Narberth Castle

Narberth Castle won't hold you long — a handful of towers and vaults in a grassy enclosure at the foot of the high street, free and open access — but it carries more story per stone than most. Narberth (Arberth) is the court of Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed, in the first branch of the Mabinogion, which makes this small ruin the named setting of some of the oldest stories in Britain.

Realistically it's the pause between the reasons you actually came to Narberth: the county's best small-town food scene, its independent shops, and the cafés. But stand in the enclosure with the story in mind and the town rearranges itself around a thousand years of telling. Free, always open, five minutes end to end — more like it in the free guide.