Hafan Y Gof

Cardigan Castle overlooks the River Teifi in the town of Cardigan. The site dates back to the late 11th century and was rebuilt in 1244. Rhys ap Gruffydd rebuilt it in stone, and in 1176 the first recorded eisteddfod was held here. After years of decay, it was restored and opened to the public.

Tip: There is no on-site parking for day visitors, so use the car park at the bottom of Quay Street, a minute's walk away.

Folly Farm began as a dairy farm and has grown into an award-winning family attraction with four areas: a farmyard, a zoo, an undercover vintage funfair with a Wurlitzer organ, and play areas. The zoo has over 200 species, including African lions, Humboldt and Macaroni penguins, and critically endangered eastern black rhinos in Kifaru Reserve.

Tip: Pre-booking a date isn't required, and online tickets save 5%. A free return visit within seven days is offered if you can't see everything in one day, but get the ticket validated before you leave.

The Boathouse in Laugharne is where Dylan Thomas lived with his family between 1949 and 1953. Set in a cliff overlooking the Tâf estuary, it is now a museum run by Carmarthenshire County Council. The interior has been returned to its 1950s appearance, with a recording of Thomas's voice playing in the background, and it holds memorabilia and some original furniture, including his father's desk.

Tip: Visit the writing shed close to the main house, where Thomas did most of his writing, and look across the estuary that inspired "Over Sir John's Hill".

Carmarthen Castle is a ruined medieval fortress in the county town of Carmarthen, on a high terrace overlooking the tidal River Towy. It began as an early 1100s timber motte and bailey, was rebuilt in stone and was captured, destroyed and rebuilt many times. Owain Glyndŵr took it in 1405, and Henry VII's father, Edmund Tudor, died here as a prisoner in 1456.

Carew Castle stands on a limestone bluff overlooking the Carew inlet, part of the Milford Haven Waterway. It began as a Norman stone keep around 1100 and was rebuilt and extended over the centuries, so you can see several architectural styles in one place.

Tip: Look for the Tudor range on the north side, and find the tidal mill, the only restored one in Wales.

The National Botanic Garden of Wales is in Llanarthney, in the River Tywi valley. It is both a visitor attraction and a centre for botanical research and conservation. The centrepiece is the Great Glasshouse, the world's largest single-span glasshouse at 110 m long and 60 m wide. It stands virtually on the site of Cockerell's mansion, the new Middleton Hall.

Tip: Look out across the restored eastern view towards Paxton's Tower, which was designed to be seen from the mansion's east side.