Pembrokeshire doesn’t really do big towns.
But it does have a city. St Davids city has just over 1400 residents, making it the smallest city in Britain. Surrounded by sea on three sides, Pembrokeshire’s towns and villages have a huge connection with the sea, with most communities having been a trading port for one commodity or another somewhere in their past.
Newport on the River Nyfer is a picturesque small market town that spent some of its past as a herring port. Abercastle is a tiny hamlet that started life as a trading harbour exporting slate and grain. Tenby is a gorgeous walled seaside town. Originally settled by the Normans, Tenby became a fortified town in the 13th century.
Pembrokeshire’s communities are vibrant; filled with community spirit and creative minds who use Pembrokeshire’s stunning landscape to inspire their works of art. Take Narberth, a small market town in the heart of Pembrokeshire that has become a little bit a shopping mecca for all things Pembrokeshire; paintings, pottery, sculpture, and jewellery makers can all be found in this colourful town.
Amroth
Wiseman’s Bridge is a tiny seaside hamlet with a rocky beach in between Saundersfoot and Amroth. It is linked to Saundersfoot by a series of three tunnels through which a narrow gauge railway once travelled carrying coal.
This charming historic village on Pembrokeshire’s north coast near St Davids is quite a find. It stretches out along the road and has a very un-commercialised feel to it.
Both Treffgarne and Wolfscastle are small villages midway between Haverfordwest and Fishguard. Treffgarne is quite spread out without an identifiable centre, unlike Wolfscastle.
Tenby is probably the most iconic seaside town in Wales, rivalling places like Mevagissey and Polperro for quaintness and charm.
Strumble is on the North West tip of Pembrokeshire, west of Fishguard. The area is known as the Pencaer Peninsula, although it isn’t actually a peninsula.
The pretty village of Stackpole is a few miles south of Pembroke, between Freshwater East and Bosherston. The village has some pretty cottages and an Inn (The Stackpole Inn) but is better known for the Stackpole Estate, Quay and Barafundle Beach.
St Florence is a village of immense charm. There are many pretty cottages, one with a well known architectural feature known as a Flemish chimney – the last surviving example of its kind in the area.
The quaint riverside village of St Dogmaels is on the northern border of Pembrokeshire close to the market town of Cardigan. Its significant because the Pembrokeshire Coast Path starts or finishes here, depending on which way you’re walking it.
St Davids is named after the patron saint of Wales, Saint David. St Davids is the smallest city in Britain. City status was awarded in 1995 although the roots of St Davids go back to the 5th century when St David himself lived here.
Solva is a delightful little village on the south side of St Davids Peninsula. The village is split into two separate areas, Upper Solva and Lower Solva.
Saundersfoot is a small seaside resort in between Tenby and Amroth. It’s much more compact than Tenby and has a charm and character of its own. In many respects Saundersfoot is a much more accessible seaside resort.
Pembroke Dock or The Port of Pembroke is a town with a short but illustrious past. It originally grew up around the Royal Naval Dockyard and produced 260 fine ships between 1814-1926, including several royal yachts and men-of-war.
Pembroke is a charming walled town which dates back over 900 years and is famous for its Norman Castle. Pembroke Castle is one of the most complete Norman castles in the UK. It was the birthplace of Henry VII, founder of the Tudor dynasty.
Nolton and Nolton Haven are on the west coast of Pembrokeshire in St Brides Bay. Nolton is a tiny farming community.
Neyland is a small town on the northern shore of the Milford Haven Waterway a few miles east of Milford Haven. The town grew up around the railway.
Newport is an idyllic little town on Pembrokeshire’s north coast, an undeveloped haven with a laid back way of life that acts as a perfect antidote to the excesses of modern life.