Fairytale Welsh village one of UK's fastest growing destinations

A beautiful Italian-style village in Walesis one of the fastest growing destinations in the UK, according to TripAdvisor. People from across the country flock to stunning and unique Portmeirion in Gwynedd, north Wales to marvel at its impressive Mediterranean-like architecture and beautiful views and to explore its characterful and colourful streets all year round.

Developed by Welsh architect Clough Williams-Ellis over 50 years, Portmeirion village and gardens is one of Wales' most beloved attractions and sees more than 200,000 people visit every year. Now, it has been recognised as the third fastest-growing domestic destination across the UK, only behind Le Mont Felard on Jersey and Saltash in Cornwall, England.

In TripAdvisor's Summer Travel Index 2024, travel experts report that 45% of Brits are set to travel more this summer compared to last summer, with 82% of people planning a holiday over the next three months. Despite the Cost of Living Crisis, only 26% of people said their finances would change the way they intend to travel this summer, while 50% of Brits intend to spend more money on travel this year compared to last year.

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In terms of destinations, 31% of Brits are planning a beach holiday this year - with Sint Maarten in the Caribbean set to be the top trending destination, followed by Munich in Germany and then Jamaica.

TripAdvisor's Summer Travel Index 2024 explains: "Beach trips are most popular this summer, with almost a third (31%) heading to the coast for their holidays. On both the trending domestic destinations and international destinations lists, six out of the top 10 are beach based.

"Caribbean island, Sint Maarten, is the number one trending international destination for Brits this summer, with tropical islands in high demand, as Jamaica comes in third, followed by the Maldives at number four and Gili Air, Indonesia, at number six.

"Closer to home, Malta is the eighth trending international getaway and Sorgun, Turkey comes in at number five, a great alternative to the more popular Turkish beach resort of Antalya (number one popular international destination for 2024) just one hour along the coast. Castiadas, on the island of Sardinia, Italy, is named number 10..

"Even those staying closer to home are braving the beach, with more than half of the top 10 trending domestic destinations by the shore. Le Mont Felard, Jersey, is the number one fastest growing domestic destination, followed by Saltash, Cornwall at number two, Portmeirion, North Wales at number three and Tobermory, Isle of Mull at number four. Porthallow, Cornwall and Swanage, Dorset also made the list at number six and number nine respectively.

"Scottish getaways are also popular among Brits this summer, taking four of the top 10 spots. Crieff, Perth & Kinross is the fifth top trending domestic destination, followed by Aviemore in the Highlands at number seven and Balmaha, Loch Lomond at number 10."

Fastest growing destinations - domestic

1. Le Mont Felard, Jersey

2. Saltash, Cornwall, England

3. Portmeirion, north Wales

4. Tobermory, Isle of Mull, Scotland

5. Crieff, Perth & Kinross, Scotland

6. Porthallow, Cornwall, England

7. Aviemore, Highlands, Scotland

8. Pickering, North Yorkshire, England

9. Swanage, Dorset, England

10. Balmaha, Loch Lomond, Scotland

Portmeirion

Portmeirion is renowned for its beautiful, characterful village, relaxing gardens and stunning views. It was designed to look Italian in style with plenty of colour and intricate decoration. Portmeirion.wales outlines: "Situated on a private peninsula overlooking stunning coastal scenery, the Italian Riviera meets rural Wales with a riot of colour and architectural styles at Portmeirion Village. Built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, Portmeirion is now one of Wales’ most popular tourist destinations.

"Portmeirion Village is well known as the location for the 1960s cult TV series The Prisoner. It comprises a cluster of colour-washed buildings around a central piazza, scenic surroundings and extensive woodlands, two hotels, historic cottages, gift shops, spa and award-winning restaurants."

Earlier this month, the village was named as one of the 15 most beautiful places in the whole of the UK by Time Out, which curated the opinions of its readers. Described as being like "something out of a dream," Portmeirion shines on the list alongside beloved destinations Loch Lomond in Scotland and the Shambles in York.

"When we set about curating this list of the most beautiful places in the UK, we called on our network of expert travel writers," TimeOut features editor Chiara Wilkinson previously explained. "These guys have have personally experienced the pinch-me moment of seeing every place on this list in real life – so we can guarantee you there is no catfishing going on here. Of course, you’ll find the usual suspects – you can’t argue with the magic of the Isle of Skye, after all – but you’ll also find some more surprising beauty spots to add to your travel bucket list."

Describing Portmeirion, the writers said: "Portmeirion is like something out of a dream. That is intentional, as the brainchild of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis set out to bring the peace and pace of the Mediterranean to the northwest of Wales. Don’t scoff: the two are more alike than you might first assume. Since its completion in 1975, this unique tourist village has established itself as the most romantic spot in north Wales. Of course, it certainly helps if it comes with Italianate architecture, colourful facades and an unforgettable sense of romance. How could you not fall for Portmeirion?"