Tenby, Saundersfoot, St David's and Laugharne are all go-to places for people who want to see the best of west Wales.
But the truth is there's a place just as gorgeous and peaceful that doesn't make it into as many guide books and where you won't encounter the crowds drawn by the magnetic pull of Pembrokeshire.
Llansteffan is a cute estuary village on the River Tywi, one inlet east from Dylan Thomas' bolthole Laugharne, actually. It's a place where happy days can be spent walking and exploring, running around the castle, or simply lazing on the beach eating chips.
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Like much of the Welsh coast, there's a pretty mix of coastal meandering options if you want to feel the sand on your toes, and woodland paths, with the glistening water (on a sunny day!) in sight and the sea air all around. From the car park down on the waterfront you can set up camp on the beach, with amenities right there but keep an eye on the tide, of course, it is fast-moving in these parts.
If the tide's out and you'd like even more privacy you can stroll round to Scott's Bay. Again, keep an eye on the tide — you can check the tide times here. Always be aware of your surroundings on an estuary.
There's Florries chip shop , and a tea shop down on the front but you can also stroll up to the village, which has a mix of listed buildings, cottages with plenty of places to stay, including the Inn at the Sticks pub which has a great beer garden and pub grub menu and has been voted one of the best places in Britain for a Sunday lunch.
Also there's The Castle Inn and the Village Stores and Deli if you want to get suitably refreshed after a long walk or a day by the sea with a pint or some pizza.
Fancy something fancier? Head on up to the Georgian Mansion House where you can stay, or just dine at the two AA Rosette Moryd Restaurant where quite often they'll have coracle-caught sewin on the menu.
Of course, we can't forget the majestic Llansteffan Castle which is a 10-minute walk up from the waterfront car park. What a great setting for a castle, built in Norman times but also encasing an Iron Age fort from 600 BC. It's an amazing place to chill out overlooking Carmarthen Bay. And if you want to actually get on the water, there's the Carmarthen Bay Ferry which will nip you across to Ferryside. If you're after an escape from the rat race, there's nowhere better, really.
How to get there
From Swansea and Cardiff, travel to the end of the M4, get on the A48 to Carmarthen, then follow the B4312 down to Johnstown/Llansteffan.
Car parking is free at the Llansteffan car park which can be found at The Green, Llansteffan, SA33 5LW.
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