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It’s hard to imagine a more perfect setting than Monmouthshire to recharge your batteries and lose yourself for some time out. Tucked right between the dazzling Brecon Beacons and the equally dazzling Wye Valley (so dazzling in fact that it’s a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), the county couldn’t be more naturally beautiful if it tried. Rolling hills frame ruined castles, mountains beckon hikers and at night, the skies are dotted with stars that shine all the brighter thanks to the region’s countryside…and don’t even get us started on the mouthwatering food.

Let’s start with one of the county’s oldest (and still most popular) attractions, the atmospheric Tintern Abbey. Perched quietly on the banks of the river in the tranquil Wye Valley, the abbey was built in 1131, and its ruin makes for a peaceful day out that inspired Wordsworth himself when he penned the poem ‘Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey’.

If you’re determined to take the opportunity to sample some of the area’s wine during your Monmouthshire holiday, then head to the White Castle Vineyard in the sleepy village of Llanvetherine. Nestled in five acres of south-facing land, the vineyard produces a whole selection of Welsh wines, and visitors are always welcome to enjoy the setting and learn more about how the wine comes to be (and take their favourite bottle back home with them from the gift shop of course).

With so much picturesque scenery to its name, a Monmouthshire holiday’s pretty much about enjoying the views, but it’s also home to some spectacular gardens. Take Wyndcliffe Court for example, completed in 1922, these gardens have been divided into different spaces, and they’re home to walled gardens, a sunken garden, fountains and even a lily pond…(well it wouldn’t be the same without a lily pond…).

Book a Monmouthshire holiday cottage today and experience all that the region has to offer for yourself.