Spotlight on... the Caernarfon area

If you're planning a move to North West Wales, the Caernarfon area is difficult to beat as a fantastic place to live or to have your second home.

Surrounded by stunning countryside and coast, the town itself is friendly and full of charm, with all the convenience for work, leisure and shopping facilities a mere 15-minute drive away at the City of Bangor.

The ancient market town of Caernarfon has a fascinating history. The area's potential was acknowledged early on by the invading Romans, largely due to the strategic advantages of being close to the banks and mouth of the River Seiont, and so Agricola built his fort, Segontium, in around AD78 on what is now the outskirts of the town. The fort remained in use until the late 4th century, and its stones were later used by Edward I's builders to construct Caernarfon Castle and the town walls in 1283, an expensive project for the time at around £25,000.

In the centuries that have passed since then, Caernarfon has become a quaint and attractive town with a very distinct personality. The town has a short main shopping street lined with branches of national chains such as WH Smith, Boots and The Works, and on the outskirts of the town are branches of Asda, Tesco and Morrisons. But when it comes to shopping in Caernarfon the real treasures are to be found in the maze of medieval backstreets which are home to small independent shops selling books, arts and crafts, jewellery and even luxury chocolates. The town has a market on Mondays and Saturdays, held on Y Maes - the town's ancient market square - with stalls dotted around the tables of great little cafes, where diners enjoy open air meals practically at the gates of the castle. There are many excellent restaurants and several good pubs, which burst into life on Friday and Saturday nights.

Caernarfon has good transport links; it has a bus terminus where you can catch a bus to Bangor, Conwy or even Aberystwyth. There are plenty of car parks, and the town is within very easy reach of the Llyn Peninsula, southern Snowdonia and Mid Wales in one direction and Bangor, Anglesey and the north west of England in the other (Chester is about an hour and a half away by car). If you need to commute from North Wales and city living isn't your thing, the Caernarfon area is absolutely perfect.

Property-wise, the Caernarfon area has just about every type of home you could hope for. The relatively new Doc Fictoria development offers stylish apartments on the marina with great sea and town views. Smart townhouses, surprisingly affordable and deceptively spacious, can be found within the town walls and on the outskirts of town. And detached properties, from cottages to sprawling mansions, are well-priced and in abundance in the surrounding villages.

Whatever your preferences in terms of location - urban convenience, rural tranquillity, coastal retreats and close-knit village communities - all are available in the Caernarfon area.

• Look at properties in, or on the outskirts of, the town itself for urban convenience.
• Consider Llandwrog, Clynnog Fawr, Beddgelert or Rhostryfan for rural tranquillity.
• For coastal retreats look at properties in Y Felinheli, Trefor, Pwllheli and Nefyn.
• And if you're looking to immerse yourself in a tight-knit village community, view properties in Waunfawr, Llanberis, Penygroes and Llithfaen.

It really is difficult to beat the Caernarfon area for variety. Whether you're looking for a lively energy or peace and tranquillity in the area in which you make your home, you'll find it all in the Caernarfon area - so why not talk to our Caernarfon office to find out more about buying or renting your perfect property?

Call 01286 677 774 or email caernarfon@dafyddhardy.co.uk to make an appointment today.