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Oystermouth Castle
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Oystermouth Castle

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Oystermouth Castle
4.5
377 reviews
#11 of 118 things to do in Swansea
Castles
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11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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About
Oystermouth Castle is now closed for the winter during weekdays but remains open on weekends in October, 11am-5pm, last entry at 4.30pm. Oystermouth Castle is now closed for the winter during weekdays but remains open on weekends in October, 11am-5pm, last entry at 4.30pm. Oystermouth Castle sits majestically on the hill in Mumbles with stunning views overlooking Swansea Bay. Swansea Council manages Oystermouth Castle, working in partnership with the Friends of Oystermouth Castle who are responsible for the daily operation of the attraction. The latest news and events can be found on our Facebook page.
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The area
Address
Best nearby
Restaurants
98 within 3 miles
Joes
2,243
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Dessert • Cafe • British
Mumbles Coffee
181
245 ft$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Cafe • British
Gin And Tapas
53
309 ft$ • Spanish • British
Gower Seafood Hut
311
0.4 mi$ • Seafood • Fast Food • British
Johnnies Fish and Chip Shop
144
311 ft$ • Quick Bites • Seafood • Fast Food
Boo's Kitchen
84
396 ft$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Cafe • British
Chai Deli and Tea Room
144
485 ft$$ - $$$ • Cafe • International • British
Prezzo Mumbles
889
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Italian • Pizza • European
The Village Inn
293
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • Bar • British • Pub
Cha-tŷ
43
206 ft$ • Japanese • Cafe • Healthy
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Attractions
85 within 6 miles
Swansea Castle
72
0.1 miHistoric Sites • Castles
Langland Bay
470
0.7 miBodies of Water
Our Lady Star of the Sea
9
0.3 miReligious Sites • Churches & Cathedrals
Bracelet Bay
322
1 miBodies of Water
Tides Fine art Gallery
2
0.4 miArt Galleries
Clyne Gardens
550
1.5 miGardens
Caswell Bay
802
1.4 miBodies of Water
Mumbles Hill Local Nature Reserve
33
0.5 miNature & Wildlife Areas
Mumbles Pier
595
1.1 miPiers & Boardwalks
Gill Clement Jewellery
0.1 miDepartment Stores
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
377 reviews
Excellent
191
Very good
138
Average
37
Poor
5
Terrible
6
Katie Taylor
1 contribution
Very informative tour with a knowledgeable guide
Oct 2021
We had a wonderful tour today led by Paul. He was friendly and informative with lots of great stories about the castles history. The £4 for the tour was excellent value and I would highly recommend visiting the castle if you are in the area.
Written October 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Valleys chick
Wales, UK322 contributions
Magnificent
Oct 2021 • Family
Tickets were booked online via the Swansea Council website and it cost £8 (2 adult tickets) for a guided tour of the castle ruins. The entry for our son was free (no charge for under 5s). The tour was extremely informative highlighting the history of the Mumbles and the significance of the castle. There were great views overlooking Swansea Bay due to the elevated position of the castle (nestled in the hillside). Within the castle there were lots of stairways and rooms to explore. The castle was undergoing restoration work, but the grounds were magnificent with lots of green space to enjoy a picnic or photo opportunities.

