Portmeirion

Greenfinch

I really didn’t enjoy my visit there. It seemed so unreal and lacking in life and vibrancy . Totally unnatural.

Glad someone else felt about it as I did.

I've been twice. First time was 35 years ago for the day, it was glorious weather, we had lunch outside on a sunny terrace and we had a lovely day. It's in a beautiful location and is charmingly different. We went back about 5 years ago and had an overnight stay in one of the cottages on our way to Anglesey. Again the weather was beautiful, we had an evening meal in the hotel which I thought was rather formal and old fashioned but the meal was good.

I am really looking forward to going now, thanks for all your comments.

I found it pretty but very pseudo.

A Mediterranean village in Wales isn’t suppose to natural,
I have visited many times , most enjoyable

My friend and I went last year on a coach trip, it rained all the way there, the coach got bogged down when trying to reach the car park and had to be towed out. It was still raining heavily and there is nowhere to shelter, so we made for the restaurant and spent time in there having a nice lunch and a glass of wine.
It’s very pretty if the sun is shinning but nothing to do if raining.

Cabbie21

Correct me if I’m wrong, but we decided not to go there when we were in the area because it looked too hilly and DH would have struggled.

Not hilly at all

It's gorgeous. Enjoy.

Missiseff

Cabbie21

Correct me if I’m wrong, but we decided not to go there when we were in the area because it looked too hilly and DH would have struggled.

Not hilly at all

It is.

Casdon

I think that’s the point Monica, isn’t it, it’s a folly, where the buildings weren’t designed to be functional, but to represent an Italian landscape in a stunning setting - only Clough Ellis knew why he wanted to achieve that I guess, but it has worked, it’s a completely unique place.
It is hilly, but the views over the sea are amazing, I’ve spent some very happy hours there sunning myself outside the hotel.

Yes, I thought that was the whole point of Port Meirion.

I spent a special birthday weekend there and loved it.
It felt like escapism, entering another world but just outside was the normal Welsh countryside.

It is escapism , I love the place

Anniebach

A Mediterranean village in Wales isn’t suppose to natural,
I have visited many times , most enjoyable

No, it isn't.
I'm surprised at the comments saying it's unnatural, pseudo, surreal.
Isn't that the whole point?

It's not a Welsh village.

It's not a Welsh village.
And nobody lives there ...

Allira

Anniebach

A Mediterranean village in Wales isn’t suppose to natural,
I have visited many times , most enjoyable

No, it isn't.
I'm surprised at the comments saying it's unnatural, pseudo, surreal.
Isn't that the whole point?

It's not a Welsh village.

No, not really. We all react to things differently, and I found the place quite unnerving, as if I had one foot in this world and one foot in some other undefined world.

That was my reaction and every bit as valid as the reaction of those who jsut went there and enjoyed it.

Monica I really understand that feeling about Portmeirion, but unlike you it didn’t unnerve me. I found the place odd and quirky, but I rather liked that.

I think that's why I liked it too 😀

I went to Hobbiton too, really interesting and enjoyable. It does fit in with the landscape there, though.

Spent our wedding anniversary there a few years ago, we loved it. So quirky, so gorgeous (it was a beautiful day) and I enjoyed the "not quite in this world" feeling.

We spent valentines weekend at Port Meirion because it was also our wedding anniversary. So glad we went. It is very hilly and there were a lot of small cobbled steps, I saw people with walking frames and even on crutches who I thought would struggle and wondered why they had visited.
A note to anyone who may be visiting (Scribbles) I picked up a booklet from the hotel reception which tells the story of Portmeirion and it is full of fascinating details that I wish I'd read about before walking round, it would have made our visit more like a treasure hunt because Clough Williams-Ellis obviously had a great sense of humour and was an avid collector, evidence of which can be seen all over the village.

Thanks, Elless. I'll look out for the booklet and I do plan to read up a little about the place before I go. That'll be four weeks tomorrow; really looking forward to it now!

I took my children there 4 Boy's & they loved it, me too.
It is very staged & other worldly as was originally intended.
My only gripe was someone nicking my leopard-print brolly in the loos! 😶

I know you can buy books that give information about the place but a few discretely placed information boards would help. It was only on our last day that we discovered No 6's apartment in the Prisoner series was the actual Prisoner Shop.

Scribbles my DD and SIL, took his mum for an 80th birthday present, about 2 years ago.
She loved it, and there were buggies to help get around, i.e from accommodation to one of the restaurants.
Go and enjoy.

I have visited twice, and I love the place. I think there are two or three places in the 'village' that one can pay to stay in?

The last time I visited it was summertime, and it was busy, so I preferred a quieter time to visit - Autumn or early Spring.
But, I loved it, still do, and I always think about 'The Prisoner' and 'Number 6' when I visit or think about it. I loved that show.