With summer approaching, many households start planning excursions and activities.

This column aims to offer a fitting recommendation.

Consider remaining in Newport.

The residents of this city have mastered the art of disparagement.

Self-deprecation flows naturally here.

Visitors frequently hear about attractions in Cardiff Bay, the Brecon Beacons, or the western regions of the country.

Yet when asked about local points of interest, responses become scarce.

This seems peculiar for a city boasting Roman archaeological sites, internationally recognised marshlands, a distinctive moving bridge, striking buildings and beautiful green spaces.

Here are several instances.

Caerleon Roman Baths offers remarkable heritage. Most urban areas would celebrate having an ancient Roman performance venue among their landmarks. Newport possesses this alongside military quarters, bathing facilities and an exhibition space documenting a garrison that accommodated vast numbers of soldiers. The site demonstrates that Newport’s narrative extends far beyond the Victorian industrial era and dockyard developments, reaching back almost two thousand years.

The RSPB Newport Wetlands provides an unexpected natural sanctuary amid the urban environment. Travelling from the Uskmouth industrial zone, visitors suddenly encounter wetlands teeming with birdlife typically reserved for nature documentaries. Regarding that beloved broadcaster, those unfamiliar with the BBC series Secret Garden are missing exceptional wildlife programming during this commemorative year. Marsh harriers patrol the skies above while bearded reedlings dart through vegetation. The pathway leading to West Usk Lighthouse offers panoramic views across the Severn Estuary that prove genuinely breathtaking. The location combines tranquility with wildness while remaining firmly within Newport.

Those interested in historical engineering should visit the Fourteen Locks Canal Centre. The lock system reflects Newport’s former status as a centre of manufacturing excellence and creative problem-solving. Walking along the towpath reveals how the terrain still bears evidence of the workforce who excavated and constructed through the 1800s. This tangible legacy includes a charming café serving refreshments.

For serenity and natural beauty, Allt-yr-Yn Nature Reserve delivers restoration among woodland, grassland, pools and the historic canal supply channel. Visitors can spend an hour exploring yet feel transported for far longer.

Exceptional experiences await without venturing beyond Newport’s limits. The city contains destinations capable of astonishing, inspiring and confirming that this location overflows with heritage, wildlife and distinctive character. Occasionally all that proves necessary is opening one’s eyes to the surroundings and valuing what has existed all along.