand records, tapes, CDs, videos and DVDs. Good Welsh-language sections. 

Eat

The town has a Chinese restaurant, an Indian restaurant, a bistro, and various pubs serving food, including one at the station of the Ffestiniog Railway situated at the end of the Cob. The village of Tremadog is about a fifteen minute walk and enjoys four food pubs on its square. There are also numerous take-aways, including Chinese and an award-winning Fish & Chip shop.

• 🌍 The Ship, 14 Lombard St., ☎ [phone]. (updated Nov 2016)

Drink

• 🌍 Spooners Grill, Cafe and Bar (On the platform of the Ffestiniog Railway), ☎ [phone]. The ideal place for a drink or food before or after your journey on the Ffestiniog Railway or Welsh Highland Railway 
• 🌍 Purple Moose Brewery, Madoc Street, ☎ [phone]. (updated Nov 2016)

Sleep

The town has a good selection of Bed and Breakfast guest houses and makes a good base for exploring North-West Wales.

• 🌍 Royal Sportsman Hotel, 131 High St., ☎ [phone]. (updated Nov 2016)

Go next

• The Portmeirion village is about two miles away.
• The Lleyn Peninsula is an easy drive.
• Snowdonia National Park stretches both North and South from here.
• Criccieth
• Harlech