Royal Mint, Brecon Mountain Rail & Bristol Harbour Cruise

We start the day with a visit to the Royal Mint Experience on the outskirts of Cardiff, an interactive exhibition about how coin production works. We watch workers mint coins and discover fascinating facts about the coins in our pockets, giving us a wonderful insight into one of the UK’s oldest institutions.

We return to the hotel via the bustling Welsh capital of Cardiff, with its beautiful Victorian shopping centres and quirky market. Cardiff Castle is right in the heart of the city and offers a truly remarkable site with a history that spans over 2,000 years (entrance not included).

We head to Pant, a small village near the Welsh border, where we board our vintage train and take a trip on the Brecon Mountain Railway, which follows part of the original route of the 1859-built Brecon & Merthyr Railway. We travel through beautiful Brecons scenery and along the full length of the sparkling Taf Fechan Reservoir before climbing to Torpantau, the summit of the original line. We descend the mountain, making a short stop in Pontsticill for refreshments before returning to Pant via stunning Abergavenny.

On the way back to the hotel we enjoy a scenic coach drive through the Brecon Beacons National Park, allowing us to admire the spectacular landscapes from a different perspective. Shaped by the Ice Age, there is no shortage of dramatic scenery in this stunning National Park.

We sit back and relax on a cruise around Bristol Harbour. Once a bustling dock where sailors and merchants would trade goods and set sail for voyages, Bristol Harbourside is now a world-class attraction, complete with many restaurants and bars. We discover its fascinating history and contemporary culture on our leisurely cruise, with onboard commentary and then enjoy some free time in lively Bristol.