County guide · The Castle Rolls
Best castles in North Wales
20 castles across North Wales, including three of Edward I's Welsh castles - Conwy, Caernarfon and Beaumaris - built after 1283 to hold a newly conquered region. Beside the River Clwyd, Rhuddlan takes a diamond plan on a river Edward had canalised so supply ships could come right up to the walls.
Map
Every castle on this list - 20 in total, 7 free to enter, 5 you can stay overnight in
Conwy Castle
Conwy
World Heritage Site; eight-towered Edwardian castle with town walls
Photo: Andrew Woodvine, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Caernarfon Castle
Gwynedd
World Heritage Site; Edward I's fortress-palace, walls and towers largely complete
Photo: Herbert Ortner, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Beaumaris Castle
Isle of Anglesey
World Heritage Site; unfinished concentric castle with moat
Photo: Traveler100, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Harlech Castle
Gwynedd
World Heritage Site; clifftop Edwardian castle with floating bridge entrance
Photo: Pymouss, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Chirk Castle
Wrexham
Edwardian-era marcher fortress, inhabited 700 years
Penrhyn Castle
Gwynedd
19th-century neo-Norman castle
Photo: Hefin Owen from Wales, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Gwrych Castle
Conwy
19th-century Gothic Revival mansion under active restoration since 2018; filming location for I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
Photo: Gwrychcastle, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Criccieth Castle
Gwynedd
Welsh princes' castle on headland over Cardigan Bay
Photo: Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Ruthin Castle
Denbighshire
Hotel and spa amid genuine medieval ruins
Photo: Rosser1954, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Bodelwyddan Castle
Denbighshire
Museum closed 2019; Warner bought castle 2021, adults-only hotel
Rhuddlan Castle
Denbighshire
Edward I diamond-plan castle beside canalised River Clwyd; seasonal opening
Photo: Julie Anne Workman, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Castell Dinas Bran
Denbighshire Free entry
Hilltop ruin above Llangollen; free, steep walk
Photo: Simon Harrod, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Flint Castle
Flintshire Free entry
First of Edward I's Welsh castles; detached great tower; free
Photo: Gary Bealr, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Dolbadarn Castle
Gwynedd Free entry
Welsh princes' round tower overlooking Llyn Padarn, Llanberis; free
Photo: Beep boop beep, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Denbigh Castle
Denbighshire
Hilltop castle with triple-towered gatehouse and town walls
Photo: Errol Edwards, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Ewloe Castle
Flintshire Free entry
Hidden Welsh castle in woodland; 500m walk across farmland; free
Photo: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Castell y Bere
Gwynedd Free entry
Remote native Welsh castle below Cadair Idris; free
Photo: Graham, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Dolwyddelan Castle
Conwy Free entry
Llywelyn the Great's keep; free; interior open seasonally Fri-Sun
Photo: Jeff Buck, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Gwydir Castle
Conwy
Self-guided visits Wed/Fri/Sun in season; two B&B rooms
Photo: Hogyn Lleol, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Caergwrle Castle
Flintshire Free entry
Hilltop castle of Dafydd ap Gruffudd; recent Cadw guardianship; free
Photo: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Common questions
How many castles are there in North Wales?
This roll lists 20 visitable castles, fortresses and tower houses in North Wales. Of those, 7 are free to enter and 11 charge admission. The other 2 have restricted access.
Which castles in North Wales are free to visit?
7 of the 20 castles in North Wales are open-access sites with no admission charge, including Castell Dinas Bran, Flint Castle, Dolbadarn Castle, Ewloe Castle, Castell y Bere and Dolwyddelan Castle.
What is the best-rated castle in North Wales?
Castell Dinas Bran is among the highest-rated castles in North Wales on this roll - 4.8/5 from 1,349 Google reviews.
Can you stay overnight in a castle in North Wales?
Yes - 5 of the castles listed here offer overnight stays, including Chirk Castle, Gwrych Castle, Ruthin Castle and Bodelwyddan Castle.
Can you reach any castle in North Wales by train?
10 of the 20 sit within 1.5 miles of a railway station, the closest being Harlech Castle (Harlech, 0.1 miles), Caergwrle Castle (Caergwrle, 0.2 miles), Flint Castle (Flint, 0.2 miles) and Conwy Castle (Conwy, 0.2 miles). Those are straight-line distances from the station to the castle, so the walk on the ground is longer than the figure.
Can you go inside every castle in North Wales?
Not all of them on the same terms. 2 of the 20 restrict what a visitor can see. Ruthin Castle and Bodelwyddan Castle are hotels, so there is no way in without booking a room or a table.