Spotlight On: Abersoch

How to spend a perfect day on the ‘Welsh Riviera’ 

At the turn of the 20th century, Abersoch was little more than a Welsh fishing village. Crediting most of its income to the farming and fishing trades, it wasn’t until the 1920s that tourists uncovered its allure and began to refer to the village as the ‘Welsh Riviera’. Entrepreneurs soon spotted the unlimited potential, with the prominent, local Williams family and Liverpool-based Italian cotton merchant Frank Manoprio quickly buying up land. This land would respectively become the main beach headland with its sailing club, and the prestigious home of Haulfryn Holidays, The Warren. 

Over 100 years on, the allure of Abersoch hasn’t waned in the slightest. Despite the state-of-the-art, multi-million-pound houses gazing out to sea from envy-inducing spots, the village has somehow retained its old-world appeal and slower pace of life. There are also lots of things to do in and around Abersoch. A weekend visit here can involve everything from surfing to spa-going, bird-watching to boutique shopping. 

Abersoch is somewhere that I’ve been lucky enough to visit countless times over the last couple of decades. My parents kept a caravan sited on the Llyn Peninsula throughout my childhood and it is somewhere I continue to escape to to this day! So, as a lover of the local area, its landscapes and its people, this is how I’d spend an ideal day during a stay in one of Oyster Holiday Cottage’s Abersoch Cottages. 

Where is Abersoch?

Abersoch sits on the south coast of the Llyn Peninsula, which is the arm jutting out of Northwest Wales. The village itself sits close to the headland where the land curves out towards two little islands, known as St Tudwals. On a clear day, when stood on the beach, you can see right down the coast of west Wales, towards Cardigan.

Important info: Where to park for visiting Abersoch 

Before we get stuck in, I thought it could be helpful for those not staying in the village to have some knowledge of parking spots. Most of the parking throughout the village is paid, so make sure you’re equipped with some spare change. That said, a lot of them you can pay online using the PayByPhone website or app. Here are some convenient parking locations: 

• Roadside, A499 – As you approach the village, passing the entrance to The Warren on your left, continue straight. There is marked roadside parking all the way along here. If you get to the Fach Farm holiday site, you’ve gone too far. To reach the village from here, you can either cross the road and walk along the beach (tide times permitting,) or follow the pavement straight ahead to access the village by road. 
• Abersoch Beach Pay & Display Carpark (LL53 7EY) – This is the carpark I use most often, as there’s plenty of space and you can easily access both the main beach and village centre. It’s not cheap, costing £5 for 6 hours, £10 for 10 hours and £45 for 24 hours as of 2025. 

Is there any free parking in Abersoch? 

Yes, the village does have free parking spots, some of which are near the dead end of Lon Pen Cei (just passed Mañanas restaurant.) These spaces allow you to stay for a maximum of 3 hours in high season, but be warned that they get snapped up pretty quickly and there’s not a lot of room for turning around if you’re in a larger vehicle. Always make sure that you never park on double yellows, and that you park considerately so that other visitors and locals can park too.  Each of our Abersoch cottages have private parking, so if you’ve booked a stay with us, you don’t need to worry about where you’ll park.  

What does the name Abersoch mean? 

The village is streaked by the River Soch, which you’ll cross as you enter from the Llanbedrog side over a charming little bridge, not far from where it spills into the sea. ‘Aber’ means estuary, meaning the village’s name literally translates to ‘Soch Estuary’ in English. In the local tongue, the village is often referred to as ‘Rabar.’  

Morning: A dunk in the sea followed by breakfast  

With the introduction to Abersoch out of the way, let’s dive into my ideal day in the village – literally. I’d begin with a bracing dip in the sea – the sandy stretch of Abersoch’s main beach is perfect for this. The shallows slope off gradually and they are often flat calm – but make sure you check the weather and tide times first! The main beach is within walking distance of all our Abersoch cottages. If you need the company of others to spur you on, there’s usually a group of locals and visitors alike (the Abersoch Dunkers) who meet at 8:15 am for a dip every morning, come rain or shine!  

