UK's smallest city has incredible landscape but population of under 2k

Have half a day to spare? Three or four hours is all you are likely to need when visiting the UK's smallest city. Based in Pembrokeshire, Wales, the picturesque city of St Davids is surrounded by glorious countryside, rolling hills and sea views.

But the city has a geography of just 0.23 square miles and a population of around 1,600 people, making it feel like a beautiful village instead of one of only 76 cities in the country. St David's briefly lost its official recognition as a city in 1886. However, former monarch Queen Elizabeth II restored its status 30 years ago in 1995.

The simple question is why is this a city? The presence of its historic, awe-inspiring cathedral is the answer. The 12th-century St David's cathedral is a must see and one of Wales' most iconic religious sites.

The cathedral is constructed from dusky purple sandstone and has been a major pilgrimage site for almost 1,000 years. The site is the original location of the Shrine of St David, the patron saint of Wales, which was later destroyed during the Reformation.

Pope Calixtus II stated that the original shrine was so important that two pilgrimages to St David's were the same as one trip to Rome. The cathedral is also the resting place of major Welsh figures such as Edmund Tudor.

Next door, the equally impressive Bishop's Palace sits on the opposite bank of the river Alun. The Gothic remains of Bishop Henry de Gower's palace estate is a popular tourist attraction and another vital stop on a trip to the city.

If art is more your thing, visitors should be sure to pop in at the Oriel y Parc Gallery. Located just minutes from the cathedral, the centre is free to visit and shows off a wide range of art and artefacts from the collection of Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales.

The gallery is open during the tourist season and will shut its doors on November 3 making a trip this weekend vital. St David's is also perfectly placed to enjoy the Pembrokeshire coastline with the beautiful Whitesands Bay just 2.5 miles away.

Reaching the beach couldn't be easier, with tourists and locals able to reach the sand by car in just 10 minutes or on foot in around 45 minutes. St Davids is just under a two-hour drive from Swansea, with the UK's smallest city also fairly well connected by public transport.

Visitors simply take a train to Harberfordwest before a short 50-minute bus journey to reach St Davids.