On a business trip to Swansea I was reading through one of those tourist magazines that listed…read morelocal goings on. I stumbled upon an article about the Glynn Vivian. I decided to check the local flavor out before heading to London. They were also showing a special exhibit that I was curious about from NS Harsha. It did not disappoint!! I was pleasantly surprised at how beautiful the building is inside. They have added in modern comforts such as temperature controls and lifts but still maintain an old elegance and the lighting of the skylights created a peaceful ambience. The entire space lends itself to contemplation and I could see myself bringing a book and curling up on one of the couches and reading for a bit. The gallery is free but donations are encouraged and welcome. I really enjoyed my time there. Unlike most of my museum experiences as a tourist, the GV was pretty empty. It was peppered with some locals and visitors like myself. But it allowed me to quietly contemplate what I was seeing in front of me. Something I usually don't get to do as I get herded from room to room. What I really loved about this place though is the copious amounts of seating available. It actually encouraged me to sit and look at the art. I even sat and watched a video on a Welsh artist Kyffin Williams who is amazing. There is a small cafe with drinks and snacks if you need a nibble. This is a local treasure and I hope they are continued to be supported by the people of Swansea and visitors that stumble upon it.

I really like going to visit the Glynn Vivian. I love the antique glass and porcelain. Full of…read morethings I could look at every day. Also interesting exhibitions. It's not huge, so you do not need to feel overwhelmed and you can get to know works of art really well. Unusually quiet every time I go, so you can contemplate the works of art here. No cafe but disabled access.

Bryncoch craft centre is a bit out of the way up in the middle of no where but it is well worth the…read morevisit. It is signposted but the roads are very quiet on the way up and horses on the road are a regular occurance so be aware. The shop is small but stocks lots of bits and bobs that are unique and offer something a little different to what you would normally purchase in the larger chain stores. That said this does come at a price so be prepared a little more. This centre is ideal for Welsh gifts and you will find lots of locally crafted goods and occasional demonstations here. The place has a lovely warm feel to it and you could spend hours browsing this small but well filled store.

Oystermouth Castle is a sweet little thing set on a hill overlooking Swansea Bay and looked after…read morethese days by volunteers. It originated in the 12th century and remained one of the most important castles in South Wales for another 300 years or so. Back in the day it must've been quite the dwelling, with visits from Edward I and a chapel built in. By the 16th Century the castle was in a bit of a state, and by state I mean ruins. These days though, quite a lot of it remains and you can explore it quite intricately, climb up stairs and wander around the bits left over imagining you are the king and your friends are the dirty rascals. It only costs about £1 to get in and it's a lovely place to have a summer picnic.

This a historic castle with good views over the town and Mumbles. You can go inside the castle and…read moreup onto the walls and turret for a great view out. Cheap entrance fee £1 so definitely worth it.

A small friendly museum in easy walking distance from the docks. It has a car park with a few…read morespaces and is wheelchair accessable. Regular interesting exhibitions. We popped in to see a fascinating one on the second world war, with interesting details about local charicters. There was also a wonderful photography exhibition and a room of local historical pottery amongst other things. Shop and friendly staff on site. Worth the visit (free by the way!!).

I was quite disappointed at the Swansea Museum. I remember how much I enjoyed visiting the Maritime…read moreMuseum when I was a child, but I definitely didn't see the same excitment in my children when we visited. The museum is a somewhat disjointed affair, taking in all kinds of themes, transport, industry, technology, culture and history. When we visited, a lot of the 'hands-on' exhibits for kids were out of order or simply not working. The building itself is fabulous, obviously a lot of money has been spent, but it just didn't do it for us. Maybe we're just spoiled or something.

Not too bad as indoor markets go though not as good as, say, the one in Llanelli (mind you, that's…read morea hard act to follow). All the things you might expect in a market: fruit and veg, greetings cards, clothes, etc. The small hairdressers is particularly good value and there's a Welsh gift shop which is ideal for presents and cards. There are a couple of outlets which sell yarn, wool, sewing cotton and ribbons.