Once I’ve dried off after my dip, I’d head along the back of the beach huts and turn left onto Lon Traeth to walk into the centre of the village, stopping at Two Islands Cafe for coffee and something sweet for breakfast. An enamoured Abersoch institution, Two Islands takes its name from the St Tudwals islands that you’ll have seen from the main beach. A stunning, design-led space where you can enjoy the most insane bakes, it’s also known for phenomenal ice cream and was (deservedly) lauded as one of the world’s Top 25 Ice Cream Parlours by the Financial Times. There’s no way you’ll leave here with just breakfast – it would be a crime not to take some treats for later on, too. 

If savoury breakfasts are more your thing, there are some other amazing spots in the village such as Zinc (just across the street from Two Islands) and Just Mary’s.  Alternatively, shop ahead for some hearty local ingredients (the local Londis & Spar are pretty good but there’s also a local farm shop coming soon) and return to your Abersoch cottage to cook up a full Welsh.

Early morning to mid-afternoon: Coastal Path walk

I can’t ever visit the coast without a good sea-view stomp, which is why I’d head off along the Wales Coast Path after breakfast to walk to Llanbedrog and back. You’ll follow The Warren beach right the way to the headland, where you’ll ascend some steps. These take you onto the huge limestone slab of Mynydd Tir-y-Cwmwd, an area of protected heathland where you can watch as seabirds soar and discover the Tin Man, who watches over the waters of Llanbedrog beach below. After passing the sculpture, continue along the snaking path by following the waymarkers down the hill until you reach the grounds of Plas Glyn y Weddw, an art gallery housed in a stunning Gothic-style mansion. Venture indoors here to discover the works of local artists, be drawn in by the delights of the cafe or continue along the road before turning right to go down to the beach. 

Once you’re on Llanbedrog beach (note that in high season, dogs must be kept on a lead until you’re past the colourful beach huts,) I’d recommend a paddle in the waters or a leisurely lunch at Aqua, the beach bar and restaurant situated at the entrance to the beach. 

Once you’ve lingered here for a little while, you can begin the walk back to Abersoch – this Wales Coast Path map is a handy guide for the walk should you need one. 

If walks aren’t really your thing but beaches definitely are, there are lots of stunning beaches within a short drive of Abersoch; I’ve previously written a guide to them here. If you’re looking for further thrills in and around the water, there’s an endless list of activities on offer including SUP tours, surf lessons and boating trips – take a look at Abersoch Watersports and Offaxis to book. 

Afternoon: Wander through the village before taking some pizza to the beach 

After returning from the walk, I’d spend the afternoon in and around the village centre, exploring some of the shops and enjoying a drink on one of the many terraces – choose between the harbour views at Zinc, central-positon of The Vaynol, the sunny courtyard at the back of Aprés Sea or the recently-renovated St Tudwals Inn (for the duration of my childhood, the interiors of St Tuds were dark and old school, with patterned carpets and fruit machines. Ah, the nostalgia.) 

As I’d want to maximise my time beside the sea, my dinner of choice would be a takeaway goat cheese pizza from Crust Pizzeria, which I’d walk to either the benches at the end of Lon Pen Cei, or the dunes of the main beach to sit, enjoy and watch the world go by. Alternatively, if you prefer enjoying your food without getting sand between your toes, there’s a wealth of amazing dinner options in the village. Mañana is an incredibly popular (for good reason) Mexican restaurant (which also offers takeout during the high season,) Nwdl combines local seafood and asian cuisine and The Potted Lobster brings fine-dining flair to classic seafood dishes.  

Book your holiday cottage in Abersoch 

From pet-friendly hideaways with hot tubs to beach huts with spellbinding sea views, our collection of Abersoch cottages provides the perfect choice for a short or extended stay in the Welsh Riviera. What elevates your stay in one of our holiday cottages in Abersoch is our complimentary concierge service —  whether you’re planning a jaw-dropping proposal or need a local babysitter so that you can enjoy a meal just the two of you, we are on hand to organise it all for you.