A town popular with Liverpool holiday makers and day trippers has been named the second best seaside destination in Britain.
Llandudno, which is around an hour and a half drive from Liverpool depending on traffic, scored 86% in the annual survey by Which? It was pipped to the top spot by Northumberland’s tiny village Bamburgh, which scored 87%.
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The survey asked more than 4,300 visitors to rate coastal resorts they have visited, with categories including quality of beaches, seafront, tourist attractions, food and drink, scenery, peace and quiet and value for money.
Wales claimed three of the top six seaside towns, with Tenby and St Davids in Pembrokeshire taking the fifth and sixth places respectively. Budget-friendly Llandudno, which has been popular with visitors from across Merseyside for many years, received five stars in the survey for the following categories: seafront/pier, tourist attractions, scenery and value for money.
The town’s biggest draw is the Great Orme, a limestone headland which rises to nearly 700ft and boasts “incomparable” views. Active visitors enjoyed lacing up their walking boots and hiking to the summit, while others opted to take the tram or open-sided cable car.
Llandudno has twin West and North Shore beaches and reasonably priced hotels - £95 a night on average, proving that for popular locations there’s no need to break the bank, according to Which?
Nearby Conwy came ninth in the poll but Merseyside’s seaside destinations featured lower down in the list. New Brighton scored 70% and received four stars for its seafront and pier, while Southport scored 62%.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “The British seaside hasn’t boomed like this since the 1960s. Holidaymakers had such a fantastic time in their caravans, tents and beach lodges over the past two years that a coastal break on home shores is on the cards for many, even with restrictions on overseas travel lifted.
“Prices for a UK stay have increased, but there’s no need to pay over the odds. For a holiday on a budget it’s best to aim for an off-season trip. Head to one of the many well priced resorts with your bucket and spade, an empty stomach for the candyfloss and a pile of 2p coins and go make your fortune on the slots.”
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