PYRTPlan Your Road Trips
Create TripMy TripsCommunityMerchandise
PYRTPlan Your Road Trips
Create TripMy TripsCommunityMerchandise
P
Destinations
Home›Destinations›Penarth
EuropeUnited KingdomWales

Penarth

Wales, United Kingdom · Europe

About Penarth

Penarth sits on the route: 10 minutes from Cardiff, 33km from Cheddar Gorge.

Penarth is a town located in Wales, United Kingdom. With a population of 23,437, it is an important destination in Europe.

On a road trip, Penarth sits in United Kingdom, where you drive on the left. It's in the Europe/London time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Penarth to your route.

About Penarth

Penarth ( pen-ARTH, Welsh: [pɛnˈarθ]) is a town and community in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, approximately three miles (five kilometres) south of Cardiff city centre on the west shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay. Penarth is a seaside resort in the Cardiff Urban Area, and the second

Read more largest town in the Vale of Glamorgan, next only to the administrative centre of Barry. During the Victorian era Penarth was a highly popular holiday destination, promoted nationally as "The Garden by the Sea", and was packed by visitors from the Midlands and the West Country as well as day trippers from the South Wales valleys, mostly arriving by train. Today, the town, with its traditional seafront, continues to be a regular summer holiday destination (predominantly for older visitors), but their numbers are much lower than was common from Victorian times until the 1960s, when cheap overseas package holidays were introduced. Although the number of holiday visitors has greatly declined, the town retains a substantial retired population, representing over 24% of residents, but Penarth is now predominantly a dormitory town for Cardiff commuters. The town's population was recorded as 20,396 in the United Kingdom Census 2001. The built-up area had a population of 27,226, but this figure does not include nearby suburb Dinas Powys. The town retains extensive surviving Victorian and Edwardian architecture in many traditional parts of the town.

Read more on Wikipedia

Where to Stay in Penarth

Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.

Filter presets

Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.

Booking.comExpediaTripAdvisorHotels.comAgodaAirbnb

Compare before you book!

Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Penarth.

Explore the Area

Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Penarth.

Loading map...
Open in Google Maps

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best things to do in Penarth?

Penarth offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.

How do I plan a road trip to Penarth?

Plan your road trip to Penarth with Plan Your Road Trips! Add Penarth as a destination, and we'll help you find the best route and discover more amazing places along the way.

Where is Penarth located?

Penarth is located in Wales, United Kingdom, Europe. The coordinates are 51.4386 latitude, -3.1734 longitude.

What is the population of Penarth?

Penarth has a population of approximately 23,437 people, making it a town in United Kingdom.

Plan a Road Trip

Add to your itinerary

Start planning your road trip with Penarth as a destination. Create a custom route and discover more amazing places along the way.

Start Road Trip

What's Nearby?

Discover destinations like Tinder

Swipe through stunning destinations near Penarth. Save your favourites and add them to your trip.

Explore now

Quick Information

Population
23,437
Continent
Europe
Country
United Kingdom
Region
Wales
Timezone
Europe/London
Coordinates
51.4386, -3.1734

Emergency & Services

Essential numbers in United Kingdom

Police
999
Ambulance
999
Fire
999
Non-emergency police
101
Driving side
left

112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.

Full driving guide for United Kingdom

Tags

EuropeUnited KingdomWalesTown

Worth the detour from Penarth

8 notable places within an hour's drive.

natural wonder

Cheddar Gorge

Britain's largest gorge with 450-foot limestone cliffs, ancient caves containing the oldest complete human skeleton found in Britain.

33 km · about 40 min drive

scenic viewpoint

Cheddar Gorge Viewpoint

England's largest gorge with 450-foot limestone cliffs, offering jaw-dropping views from several pull-off points along the winding road.

33 km · about 40 min drive

bridge

Clifton Suspension Bridge

Isambard Kingdom Brunel's iconic 1864 suspension bridge soaring 75m above the Avon Gorge at Bristol, still carrying traffic and glowing with lights after dark.

