Raglan, Romans and Cardiff

Overview

An exciting new trip for 2026 – explore castles and Roman ruins across South Wales. We will be based at The Parkway Hotel and Spa – 4* property located in Cwmbran. The hotel is set in over 7 acres of gardens, and boasts a leisure club with a 15-metre swimming pool, sauna and spa bath. The Parkway offers a range of facilities including snooker and billiard tables, outside chess and boules green as well as a badminton and croquet lawn. There is also a restaurant and lounge with a real log fire. Beautifully-furnished, the rooms have oversized beds, plush carpets and marble en-suite bathrooms. Each room has a TV, an in-room safe, tea/ coffee making facilities.

Our itinerary includes :

• A day at Caerleon Roman Fortress Baths, and the National Roman Legion Museum. Caerleon was home to a huge Roman Fortress, and inside this modern covered building in today’s Caerleon you can still explore the remains of the immense natation, or open-air swimming pool, that once held more than 80,000 gallons of water. You can also see the cramped rooms where the men slept and stored their weapons. This is the only Roman legionary barracks still on view in Europe and you can walk through the great north entrance into the most complete Roman Amphitheatre in Britain and imagine the din of 6,000 people baying for blood.
• A part-walking and part panoramic coach tour of Cardiff. Our guide meets us in the heart of the Welsh Capital, and will take us on a walking and panoramic coach tour of the city. You’ll learn about the history of this stunning city, from the Romans, to the era of Black Gold and how it became the seat of Welsh Government.
• Time at leisure in Cardiff – spend time exploring the city and immerse yourself in the culture, enjoy the range of entertainment happening, do some shopping or take time to unwind in one of the scenic natural beauty spots. The city is bustling with exciting new events and attractions suitable for all ages and budgets. Discover everything to see & do, from touring a gothic fantasy castle to zipping around a rafting course at an exhilarating speed at Cardiff International White Water.
• A visit to Raglan Castle – a Welsh fortress-palace transformed into a regal residence. The unmistakable silhouette of Raglan crowning a ridge amid glorious countryside is the grandest castle ever built by Welshmen. We can thank Sir William ap Thomas, the ‘blue knight of Gwent’, for the moated Great Tower of 1435 that still dominates this mighty fortress-palace. His son Sir William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, created the gatehouse with its flared ‘machicolations’.
• Time at leisure in Monmouth. Monmouth, the UK’s first Bee Town, nestles in the tranquil lower reaches of the beautiful Wye Valley and has been a centre for tourism since 1780. Well known for its iconic 13th century gatehouse bridge, Monmouth has a famous past with its connections to Henry V, Geoffrey of Monmouth and (more recently) Queen, Oasis & Simple Minds who all recorded at Rockfield studios. Music continues to be an important part of the town’s DNA, with an annual free music festival held every summer. Monmouth is also renowned for its independent shops – don’t miss Bees for Development, Fingal Rock, Atelier Gilmar and Salt and Pepper. It has restaurants to suit all tastes and plenty of opportunities for a coffee in a café in a quiet courtyard.