Swansea is Wales’ vibrant waterfront city that’s one of the top destinations to visit in South Wales with activities to suit every taste, from guided tours to vast parks, and a whole host of museums.
Best of all, many of these activities are free (or very cheap) as I recently discovered while visiting the city. In this guide, I’ve put together a curated list of free things to do in Swansea so that you can make the most of your visit without breaking the bank.
1. Immerse yourself in history at the National Waterfront Museum
One of the best things to do in Swansea is visit the National Waterfront Museum which is a free museum with over 15,000 artefacts showcasing the history of Wales’ industrial and maritime heritage.
I enjoyed the downstairs exhibits the most which showed the evolution of transport in Wales. There were replicas of old planes, coal wagons, and Richard Trevithick’s steam locomotive which was at the forefront of early railway technology.
Upstairs, there are several other exhibitions including one that shares the evolution of household items in Wales since the 1930s. There’s also a large exhibit about Swansea’s maritime history with replica models of some of the most important ships and displays where you can learn more.
It’s Swansea’s largest museum but is still totally free to visit. Kids will love the museum just as much as adults thanks to the huge vehicles and interactive exhibits. I spent around 45 minutes at the museum but you could easily spend double this if you have the time.
Getting Around Swansea For Free
You might be interested to know that during summer, there are free bus services around the city centre. This page is usually updated with information when the free services resume.
If you’re driving, parking is free on Sundays at many council-owned car parks in Swansea, and occasionally on Saturdays too.
2. Enjoy ever-changing art displays at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery
My next recommended free activity in Swansea is to visit the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, a public gallery in the city centre. There are some permanent exhibits but most of the space is allocated for changing exhibitions so you can visit time and time again.
During my visit, the downstairs rooms were filled with a collection showing the costumes, props, and visual effects from His Dark Materials, a TV show filmed in Wales.
Upstairs, there were entries from an open competition where local amateur artists could submit work and those visiting the gallery can vote for their favourites. I loved that this got the public involved with judging and I saw many people taking part when I visited.
As I say, it’s always changing, so I recommend checking their ‘What’s On’ guide to find out about current exhibitions or simply turn up and you might be surprised by what you find.
3. Discover Swansea's past at the Swansea Museum
Swansea Museum, the oldest surviving museum in Wales, houses a diverse range of exhibits all about Swansea's history. Best of all, it’s free to visit.
Spanning two floors, the museum features general exhibits on Swansea, a natural history collection with taxidermied animals (which is slightly eerie), an exhibition about nineteenth-century Swansea with a mock-up kitchen and Victorian bathroom, and an archaeology display boasting items from the Stone Age and a replica Viking ship prow.
My favourite attraction was the Swansea Devil, also known as Old Nick. You’ll find him on the ground floor in the corridor. Read the information panel next to him to find out more (or this article will help).
4. Take a free walking tour around Swansea
There’s no better way to discover a city than a guided tour around its top landmarks and hearing about its history, that’s why I recommend taking a walking tour.
Fogo’s run free walking tours once a week during summer, they’ll show you Swansea Castle, the Maritime Quarter, Wind Street, and more. You’ll also learn about Copperopolis, WW2, and the Industrial Revolution in Swansea.
Okay full disclaimer, the concept of a free walking tour runs on the idea that you tip them what you think the tour is worth. Be a good human and leave something at least. You can find out the latest schedule and book on their website.
5. Be inspired by science at the Oriel Science museum
The Oriel Science museum is a small exhibition space right in the heart of Swansea. It has a constantly changing collection, always around the theme of science.
When I visited, there were some exhibits about recycling, the pandemic, and renewable energy.
It’s relatively small so you won’t need longer than 20 minutes to see it all, but it still makes a nice free activity where you might learn something.
The centre is only open Monday to Wednesday, 10am-4pm. Although it does close when they are changing the collection so check their website ahead of time.
