Brazilians don’t say “Wales”; we say País de Gales. Honestly, calling it just “Wales” feels weird, but that’s the official name in English. If I had to sum up this country in one sentence, it would be: Land of Castles and Dragons. And trust me, that’s no exaggeration! Wales has more castles per square kilometer than any other country in the world. In Cymru (that’s what the Welsh call their own country), there are over 600 castles in just over 20,000 km².
For us Brazilians, who grew up hearing stories of knights, swords, and dragons, visiting Wales is like stepping into a fairy tale. The castles are exactly how you imagine them: towers, bridges, moats… and yes, dragons. They’re everywhere—on flags, souvenirs, and even as statues in the castles. One castle even had more than one dragon tucked inside what looked like dungeon ruins.
Of course, so many castles didn’t appear by accident. They’re a testament to the Celts’ resistance against English rule—and later, the English conquest, who built fortifications everywhere to stay in control.
I was traveling through the UK, and my visit to País de Gales would be short—just two days. One in Cardiff, another in Newport, with a quick stop in Caerphilly. But even in that short time, I fell in love. I arrived by train after leaving Stonehenge, England. The train broke down, we had to switch stations, switch trains, and almost lost the right to board without paying again—but somehow, we made it to Cardiff, the only UK capital I hadn’t visited yet.
Exhausted but determined, I wanted to explore as soon as the sun came up. Our hotel was near Cardiff Castle, so we walked. The castle, originally built by Romans over 2,000 years ago, is a patchwork of styles. Each section shows its era, from solid stone fortresses to perfectly preserved interiors full of elegance and history. I spent ages in the library—imagine shelves filled with centuries of knowledge! From the top, you get a stunning view of the city around.
Thanks to the audio guide, we could stroll through every corner and discover its history. There are bathrooms, picnic tables, and grassy areas to relax. I’d say our visit lasted about three hours. And yes, there was a super-friendly dragon statue—my photo count skyrocketed.
Afterward, we grabbed lunch and hopped on a bus to the next castle… or city. The ride was so short I barely finished a phone call with my brother before arriving.
Then came Caerphilly Castle, which might just be my favorite ever—and I’ve seen castles all over Europe! It’s enormous, built around 1200, almost a thousand years old, a Norman fortress, the largest in Wales, and one of the biggest in Europe. It’s surrounded by shallow artificial lakes, meant to slow down enemies. Fun fact: one tower leans even more than the Tower of Pisa. During the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell’s troops tried to blow it up but only damaged the foundation of the northeast tower, giving it that tilt. One of my favorite photos? The sun peeking behind that tower, making it look like a knight statue is holding it up.
And yes—dragons again! In the moat, they even have sounds. The first time I heard them, I nearly jumped out of my skin. No clue what was happening!
We stayed until sunset, watching the lakes glow orange. Magical. Dinner was at a cozy pub nearby, where I did one of my favorite things: people-watching locals while enjoying a cold beer.
Afterwards, we waited for about an hour for the bus to Newport. Staying there saved us money and time since we had to get back to London for our next flight.
Wales left me with a serious case of wanderlust. I wish I had more time to explore even more castles, like Crown Castle, which I read is the ultimate fairy-tale fortress. Until then, I’ll relive the magic through photos and blog posts, and dream of returning.
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