Steam&Slate
Criccieth Castle on its green headland at sunset above the beach

Criccieth

A castle on a headland between two beaches.

Photo: Cmao20 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Criccieth sits where the Llŷn meets the edge of Snowdonia, a genteel Victorian resort built around a ruined castle on a green headland dividing two beaches. It is famous, locally, for Cadwalader's ice cream and for being a calmer, more old-fashioned resort than Abersoch.

CountyGwynedd
Best seasonSeptember onward

Staying near Criccieth

A gentle, well-placed base that lets you combine the Llŷn with southern Snowdonia and Porthmadog. Good for families and for a quieter seaside week.

What's here

Criccieth Castle on its headland; the two beaches either side; Cadwalader's ice cream on the front; and easy trips to Portmeirion, the Welsh Highland Railway and the mountains just inland.

When to visit

Late spring to early autumn for the beaches; the castle and front are pleasant year-round.

See what's available in Criccieth

This opens a filtered search for hot tub properties around Criccieth. We don't hold availability ourselves — it's the same search you'd run, just pre-filtered.

Browse Criccieth properties

If you book through this link we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

Common questions

Is Criccieth a good base for both the Llŷn and Snowdonia?

Yes. Criccieth sits at the eastern end of the Llŷn Peninsula, close to Porthmadog and the southern edge of Snowdonia, so it is well placed to combine the peninsula's beaches with mountain days, Portmeirion and the heritage railways.

What is Criccieth known for?

Criccieth is known for its clifftop medieval castle set between two beaches, its Victorian seaside character, and Cadwalader's ice cream, which originated in the town. It is a quieter, more traditional resort than nearby Abersoch.

More in Llŷn Peninsula