This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Brecon.
Brecon is a tourist town, located at the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park; flint finds date the first settlements in the area from the fortieth or fiftieth century BC. From the town, you have an excellent view of the Brecon Beacons Mountains, like the Pen y Fan, the highest mountain in the south of Britain (just under nine hundred meters tall). There are many local attractions that deserve your attention, such as the Brecon Cathedral from the twelfth century, the Castle Hotel (a castle turned into a hotel), the Brecknock Museum and Art Gallery, the Military and Regiment Museum, Monmouthshire, and the Brecon Canal. There is also a training military base not far from the city. You can also visit a cattle market and taste local steaks. And do not miss the opportunity to visit the Brecon Beacons National Park, it is not far and there are organized excursions.
Also, the Brecon Jazz Festival is held annually since the eighties for three days in August. In the past, the festival was known as one of the best British jazz festivals and was a way to attract more tourists to the town. Some of the concerts were free in the past, but now the event has become more popular, and consequently, more commercial.
There are not so many Brecon hostels, but the town is a popular destination for tourists. Finding a place to stay at the weekends can be tough and getting a place during the annual Brecon Jazz Festival is nearly impossible unless you book well in advance. Hostels in Brecon have good facilities but their prices are quite high. Brecon is a small town with population of less than eight thousand people so you do not need to use any kind of transportation while there and the location of your Brecon hostel is not so important because everything is within walking distance.
Written by local enthusiast for Brecon hostels
George Traveller