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city in Pembrokeshire, Wales
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Europe > Britain and Ireland > United Kingdom > Wales > South Wales > Pembrokeshire > St Davids

St Davids (Welsh: Tyddewi or "house of David") is Britain's smallest city and home to Wales' most important cathedral. The city is in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, and is part of a cultural history area in Wales. The city's 210 listed buildings making it a destination for walkers, tourists and modern pilgrims. Many of the ancient buildings, including the Bishop's Palace, are open to the public.

Understand

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St Davids lies on the River Alun. It is the resting place of Saint David, Wales's patron saint, and named after him. In 2021, it was home to 1,750 people. St Davids was given city status in the 12th century, which was traditionally given to cathedral towns.

Get in

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St Davids Cathedral and Bishop's Palace

By road

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St Davids is the westernmost city in Wales. The A487 connects St Davids to Haverfordwest and Fishguard, which provide connections to the A40, rail service to other points in the UK and ferry service to Ireland.

The A487 does at a few places between St Davids and Fishguard reduce to a single lane road, which may concern those who are not familiar with the traffic issues that this presents. In general, drivers should exercise caution and show courtesy to other road users. Many of the lanes and minor roads around St Davids have single lane stretches with passing places.

There is a large car park on the eastern edge of the city, as motorists arrive from Haverfordwest. From here you walk past a modern visitor centre and tourist office on the way into the centre. A second, smaller car park can be found near the Bishop's Palace, on the road to St Justinian, and a third small car park to the left on the way out of town towards Whitesands Bay and Fishguard. All car parks are fee-paying, including the large one at Whitesands Bay, which overflows into neighbouring fields in high summer.

By bus

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Richards Coaches service 411 Haverfordwest to Fishguard calls at St Davids. Connections with the National Express network from the rest of the UK can be made at Haverfordwest.

By rail

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The best route (in terms of the number of trains and the number of connecting buses) is by train to 1 Haverfordwest station, and then the T11 bus from the railway station entrance to St Davids.

In addition, 2 Fishguard Harbour station is about 15 miles to the north-east (but only has two trains a day), and is connected to St Davids by a less-frequent bus than the Haverfordwest service. Plus the bus stop in Fishguard is a considerable walk from the railway station.

By sea

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Stena Line sails from Rosslare in Ireland to Fishguard, which is a short bus journey from St Davids.

Visiting yachtsmen should use the harbour at nearby Solva.

Get around

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The city is small enough that walking is the best way to get around and see the sights. Walking and hiking is also the best way to see the coastline around St Davids Head, as there are many hiking trails throughout the area. Roads in the area tend to be narrow, and can be busy in high season, also the car parks at the main tourist sites can fill up quite quickly, so driving can be a frustrating experience. To travel further afield than allowed by walking, cycling is a great option. Alternatively use the excellent bus service along the coast, organised by the local council.

