Conwy Castle and town — Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Parking in a Medieval Town
Parking in Conwy requires some planning. The town is medieval in its street layout — the narrow roads within the walls were not designed for motor vehicles — and the town walls themselves mean that significant road widening or new car park development within the historic core is simply not possible. The main car parks are located outside the walls or on the edge of the town, within walking distance of all the main attractions. In summer, particularly on busy weekends, these fill up quickly and arriving early is the best strategy.
The good news is that Conwy is small enough that even the furthest car park is only about ten to fifteen minutes' walk from the castle. Parking is manageable, but understanding the options in advance will save you time and frustration on arrival.
The Main Car Parks
There are six car parks in and around Conwy town. The largest is Morfa Bach on Llanrwst Road, with 217 car bays plus four caravan and campervan spaces. Charging is £1.10 per hour up to a £5 all-day rate, with a discounted overnight charge of 50p covering 6pm to 8am — useful if you arrive late or want to stay until the following morning. Vicarage Gardens provides 98 spaces and charges £1.20 per hour rising to £5 for four hours. Mount Pleasant has 72 bays at the same £1.10–£5 daily scale as Morfa Bach. For those who do not mind a slightly longer walk, Mill Hill is a 25-bay car park that is completely free — the best value in town and worth trying first on busy days. Charges and spaces are correct at time of writing but may change, so check the on-site signs on arrival.
Tips for Busy Weekends
During July and August, and on summer bank holiday weekends, both main car parks can be full by mid-morning. The best strategies for busy periods are: arrive before 9:30am, or visit on a weekday rather than a weekend, or consider arriving by train to Conwy station or Llandudno Junction and taking the bus. If you arrive and find the main car parks full, some visitors park in Llandudno Junction and take the bus into Conwy, which is a practical alternative if the quayside parking is also full.
Llandudno Junction has significantly more parking than Conwy town itself and is much less likely to be full. The bus between the junction and Conwy runs frequently during the day and the journey takes about ten minutes, crossing the estuary by the modern road bridge with good views of the castle and the Three Bridges.
Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicle charging points are available in the Conwy area, though the provision within the town itself is limited given the constraints of the historic street plan. Check the latest provision via the Zap-Map app or similar EV charging location services before visiting, as availability changes as the network expands. The A55 corridor has better provision than the town centre, with charging available at service areas and some car parks along the main coastal route.
For those arriving by public transport, see our getting here by train guide and our without a car guide for comprehensive advice on car-free visiting.
Race Day and Event Parking
The Conwy Half Marathon in November brings road closures around the quayside from early on race morning. The Morfa Bach car park on Llanrwst Road is the one the race organisers recommend as it remains accessible; the quayside and castle car parks are within the closure zone. Spectators should arrive before 9am and expect the town centre to be busier than a typical November Sunday. The Honey Fair in September closes sections of the High Street; parking pressure increases but the town does not reach summer levels.
For the castle and walls during summer, arriving before 9:30am consistently finds spaces; after 11am on a sunny Saturday in July or August, the main car parks fill and Llandudno Junction becomes the practical choice.
Parking for the Castle and Main Attractions
The closest parking to Conwy Castle is the Rose Hill Street car park on the eastern side of the walls — small, fills quickly, but puts you within two minutes of the castle entrance. The Vicarage Gardens car park near the town centre is convenient for Plas Mawr and the High Street. For the quayside specifically, the Quay area has limited short-stay spaces that are useful for a quick visit but rarely available on busy days.
If all town car parks are full on arrival, the A55 junction at Llandudno Junction (J18) has large free-to-use supermarket car parks and the bus into Conwy runs every 20 minutes. See the getting here guide for bus and train options as an alternative to driving.
Day trips