Swansea Bay has long been known for its breathtaking natural beauty: miles and miles of beautiful sandy coastline, dramatic cliffs, coastal paths and endless sea views....whether bathed in glorious sunshine, wild and windswept or wintry crisp...whatever the weather, Swansea Bay really does jaw dropping coastline to perfection.

And it's not just those lucky enough to live and work here who think so - the area has been lavished with awards and recognition for its wonderful bays and beaches... including those that recognise more than simply the excellent water quality here.

The spectacular natural backdrop of Swansea Bay's coastline and countryside has provided the perfect inspiration for creativity of all kinds over the years.

In 2007, the awesome scenery at Three Cliffs Bay in Gower reached the finals of ITV's Britain's Best View, whilst Worms Head at Rhossili has been voted as "the most romantic place to see a sunset in the UK".  Carmarthenshire meanwhile boasts one of the longest sandy beaches in Europe!

 

Business in Swansea & Swansea Bay

Swansea has one of the fastest-growing business bases in Britain, according to the Royal Mail's Business Barometer 2008.  

Swansea Bay is home to a wide range of national and international companies including HSBC, Admiral Insurance, Amazon, BT, Virgin Media, 3M, Corus - part of Tata Steel, Tinopolis, Pure Wafer, The Connaught Motor Company and directory enquiries company,118 UK.

Other international companies with a presence in the region include IBM, Fujitsu, EDS (part of Hewlett Packard), and GE Energy

There are plans for business, retail, leisure and residential developments in the City and County of Swansea with an estimated value of over £1 billion over the next ten years.

Famous Names

Swansea Bay has long given nourishment and inspiration to creative talents of all kind.  The region has been, or has become, home to a number of famous people, some of whom are of international renown.

The written word...

Dylan Thomasis indisputably the area's most famous son, having been born in Swansea and written some of his most famous works whilst living in the city in his youth. He later produced numerous pieces from his 'word-plastered' writing shed in Laugharne.

Other famous authors living in the Swansea Bay area include Iris Gower and Catrin Collier. When not in London, Penni Vincenzialso spends time living in Gower, which she describes as 'heaven on a plate'.   Russell T. Davies, writer of the extremely successful Dr Who series was born and brought up in the area... and ensures that Swansea is the filming location for at least one episode each season! 

Artistic licence...

Whether it's the quality of the light, the stimulating land and seascapes or simply the space to be at one with the surroundings, for years Swansea Bay has given nourishment and inspiration to artists of all kinds - be they armed with pencils, paints, cameras or glass. 

During the 20^th Century Swansea became known for its remarkable and innovative output in stained glass after Swansea Art School, (now part of Swansea Metropolitan University) set up a course in stained glass in the 1930s. This later developed into the broader field of study known as 'Architectural Glass' and to this day, Swansea Bay has a worldwide reputation as a centre of excellence in this field. Many contemporary leading practitioners in architectural glass, who are making major contributions to iconic buildings worldwide, learned their craft in Swansea.

Facts & Figures

• Swansea Bay incorporates Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Neath Port Talbot and accounts for 15% of Wales' total land area and with around 545,000 residents, over 18% of the total Welsh population.
• Swansea is Wales' second largest city with an urban population of approximately 170,000.
• Around 1.5 million people live within one hour's drive of Swansea.
• Swansea has its own five-mile sandy beach, just a 10 minute stroll from the city centre
• Gower Peninsula, Britain's first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), boasts 32 miles of stunning coast with over 50 named beaches and coves many of which have been voted among the best beaches in Britain by BBC Holiday, The Independent and Country Life Magazine
• Swansea's Golden Anchor and Blue Flag Marina with 410 berths is the largest in Wales.
• Swansea Bay boasts seven Blue Flag beaches and has some of the cleanest waters in the UK, to enjoy surfing, sailing, windsurfing, kayaking and all other water-based activities.
• The LC, Swansea's £32 million leisure centre, opened in March 2008, is Wales' biggest indoor waterpark and includes the standing surf rider (surfing indoors!).
• Afan Forest Park's 60 miles of singletrack mountain bike heaven, featured in What Mountain Bike Guide magazine's 'top 20 UK mountain biking descents' as well as being the only UK trail in their "Ten best places to ride before you die" list.
• Llanelli's Millennium Coastal Parkfeatures a 22km traffic-free coastal path / cycleway on the Burry Estuary, and overlooks the spectacular Gower Peninsula.
• Brechfa Forest with dramatic views and deep valleys offer mountain bike enthusiasts a great (sometimes muddy!) experience. 
• Swansea is home to the 50m Olympic-sized Wales National Swimming Pool
• Worm's Head at Rhossili, Gower, a one-mile promontory, is reputed to be the seventh most photographed sunset in the world!
• There are more than 25 golf courses and numerous 9-hole courses as well as golf ranges, pitch and putt and even crazy golf.
• Swansea's Dylan Thomas International Literary Award of £60k is bigger than the Booker Prize!
• Swansea hosted Wales National Eisteddfod 2006.
• Ballet Russe, based in Swansea, is the only resident Russian Ballet company in the UK
• The UK's newest National Hunt Racecourse, Ffos Las, opened in Trimsaran near Llanelli in June 2009.
• Pembrey Country Park covers 202 hectares and includes a train ride, kids adventure playground, pitch and putt, picnic areas and a choice of walking trails as well as horse riding along the beach and even a dry ski slope and toboggan run!
• Carmarthenshire's Museum of Speedoverlooks Pendine, the long, long beach used for daring land speed record attempts.

