Merthyr Tydfil

Merthyr Tydfil, owes its name to Tudful, the daughter of Brychan, Chieftain of Brycheiniog, who died whilst praying as pagans battled to take over the town. Subsequently canonized, the site on which she was slain became known as Martyr Tudful, or Merthyr Tydfil.

Nowadays, Merthyr Tydfil is better known as one of the most significant towns of the Industrial Revolution – a period, which brought wealth and power to South Wales, the likes of which it had never seen before.

In the past twenty years or so, there has been a remarkable transformation in both the working practices and topography of the area, with considerable land reclamation work creating environmental and structural improvements.

Merthyr Tydfil has a wealth of attractions and activities for visitors to enjoy. Take a look around Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery, which was built in 1825 and is a grand castellated mansion, set in 160 acres of parkland. Or travel back to the age of steam on one of Wales’ most popular railways, Brecon Mountain Railway.

Merthyr Tydfil also offers a range of exciting outdoor activities with its wealth of local trails for walking and cycling, such as the Taff Trail, Trevithick Trail or Celtic Trail. Fishing is a must in Merthyr Tydfil either in one of our reservoirs or along the River Taff.

If you’d prefer a different kind of adrenaline in the form of retail therapy, then visit our town centre shopping precinct, St Tydfil’s and Beacons Place, or our out-of-town shopping centre at Cyfarthfa Retail Park where you can enjoy a mix of local and high street retailers.

There is so much on offer you’ll be hard pushed to decide what to do but with our great selection of local hotels you' can always stay overnight.