The UK's Smallest City Is A Walkable Paradise With Beautiful Beaches And Rich History

A city break usually means certain things: Noise, people, culture, restaurants, shopping, and nightlife. In the U.K., there might be an extra level of buzz if the local soccer club is playing at home during your stay. But when does a town become a city in Britain? Nowadays, it can be just about anywhere that the person sitting on the throne wishes, as bestowing city status is still the privilege of the monarch. One somber recent example was Southend-on-Sea receiving the title in honor of its M.P., who was murdered while serving his constituents in 2021. In the 16th century, however, the presence of a cathedral was enough for a place to gain the status, which brings us to the unusual case of the U.K.'s smallest city: St Davids in Wales.

With a population of under 2,000 people, St Davids is an unusually walkable paradise as far as British cities go. Surrounded by farmland with the beautiful beaches and cliffs a short stroll away, it is a destination that screams "village" to the casual visitor. Despite its very low-key appearance, St Davids held city status due to its splendid 12th century Norman cathedral until the title was withdrawn in 1886. Around 100 years later, St Davids campaigned to have its city status reinstated, granted by Queen Elizabeth in 1994. So while the tiny Welsh burg has attracted pilgrims for centuries, the cozy modern city welcomes a steady stream of tourists, many curious to see what the nation's smallest city looks like.

Heading out of London on the M4 motorway, St Davids is almost as far as you can drive in a westerly direction without falling off the edge of Wales into the sea. Located on St David's Peninsula on the remote tip of Pembrokeshire, the tiny city is around a five-hour road trip from the capital. Approaching from Haverfordwest (the nearest big town, around six times larger) the route takes you through sparsely populated farmland that makes up the city limits; while St Davids is known as the U.K.'s smallest city in terms of urban area and population, its local authority boundary makes it larger than the City of London.

The main attraction in St Davids is its magnificent cathedral. You might expect a large place of worship to dominate the skyline in such a low-rise city, but the reveal is quite startling. You pass through a stout medieval gatehouse to find the cathedral sitting amid a spacious graveyard in the valley below. It's a gorgeous sight with the picturesque ruins of the Bishop's Palace providing an appealing counterpoint to the well-maintained towers and flying buttresses of the ancient cathedral. Elsewhere in town, you can also check out the regular museum and art exhibitions at Oriel y Parc National Park Discovery Center, a great stop-off to get acquainted with St Davids and the surrounding area. It is free to enter and has outdoor picnic facilities and a play area for kids.

Once you've had a stroll around St Davids and visited the cathedral, it's time to hit the beach. The city lies a short distance inland from the spectacular Pembrokeshire Coast, a National Park famous for its rugged cliffs, scenic hiking paths, and beautiful isolated coves. There are two notable beaches within a bracing walk of downtown St Davids. At Caerfai Bay, the tide recedes to reveal a sandy beach and rock pools surrounded by cliffs. A little further afield is Whitesands Bay, a golden crescent of sand which is regarded as one of the best beaches for surfers in the country. It is an atmospheric spot dominated by Carn Llidi (594 feet), a striking rocky summit that offers terrific views of the coastline and surrounding landscape. In between the two beaches is a stunning stretch of U.K. coastline where the Pembrokeshire Coast Path makes for an invigorating hike.

Thanks to its remote nature, Pembrokeshire and the area surrounding St Davids is perfect for wildlife-watching. If you're into birdlife, you can take a boat trip with St Davids-based Thousand Islands Expeditions to Ramsey Island where a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Nature Reserve provides a safe nesting environment for thousands of seabirds. Once you're done exploring the wonderful landscape around the city, you might feel a bit peckish. The Farmers Arms is a lovely old inn with a cozy rustic interior, ideal for a spot of lunch and a relaxing pint. There's lots more to explore in the tiny nation of Wales, and it just so happens to be Bear Grylls' absolute favorite destination in the U.K.