After our visit to the castle, we explored Mumbles town and had a picnic on the beach. After the picnic we spent a few hours playing on the arcades at the pier before heading home.
Written January 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Gaynor S
Solihull, UK482 contributions
Fairly well intact outer walls, but no inside.
Aug 2020
Sitting high on the hill overlooking Mumbles, this castle is definitely worth walking to. There are some concrete paths, to gain access to the area, but actually around the castle, can be quite muddy. Some parts of the grounds are a bit steep and slippery.
The outer walls are totally intact, but there isn't a great deal of the inner castle.
There are sometimes festivities, battle enactments etc held in the grounds.
There is no actual car park in the castle area, but you should be able to park on the road, that leads up to the castle, for one hour, free.
Written August 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Bubbles73uk
Weedon Bec, UK809 contributions
Great views
Sep 2021
Oystermouth Castle ruins sit majestically on the hill in Mumbles, with stunning views overlooking Swansea Bay. It is well preserved and is currently undergoing some more renovations, so is only open on a restricted basis via guided tours only (which you have to book via the Swansea Council website - bit of a palava but it's still a great attraction to visit). I had a very entertaining and informative tour by a lovely lady who really knew her history, taking the group through a medieval maze of deep vaults and staircases.
The castle is surrounded by a lovely green area ideal for picnics and gatherings.
A must for all visitors to Mumbles.
Written September 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Nicola22
16 contributions
Great tour and great value
Sep 2021 • Couples
We joined one of the tour sessions last minute and we did not regret it. For £4 it was such an informative and interesting tour. The lady who took our tour said it was her first time doing it on her own but you wouldn’t of known. She was very knowledgeable on the history of the whole area and the castle itself and we found the whole thing really interesting
Written October 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Haydn C
Swansea, UK214 contributions
A must for visitors to Mumbles
Aug 2021
Now that the castle has reopened on a restricted basis, it is a great attraction to visit for young and old. Guided tours are available via the Swansea Council website.
So much history and imagination. Can't prompt anyone any more, but it is a must for all visitors to Swansea/Mumbles.
Written August 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Lisa M
California8 contributions
Worth a visit
Apr 2022
We arrived in the pouring rain but it didn't dampen our spirits. The volunteers were very nice and very knowledgable. They gave us a nice guide to follow. Fortunately it stopped raining just as we reached the upper levels of the castle. The views were amazing! Highly recommend.
Written April 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
dave s
Bude, UK712 contributions
Enjoyable visit
Apr 2022
Looks bigger from the bottom of the hill than it actually is. Just as well as we were knackered from the day's sightseeing before we got there!! Staff very friendly and helpful, and an excellent film explains all before you trot off to look round the place.

All very interesting and we thoroughly enjoyed our hour's visit.
Written April 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Emma_fom_Ruislip
United Kingdom86 contributions
Don't know what castle was like, didn't get inside
Aug 2017 • Family
I'm scared of dogs, and so is one of my daughters. I understand that not everybody is, and that lots of people love their dogs as much as I love my cats, and love to take their dogs everywhere with them (which I can't do with my cats). I know my fear is irrational, but it is a real fear. I know that it is my issue, and I don't expect everybody else in the world to leave their dogs at home just on the off-chance that they encounter somebody like me who is scared of dogs. I know that I'm probably in the minority, but it is not that unusual to not be a dog lover.
My family tolerate and adapt around dogs in the park, dogs on the beach, dogs in the woods, dogs in the pub beer garden. These are the places I expect dogs to be allowed.
However, I don't expect to go to a ruined castle and find that dogs are allowed in the actual castle. I'm not talking about the castle grounds, which would fall into the list of places where I anticipate people taking dogs. I'm talking about inside the actual ruins, on the parapets, on the spiral staircase, etc. This makes it impossible for people who are afraid of dogs to look around the castle. In the park, beach, etc, you can move away to an area where dogs aren't playing, or move tables in the pub beer garden. That doesn't work on narrow parapets high above the ground. There would be no possibility of moving away from the dogs, and it would be frankly dangerous to take a child who is jumpy around dogs into such a restricted place.
So, the result is, we traveled for over an hour to visit a castle which we were really looking forward to seeing, and found it completely unwelcoming to us and didn't get to see it.
If you don't mind dogs, it looks like a lovely place to explore. If dogs freak you out, or even if you're simply not a dog lover, then don't bother.
Written August 28, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
annet1
swansea7 contributions
cute castle & great shopping too
The castle is georgous & the little independent shops, cafe bars & restaurants all down the hill are fabulous. You can walk along the front, stopping to play at the park, to Verdis for a lovely ice-cream looking out at the bay & then on to the Mumbles pier....fantastic day out.
Written July 29, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Oystermouth Castle (Swansea) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Oystermouth Castle
Oystermouth Castle is open:
  • Sat - Sun 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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