International travelers have selected touring castles in Wales as the most popular of 18 travel experiences that can only be found in Britain. 10,000 people in 20 countries were surveyed by VisitBritain for the 2010 Nation Brands Index. 34% of participants would like to visit castles in Wales, making it the most frequently chosen response.
Visiting Welsh castles beat out other top tourist activities like: touring Buckingham Palace (32%), staying overnight in a Scottish castle (29.1%), and watching the sunrise at Stonehenge (28.9%). Visit Wales finds these survey results no surprise. “This survey confirms that castles in Wales are a must-see for any Britain itinerary. With the great variety of castles to see in Wales, there is something for everyone,” said Paul Chibeba, Director—North America, Visit Wales.
Boasting 641 castles, Wales is the castle capital of the world, with more castles per square mile than any other destination. Four Welsh castles collectively form a UNESCO World Heritage site: Harlech, Beaumaris, Conwy and Caernarfon. Edwardian invaders left these imposing fortresses, still some of the world’s most striking examples of medieval architecture.
