There is a UK town that has it all when it comes to a day, weekend or staycation by the sea. It’s got lively pubs, good restaurants, cobbled streets and is surrounded by the most beautiful countryside. 

But the jewel in its crown is the fact that it has no less than four (yes, four!) beaches which are all within a few minutes walk from its lively, pretty town centre. There can’t be many towns anywhere in the country that can say that. With such a lot to offer, it’s no surprise that the town was named the UK’s “best” seaside town recently. 

Admittedly, it took me ages to discover the enchanting draws of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, wrongly and stupidly dismissing it as somewhere not worth visiting for many years.

I now hold Tenby dear — it offers endless fascination, draws me back year after year and I’d visit even more often if I could. Tenby’s centuries of history weave through the core of the town, marked by narrow streets within medieval walls.

Storied passageways pave the way to cosy pubs, restaurants and a Tudor merchant house that has weathered the passage of time.

But it’s equally alive with contemporary zest and gone are the days when Tenby signified only raucous hen and stag celebrations within tired pubs long out of fashion.

Today, its pubs and restaurants are thriving, attracting a steady stream of visitors. Take The Harbwr brewery, which has grown from humble beginnings in a back alley to owning and operating a large pub, where several of its beers are served directly from the bar or even straight from the brewery via the alleyway out back.

As well as boasting no fewer than four separate beaches within a few minutes’ walk of the town centre, it serves as the departure point for boats to the tranquil haven of Caldey Island and acts as the gateway to the breathtaking natural beauty of Pembrokeshire, a place so vast and varied that one could spend a lifetime exploring without seeing it all.

Having finally recognised the unique charm of this place, I’m so glad to now make regular visits, sometimes twice a year, with family and friends who share my enthusiasm. My only regret is that it took me so long to discover its appeal — and that I can’t visit more frequently.

The best things to do in Tenby

Beaches

Sorry to labour the point, but where else can you can easily access four different beaches on foot from the town centre within minutes? If you don’t like one of them (you will like them all, I promise) you can just pack up your beach gear and walk to another one! North and South Beach are large beaches with wide open spaces at low tide (and great waves at high tide). North Beach is distinguished by its large, jagged rock rising from the sand, which is great for exploring with kids at low tide.

Between those two beaches are the smaller Harbour Beach, where you’ll find the town’s fleet of small fishing boats moored, and Castle Beach, which is sandwiched between two rocky outcrops, one of which is home to a distinctive clifftop fort. 

Caldey Island

Arriving at Caldey Island on a boat from Tenby, you’re greeted by a pristine sandy beach that wouldn’t seem out of place in the Caribbean. With the majority of visitors flocking to Tenby’s beaches, this could be your perfect opportunity to claim a beach all to yourself.

Caldey Island is a remarkable place and one of Britain’s “holy islands”. There has been a monastic presence here for centuries, and their current home is a beautiful, white, Italianate-style monastery built in 1906. You’ll also find the 13th century St Illtyd’s Church.

But the true joy of Caldey Island is to be found roaming from one end of the island to the other. En route you’ll pass horses grazing in fields and even a functioning chocolate factory, where you can buy a bar.  Once you’ve traversed to the farthest point of the island, you can soak in the tranquillity whilst gazing out to sea.

Wider Pembrokeshire

Tenby is just one of the many jewels in Pembrokeshire’s crown and the information below is just a tiny snapshot. 

The county is home to several of the finest beaches in the UK, like Barafundle, Whitesands, Marloes Sands, Freshwater East and Freshwater West (where you’ll find the “grave” of Dobby from Harry Potter). 

Barafundle is among the UK’s most-decorated beaches. It’s been named the UK’s most beautiful beach, its most peaceful and its overall “best”. You can see why in the picture below.  

What’s more, you can walk to Barafundle from Bosherston through gorgeous and peaceful lily ponds en route. Also nearby is the wild and exposed St Govan’s Head, home to one of the most remarkable features you’ll find anywhere on Britain’s coast: St Govan’s chapel, built into the very cliff face in the 13th or 14th century, with thunderous waves crashing below. Also in this corner of Pembrokeshire is the Stackpole nature reserve, while further north you’ll find the sparse beauty of the rolling Preseli Hills. 

