According to localcollegeexplorer, Wales is a former principality on the island of Great Britain (Europe). Wales forms the United Kingdom together with England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The capital of Wales is Cardiff (Caerdydd). A number of major cities in Wales are: Swansea (Abertawe) and Newport (Casnewydd). There are a few islands off the coast of Wales, of which Anglesey is the largest.

Wales is largely a mountainous region. The highest point in Wales is Snowdon at 1085 metres. Wales is often visited for its beautiful landscapes with green hills, vistas and mines. These mines are no longer in use, but some can be visited. There are a few islands off the coast of Wales, of which Anglesey is the largest island. This island is known for the city with the longest name in Europe: “Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch”.

Where is Wales located?

Travel information of Wales

Official name: Wales
Continent: Europe
Area: 20,761 km²
Capital city: Cardiff
Country code: GB, GBR
Population: 3,153,000 inhabitants (2018)
Form of government: Constitutional monarchy
Highest point: 1,085 m (Snowdon)
Distance (Amsterdam – Cardiff): 566 km
Flight time: approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes

Travel advice
Current status: No special security risks.
Current color code: Green.

Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in place in Wales that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs for Wales, please visit Countryaah.

Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Wales. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.

Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Wales?

Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, guided tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Wales at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.

Weather and climate
Wales has a temperate maritime climate. During the summer months the temperatures are around 20 degrees and during the winter months around 5 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Wales can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Wales can be found at Climate info.

Best time
May and June are the best months to travel to Wales. In these months you have the best chance of pleasant temperatures, without being bothered by mass tourism.

Language
Welsh (Welsh) is the official language in Wales. In addition, English is spoken.
Would you like to translate from or into Welsh for free? Use the Google translator for this.

Travel documents
You must have a valid passport.
A visa is not necessary.

Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in the United Kingdom:
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulates in the United Kingdom (Consulate Cardiff):
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of the United Kingdom in the Netherlands: ukinnl.fco.gov.uk.
United Kingdom Consulate in the Netherlands: ukinnl.fco.gov.uk.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.

Vaccination (inoculation)
You do not need any vaccinations to visit Wales.

Money and Currency
In Wales, payment is made with the British pound (GBP).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Wales can be found on our ATMs page.

Price level
Prices in Wales are slightly lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -4% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (17% cheaper), food (14% more expensive), imported beer in catering (27% more expensive), cigarettes (71% more expensive) and public transport (29% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.

Tipping
In Wales it is customary to tip. If this has not already been included in the bill, it is customary to tip approximately 10%.

Time difference
In Wales it is 1 hour earlier than in the Netherlands.
Summer time in Wales is equal to that in the Netherlands.
The local time, date and time zone for Wales can be found on our time difference page.

Traffic and route
In Wales you must drive on the left.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Wales.
Information on public transport in Wales can be found at Traveline-Cymru.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Wales.

Electricity
In Wales you in some cases need a travel plug.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Wales can be found on our electricity page (see United Kingdom).

Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 999 or 112
– Fire: 999 or 112
– Ambulance: 999 or 112
– Non-emergency care: 101

Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.

News and newspapers
The latest news related to Wales can be found on Google news.
An overview of Welsh newspapers can be found at Abyznewslinks.

Internet
Welsh websites end in.co.uk.
Official websites of Wales: princeofwales.gov.uk and visitwales.nl.

Telephony
The country code (international prefix) to call someone in Wales is 0044 or +44.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Wales? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Phone numbers can be found in the Wales Telephone Directory.
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Wales.

Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Wales.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Wales.

Public holidays and school holidays
An overview of all other public holidays in Wales can be found on Gov.uk.
An overview of all school holidays in Wales can be found in the Eurydice school guide.

Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Wales, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.

Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Wales?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Wales. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.

Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Wales can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Wales can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Wales? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.

Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you intend to do business in or do business with Wales, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Wales, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.

Studying and internship
Are you considering a study, internship or gap year in Wales? You are by no means the only one and certainly not the first. To help you on your way, Nuffic (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education) has set up the WilWeg.nl website. On this website you will find all the information that can help you on your way, such as admission requirements, forms of education, accommodation, scholarships, internships, health insurance, study costs and of course experiences.

Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations, which you may encounter during your visit to Wales.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.8.
– Tobacco: Buy from the age of 18, smoke from the age of 16.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed

Did you know…
…there are 11 million sheep in Wales?
…Wales has the most castles per km ² ?
…The letters K, Q, V and Z are not used in the Welsh alphabet?
…The deepest cave in the United Kingdom is located in Wales?
…The smallest chapel in the United Kingdom is in Wales?
…Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones were born in Wales?