Tiny Welsh town dubbed ‘Cornwall without the crowds’ has huge sandy beach where you can spot porpoises
A COASTAL town in Wales has been named as one of the coolest in the country and even compared to Cornwall.
The Times trawled the country for the hottest postcodes for 2025, naming Newport in Pembrokeshire among its top 11 spots.
Not to be confused with Wales‘ third largest city, which also goes by the same name, the Welsh town sits in Pembrokeshire.
Known as Trefdraeth, Newport lies in the shadow of Carningli Mountain.
An article in The Times writes: “It’s giving off Cornwall sans the crowds, with pretty streets lined with pastel-hued Georgian townhouses and stone cottages from which to soak up the blush-pink sunsets over Newport Sands”.
The Welsh town dates back to the 12th century and was known for its wool and pottery trade, with Britain’s oldest intact medieval pottery kiln on display in the memorial hall.
Nowadays, the pace of life is slower in Newport, with the town home to independent shops, restaurants and small businesses.
One attraction is the Carningli Centre, a huge antique shop with over 10,000 second-hand books.
There’s also a tiny museum called Ty Twt (Little House) that’s dedicated to doll houses from 1840 to the present day.
The doll houses that are on display are part of a private collection, with the museum only open on school holidays and bank holidays.
Entrance fees cost £3 for a full-paying adult and £1.50 kids, with money being deposited into a toy cash register.
There’s also Newport Collective, a multi-roomed gallery run by local artists, and homeware shop Ffynnon where hand-thrown ceramics and seaweed prints are sold.
Newport is also home to the Golden Lion, a pub that’s been going since the 17th-century pub.
Other food spots include Tides, a kitchen and wine bar rolled into one, and Blas at Fronlas, a cafe-cum-deli.
Nearby, there’s also Bluestone Brewing – a microbrewery that uses spring water from the Preseli Mountains.
Thanks to its coastal location, there are several beaches within a stone’s throw of the Welsh town, including Newport Beach.
Backed by sand dunes, the sandy beach is popular with watersports enthusiasts.
A little closer is Parrog that’s home to fishing boats and Newport Boat Club.
Holidaymakers can also go porpoise watching a Ceibwr Bay, which is six miles up the coast from Newport.
Accommodation in Newport is relatively affordable with overnight stays at the Golden from £130 per night.
Overnight stays in B&Bs are cheaper, with rooms from £95.
Newport is an 80-minute drive from Aberystwyth, and it’s a two-hour drive from Cardiff.
Sun Travel's favourite towns and villages to visit in the UK
HERE are Sun Travel’s favourite towns and villages to visit in the UK.
Harrogate, North Yorkshire – Hope Brotherton, Travel Reporter
FOR the last few years, my annual trip to Harrogate has been an immovable fixture in my calendar.
The Victorian spa town is the perfect place for a little bit of R&R thanks to its history of spa tourism, which is very much alive.
Head to The Harrogate Spa at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel if you’d like a pamper, which is a personal favourite of mine.
Make sure to overindulge at Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms where a glass of pink champagne and a huge scone are almost compulsory.
Harrogate is also home to the Glastonbury of Book festivals.
Taking place every July, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, which has been affectionately nicknamed Harrogate crime writing festival, completely dominates the picturesque Yorkshire town – and I don’t think anyone would have it any other way.
As someone who’s been going to the festival for the last three years, I personally think it should be called the Glastonbury of book festivals with previous headliners including household names like Richard Osman, Lee Child, Kathy Reichs, Mark Billingham and Val McDermid.
Lavenham, Suffolk – Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
ONE of my favourite villages I’ve ever visited in England is Lavenham, which is beautiful in autumn.
Said to be the best preserved medieval village in the UK, it is known for two buildings – the 600-year-old Crooked House and the De Vere House, which featured in the Harry Potter films.
Warm up at The Swan Hotel, which has its cosy Weavers Spa onsite.
Robin Hood’s Bay, Yorkshire – Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor
PERCHED atop a craggy cliff, overlooking a dinky shore, Robin Hood’s Bay seems like something from a fiction tale or a North Yorkshire postcard.
In summer, you’ll find dogs sprinting along the sands, while owners tuck into fresh crab sandwiches from the beachside hut and little ones fish for treasures in the rock pools.
I prefer the village in winter, though, when the weather takes a turn and nature comes alive with the grassy dunes dancing in the wind and moody waves thrashing on the rocks.
Aside from curling up in front of a roaring pub fire, in colder months visitors can stroll the rows of higgledy-piggledy boutiques and cafes dishing up wedges of homemade cakes piled high with buttercream.
You’ll be treading history as you meander the narrow alleyways too, as this former fishing village was once very popular with smugglers.
Contraband like gin or tea would be snuck in through the warren of interconnected houses and tunnels.
What’s more, there’s a restriction on visitor vehicles and cars are even banned from the harbour area, making it a great place for a car-free trip.
Another tiny village in the UK has been compared to a retro 1940s film set.
And an abandoned village in England only opens to tourists once a year.