About Wales.org
The independent travel guide to Wales, founded by a Pembrokeshire-born travel writer.
Hello, I’m Nicholas Barrett
I’m the founder and editor of Wales.org. I was born in Haverfordwest, west Pembrokeshire, and although I’m currently based in Hertfordshire, Wales has been my reference point for as long as I can remember. I started Wales.org in 2020 because the country deserves a travel guide written by someone who genuinely cares about getting it right.
I return to Wales regularly to research destinations, attractions, accommodation and food, and the site covers every corner of the country — from the Pembrokeshire coastline I grew up on, to the slate landscapes of Eryri (Snowdonia), the dark sky reserves of Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons), and the festival circuit of Mid Wales.
You can reach me directly at nicholas@wales.org, or find me on LinkedIn and through the weekly Discover Wales newsletter on Substack.
What Wales.org Is For
Wales.org exists to help travellers plan better trips to Wales — whether that’s a first weekend break, a return family holiday, or a deep dive into a specific region. The site covers the full breadth of what makes Wales remarkable: 600+ castles, three national parks, 870 miles of coastline, more than 40 Blue Flag beaches, a living Welsh language, and a festival calendar that runs from St David’s Day through to the National Eisteddfod.
What you’ll find here:
- Long-form destination guides covering all 22 Welsh counties
- Attraction and accommodation reviews
- Annual festival and events coverage
- Walking, hiking and outdoor activity guides for all three national parks
- Family travel, romantic breaks, dog-friendly trips and accessible travel advice
- An interactive map and curated holiday cottage finder
Beyond dry facts and figures, the goal is simple: showcase what this small but mighty country has to offer, and make planning a Welsh adventure effortless.
How Wales.org Works
Three principles guide everything published on the site:
Independence
Wales.org is family-run and editorially independent. Coverage decisions are driven by what readers actually need to plan a great trip to Wales — not by which businesses are best known or shout the loudest. Where the site uses affiliate booking links (such as for cottages or experiences), commission earned never affects which places are featured or how they’re described.
Researched coverage
Every guide is researched in depth, drawing on first-hand visits, official tourism sources, local contacts, and on-the-ground reporting from across the country. Where information changes — opening hours, prices, new attractions — the site is updated. When something is wrong, the right response is to fix it quickly, and without fuss.
Audience-first writing
Whether you’re a solo traveller, a family on holiday, a culture vulture, a hiker or a surfer, the content is written with a real reader in mind. You’re the main character in your next Wales story; this is just the planning department.
Areas of Expertise
Wales.org has particular editorial depth in the following areas, where Nicholas is happy to be quoted as a source by journalists, podcasters and researchers:
- Welsh castles and heritage sites (Powis, Caerphilly, Conwy, Caernarfon, Harlech, Pembroke and 600+ others)
- Eryri (Snowdonia), Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) and Pembrokeshire Coast National Parks
- Welsh festivals: Hay Festival, Green Man, Llangollen International Eisteddfod, FOCUS Wales, Machynlleth Comedy Festival, Fire in the Mountain
- UK staycations and family travel in Wales
- Welsh hiking, walking routes and outdoor adventure
- Dark sky tourism and stargazing locations across Wales
- Welsh accommodation: holiday cottages, boutique hotels, glamping and farm stays
For media enquiries, expert commentary or interviews on Welsh travel and tourism, contact nicholas@wales.org.
Supporting Welsh Tourism
Wales.org is committed to supporting the local Welsh tourism ecosystem. The site regularly features small Welsh businesses — family-run accommodation, independent attractions, local guides, regional food producers, Welsh-language cultural organisations — alongside the bigger-name destinations.
If you run a Welsh business and would like to discuss how the site might cover what you do, please get in touch at nicholas@wales.org.
Pembrokeshire-born travel writer and founder of Wales.org. Born in Haverfordwest, now based in Hertfordshire — covering Welsh castles, national parks, festivals and family staycations across all 22 Welsh counties.