  • 1 St David's Cathedral, The Pebbles, SA62 6RD, ☏ +44 1437 720202. Interesting and free. It hosts an annual organ festival at the end of May. The cafe is closed. Free admission, but donations recommended for upkeep. St David's Cathedral (Q1300003) on Wikidata St David's Cathedral on Wikipedia (updated Dec 2023)
  • 2 Bishop's Palace, The Close, ☏ +44 1437 720517. Near the cathedral, across a small river. It is a spectacular ruin showing how much wealth and power the clergy used to have. £5 for adults. St Davids Bishops Palace (Q15979336) on Wikidata St Davids Bishops Palace on Wikipedia (updated Dec 2023)
  • 3 Whitesands Beach. A large and picturesque sandy beach that has great views of Ramsey Island. It gets very busy on sunny days in the summer. There are great walks along sections of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and out to St Davids Head (Welsh Penmaen Dewi). There is a small shop and cafe in the car park, and a lifeguard station on the beach, which is divided into sections for swimmers and surfers/windsurfers. Always look out for and obey lifeguard safety signals. Whitesands Bay (Q7996233) on Wikidata Whitesands Bay (Pembrokeshire) on Wikipedia 
The lifeboat station at St Justinian
  • 4 St Davids Lifeboat Station, ☏ +44 1437 720215. St Justinian — the "classic" lifeboat station, built up on stilts above the water, with the boat launching down a slipway to hit the water at speed. You can visit the boathouse in exchange for a donation. There are interesting displays telling the stories of some of the rescues carried out by the lifeboat over the years, mostly involving boats carried by some of the fastest tides in UK waters on to The Bitches, the row of sharp rocks in the middle of Ramsey Sound. The selfless bravery of the lifeboatmen really comes through, especially reading the stories from the days when the lifeboat was just a large wooden rowing boat. St Davids Lifeboat Station (Q17018113) on Wikidata St Davids Lifeboat Station on Wikipedia 
  • 5 The Bug Farm, Lower Harglodd Farm, ☏ +44 7966 956357. Research centre and visitor attraction all about invertebrates. (updated Jun 2018)
  • Oriel y Parc Gallery and Visitor Centre. (updated Dec 2023)
  • Nature Exploration trips. Several companies offer nature exploration tours by rigid inflatable boat around RSPB Ramsey Island from nearby St. Justinian. These trips can be quite expensive at around £20 for an hour but offer a unique perspective on the coastline. Take at least a waterproof coat as the fast boats and rough sea can result in a lot of splashes. Details of two firms below: 
    • 1 Voyages of Discovery, 1 High Street (opposite Lloyds Bank), ☏ +44 1437 721911. The only local family-run company, who operate the largest and most modern fleet of vessels. They offer a wide range of guided voyages and expeditions around Ramsey and other smaller islands. 
    • 2 Thousand Islands Expeditions, Cross Square, ☏ +44 1437 721721. The RSPB have given this company sole landing rights to Ramsey Island, but Thousand Islands also offers trips around the island, and others for wildlife enthusiasts 
    • Venture Jet, Glenfor, Llanon, ☏ +44 1348 837764, toll-free: 08000 854786, . Easter to October (booking is essential). Operates a RIB with a New Zealand jet. Seal, dolphin and seabird watching, cave exploration, jet boat manoeuvres. Jet boat tours to Ramsey Island, Grassholm, the Smalls from St Justinian and Whitesands beach. From £13 child, £25 adult. 
  • Hiking on the many trails. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path runs along the coast through the entire of the Pembrokeshire National Park. This means that you can turn up at any point on the coast and walk along to the next village or bay. The National Park Authority now runs subsidised bus services along the coast that will take you back to the place you started from for a small charge.
  • Swimming and scuba diving
  • Spend some time on the many beaches on the coast nearby. There are many beaches within a short drive of St Davids, all of which are clean and most of which have a lifeguard service. Facilities such as toilets and cafes are usually available but vary depending on how popular the beach is.
  • 1 Ma Simes Surf Hut, 28 High Street, ☏ +44 1437 720433. Specialist surf shop, selling clothes, equipment, books. Also offer surfing lessons. Their website has a daily surf conditions report and a webcam of Whitesands Beach. 
  • 2 National Trust Shop, High Street, ☏ +44 1437 720385. The National Trust owns and cares for large parts of the St Davids peninsula, as well as the historic cross in the centre of the city. The shop features some informative displays about the work they do in the surrounding countryside, as well as a nice range of gifts, cards, postcards etc. 
  • 3 St Davids Bookshop (Siop Lyfrau Tyddewi), 5a The Pebbles (between Cross Square and the Cathedral), ☏ +44 1437 720480. Interesting selection of new and second-hand books on local topics. 
  • 4 St Davids Food and Wine, High Street, ☏ +44 1437 721948, . Deli specialising in local produce. Order freshly-made sandwiches and baguettes from the counter at the rear of the shop. 
  • 5 TYF Adventure Equipment, 1 High Street, ☏ +44 1437 721611. Outdoor equipment, accessories and clothing, as well as kites, frisbees, beach toys, etc. 
  • 1 The Old Cross Hotel, Cross Square, ☏ +44 1437 720387. The Old Cross Hotel is a good place to get a drink and snack in a quieter atmosphere than is available in many of the more bustling tourist places. 
  • 2 The Bench, 11 High Street, ☏ +44 1437 721778. An Italian-style coffee- and wine-bar and ice cream parlour in the heart of St Davids. It can get crowded, so consider booking, especially in the evening. Typical fare includes pasta and home-made pizzas, but for a splurge, try one of the main courses. 

