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With arguably one of the finest seascapes in Europe
and a spectacular Maritime Quarter lodged in the spine of a golden half-moon bay, Swansea
nestles in the shadow of seven hills, between roaming parklands and the lapping tides of
an inspirational shoreline. Follow it and you are led to the timeless secrets of Gower
peninsular, with a dozen more sandy bays, green pastures, enchanting castles, mysterious
woodlands, atmospheric rural charm and a prehistoric heritage. This coast became the
U.K.'s first official "Area
of Outstanding Natural Beauty". |
Swansea is the
county where everything is reconciled - the hills to the coast, the city to the
countryside, contemporary life contrasts poetically with timeless landscapes. |
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The quality of life here is characterised by the
breathtaking natural location, bonded with an exciting night and daylife. You can indulge
in any activity you can conceive - from surfing, microlighting, rock climbing or yachting
- to pony trekking, water skiing, golf or hang-gliding. Later in the evening you can chill
at one of the U.K.'s most happening night scenes - dozens of clubs and more than two
hundred bars & restaurants ! |
 
is boats and bays ... parks and pubs ... the hills, the tides, castles, music, warm golden sands & pure poetry ... |
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the
sea .....
Mumbles Lighthouse standing
guard on the western flank of Swansea Bay, as it's done for over 200 years |
boats
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Swansea
Maritime Quarter has been formally recognised as one of the top three waterside
developments in Europe |
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poetry
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Tracing the promenade between
Swansea Maritime Quarter and Mumbles lighthouse is an enchanting experience as you span a
bay which has inspired poets for hundreds of years
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pubs
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You'll be pleased to learn are a Welsh way of life! Swansea's
"Mumbles Mile" of waterfront pubs was a notorious haunt of Dylan Thomas |
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castles
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From a position high
above the bay, Oystermouth Castle has witnessed 900 years of Swansea history
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the parks and the hills
evergreen, timeless,
they roll ever towards the golden shores of Swansea Bay |
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The nation of Wales
shares the island of Great Britain with two other very
different countries - England and Scotland.
To the east, Wales is bordered by England
and faces Ireland across the sea to the west. The city and county of Swansea is located on the
southern, sandy coast of Wales, and occupies the peninsular of Gower. Swansea lies some 60 miles west of the Welsh
border with England and 38 miles west of Cardiff, the capital
city of Wales.
Swansea Castle has
borne witness to city affairs since medieval times. |
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To take a walk, cycle or to rollerblade along Swansea's five mile bayside
promenade is a bewitching experience. Visitors to the city have been intoxicated by
Swansea sea air for hundreds of years - it has exhilarated poets and lured settlers since
Viking times a thousand years ago. To inhale the ozone and feel the crash of waves from
this, the second highest tidal bay in the world, will conspire to saturate your every
sense. For centuries, sea farers returned to this coast from chasing adventures around the
globe, their poetry and songs inspired by the golden sands of Swansea Bay. |
 Marine Walk, Maritime
Quarter |
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Scandinavian invaders built a fortress at Swansea in the 10th Century and
named the area after their leader, Swein. By the fourteenth century the Welsh had
established ship building at Swansea, accompanied by a sea fishing tradition which was to
span the succeeding centuries until the present day. The best place to start a cyber
tour of Swansea is at the Maritime Quarter, the city centre's sea faring heart; replete
with yacht marinas, museums, art galleries, a theatre, bars & restaurants, an
observatory and a magnificent bayside location which is incomparable in the U.K. It is
here that dozens of public art treasures, ranging from stone sculptures to bronze statues,
retrace the steps of Swansea's sea faring centuries through symbolism and poetry.
Swansea-born actress Catherine Zeta Jones adopted her "Zeta" middle name, which can
be found on wall inscriptions at the sea-facing Marine Walk promenade. |
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One of 20th Century's most acclaimed poets is Dylan Thomas born at Swansea's Uplands in 1914. Today his genius is honoured at the
Maritime Quarter with definitive performances of his work at the Dylan
Thomas Theatre, Dylan Thomas Literature Centre, and during an annual festival. His
bronze statue faces toward 'a long and splendid curving shore' - the bay Thomas gazed
across as a child and which inspired his early work. Dylan's world-wide army of fans
includes Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton; former U.S. President Carter opened Swansea's
Dylan Thomas Literature Centre in 1995. |
Dylan Thomas |
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The 600 berth bayside marina complex at the Maritime Quarter
includes three distinct marinas interlinked by waterways. The larger was founded on
Swansea's historic south dock, established for copper trade in the 19th Century. This marina (above
& below) is the focus for a
quayside village which has revived the fortunes of the old dock's characterful buildings. Adjacent, the Tawe Basin
marina was traditionally an artery
which served the main dock. Finally, the River
Tawe marina is located at the mouth of the city riverway
and is artificially maintained to half tide level by an innovative water barrage. |
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Take in the view of the golden swerve of Swansea Bay from any perspective and the experience is a true inspiration. Like a
bronze arch, this five mile cove has provoked a thousand poems to reflect on her
mystery. The roar of the storm, the whispers of the tide, the breeze in your hair,
the spray on your face: no two moments are the same at Swansea Bay. From the
promenade at Marine Walk to Mumbles Pier five miles west, the variegated facades of the
bay manifest a special magic. You can view it from the beach, with the warm sand between
your toes, or
from one of the many hills which rise with the mist above the bay. |
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- On 25 March 1807, a horse drawn carriage traced the coastal
perimeter of Swansea Bay on a railroad destined for history - the world's first
railway service. Today, you can stroll or cycle the five mile bayside route where horses,
steam locomotives and later still red electric
tramcars once steered "The Mumbles Train" through a remarkable 153 year history.
Click here for the full story on this site |
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Swansea Bay is not an end to Maritime Swansea's superb golden coast - but
only the beginning! Follow the city sands and you are taken one at a time to the dozen
golden bays of Gower, each bearing a unique charm. From the dramatic cliff tops of 3
mile broad Rhossili, to the unique limestone follies of Three Cliffs, every bay shares a
common aspect - Swansea's golden seascape simply takes your breath away. |
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Breathtaking Rhossili Bay on the outer reaches of Gower peninsular, Swansea |
