Wales - how many days?
 

Considering a trip to Wales, September 2022. Starting and ending in Horsham (near Gatwick). Looking at a brief trip Horsham to Cardiff and back. Checking out Swansea and spots near by for 3 days OR making it a longer trip and loop around Wales for 5 days, ending near Manchester to head back to Horsham. Suggested itineraries? Looking to do some hiking, seeing castles etc. Should we rent a car or take trains and buses. Traveling with my husband and 16 year old son and we will have backpacks.

If you are looping through the country then you need a car. If just the southern castles you might get away with bus and train.

Good to know. Is Swansea a good base to stay if only doing south Wales?

If you only have 5 days maximum . . . do you mean for the whole loop Horsham > around Wales > and back to Horsham? If so, not really enough time. Now - IF you went straight up to Chester and spent all your time in North Wales and the Marches, then directly back to Horsham, that would be fine in 5 days.

Limiting yourself to south Wales, Horsham > Cardiff > Swansea to say St Davids or somewhere on the GORGEOUS Pembrokeshire coast and stops at Chepstow and Tintern Abbey would be tough in three days by car. The drive alone would be about 13 or 14 hours so two FULL days would be butts in seats. Cutting out the far western bits would work though (doing Cardiff/Swansea/Chepstow/Tintern).

By train: Horsham to Cardiff is close to 4 hours (fastest is train in to London Victoria, tube to Paddington, train to Cardiff -- easiest is train to Reading connecting to a different train to Cardiff. Cardiff to Swansea takes about an hour. Cardiff to Chepstow maybe 40 minutes. So definitely doable by trains.