The birthplace of poet Dylan Thomas, Swansea is a city by the sea and a city on the up. It’s got plenty of shops, great restaurants, family attractions, and easy access to a plethora of picture-perfect beaches where many happy days are spent building sandcastles, paddling in the shallows and surfing the waves. Sitting on the south coast of Wales and located between Cardiff to the east and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park way out west, Swansea is a convenient base from which to see more of this southern slice of the country. But don’t go anywhere just yet, because Swansea has a few charms to dazzle visitors.

Inspire the wordsmith within, or simply find out more about the great man, at the city’s Dylan Thomas Centre, located in the Maritime Quarter. While you’re there, take a tour of the National Waterfront Museum before stopping for refreshments and sea views at Swansea Marina.

An imposing reminder of the long history of Swansea, the castle is also worth a look. Surrounded as it is by modern buildings in the city centre, you’ll have to use your imagination to picture this ruin in the grandeur of its heyday.

Football fans shouldn’t miss the chance to see a match at Liberty Stadium, the home of Swansea City AFC. The ground is a 10-minute drive north of the city centre.

Use your car to reach the stadium or to see more of Swansea and the surrounding areas. Save money by pre-booking your vehicle rental and then collect your car at a convenient downtown location in Swansea. Search for the best deal on car hire in Swansea with TravelSupermarket. 

It’s not difficult to see why visitors book car hire. Swansea is ideally located for all kinds of holiday fun, whether you are after a cultured city break, family escapades by the sea or a relaxing weekend amidst the natural splendour of Wales. Getting around here is easy and distances to major attractions aren’t great, so you can shop until you drop in the morning and challenge those flagging joints during a bracing walk by the water in the afternoon. Having a car at your disposal means you won’t have to wait around for public transport or taxis – you can just jump in and hit the open road.

Many visitors pack up their best beach bathers and make a beeline for the sands near Swansea. Mumbles is a popular area in Swansea for a seaside escape. It’s a 20-minute drive from the city centre to Mumbles. Lick ice cream and saunter along the beaches, drinking in the views of the lighthouse and the Victorian pier.

Further along the Gower Peninsula are landscapes that morph from lush, soft hills and sands to jagged peaks and tricky trails – they’ve certainly inspired more people than Dylan Thomas. Your vehicle allows you the freedom to find a stretch of sand that is yours and yours alone.

Discover more of Mother Nature’s marvels by travelling a little further north to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, while north of Swansea are the glorious Brecon Beacons (around an hour’s drive). This mountain range is a dream for lovers of outdoor adventures. Activities here are as numerous as the portrait-worthy landscapes.

You could also drive to Cardiff from Swansea. It takes less than an hour to reach the nation’s capital and visitors are rewarded with more shops, museums, castles and parks, as well as the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff Bay.