Carmarthenshire's title as the 'Garden of Wales' is not a hollow claim. The opening of the National Botanic Garden in the Vale of Tywi revealed the best kept secret of Carmarthenshire- the splendid green landscapes, gardens and beautiful places such as Aberglasney, Dinefwr and Gelli Aur, all waiting to be discovered.
Wales boasts some of the most spectacular castles and historical sites. Carmarthenshire landscape is liberally punctuated with ancient monuments and the ruins of medieval castles - testimony to the country's long colorful history and the struggles between the Welsh and English. Carreg Cennen is just one castle, which crowns a remote limestone crag 300 feet above the River Cennen and overlooked by the Black Mountain. It is surely one of the most dramatic and wildly romantic of all Welsh fortresses.
The timeless, inspiring landscape certainly cast a spell over Dylan Thomas, who wrote so passionately about its green, rolling farmlands and the silver-sanded shore of Carmarthen Bay - another undiscovered gem, incidentally.
Walking and cycling are the most popular pursuits here, simply due to the diversity of the countryside. The Millennium Coastal Park stretching 14 miles along the Llanelli Coastline has undergone a £30 million regeneration scheme where more than 1,500 acres of industrial wasteland has been spectacularly transformed into a unique linear park featuring a stunning array of visitor attractions such as Pembrey Country Park and National Wetlands Centre, wildlife havens, seafront promenade and harbour. People can participate in activities such as sailing, canoeing and windsurfing in Llanelli.
Our main rivers offer some of the best fishing in Wales. Coracle fishing, though only viewed as a spectator, is still practiced on three rivers in the county. For the adventurous, canoeing on the River Teifi offers exhilarating sport. Horse riding is extremely popular, with centres catering for all levels of proficiency and preference.
Golf courses cater for all levels, with a championship course at Ashburnham near Llanelli and 18-hole course at Carmarthen, Glynhir, Trimsaran, Garnant and smaller facilities in many area of the county.
Carmarthenshire remains the safest to live in, work in and visit in the whole of England and Wales, with a low crime rate of only 0.1 burglaries per 1,000 population. Education in Carmarthenshire offers a high standard in both Welsh and English speaking schools and colleges with educational attainment levels amongst the highest in the United Kingdom.
Carmarthenshire is easily accessible to the M4 corridor creating direct links with the North and South of England, making it the ideal area to develop or expand all forms of businesses from the smallest craft industries to the largest multi-national Organisations. Carmarthenshire offers something for everyone.