Aberaeron Area Guide

Aberaeron is situated on the Cardigan Bay coast between Cardigan in the south and Aberyswyth in the north. It contrasts with its neighbour New Quay just a few miles to the South in that it is flat, has shingle rather than sandy beaches, fewer caravan parks on its doorstep and generally has a less brash style.

The architecture of Aberaeron is unique in this part of Wales. It has rows of colourful painted Georgian houses clustered around the stone harbour which is the focal point of the town. The River Aeron flows under the bridge over the main A487 coast road which is the towns main street. Alongside the road bridge is a picturesque wooded footbridge over the river which flows on into the harbour.

South of the river are Ceredigion’s Council HQ, the Aberaeon Yaught Club , south beach and the coastal footpath to New Quay, (6.5 miles of wonderfully scenic walking).

North of the river lives the town centre, shops, restaurants, pubs, the walled harbour, the north beach promenade and the coastal footpath to the quaint village of Aberarth (about 1 mile of easy walking)

Near the inner harbour is a fish and chip shop, a honey ice cream parlour, the Hive restaurant and an excellent fish mongers. Near the harbour entrance is The Harboumaster Inn & Restaurant a high class bistro type restaurant & pub and there are plenty of other pubs and restaurants to choose from.

Aberaeron host a series of events during the season, Festival of Welsh Ponies and Cobs, the Cardigan Bay Seafood Festival, Aberaeron Regatta, Beer & Wine festival, harbour tug of war, Rugby 7’s, a carnival and The mackerel festival.

Aberaeron grew around the harbour and what was once a small fishing village gradually grew into one of the major trading ports along the Cardigan Bay coast.

The planning of the town was claimed to be "one of the best examples of a planned township of small scale in Wales". Many of the houses were owned by the local sea-captains and named after far flung destinations around the world Gambia, Melbourne.
Ship building industry was a major industry. With the expansion of the harbour came the expansion of local enterprise at its height Aberaeron boasted some 35 public houses. Today only 9 remain.

The success of the town's harbour began to dwindle with the introduction of the Railway in 1911 and this spelt the end of Aberaeron's great seafaring traditions. Today one of Aberaeron's main industries is tourism and it often described as the 'Jewel of Cardigan Bay'.