Top 10 things to do in Newport

There’s plenty to do to fill any visit in Newport, the university and cathedral city just north-east of Cardiff. Here’s our choice of the top 10 things to do in Newport. 

Fortress Town of Isca
Now known at Caerleon, this Iron Age fort is one of the most fascinating Roman sites in Britain. Recently the subject of a Time Team film, it was founded in AD75 and was the furthest western outpost of the Roman Empire. At its height, it was headquarters to a 5,000-strong Augustan Legion. There’s an amphitheatre, baths, barracks and a new museum, scattered over what is now a lovely riverside village.
See caerleon.net

Tredegar House
A new National Trust property in Wales, Tredegar House, a 17^th century Charles II mansion,  is set in a 90-acre park on the outskirts of the city.  There are regular events, activities and crafts workshops.
See nationaltrust.org.uk

Newport Wetlands Reserve
This flagship Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) wildlife reserve is situated on part of the tranquil Gwent Levels, at the edge of the city, and was created to compensate for the loss of the mudflats of Cardiff Bay. The Countryside Council for Wales works in partnership with the RSPB and Newport City Council to run the reserve that covers 483 hectares from Uskmouth to Goldcliff. Reed beds, saline lagoons, wet grassland and scrub, have attracted a wealth of wetland birds, while it’s also an excellent place to see orchids, butterflies, dragonflies and otters.
See rspb.org.uk

Newport Cathedral
Newport Cathedral has been a site of worship since the early 6th century. According to legend, the soldier-prince Gwynllyw was converted to Christianity when he was told in a dream to search for a white ox with a black spot on its forehead and, when he found it, to build a church as an act of penitence. The cemetery has fascinating inks with the past including the Zulu Wars and chartism. There are regular choral services too.
See newportcathedralchoir.org

Transporter Bridge
Cut in half by the River Usk, Newport is the city with the highest tidal range in the world, so the city specialises in Bridges. It is home to one of only six working Transporter Bridges, built in 1906 so people could cross the river  without interfering with shipping. Today you can cross via the ‘mobile’ gondola, 177ft up and 645 ft across – for the best views of the City.
See newport.gov.uk

Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
Located just outside Newport alongside the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal is the Fourteen Locks Canal Visitor Centre. Visitors can trace the growth and decline of the canal and its role in transporting commodities such as coal, iron, limestone and bricks from the South Wales valleys down to Newport docks. A computer-based information point lets visitors experience a ‘virtual’ journey along the canal, learning how a canal lock works.
See fourteenlocks.co.uk

Celtic Manor Resort
Home to the 2010 Ryder cup this five-star resort hotel provides space to unwind for those who stay, but you can also visit for day activities such as the spa and a high-ropes forest experience.
See celtic-manor.com/activities

Newport Museum and Art Gallery
This museum, started in 1888, tells the story of the city from prehistoric times to today via permanent and temporary exhibitions. The museum tells of how important the River Usk is to the city, even playing its part in securing the right to vote.
See newport.gov.uk

Riverfront Theatre and Medieval Ship
The Riverfront, as its name suggests, is a key venue, right by the Usk. There are regular performances, as well as a café and bistro with views over the water. Even more impressive is that during its 2002 construction, a 15^th century ship was found – almost totally preserved. Evidence suggests it was a merchant ship trading along the seaboard of the western Atlantic as far south as Spain. It is currently undergoing conservation work and can be viewed on certain open days.
See newportship.org/the-ship.aspx

Newport Castle
Newport’s 14^th century castle has the only other watergate in the UK after Traitor’s Gate at the Tower of London. It has three tall towers that dominate the Usk and its linear form is dictated by its proximity to the river. For a brief time at the beginning of the 16th century, Jasper Tudor, Henry VIII’s uncle, lived here.
See newport.gov.uk

For more information, see newport.gov/visiting and visitwales.com