Wales is a nation located west of England and is part of the United Kingdom. Like much of Europe castles dominate a large part of the landscape of Wales, a reminder of the struggles throughout its history. Struggles that have left their mark on the unique language and culture of the Welsh people. Even though Wales is today part of the United Kingdom, linguistic and cultural differences make it standout from the rest of the United Kingdom.

The Welsh people began as part of a group of peoples called the Celts. Like other Indo-European peoples, the Celts consisted of several tribes, and struggles between individual tribes were common. This made it impossible for a single Celtic nation to exist, and aided in part the conquest of Celtic lands by the Romans, who were highly organized and a strong united nation.

The Welsh Language is derived from Brythonic, which is a Celtic dialect in use at the time of Roman conquests in England. This is part of what sets it apart from other Celtic languages in the United Kingdom that are derived from different Celtic dialects. The presence of the Welsh language on road signs is part of what sets apart Wales from the rest of the UK, and makes it clear that you’ve arrived somewhere else when one travels there.

The Seven Wonders of Wales come from an 18th century poem. The author of the poem is unknown, however, the seven wonders are an attraction even today. The poem is as follows:

Pistyll Rhaeadr and Wrexham steeple,
Snowdon's mountain without its people,
Overton yew trees, St Winefride's Well,
Llangollen Bridge and Gresford bells.

Pistyll Rhaeadr is a 240 foot high waterfall west of Oswestry, in Wales' Berwyn Mountains.

Wrexham steeple, which is more of a tower than a steeple, is part of the Parish Church of St. Giles. Wrexham Tower at Yale University is modeled after Wrexham Steeple, and one of Yale's largest benefactors was Elihu Yale, whose tomb is nearby Wrexham Steeple.

Snowdon's Mountain is the highest mountain in the united Kingdom south of the Scotish Highlands, and it is the tallest mountain in Wales. It's name means snow covered hill in the Saxon language.

Overton Yew Trees are found at St. Mary's Church in Overton, which is northeast Wales. They date to medieval times, and were planted by the queen to commemorate her visit to Overton.

St. Winefride's Well, long used as a bathing place on account of its alleged healing waters, is located in Holywell, also in Northeast Wales.

Llangollen Bridge is a bridge over the River Dee. Possibly the oldest bridge over this river, it was built by John Trevor I, then Bishop of St Asaph.

Gresford Bells are found in the Parish Church of Gresford. The official name of the church is the Church of All Saints, and the bells are recorded as being part of the church since at least the 1770s.

Wales today is part of the United Kingdom. In 1955 it was split from England and is considered a separate country within the United Kingdom from England. After the split the City of Cardiff has served as the capital of Wales. Cardiff is Wale's largest city accounting for as much as 40% of Wale's GDP. Cardiff is also home to the relatively new BBC Wales studios, which produces shows such as Doctor Who and Torchwood, both of which have played a major role in new found success of more modern BBC programming.

Cardiff's Tiger Bay is one of the busiest ports in the world. When traveling to Wales, or any other country, it's important to buy travel insurance in case your plans are forced to change, or you find yourself in need of medical attention.