Deeping to Italy in under
200 miles…

In the mid 1920s, distinguished architect, Clough Williams-Ellis (educated just down the road in Oundle), stood on the Welsh coast and envisaged an Italian-inspired village with colour-washed buildings and a lively central piazza. He was keen to prove that a naturally beautiful location could be sympathetically developed into a tourist destination without spoiling it. In 1926 he made it a reality and work on bringing a little piece of Italy to Wales began. The unique village of Portmeirion sits on a private peninsular, overlooking the coast, surrounded by woodland, with pastel-coloured buildings surrounding water features and piazzas. Walking around the village, especially on a warm day, you could almost be exploring Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera. Whilst Portmeirion is famous for its pottery you’ll also find a diverse choice of shops, each selling something unique, and Italian eateries, serving café classics. Visiting Italy could be a lot easier than you first thought…