38 km · about 45 min drive

famous road

Porlock Hill

Britain's steepest A-road, where the A39 climbs out of Porlock onto Exmoor at gradients up to 1-in-4 with two severe hairpins. A scenic Victorian toll road offers a gentler coastal alternative.

40 km · about 45 min drive

cathedral

Wells Cathedral

Exquisite Early English Gothic cathedral with a magnificent sculpted west front displaying nearly 300 medieval figures.

45 km · about 50 min drive

scenic viewpoint

Devil's Pulpit

A narrow limestone pinnacle perched above the Wye Valley near Tintern Abbey, offering a dizzying view down through the forest canopy.

45 km · about 50 min drive

landmark

Glastonbury Tor

Mystical terraced hill crowned by St Michael's Tower, steeped in Arthurian and early Christian legends with panoramic Somerset views.

46 km · about 55 min drive

waterfall

Sgwd yr Eira

Spectacular waterfall in the Brecon Beacons where you can walk behind the curtain of water on a natural rock ledge, a truly unique experience.

47 km · about 55 min drive

Driving roads near Penarth

  • 33 kmCheddar Gorge ViewpointEngland's largest gorge with 450-foot limestone cliffs, offering jaw-dropping views from several pull-off points along the winding road.
  • 38 kmClifton Suspension BridgeIsambard Kingdom Brunel's iconic 1864 suspension bridge soaring 75m above the Avon Gorge at Bristol, still carrying traffic and glowing with lights after dark.
  • 40 kmPorlock HillBritain's steepest A-road, where the A39 climbs out of Porlock onto Exmoor at gradients up to 1-in-4 with two severe hairpins. A scenic Victorian toll road offers a gentler coastal alternative.
  • 45 kmDevil's PulpitA narrow limestone pinnacle perched above the Wye Valley near Tintern Abbey, offering a dizzying view down through the forest canopy.
  • 53 kmPen y FanThe highest peak in southern Britain at 886 metres, the flat-topped summit of the Brecon Beacons offering sweeping views across Wales.
  • 58 kmSymonds Yat RockA famous viewpoint 504 feet above the River Wye, where peregrine falcons nest and the river performs a dramatic horseshoe bend.

Driving in United Kingdom

Drives on
the left
Petrol
~€1.73/litre
Motorway tolls
None

When to drive here

April to October

Nearby Destinations

Other places to explore near Penarth.

Dinas Powys

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

3 km awayPop. 7,738

Cardiff

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

5 km awayPop. 372,089

Wenvoe

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

6 km awayPop. 1,155

Llandaff

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

7 km awayPop. 8,776

Whitchurch

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

9 km awayPop. 13,974

Barry

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

9 km awayPop. 54,673

Rhiwbina

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

10 km awayPop. 11,369

Radyr

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

11 km awayPop. 4,710

Plan a trip around Penarth

Wales road trip planner

Plan a Road Trip from Penarth

Create your perfect itinerary with our calendar-based planner. Add stops, discover attractions along the way, and share your trip with friends.

Start Planning
PYRT

The ultimate road trip planning platform. Discover 150,000+ destinations worldwide, plan scenic routes, and create unforgettable adventures.

Inspiration

  • Discover Trips
  • Travel Guides
  • Community

The Product

  • Calendar Planner
  • Integrations
  • How It Works
  • Collaboration Mode
  • Get the App
  • Merchandise: PYRT Supply Co.
  • Become a Creator
  • Trip Marketplace

Plan Your Trip

  • Road Trip Planner
  • Famous Routes
  • Planners by Country
  • Best Road Trip Planner App
  • Discover Road Trips
  • Events
  • Travel Guides
  • How It Works
  • My Trips
  • Community Groups

Company

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Support
  • Contact Us
  • Sign In
  • Create Account

© 2026 Plan Your Road Trips. All rights reserved.

•[email protected]
Data sources:GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)•Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)•Mapbox•Photography: George Lawrence