City Centre,Crown copyright (2009) Visit Wales
Swansea is the regional capital and shopping centre for south west Wales with both city centre shopping and 'out of town' retail parks.
Larger stores in the city centre’s Quadrant, Oxford Street and the new Princess Way development, blend seamlessly with smaller independent retailers located in the city's streets and shopping arcades.
Welshcakes in Swansea Market
Swansea Market, Wales’s largest indoor market, sells everything from antiques to the latest publications and local fresh fish and meat to welsh-cakes straight from the griddle.
Swansea city centre has recently undergone a major face lift, including several major enhancement schemes, which has created new and exciting shopping opportunities.
Around £3.2 million was invested on streetscape improvement alone, giving Swansea quality public spaces, smart street furniture and new trees, adding to the great shopping experience.
Swansea has three retail parks located on the outskirts of the city centre: Parc Tawe, Fforestfach and Morfa, all with big name supermarket superstores and major High Street chains.
Oystermouth Castle, Mumbles
Mumbles, the pretty Victorian seaside village to the west of Swansea, has a raft of fashion boutiques, galleries and craft shops trading alongside beach and surf-wear stores.
Carmarthen Market © Crown 2008
Farmers' markets are very popular in Swansea Bay, and there are lots of venues that provide opportunities to sample tasty, fresh local produce........huge flavour, small carbon footprint!
Other major shopping centres in the Swansea Bay area include Llanelli, Carmarthen, Neath and Port Talbot town centres all offering the big national chain names. There are also their charming, surrounding villages with gourmet delicatessans, designer boutiques, classy art galleries and rural craft shops.
Carmarthen, the oldest town in Wales, with numerous small shops trading alongside many of the UK’s High Street names, has some unique offerings, and retains that special ambience that other towns have lost.
Llanelli town centre is currently undergoing redevelopment, and two new out-of-town retail parks, Parc Trostre and Parc Pemberton, have recently opened with major High Street stores open for business.
Port Talbot town centre has recently been upgraded and landscaped. Port Talbot's Aberafan Shopping Centre has over 60 quality shops with High Street stores well represented.
Neath, a popular, historic market town, is also undergoing an £80 million pounds transformation project. Neath's famous market, in the town centre, has a raft of stalls selling a variety of goods and is where you can sample local home-made fare.
H & M set to open in Swansea
60 new jobs set for latest stores in Princess Way, Swansea
Did you know?
- Swansea Market is the largest traditional indoor market in Wales.
- Swansea is the only town/city in Wales to have a Safer Shopping award and eight Design awards (more that any other Welsh town/city).
- Neath Port Talbot County awarded Fairtrade status in 2007 and 2008, with Neath town winning Fairtrade recognition, independent of the county, in 2008.
- Bossy Boutique in Swansea is the only place in Wales to sell Hollywood's favourite shoe brand, Jimmy Choo.
- Exclusive French shoe chain, Roberto Durville, chose Swansea to open its first UK store — because it wants to be part of the city's "vibe".
