“BARRY ISLAND? Oh, where you going to have the wedding reception? On the log flumes?” – as Pam put it – has proven to be an unfair assessment of a Welsh seaside town with more to offer than just its Pleasure Park.
Once the site of the world’s busiest coal port, the non-island on the coast of Cardiff was firmly put on the map by Gavin & Stacey in the noughties.
Now, the series is back after five years for one final Christmas Day episode with the Barry and Billericay crew – and fans might be looking to step into the set with a stay in South Wales.
Here’s what’s occurring in Barry Island from Gavin & Stacey backdrops to beaches and beyond.
Best time to travel for price, weather and crowds
Barry is at its best on sunny summer days and once the Christmas festivities kick off in mid-November – although these seasonal events can draw in crowds that will make things busy on the bumper cars.
Step into Christmas 2024 with the annual light turn on by Santa on 22 November in King Square. The Christmas market of over 30 traders, live music, funfair rides and street entertainment will carry on selling stocking stuffers until 7pm on Saturday 23 November.
What to do
Jackson’s Bay
This golden cove more closely resembles the Costa del Sol than Wales and is arguably the best of the five beaches in “Barrybados”. Secluded under the steep cliffs Jackson’s Bay is a dream for bathing in summer with a wood burning, barrel sauna – Môr a Sawna – ready to warm up those who brave the frigid waters come winter.
Barry Island Pleasure Park
There have been thrills, entertainment and sticks of candy floss at Barry Island Pleasure Park since 1897. With waltzers, a 32-seater space machine and an annual winter wonderland, this icon of the Barry coastline is sure to be a scream.
Take a Gavin & Stacey tour
To ride the wave of Barry’s Gavin & Stacey fame, take the official guided tour by mini-coach to play Nessa’s slots, tour Gwen and Stacey’s home and see the church where Nessa nearly married your tour guide – “Dave”.
Where to eat
Hungry Shark Fish & Chips
The British seaside is the perfect pairing with fish and chips, and Hungry Shark fries up some of the best cod in Barry. Expect generous chip portions, ideal for a beachfront feast swerving the seagulls.
Marco’s Cafe
Skip the salad, as Doris would, with ice cream, coffee and cake at family-run Marco’s Cafe. Aside from the pastries and paninis, Gavin & Stacey fans can pose with a giant mural of the cast to mark their visit to Marco’s.
Paletta Pizzeria
Paletta Pizzeria – Barry’s first wood-fired pizzeria – is a local Italian firing up pizzas, plates of pasta and Italian classics, with plenty for part-time vegetarians (like Pam) on the menu.
Where to drink
Craft Republic
Beer fans visiting Barry can cradle a frosty pint at Craft Republic with 14 lines of draught craft beer, ciders and seasonal cocktails to choose from. Check the upcoming events programme to make the most of the string of beer tastings, pub quizzes and comedy nights on offer.
The Colcot Arms
To drink in the spirit of Smithy, James Cordon’s character hosted his season one quiz night at The Colcot Arms. While you might not find Barryoke at the traditional boozer, Christmas fayres, Six Nation’s events and live music nights are ideal for kicking back with a cocktail.
Bar Enzo
For a summer drink on the seafront – be it inspired by Bryn’s mint Baileys or Nessa’s pint of wine – head to Bar Enzo to cool off with an alcoholic slushie or Welsh cider and take in the views over Whitmore Bay.
Where to walk and cycle
Vale of Glamorgan
It’s easy to get your steps in on one of 10 “Vale Trails” along the Glamorgan Heritage Coast between days spent in Barry. Routes littered with lighthouses, pubs and neolithic burial chambers vary in length with paths for families, history buffs and keen hikers alike.
This year, the festival of Glamorgan History Walks was hosted by TV historian Graham Loveluck-Edwards from May to July, with another series of storytelling stomps planned for 2025.
Porthkerry Country Park
There are 220 acres of woods and meadowland for outdoor enthusiasts to explore in Porthkerry Country Park at the end of Cold Knap Beach. Overlooked by a Victorian viaduct, the green space has picnic sites, a pebble beach and nature trails to walk and cycle on the South Wales coastline.
Wales Coast Path
Tread the Wales Coast Path west from Barry’s Jackson Bay for a seaside stroll on a stretch of the 870-mile long-distance trail that wraps the Welsh coast. You’ll walk wide promenades and golden beaches and likely fit in a pint at local pub, the 1380 Blue Anchor Inn.
Where to shop
High Street Shopping Quarter
Looking for trinkets, traditional gifts or Nessa memorabilia? Try the hotchpotch of seaside shop fronts in the High Street Shopping Quarter. With cafés, craft shops, flower stalls and clothing boutiques, this is where you’ll find some of the best keepsakes from Welsh artisans.
Goodsheds
In the heart of Barry’s original dock, the UK’s first “sustainable urban high street”, Goodsheds, champions independent shops and local businesses inside converted Gatwick Express railway carriages. Aside from the bridal retailers, streetwear stores and vintage record shops, pan Asian street food, parmesan fried chicken burgers and “obscene” desserts can be devoured alfresco by hungry shoppers in the Container Village.
Where to stay
A base in Barry can tie in nicely to a Cardiff weekend away from the Principality Stadium crowds.
Three Horseshoes Country Inn
Tuck into this country inn in rural Moulton for a comfortable bed and traditional Welsh breakfast that’s bound to warm the cockles. The affordable accommodation has cosy en-suite rooms, an indoor soft play area and a menu bursting with local produce in the pub downstairs.
Gail’s Guest House
For a home-from-home stay just metres from Jackson’s Bay, this guest house has six welcoming rooms for beach dwellers and a bus stop right on the doorstep. Better still, for travellers who have worked up an appetite navigating Barry’s hilly terrain, a brilliant breakfast is included in the room rate.
Gileston Manor Luxury B&B
Set in nine acres of Welsh countryside, this deluxe B&B has themed rooms in styles from Versailles to The Hamptons, a woodland spa and an enchanting Christmas Market a few miles from the Barry coast. Think freestanding tubs, Parisian wallpaper and four-poster beds.
Getting there
If you’re looking to avoid M4 traffic and steep parking prices, Cardiff Central is served by London Paddington with frequent trains under two hours. From the Welsh capital, around 69 trains go to Barry Island per day with regular bus routes also linking the Vale of Glamorgan coastline to the city centre.
Plan your journey ahead with the Traveline Cymru website or app.
Read more: Cardiff city guide: Where to stay, eat, drink and shop in the Welsh capital
