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You may normally be a person more comfortable with taking a holiday in Europe, but consider something a little closer to home. Consider the small country to the west of England, with its uniqueness and cultural history.

Anyone considering weekend breaks in Wales or looking for things to do in Wales would be well served by a visit to the biggest annual Welsh language and cultural festival – The National Eisteddfod. Alternating venues between north and south Wales, during the first weeks of August 2010 it will be held in Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent and then in Wrexham in 2011.

The National Eisteddfod the largest cultural festival of its kind in Europe and a key event in the Welsh calendar. It’s a celebration of Welsh culture, so events are conducted mainly in Welsh but the festival attracts both Welsh and English speakers with more than 150,000 visitors a week on average. You’ll receive a warm welcome at the Eisteddfod regardless of whether or not you can speak Welsh and a translating kit can be picked up for the day as you arrive.

It is possible to enjoy the rich show of dance, drama and music without an indepth knowledge of the Welsh language. The majority of the events are conducted in the main field or Maes, with the pavilion being the focal point of the festival where you can find dance, recitatiion competitions and poetry. These include the Crowning (best work in free verse), Daniel Owen memorial prize (best unpublished Welsh novel), the Prose Medal, and the Chairing of the winning poet.

There are also theatre, arts and crafts exhibitions, a literature pavilion, an area for Welsh learners to hone their language skills and plenty of plenty of food and drink. Or travel a little further afield and experience some of the first class restaurants in Wales that are nearby. There are evening entertainments galore as part of the Eisteddfod including plays, concerts, comedy shows and performances by local groups. If you are looking for music groups whilst on a weekend break, there are lots of gigs in both Welsh and English in the main pavilion and nearby venues.