There’s a lot more than meets the eye to Llandudno.
As one of the most popular tourist destinations throughout Wales, Llandudno has thousands of eager visitors walk on its shores and busy streets each year in no small part thanks to its long and rich heritage.
A heritage that includes these 5 surprising facts – we didn’t even know about them before we did our research!
1. It inspired Alice in Wonderland
Well, partly.
Legend has it that Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, would often frequent the town with her family for a holiday but the exact details and facts remain unclear.
This hasn’t stopped town officials from erecting statues dedicated to the much beloved series of novels and no matter how tenuous the link may be, locals and tourists embrace the lore nonetheless.
2. There are many shipwrecks in Llandudno Bay.
Over 30 of them, to be exact.
Due to the less than great conditions and lack of assistance that many sailors and merchants had to endure, Llandudno Bay is the final resting place for many unfortunate souls.
The Phoenix is believed to be the largest wreck located in the bay and the warship is estimated to have crashed as far back in 1642.
3. Llandudno could have been called Port Wrexham
That is, if St George’s Harbour & Railway Company had their way.
Llandudno was once seen as little more than an export base for the then wildly popular Denbighshire coal as it was a one horse town back in the day.
However, thanks to Lord Mostyn, the proud town is now one of the jewels of the Welsh crown and is known as the Queen of Welsh Resorts for good reason!
4. The pier is home to one of the oldest Punch & Judy shows
And it’s still going strong to this day.
Many people come to Llandudno Pier every summer to enjoy one of the oldest Punch & Judy shows still going on and all signs point towards it being one of the first anywhere, coming in at 150 years old.
Richard Codman was the genius behind the new show and his original puppets and theatre are still used today! If it ain’t broke…
5. There’s a Llandudno in South Africa
It’s even named after the coastal town too!
“Parish of Saint Tudno” is the translation of Llandudno and is so named in South Africa after the similarities between the two areas were obvious.
Located on the seaboard of the Cape Peninsula in Cape Town, it’s home to one of the famous Cape’s most stunning beaches and with a population of just 570, is a really quaint place to holiday in.
Now if we could only find a way to share the same weather as well…
