10 Things to Do in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales

The coastal town of Tenby is without a doubt one of Pembrokeshire’s most popular seaside holiday destinations. Luckily, there’s plenty to do in Tenby and even more to see in Pembrokeshire, from enjoying the beautiful beaches to visiting historical sites or going on some coastal walks.

In this blog post you can read about some of the best places to visit in Tenby. However, if you’re planning your itinerary for Pembrokeshire, then make sure to check out our complete guide to some of the best places to visit in this area of south-west Wales.

Introducing Tenby, Wales

Tenby (Dinbych-y-Pysgod in Welsh) is a walled seaside town in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Wales. The earliest reference to a settlement here was in the 9th Century. Later, Tenby was taken by the Normans when they invaded South Wales. They recognised the town’s strategic importance and built a castle to defend it against Welsh attacks. When the castle didn’t provide adequate defence, William de Valence, 1^st Earl of Pembroke, ordered the construction of the Tenby walls.

The town became a successful port during the Medieval and Tudor times. In 1457 Jasper Tudor contributed some of the costs towards improving Tenby’s defences. Later, the town was awarded royal grants to finance the enclosure of its harbour.

In the mid-16th century Tenby became the site of battles between Royalists and Oliver Cromwell’s Parliamentarian forces. The town was eventually seized in 1648. Later, the plague outbreak killed hundreds of Tenby’s population.

During the Georgian and Victorian eras, Tenby experienced a boom in tourism and became a popular ‘staycation’ destination. Many of the colourful buildings and infrastructure you see today were constructed during this time period. During the Industrial Revolution the railway station was built which helped tourism to grow even more.

Today, Tenby and Pembrokeshire itself are still a favourite holiday destination for many.

How to Get to Tenby, Wales

By Plane. If you’re coming from outside the UK then you’ll probably have to fly to the country first. The closest airport to Tenby is Cardiff Airport which mainly offers flights between other UK cities and a few European ones. Bristol Airport has more direct flights between Europe and other destinations. Lastly, you can always fly to one of London’s airports if you’re coming from further afield. Check this website for direct flights.

By Car. Depending on where you’re coming from the typical journey time to Tenby is about 2 hours from Cardiff, 2.5 hours from Bristol, 4 hours from London and Birmingham and 4.5 hours from Manchester. You can always use Google Maps to plan your route.

If you don’t have your own car but would like to enjoy the freedom of a private vehicle, then you can always hire a car using this company to get to Tenby.

By Public Transport. You can arrive to Tenby by train, bus or coach. Transport for Wales provides train services to places such as Cardiff, Swansea, Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock. National Express runs coaches from cities like Cardiff, Bristol, London, Birmingham and Manchester.

Accommodations in Tenby

There are a wide variety of accommodation options that you can stay at in Tenby, which all depends on your budget and needs.

There are many hotels in both Tenby and its surrounding area. You can also book a bed and breakfast or a more luxurious spa hotel. If you’d like to stay in hotels or B&Bs then you can always check out booking.com. However, if you want to stay in a more homey place then Vrbo has some great offers.

Lastly, if you’re planning a more outdoorsy adventure in Pembrokeshire, then you can consider camping as well.

10 Best Things to Do in Tenby, Wales

1. Visit Tenby’s Beaches

If you’re here for a beach vacation, then you’ll be happy to hear that Tenby has three beautiful sandy beaches, plus the Harbour Beach, that you can enjoy during your visit.

Tenby Harbour Beach

It is a very small beach that’s normally sheltered and best to visit during high tide otherwise it’ll be a bit muddy. The harbour beach is probably best if you have younger kids who would be fascinated by the boats.

Castle Beach

Located just to the right of Tenby Harbour is Castle Beach, the smallest of the three main beaches. It is a beautiful beach and perfect for anyone wanting to enjoy the sea. Apparently in 2019 it was voted ‘Beach of the Year’ by the Sunday Times. It’s also a Blue Flag beach and, to qualify, a series of environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria must be met and maintained.

We recommend visiting this beach during low tide, since the size of the beach changes significantly in high tide. Plus, in low tide, you can explore St Catherine’s Island and the caves around it or walk to South Beach.

North Beach

Located to the left of Tenby Harbour Beach is the much longer and wider North Beach. What makes this beach even more beautiful is the huge Goscar Rock sitting in the middle of it. During low tide you can walk around it, but in high tide the rock will just stick out of the sea.

There are plenty of water activities you can do there including canoeing, sailing or water-skiing.

South Beach

The biggest beach in Tenby is definitely South Beach. It is located just to the right of Castle Beach and during low tide you can just walk straight across to it from Castle Beach. Similarly to North beach, you can do just about any type of water activity there.

2. Climb Up to Tenby Castle

Perched on top of Castle Hill are the remains of Tenby Castle. The castle was originally built in the 12th century by the Normans. Today you can reach the castle through a gate that’s defended by a small barbican. Apart from some small sections of the wall, the 13th century tower is all that remains of the castle today.

Whilst the remains aren’t the most exciting castle ruins in Wales, the reason why you should climb up to Castle Hill is the incredible views you’ll get from the top. On a clear day you can see for miles. Plus, it also gives you one of the best views of Tenby Harbour, North Beach and St Catherine’s Island.

