Portmeirion is a tourist village in the north of Wales constructed for the sole purpose of delighting the eye in exchange for money.

It was designed and built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975 in the Baroque style and is now owned by a charitable trust. Once you begin strolling through the colourful streets, you will see the influences of the Mediterranean seaside architecture.

My favourite memory is learning about the Portmeirion pottery created by the daughter of Sir Clough. It’s charmingly British with its wildflower designs but not extravagant. I thought it was particularly interesting that the brand has five stores in Japan, including one in Tokyo’s luxurious shopping district, Ginza.

“Susan always expected her pottery designs to fit comfortably with everyday life – today a requirement of every contemporary consumer – and, in her quest for success, she was heavily involved in the manufacture of all her pieces. Such involvement and devotion to the quality of the design and production of the product was rare, and when combined with Susan’s individual style and creativity, became unique.”

The Portmeirion story

If you stop by the No. 6 Cafe Bar in Portmeirion, your order will be served on Susan’s creations.

You can download all of these photos from my Unsplash profile.