Art Vault Gallery

Tucked away in Conwy's town centre, Art Vault Gallery is a contemporary space that punches above its weight. It's housed in what feels like a proper artist's hideaway - the kind of place where the walls change every few months and you actually bump into people who care about what's on display.

The gallery focuses on contemporary work, rotating exhibitions that tend toward emerging and established Welsh artists. You'll find paintings, sculpture, prints, sometimes installations that make you think rather than just look. It's intimate without feeling cramped, and the staff know their stuff.

This isn't a day-long venture. Budget an hour maximum, longer if you're genuinely into contemporary art or keen to chat with whoever's minding the space - they often have proper conversations rather than just standing about. It works brilliantly as a half-hour break when you're exploring Conwy's castle and waterfront, which is where most visitors end up anyway.

Golden Sands Holiday Park sits about six miles west near Rhyl, so you could easily slot this in during a coastal holiday without much faffing about. Park visiting types might find it a nice cultural breather between beach days and amusement arcades. The gallery's free to look around, which counts in its favour, and it's worth checking what's on before you visit - some exhibitions are genuinely good, others less so. That's galleries for you.