Carmarthen offers a blend of the old and the new. According to Arthurian legend, the ‘Once and Future King’ was born in a cave just outside of the town, whilst Carmarthen today might not be home to the sword in the stone, it is most definitely provides a suitable base for your cottage holiday in south west Wales.

Widely proclaimed to be the oldest town in Wales and with a Roman fort dated from around AD75, Carmarthen provides a mix of both the old and the new. The Old Town is a place for you to slow down the pace as you wander around the myriad of cobbled streets for a walk through history, the medieval lanes crossing to Norman architecture, Art Deco details contrasted with Roman relics.

The town centre houses small independent shops as well as many high street names for you to browse and explore, but there’s more to shopping here; Carmarthen Castle, built by Henry I in the 12th Century, sits atop the banks of the River Towy. The art deco ‘Moderne’ Lyric Theatre provides a beautiful cultural hotspot. More art and culture is housed in the Oriel Myrddin Gallery.

St. Mary’s Street in Old Carmarthen is not only home to one of the smallest public houses in Britain, ‘The Plume of Feathers’, but is also said to be where Oliver Cromwell stood to watch the castle burn. The historic guildhall sits proudly at the centre of the New Town amidst another busy retail centre.

For accommodation in the area see our selection of cottages in Carmarthen.