Lifestyle & Leisure

The area has award winning restaurants, a wide range of museums, galleries and evening entertainment venues, top sporting venues - including Liberty Stadium, home to the Ospreys regional rugby and Swansea City FC, Wales National (50m) Pool Swansea, and the newly opened LC with its indoor water- park including one of the UK's first indoor surf waves.

• Gower Peninsula is Britain's first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and offers 32 miles of unspoilt coastline.
• The beaches along the Gower Peninsula have been voted among the best beaches in Britain in numerous polls conducted by various entities including BBC Holiday, The Independent and Country Life Magazine.
• The vale of Neath countryside features top waterfall walks and for the more active the Afan Forest,which featured in the UK's top 20 mountain biking descents - The Wall (3rd), Skyline (4^th) - in What Mountain Bike Guide magazine 2007
• Swansea was ranked as one of the safest cities to live in by two separate surveys conducted by Endsleigh Insurance and Men's Health magazine in 2006.

A few 'must-do' things for any visitor to Swansea...

• Find out more about Wales' development as a nation by visiting Wales' newest museum - the award-winning National Waterfront Museum located in Swansea's maritime quarter, close to Morgans Hotel. Also nearby is Swansea Museum -  Wales' oldest!
• Head round the corner to the Dylan Thomas Centre - with a permanent exhibition, bookshop and café, you can immerse yourself in all things Dylan!
• Drop into Swansea's brand new £32million leisure destination, the LC, opened by HM The Queen in March 2008 and also to be found in the maritime quarter. It's Wales' biggest indoor waterpark and boasts a network of rides, slides and pools - including the masterblaster and the standing surf rider (surfing indoors!).
• Sample fresh local delicacies, cockles and laverbread at Swansea Market - Wales' largest indoor market! At the heart of the city centre and with stalls selling everything from local crafts to a stunning array of the freshest produce, it's a buzzing, sensory experience loved by locals and visitors alike.
• Eat at one of Swansea's many fantastic restaurants or café bars, (check out the Swansea Bay Food Passion guide at www.food-passion.co.ukto help you choose!) flirt with lady luck at the new £13million Aspers Casino or while the night away in a plush wine bar, cosy pub or hip nightclub.
• Head to the stylish seaside village of Mumbles, with its pretty Victorian terraces, eclectic shops, galleries, tempting cafes and eateries. Make like a local and buy a delicious ice cream from one of the famous Welsh-Italian ice cream parlours and stroll along the Prom or out on to the Pier.
• Venture further west to Gower, the UK's first designated 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty', a breathtaking swathe of countryside and coastline and find opportunities to swim, surf, horse ride, quad bike, play golf, sail, cycle - or simply sit and relax! The most accessible Gower beaches from the city centre are; Bracelet Bay, Langland Bay, (look out for its landmark beach huts!) Limeslade and Caswell Bays - all simply beautiful, whatever the weather.

How to get to Swansea Bay

With its connections to the wider transport network, Swansea Bay is strategically located to access to the UK, Europe and beyond. Visit the Swansea Futures website to find out how easy it is to get to Swansea!

Swansea Bay is closer than you may think....but it's a hard place to leave behind!

Get an overview of the geography of the area by visiting Google Maps, where you can also get detailed directions to your destination. Click here for more information on getting around in Swansea.  

Main Image on this page: Three Cliffs, Chris West