Bordering Cardiff and nestled among six counties, Caerphilly’s main claim to fame is its largest town. The town of Caerphilly has produced two great things – a castle and a cheese. The enormous castle is one of the best preserved specimens in Wales, second only in size to England’s Windsor. The site incorporates magnificent remains of its original water defences and most of the inner, middle and outer walls. Work on it began in 1268 by Richard de Clare, Earl of Gloucester and Hereford, to defend his lands against the Welsh. It survived unscathed until the Civil War, when explosives used by besieging Parliamentary forces gave the southeast tower its precarious lean.

Caerphilly is also famous for its crumbly white cheese, which rivals other big names such as Cheddar and Leicester for taste and uniqueness. During the summer the town hosts The Big Cheese festival. In winter there’s the Festival of Light, which involves a procession with hundreds of lanterns through the centre of the town.