Swansea, GB

A Mumbles restaurant whose name means 'sea' in Welsh, built around the fish landed on the Gower coast and produce from its farms, served as everything from tapas to large sharing plates. It is the most ambitious independent kitchen in the village.

A tiny seafood counter that started life in a converted horsebox on the Mumbles promenade and won national praise for its simple, fresh cooking. It is casual, cash-quick fish by the water rather than a sit-down dinner.

A family-run brasserie right on Langland Bay, seafood-led and equally good for breakfast on the terrace or a long dinner as the bay lights come on. The setting, steps from the sand, does a lot of the work.

A family-run Italian cafe at the Mumbles end of the bay, loved for its own-made ice cream as much as its pizza, pasta and coffee. The sea-facing windows make it a fixture for a relaxed lunch or an afternoon treat.

A street-food hall on Wind Street gathering a rotating line-up of South Wales independent traders under one roof, strong on brunch and casual grazing. It is the easy choice for a group who can't agree on a cuisine.

A relaxed cafe-bar tucked in the marina, good for coffee, brunch and a waterside seat among the yacht masts. It is the calm daytime spot in the maritime quarter, away from the high-street bustle.

A long-standing Indian restaurant in the city known for going beyond the standard curry-house list into Goan and regional specialities. It is the dependable, more interesting choice for a curry dinner near the centre.

A cosy independent cafe in the Uplands student quarter doing serious coffee and a generous brunch in a snug, plant-filled room. It is the neighbourhood hangout away from the seafront and city centre.

A flat, paved promenade and cycle path sweeping the full five-mile curve of the bay from the city centre to Mumbles pier. It is the easy, accessible spine of the seafront, walkable or cyclable end to end with the sand alongside the whole way.

A clifftop section of the Wales Coast Path rounding the Mumbles headland from the pier to the sheltered cove at Langland Bay, with the old lighthouse behind you and Gower opening up ahead. It is a short, scenic taste of the coast without a full day's commitment.

A wooded limestone valley on south Gower where a stream disappears underground and resurfaces, leading down through ancient woodland to the secluded pebble cove at Pwlldu Bay. It is the inland, shaded alternative to the open cliff walks.

A wooded country park following a disused railway line up a green valley from the bay at Blackpill, threaded by flat, easy trails through old industrial woodland. It is the traffic-free, family-friendly walk and cycle close to the city.

A free museum in the marina telling the story of Welsh industry and innovation across the last three centuries, mixing historic machinery with interactive displays. It is well-pitched for families and the obvious rainy-day start in the maritime quarter.

A centre devoted to Swansea's most famous son, the poet Dylan Thomas, with manuscripts, recordings, photographs and a permanent exhibition on his life and work. It is a quiet, well-done literary museum a short walk from the marina.

A museum of Egyptian antiquities on the university campus holding thousands of objects, the largest such collection in Wales, with hands-on activities aimed squarely at families. It is free, compact and a reliable hit with kids.

The city's grand Victorian theatre, staging touring drama, musicals, opera, ballet and a big annual pantomime. It is the traditional night-out venue in the centre, with a handsome auditorium that belies the modern city around it.

A tropical hothouse and mini-zoo in the city centre, with rainforest planting, reptiles, monkeys and free-flying birds under glass. It is a warm, compact rainy-day option that works well for younger children.

The city's modern waterfront arena, hosting touring concerts, comedy and large-scale shows in a striking wrapped building by the marina. It is where the big-name acts land when they play Swansea.

A ruined Norman castle on a hill above Mumbles, with a glass bridge letting you walk out over the ruins and some of the best views across Swansea Bay. It is compact, atmospheric and easy to fold into a Mumbles day.

The Victorian pier at the far end of Swansea Bay, where the curve of the seafront meets the headland and its old lighthouse. It marks the start of the Gower coast and the end of the long bay promenade from the city.

Often called the most beautiful bay in Britain, a sweep of golden sand framed by three limestone peaks, a ruined castle and a winding tidal river, on the south Gower coast. There is no road to it, which keeps it wild and uncrowded.

A botanical garden on the slopes between the city and Mumbles, famous for one of the country's great collections of rhododendrons and azaleas that blaze in late spring. It is free, leafy and a calm green stop off the bay path.

The old docks reborn as a marina and maritime quarter, with waterside walks, the city's main museums and a tangle of yacht masts. It is the most pleasant part of the city centre to wander and the hub for the seafront cultural sights.