Llangollen is one of the most beautiful and culturally distinguished towns in Wales — a small, dramatic market town in the Dee Valley in Denbighshire, set in a deep gorge where the River Dee rushes between wooded hills, dominated by the ruins of Castell Dinas Brân on its conical hilltop above the town. Best known internationally as the home of the International Musical Eisteddfod, Llangollen draws competitors and visitors from over 50 countries each July for one of the world's great folk music and dance festivals.
Llangollen's setting is extraordinary — the Dee gorge, the canal, the steam railway and the surrounding hills together create a landscape that has attracted visitors since the 18th century, when it became a stopping point on the London to Holyhead road and the subject of romantic paintings by artists including J.M.W. Turner. Plas Newydd, the former home of the celebrated 'Ladies of Llangollen' — Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Sarah Ponsonby, who eloped here in 1780 and entertained the most distinguished literary and political figures of the age — is one of the most interesting literary houses in Wales.
The Llangollen Canal — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — crosses the spectacular Pontcysyllte Aqueduct just 3 miles east: Thomas Telford's masterpiece of 1805, the longest and highest navigable aqueduct in Britain, carrying narrowboats 38 metres above the Dee Valley floor. The Llangollen Railway, a preserved steam railway, runs through the gorge to Corwen. House prices average £242,000.
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Who is Llangollen Good For?
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VisitBritain- International Musical EisteddfodOne of the world's great folk festivals, held each July — competitors from 50+ countries perform music and dance in the Royal International Pavilion. Founded in 1947, it has become a symbol of international harmony.
- Castell Dinas BrânA ruined 13th-century Welsh castle on a dramatic conical hilltop above the town — a 30-minute walk from the centre rewards with panoramic views over the Dee Valley, the Berwyns and the English border hills.
- Llangollen RailwayA preserved steam railway running through the spectacular Dee Gorge from Llangollen to Corwen — one of the finest heritage railway journeys in Wales, following the river through beautiful wooded scenery.
- Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (UNESCO)Thomas Telford's masterpiece of 1805 — the longest and highest navigable aqueduct in Britain, carrying the Llangollen Canal 38 metres above the Dee Valley. A UNESCO World Heritage Site 3 miles east.
- Plas NewyddThe extraordinary Gothic cottage home of the 'Ladies of Llangollen', who entertained Wordsworth, Walter Scott, the Duke of Wellington and Josiah Wedgwood here from 1780. A fascinating and eccentric historic house.
- Llangollen Canal & WharfThe Llangollen Canal — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — passes through the town. Horse-drawn and motorised canal boat trips from the wharf pass through beautiful Dee Valley scenery towards the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
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