6. Learn about a Welsh icon at the Dylan Thomas Centre
Dylan Thomas is one of Wales’ most legendary poets who even inspired the likes of Neil Young and Leonard Cohen. He was born right here in Swansea and you can visit the Dylan Thomas Centre, a totally free attraction, to learn more about his life and legacy.
I especially love that the centre is organised in timeline form around the room so you can follow his life from school right up until his death to understand how his life evolved and how he changed. As well as information boards, his talent is showcased through notebooks, letters, photographs, and interactive displays.
My favourite part of the museum was the audio recordings where you can listen to some of his works and readings on the radio. Hearing his actual voice made the experience much more personal so don’t miss this part.
7. Go paddling at Blackpill Lido
Blackpill Lido is described as a water park by the council who own it, although to manage your expectations, it’s a knee-high public splash pool.
Nonetheless, Blackpill Lido is a great free activity for families with a safe area for children to go paddling on a sunny day (yes, we do have those in Wales sometimes).
Inside the pool, there are games and water features. Next to it, you’ll also find a play area, picnic benches, and a small rock climbing area. There’s also a café and toilet facilities, plus it’s right next to the coast with beautiful views across Swansea Bay.
8. Spend the day at Margam Country Park
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Margam Country Park is a huge garden and parkland nestled in scenic surroundings around Margam Castle.
Entry to the park is free although there is a parking charge for each car. There are a whole host of unpaid activities you can enjoy including visiting the castle, adventure playgrounds, the fairytale village, and a farm trail with goats, alpacas, rabbits, and more. You can purchase food for the animals from the car park.
If you want to add an extra element of fun, the park is featured on the free Love Exploring app which contains an interactive map of the park and fun challenges to do.
Some of the other activities are paid such as the train, canoeing, kayaking, Go-Ape tree top challenge, rafting, orienteering, horse-riding and more.
9. Try a free orienteering course in the city parks
Swansea is known for having a vast number of free parks within the city limits which are all well-maintained and family-friendly. But, did you know that seven of these parks also have free permanent orienteering courses?
Orienteering is where you must use your map skills to navigate the park and find the clues hidden around (no mobile phones!). This is an excellent way to explore the park and adds a new level of excitement to your visit.
Created by the Swansea Bay Orienteering Club, the maps can be downloaded and printed from their website. Occasionally, they will be handing out pre-printed maps at the entrance to the parks too.
The seven parks with the free courses are Brynmill Park, Clyne Valley Country Park, Cwmdonkin Park, Morriston Park, Parc Llewelyn, Singleton Park, and Diamond Park.
10. Ride the hop-on hop-off Swansea Bay Rider
The Swansea Bay Rider is an iconic colourful train that runs along the promenade from Blackpill up to Oystermouth in Mumbles. There are two stops along the way at West Cross and Norton.
The total journey takes just 20 minutes from one end to the other, but you can purchase a hop-on hop-off ticket and spend the day exploring the coastline of Swansea Bay.
Although it’s not free, the price for a hop-on hop-off ticket with unlimited travel all day is just £6.50 for an adult or £15 for a family.
The first train leaves Blackpill at 10.30am and the last train leaves Oystermouth around 5pm so you can make a full day of it. See the full timetable here. You can buy your tickets on the train, keep in mind that it's a seasonal activity.
11. Have a beach day at one of Swansea’s serene beaches
Of course, no list of free things to do in Swansea would be complete without an honourary mention of the beautiful beaches in the area.
First and foremost, we have Swansea Beach, a 5-mile-long stretch of sandy beach that runs around Swansea Bay.
This is the most convenient beach to reach within walking distance of the city centre. There are free toilets and changing rooms near the Secret Beach Bar & Kitchen. I also recommend having a drink from the terrace of the new bar and restaurant at Swansea Observatory which overlooks the beach.
However, with the Gower on your doorstep, you have many other beautiful beaches near Swansea, all within easy reach if you have a car.
Not least, the stunning Three Cliffs Bay, Oxwich Beach and, slightly further afield, Langland Bay. All of which are free to visit, but you’ll need to pay for parking.
Published: 23 June 2023