Our area and lifestyle
Swansea Bay
Whether you enjoy the quiet life or the great outdoors, have a young family, seek out night life or like to indulge in retail therapy, the Swansea Bay region has it all.
Swansea is the second largest city in Wales with a mixture of major retailers, independent boutiques, bars and restaurants and a marina, not to mention the sweeping seafront and beach. The brand new Swansea Arena is a multi-purpose events site which is attracting national and international stars from the worlds of comedy, music and entertainment. Go here to see it's latest line-up of shows and events.
Glasgow University named Swansea as one of the best places to live in the UK.
In May 2023, the average house sale price in Swansea was £191,370 and in Neath Port Talbot, £162,517. Go here for the Land Registry website for the most up-to-date figures.
One of the 20th century's most influential writers and poets, Dylan Thomas, came from Swansea and a permanent exhibition, Love the Words, which tells the story of his work and life, can be found at the Dylan Thomas Centre.
Outside the city
The Gower Peninsula was the first place in the UK to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) more than 60 years ago, which means the environment is protected by law. It has three National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
A travellers' survey named Rhossili Bay, a three-mile stretch of gleaming white sand, Europe’s third best beach, after Sicily’s Rabbit Beach and Playa de las Catedrales in Galicia, Spain.
It's one of dozens of beaches suitable for everything from sandcastle building to surfing.
Three of the beaches have attained the European Blue Flag award for cleanliness: Caswell Bay, Langland Bay and Port Eynon.
The seaside village of Mumbles has topped The Sunday Times' list of the Best Places to Live in Wales, due, in part, to the multi-million pound Oyster Wharf development.
To the east of Swansea in Port Talbot lies Aberavon Beach, one of Wales' longest sandy beaches, with a contemporary promenade that overlooks Swansea Bay, playgrounds and Aqua Splash Play Pool for children.
Just minutes from the beach you can be back in the heart of some of Wales' most beautiful countryside in the 850-acre Margam Country Park.
Presiding over the grounds is the imposing 19th century Tudor gothic mansion Margam Castle, once home to industrialist and politician Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot, who gave his name to the town.
The public can tour the grand rooms and climb the sweeping staircase. Major TV series including Doctor Who and Da Vinci's Demons have also been filmed here.
Classic and modern planting, lakes and long vistas can be found in the grounds, where you can also discover the deer, the Orangery and the ruins of the 12th century Norman Abbey.
Further on down the M4 to the east lies Cardiff, the capital city of Wales.
Getting active
Get on your bike with great cycling routes in Swansea, part of the National Cycle Network (routes 4 and 43) and the Celtic Trail West.
There are a number of family-friendly routes as well as more challenging mountain bike tracks in and around Swansea and Gower.
Kilvey Hill in Swansea is a huge attraction for cyclists, as are the varied mountain trails in Afan Forest Park a short distance away.
If you prefer two legs rather than two wheels the public rights of way network is an extensive 268 miles on Gower alone.
The Swansea Bay and Gower section of the Wales Coast Path extends from Swansea Port and the SA1 Waterfront in the east, around the beautiful Gower Peninsula to Loughor in the west.
The Brecon Beacons National Park and South Wales' highest peak, Pen y Fan, is less than an hour away, where you can find numerous opportunities for walking, mountain biking, golf, climbing, abseiling and many other activities.
Transport links
Swansea lies next to the M4 motorway. By car London is three-and-a-half hours away, Bath is under two hours, Bristol is one-and-a-half hours away and Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, is just an hour.
Great Western Railway runs trains between Swansea and London Paddington every half hour during the day. Port Talbot and Bridgend stations also lie on the mainline.
Cardiff Airport is 40 minutes away by car. Trains run between Swansea and Rhoose Cardiff International Airport station every hour during the day.
First South and West Wales also run regular bus services to Cardiff.
Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth a galwadau ffôn yn y Gymraeg neu'r Saesneg. Atebir gohebiaeth Gymraeg yn y Gymraeg, ac ni fydd hyn yn arwain at oedi. Mae’r dudalen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg drwy bwyso’r botwm ar y dde ar frig y dudalen.
We welcome correspondence and telephone calls in Welsh or English. Welsh language correspondence will be replied to in Welsh, and this will not lead to a delay. This page is available in Welsh by clicking ‘Cymraeg’ at the top right of this page.