Pennau Craft Centre

About three miles south of Aberystwyth, Pennau Craft Centre sits tucked into the Ceredigion countryside - a working space where local craftspeople actually make and sell their work rather than just shifting mass-produced stock. You'll find potters, jewellers, textile artists and woodworkers with studios scattered across the site, and the whole thing has that genuine feel of artists who chose the Welsh coast for a reason.

What makes it different from your average craft shop is that you can usually watch people at work. There's something quite engaging about seeing a potter throw clay or a jeweller soldering away at a piece - it explains why the prices are what they are. The quality varies, as it does anywhere, but you're buying directly from makers rather than through a middleman, which tends to mean better value despite seeming steep at first glance.

It's worth an hour or two if you're staying at any of the nearby parks - Aber Bay, Clarach Bay or Cambrian Coast are all within a few minutes' drive. Don't expect shops in the traditional sense; it's more intimate than that. Adults who actually care about craft will find it properly interesting. Kids get bored unless they're genuinely creative types. The location itself is lovely, with views across towards Cardigan Bay, so combine it with a walk and a proper look around Aberystwyth itself.

Best visited mid-week if you want to chat with the artists. Weekends can feel a bit rushed.