Newport, on the Pembrokeshire Coast, might be the wild card in some of our Gurus’ beach holiday destination recommendations, but this dark horse has plenty of surprises in store. It feels wonderfully tucked away with a spectacular backdrop, its beaches are long, smooth and inviting, and it’s got a thriving foodie scene. Despite its small size it has quite a few offerings accommodation-wise, and our list of the best places to stay in Newport includes a very friendly restaurant-with-rooms, and a totally charming guesthouse.
Newport’s port expanded from its Norman roots during the 12th century flourishing of the wool trade. It was also known for its pottery, and the town’s memorial hall has a wonderfully complete excavated medieval pottery kiln on display to prove it. It’s not a large town, but in the space between the sea and the village’s castle on Carningli Mountain, which overlooks the town, there’s plenty to entertain.
There are lots of places to eat in town, including great cafes, friendly pubs, and excellent restaurants — one of which appears as a restaurant-with-rooms on our list of the best places to stay in Newport. Newport is a great base for keen walkers too, it's super convenient for the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, which loops around the cliffs to the north. There are lots of shorter trails around town too, through woodlands, across the sand dunes, and around the area’s old lime kilns. Just along the coastline — a longer walk, or a short drive away — is Newport Sands, a beautiful mile of pale sand, much loved by beach enthusiasts, but also by kayakers and canoeists.