For me, Neath Indoor Market is Neath at it's most typical! At times you can imagine that time has…read morestood still and you're back in Victorian times - apart from the prices, of course. There's a wide range of stalls in the market, many of which have been there for donkey's years. My particular favourites are the newsagents on the corner as you go in, Bella Fiori - the florist and Betts - from the local nursery in Cilfrew - I wouldn't buy my daffodil bulbs anywhere else! My son's favourite stall is the sweet stall - a good old fashioned sweetie shop, selling everyone's favourite sweets and chocolates. It's cold and damp even on the sunniest days outside, but there are toilets at the rear of the market.

A lovely wide sandy beach and nice place to visit for a walk, paddle, or even a swim or surfing if…read moreyou don't mind braving the cold! Lots of rock pools for children to explore. There are good views across the Bristol Channel towards Somerset too. There's a car park nearby which charges in season (pay and display). To find it, take the B4265 from Bridgend then the B4524 and follow the signs to Ogmore.

A broken down ruin this has nonetheless got some very interesting history attached to it…read more Reputed to have been the place where King Arthur gathered his forces prior to marching up to Mount Badon (Mynydd Baedon) a couple of miles away, it even has a memorial stone granting land to a nearby church by Arthur himself Worth an excursion if you like hidden Welsh history

Swansea's National Waterfront Museum is a great place in which to gain an understanding of…read moreSwansea's rich history. I didn't expect that the museum would answer the many questions I had about the town but it did. For starters: * What is the city doing with sea water and why?; and * Why is all of the waterfront development so much newer than the rest of the city? These questions make sense when you're in Swansea but not when you're far away and reading a yelp review so I'll not try to explain. Just know that the National Waterfront Museum does a very good job at providing a lot of interesting information about Swansea, Wales in general, the waterfront, the people, and the history of migration to the area. That all of this is free of charge is icing on the cake. After spending several hours here my sole gripe is that a lot of energy has been put into making displays interactive thus requiring viewers to pull out heavy drawers, or wave their hands around to activate things. As an able-bodied person I struggled with some of these things and witnessed other, less-able folks completely mystified with how to interact with some of the exhibits. Still, don't let that keep you away. The National Waterfront Museum isn't something that'll appeal to kids but if you have the energy and attention span to read a lot there's a lot here to learn about. I found it interesting and well worth my time.

I was there 3 years ago and I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw, either in terms of…read morearchitecture, technology or education. The building is situated just off the Swansea Marina, it even has a bar that goes straight to it, so in that order even the location is perfect for a nice clear sky walk. When you enter you can almost see how the museum is set up, it mainly is a record of how the Maritime life of Wales developed, with a special focus on the Swansea area. It may seem a bit boring if you aren't one of the nautical type (like I am) but the way everything is displayed is genius, they have used the latest technology of movement reaction based sensors for you to control animations and displays so it is a complete immerse experience. I really did enjoyed it and to think that by the fact that I was a student I got in for free! Which makes the experience even better! If you are around Swansea don't forget to come by and visit this pearl of Wales. It is truly a great Museum, you can compare it to several big ones all over the world!

The coastline near Cardiff that's known as the Glamorgan Heritage Coast is a wild and ruggedly…read morebeautiful coastline that's well worth exploring if you visit or live in Cardiff. It's easiest if you have your own transport, so you can stop off along the way when something catches your eye. Situated in Dunraven Park at Southerndown, the Heritage Coast Centre itself offers information about the coastline and its features, and incorporates a small shop as well. It isn't amazing in itself, but it is a good starting point for exploring some of the highlights of the heritage coast, which stretches for 14 miles from West Aberthaw to Porthcawl. Overlooking the Glamorgan Heritage Coast Centre itself are the ruins of Dunraven Castle, which was actually not really a castle but a 19th century mansion - sat above banded sandstone cliffs. From there, on your journey along the coast you get to see some beautiful low cliffs, Celtic hill forts, and lots of sand dune areas (mainly in the west), including some of the largest dunes in Europe at Merthyr Mawr Warren. For swimming, Southerndown is a good spot, and about halfway along the coast is medieval St. Donat's Castle, now a school, which offers guided tours in the summer months when school's out. Footpaths snake along the coast for walkers - but sometimes suffer landslips, so watch out.

Useful place to pick up leaflets on the area including ones describing walks along the nearby…read morecliffs. There is also a good range of postcards and greetings cards, and some inexpensive gifts with 'Glamorgan heritage Coast' on the side (pens, pencils - only 50p each) Friendly staff too. There's a disabled toilet (radar key) outside in a separate block and disabled parking bays immediately outside.