History

Pembrokeshire has a long history and is peppered with man-made landmarks stretching back centuries. Among them are the Pentre Ifan burial chamber, which dates back to Neolithic (New Stone Age) times, when our ancestors buried their dead in tombs such as this.

Its long history of conflict means Pembrokeshire also has several castles, in part due to the existence of the Landsker Line, which once separated the Welsh in the north of the county from the Norman and Flemish settlers in the south. 

Among them is Carew Castle, which stands above the tidal waters where the Carew river meets the waters of the channel. Such is the tidal range here that you can see a vastly different picture depending on the time of day you visit. The walls around the nearby tidal mill are amazing for crabbing. Just drop in your net and bait and you’re all but guaranteed to pull out a crab.

Things for children in Pembrokeshire

There are lots of things to keep the kids occupied in Pembrokeshire. Folly Farm is a multi-award-winning adventure farm and zoo with several indoor and outdoor play areas, animals like giraffes and lions and lots more. Nearby is Bluestone holiday park, a 500-acre site set in rolling countryside. It’s Blue Lagoon swimming pool is open to people who aren’t staying in the park, and has lots of slides and a wave machine. Think Center Parcs on a slightly smaller scale. But Pembrokeshire’s best offering is its great outdoors and all the places there are to explore.

Places to stay in Tenby

Tenby has plenty of hotels, B&Bs and AirBnbs. There are the usual chain hotels like Premier Inn and Travelodge, along with numerous independent ones, many situated along the seafront.

However, the real charm of Tenby accommodation lies in discovering a delightful house or converted flat on the seafront, which you might find on Booking.com or Airbnb. You can also try Holiday Cottages.

Many of the vibrant seafront homes that Tenby is renowned for can be rented out. My family had the pleasure of staying in a spacious flat just steps away from the harbour and beach, while there are also entire homes available for hire with stunning sea views.

Folly Farm nearby also has newly-opened accommodation and there are dozens of large lodges at Bluestone to suit all family sizes and couples. Just outside Tenby is Kiln Park, a large and well-equipped caravan park where you can hire a free-standing caravan with beach access. 

It’s always worth bearing in mind that, like many parts of Wales and the UK, Pembrokeshire does face a significant issue with homes being purchased and rented out to tourists, rather than being occupied by the local community. 

Eating and drinking in Tenby

There’s a wider choice than ever of places to eat in Tenby, ranging from community Indian restaurants and fish and chip shops to more formal dining. In one of Tenby’s oldest and most beautiful buildings, down a centuries-old alley, you’ll find Plantagenet House restaurant, which is next to the town’s Tudor merchant house and dates back to medieval times. It serves steak, homemade sausage, hake, truffle risotto and the like. 

Billycan is hugely popular — and when you see the size of the food portions, you’ll know why. Think classic fish and chips, racks of ribs, seafood platters. It’s a great place to eat and family-friendly. 

Down Sergeant’s Lane you’ll find the Harbwr Brewery. Not long ago this was an abandoned and overgrown alleyway. But it’s now a gorgeous, cobbled lane where you can order a drink direct from the brewery itself, and sit and people-watch passing walkers. There’s a pub attached, also called Harbwr.

And as you walk down to the harbour, you’ll find a shack selling crab sandwiches and lobster rolls, as well as The Stowaway, an unbelievably cosy place for coffee and cake in the summer and early autumn, hidden underground in an old archway. 

Not far away, hidden down a farm track near the village of Hundleton is the extraordinary Paternoster Farm restaurant, where a self-taught chef who quit the rat race as a divorce lawyer to buy a smallholding and open this restaurant serves phenomenal Welsh food like slow roast Welsh mountain mutton shoulder and locally caught fish.

UK’s ‘best’ seaside town

I don’t really need anyone to convince me that Tenby is the UK’s top seaside town. But last year it was crowned as the best holiday destination for entertainment. With a score of 7.71 out of 10, the town was praised for its 13th-century walls, sandy beaches and its lively scene of pubs and restaurants.