Drink

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  • 1 Farmers Arms, 14 Goat Street, ☏ +44 1437 720328. Surprisingly the Farmers is the only real pub in the city, and consequently can get pretty busy at any time of year. Always a good atmosphere with a real mixture of different people. Hot food is also available (updated Dec 2023)

Sleep

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Hotels

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  • 1 Warpool Court Hotel (take the first left from St Davids Cross Square and follow the road round), ☏ +44 1437 720300, . Listed Luxury Country Hotel with sea views of the St Davids Peninsula. Close to St Davids Cathedral and the Bishops Palace. 
  • 2 Twr y Felin Hotel, Caerfai Rd SA62 6QT, ☏ +44 1437 725555. Outstanding hotel, great dining. No children under 12 or dogs. B&B double from £190. (updated May 2020)
  • 3 Crug-Glas, Abereiddy, St Davids SA62 6XX (off A487), ☏ +44 1348 831302. Charming restaurant with rooms in a Georgian farmhouse. B&B double from £160. (updated Jun 2020)
  • 4 Premier Inn, Glasfryn Road, SA62 6QF. (updated Dec 2023)

Self-catering

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Camping

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  • 10 Caerfai Bay, ☏ +44 1437 720274, fax: +44 1437 720577. Popular camping and caravan site, located just to the south of St Davids, overlooking a sandy bay. Organic farm shop on site. Advance booking recommended, though they have a minimum 4-night stay for advance bookings, extended to 7 nights in the school summer holidays (mid July to early September). 
  • 11 Pencarnan, Pencarnan Farm, ☏ +44 1437 720580. Possibly the only site in the area with a better location than Caerfai Bay, Pencarnan is on top of the cliff above Porthsele Beach. Prices are high and apart from the location the camp site is very average, with typical British plumbing in the bathrooms and (contrary to claims on the site) fairly steeply sloping fields, particularly those closest to the beach. Wi-Fi is available around the reception building, but is not free of charge. 
  • 12 Pencnwc Farm campsite, Treginnis. A short walk from the cliff top that forms Wales' most westerly point overlooking Ramsey Island. Simple but lovely site. Ready-pitched tents available to order, also a Mongolian ger, or you can bring your own tent. 
  • 13 Tretio Caravan & Camping Park, ☏ +44 1437 781600. More than 40-pitch caravan & camping park, 1.5 miles from the coast. 
  • 14 Treginnis CL Site, Treginnis Uchaf, West of St Davids, ☏ +44 7791903221, . Caravan Club site, level site for tourers and motorhomes. Fantastic views. Water tap and disposal point. Batteries charged. (updated Jun 2019)

Hostels

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  • 15 YHA St Davids, Llaethdy, Whitesands, ☏ +44 845 371 9141. Lovely, if basic, hostel in former farm buildings on the slopes of Carn Llidi the rocky hill that dominates the northern part of the St Davids peninsula. About 2 miles to the north-west of St Davids, close to Whitesands Bay. 

Go next

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St Davids is near the extreme southwest tip of Wales, so to get out, you will likely have to return the way you came. If travelling around the coastal path, or touring by car, nearby towns include Haverfordwest and Fishguard. Places of interest further afield include Cardigan to the north, Tenby to the southeast and Carmarthenshire to the east.

  • Ramsey Island. An RSPB nature reserve known for its colonies of birds. Two boats per day land there, leaving from St Justinian at 10AM and noon, returning at noon and 4PM. Tickets available from Thousand Island Expeditions in Cross Square, St Davids.
  • Solva (Solfach) — pretty little village at the head of a long, narrow natural harbour. A more than 3-mile walk along the coast path to the east. The village has 4 pubs, so there's plenty of opportunity to get refreshments before walking back! The best views can be had from The Gribin, the cliff on the south side of the harbour. Solva's main car park is free.
  • Abereiddy small village and beach with plenty of activities. Near by is the Blue Lagoon.
  • Porthgain small harbour with an industrial heritage
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