Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth (; Welsh: [abɛˈrəstʊɨθ] ) is a university and seaside town and a community in Ceredigion, Wales. It is the largest town in Ceredigion and 16 miles (26 km) from Aberaeron, the county's other administrative centre. In 2021, the population of the town was 14,640. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, Aberystwyth means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". It has been a major educational location in Wales since the establishment of University College Wales, now Aberystwyth University, in 1872. In 2025, Aberystwyth became a UNESCO City of Literature becoming the first Welsh place and sixth in the United Kingdom to receive the title and joining more than 50 other cities across the planet. The town is situated on Cardigan Bay on the west coast of Wales, near the confluence of the River Ystwyth and Afon Rheidol. Following the reconstruction of the harbour, the Ystwyth skirts the town. The Rheidol passes through the town. The seafront, with a pier, stretches from Constitution Hill at the north end of the Promenade to the harbour at the south. The beach is divided by the castle. The town is divided into five areas: Aberystwyth Town, Llanbadarn Fawr, Waunfawr Trefechan and Penparcau.