3. Stop by at Tenby Museum and Art Gallery

If you’ve made your way up to Castle Hill, then you can pop into Tenby Museum and Art Gallery. The museum was established in 1878 and it is actually the oldest independent museum in Wales.

It was once a medieval residential building that was converted into a National School in 1832 before becoming a museum. It displays the history of Tenby and you can also see a lot of portraits and landscapes from Pembrokeshire.

Entry fee is £5.50 per person. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 10AM and 5PM.

4. Visit St Catherine’s Island

As you wander around Tenby Castle and Castle Beach, you’ll notice the beautiful St Catherine’s Island. It is a tidal island and has a 19th-century fort perched on top of it. The island is only about 200m long, 60m wide and about 25m high. During low tide you can see countless tidal caves underneath it.

St Catherine’s Island used to be owned by the Earl of Pembroke before the Corporation of Tenby took ownership. For a very long time the only building on the tidal island was a small chapel dedicated to St Catherine.

The fort was built during the Napoleonic Wars and was sold many times over the decades. In 1968 it was turned into a zoo for about 10 years and has been standing empty since the zoo was relocated.

Note. Make sure to time your visit with the low tide, otherwise the island is inaccessible. You’ll have to pay £5 per person for your visit. There’ll be a person at the bottom of the steps collecting the entry fee.

5. Stroll Around Tenby Harbour

No visit to Tenby would be complete without a stroll around Tenby Harbour. The picture perfect harbour is lined with colourful houses on one side and with the beaches and the Bristol Channel on the other. If you start your walk from Tenby Castle, you can walk along The Croft all the way to the end of North Beach. You can also walk in the other direction to get some lovely views of South Beach.

Since Tenby is quite small, we recommend having a stroll during low tide, high tide and sunset or sunrise to see this part of the town in different lights.

6. Take a Tour Around Tudor Merchant’s House

Located just above the harbour is the Tudor Merchant’s House. It is a museum today where you can see what life was like in the 15th century.

The three storey house was built from lime and sandstone rubble and was the home of a successful local merchant. During your visit you can see the merchant’s shop, kitchen and living areas all furnished in the Tudor style.

It is a National Trust site and the entry fee is £6.50 per person. The museum is only open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays between 11AM and 4PM.

7. Walk Through the Five Arches Gate and Medieval Town Walls

The medieval town walls of Tenby are considered one of the best-preserved medieval city walls in the UK. The construction on the now Grade I listed walls began in the late 13th century after an attack on Tenby by Llewelyn ap Gruffydd in 1260.

The 1st Earl of Pembroke rebuilt the town walls and enclosed the entire settlement. The wall initially had about 24 towers, of which only about six have survived until today. The best-preserved section of the town wall is located along South Parade. This is also where you’ll find the impressive ‘Five Arches’, so named because it is an outer Barbican tower with five archways.

8. Boat Trip to Caldey Island

One of the best things to do in Tenby is taking a boat ride to Caldey Island located just off the Pembrokeshire Coast. This small island is actually home to 40 permanent residents and about 18 Cistercian monks who live in Caldey Abbey. It is one of Britain’s holy islands and its history dates back to the times before it even became an island.

You can enjoy the peace and quiet of the island as it’s definitely less touristy than other places in Pembrokeshire. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, go on a short coastal walk around the island and check out some of the beautiful features along the way such as the lighthouse. It’s also a place where you can spot some unique wildlife like red squirrels and black swans.

The boat ride costs £15 per person and it leaves about every 20 minutes from either Tenby Harbour or from Castle Beach depending on the tide. The ride is about 20-25 minutes long and will give you some stunning views of Tenby and the South Beach. The boat ride can get cancelled due to bad weather conditions, so make sure to prioritise this activity for a nice day.

9. Go Shopping and Enjoy Some Local Food

Restaurants, cafes and shops are things that you’ll find plenty of in Tenby. So make sure to wander around the maze of narrow streets and visit all the unique, independent shops where you can find some pretty cool treats or gifts.

Tenby is a coastal town, so if you love sea food, then you won’t have trouble finding something to eat there. Of course, there are plenty of fish & chip shops, pubs, bakeries and also cafes serving something delicious. We recommend grabbing some lunch to take away at least once and eating it whilst enjoying the views of the harbour. (Just be careful with the seagulls who’ll be trying to share your food).

10. Visit the RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station

You can visit Tenby’s Tamar class all-weather lifeboat inside a slipway station located on the north side of Castle Hill. There’s also a public gallery where you can watch the lifeboat launch. At Tenby Harbour there’s a D class inshore lifeboat too.

The station was established in 1852 by The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners’ Royal Benevolent Society. Then in 1854, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution took over Tenby’s lifeboat activity.

Final Thoughts on Things to Do in Tenby, Wales

We really enjoyed wandering around the streets of Tenby, enjoying the iconic views of the harbour and going in and out of the shops when the weather wasn’t the best. Tenby is definitely a great base if you’re here to see more of Pembrokeshire, but it’s also a great destination to visit on its own if you’re short on time.

Have you ever been to Tenby before? If so, how much of the area did you manage to explore? Let us know in the comments below.