If you like your UK travel to involve history references, a TV backdrop, Italian architecture, vast beaches and its very own colour palette, then there really isn’t anywhere more perfect than Portmeirion Village.
This beautiful and secluded village, just outside of Porthmadog, North Wales, has been on my travel to-do list for a few years now, and for my 33rd birthday last year, we decided to take a family day out to this one-of-a-kind location – and it didn’t disappoint. I snapped away happily and was fascinated by the history of its unique aesthetic, and I think you’ll agree, it’s just far too quirky to be kept on my camera roll. Let’s talk history, colour palettes & visiting Portmeirion.
Why was Portmeirion built?
Why the heck not? Portmeirion may be described as “odd” by many critics but there is really something very otherworldy about this magical place to take a stroll. Portmeirion is the brainchild of British architect, Sir Bertram Clough William-Ellis, who bought the land in the 1920s and continued to create this whimsical wonderland up until the 1970s.
“Utopian dreams of the perfect town were a perpetual background to my work and play”
CLOUGH WILLIAM-ELLIS, SOURCE
He was said to have visited 22 islands to find the perfect location for his dream (a vision that he says he’d had since age 5!) Finally, Clough William-Ellis found this little peninsula not far from Snowdonia which was surrounded by nature (read: overgrown and requiring a new lease of life) as well as a collection of old buildings and even a castle on-site.
Over the next 50 or so years – with a short break on account of a world war – he collected pieces of treasure from various other locations and brought them to Portmeirion. In fact, he bought the ballroom ceiling of a soon-to-be demolished building he fondly remembered from childhood, for a tiny £13, and built a Town Hall for Portmeirion with this piece of cherished architectural salvage as the central feature. So whilst the village has sometimes received criticism for its hodge-podge nature of curation, it’s actually a living museum and a celebration of really great design that one eclectic architect couldn’t bear to see be destroyed.
Many of his creations in Portmeirion are now listed buildings (you can find a full list of them HERE and they all have fascinating backgrounds!) and have even been featured on TV. Fans of the cult classic ‘The Prisoner’ may recognise the landscape immediately, as it was chosen as the backdrop for this spy drama. You’ll even find a Prisoner-specific gift shop on-site and a dedicated tour, for die hard fans.
The Architectural Colour Palette of Portmeirion
Let’s get to the good stuff – COLOUR. We can’t possibly talk about Portmeirion without chatting about its playful palette.
The colours you’ll see on each wall are a mix of vibrant Meditteranean-inspired hues with pastel shades. The arrangement of light vs dark hues is said to help trick you into seeing the village as larger proportioned than it really us (it’s actually a small place), but it’s also done to imitate the sun-washed weathered look of rendered historical buildings of Italy. An interesting choice for the cooler climate of Wales for sure, but Portmeirion is nothing if not riotous in its celebration of colour and architecture – anarchic magic in a way that Disney could only dream.
In charge of maintaining these colours is Martin Couture, currently the Head Painter and Decorator for Portmeirion, but has worked on-site since he was 16 years old, more than 40 years ago! He’s your man for finding out more about the paints, although many of the colour recipes are said to be top secret. For the paint nerds out there, it looks like the paint supplier is Bradite, a local Welsh supplier who provide specialist paints that can withstand the seafront all year around, but in a finish that mimics the mineral-based colours that Clough William-Ellis started out with.
“We have got about 80 different colours and we have got to keep a record of every colour we use. We write everything down in case the building needs re-rendering. We know then that we have got the correct colour to put them back again as Sir Clough originally put them.”
mARTIN COUTURE, HEAD PAINTER & DECORATOR AT pORTMEIRION VILLAGE – SOURCE
Portmeirion is a postcard-perfect celebration of ochre, terracotta, primrose, smalt blue, and a green-turquoise which is thrown around like confetti, showcased on almost all wrought iron and window shutters around the town. It’s fearless, fabulous and fairy-tale.
Tips For Visiting Portmeirion
So you want to visit this technicolour town? Honestly, I don’t blame you!
Your best bet for the latest information on opening times and prices (yes you have to pay to access the village, but it’s not too expensive) is on the official Portmeirion Village website. But here are a few points of note from my day there:
- Is Portmeirion accessible?
The village does have ‘main’ footpaths around the site, but many of the hidden gems we discovered were through exploring woodland steps and hidden stairways, so if you have accessibility worries, this is worth considering. There are handrails all around the site but you may struggle to get a pram around the whole village, and small children will need supervising. I was 6 months pregnant on this visit and did find that shoes with grip were a help, particularly towards the waterfront. - Can you stay over in Portmeirion?
You can stay over in either Portmeirion Hotel or Castell Deudraeth and what a view to wake up to! I’d say their prices are more comparable to a London overnight stay than what is common for your average bed and breakfast in North Wales but you do get your ‘entrance fee’ to the village included in this.Rooms fill up quickly as there aren’t many to go around. For us, it was more cost effective – and child-friendly – to stay in Caernarfon and drive the 30 minutes to Portmeirion for a day trip. - How long did you stay in Portmeirion?
We stayed for around 3-4 hours in total which allowed us to stroll around the entire grounds with no rush, and to have a light lunch. If you’d like to do any of the tours on offer, you could easily enjoy a full day here! - When to visit Portmeirion?
We visited on a Sunday in October to help fit around school holidays – and my birthday! We lucked out with a dry day of weather. Most visits do occur over the summer but if you are trying to avoid the crowds, pack your raincoat and enjoy the place to yourselves in the Autumn/Winter season!
So from my family to yours, I hope you have a wonderful trip! Portmeirion has been on my travel bucket list for ages and it was a pleasure to visit for a special treat on my birthday. I’d love to know if you’ve been and what you thought. If you have any suggestions of UK travel destinations you think I’d like, I would love to hear your suggestions down below.
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