Criccieth Library

The library sits in the heart of Criccieth, a proper little Victorian seaside town about 20 minutes from Porthmadog. It's not the sort of place you'd plan a day around, but if you're staying nearby - perhaps at Haven Hafan y Môr Holiday Park - it's worth knowing about when the Welsh weather turns grim.

Inside you'll find the usual: books, computers, a quiet space to sit. What makes it genuinely useful is that it functions as a genuine local hub. The staff actually know people and there's a real sense of community rather than that sterile municipal feel you get in bigger libraries. During school holidays they run activities for kids, which can be a lifesaver on a rainy Tuesday afternoon.

It's free to use and you can pop in without planning anything in advance. Expect to spend 30 minutes to an hour here, depending on whether you're just grabbing a book or settling in with the little ones for one of their programmes. The building itself has that unpretentious 1970s practicality - nothing fancy, but it does the job.

Honestly? It's the sort of place that matters more when you're actually on holiday than it sounds in advance. If you're doing the Criccieth circuit - castle, beaches, the coastal path - this is a useful refuge spot rather than a destination in itself. Worth having the details handy before you arrive.