A short visitor's guide to Machen, Caerphilly County Borough: things to do, places to eat and drink, and what's on through the year.
Machen is a large village three miles east of Caerphilly in south Wales, set on the Rhymney River in the southern foothills of the valleys. It sits in the county borough of Caerphilly within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire and forms a single ward with the neighbouring villages of Trethomas and Bedwas.
Visitors come for a quiet semi-rural base on the south side of the valleys, with Mynydd Machen (Machen Mountain) rising directly above the village; the open hill, with its large summit boulders, makes for a memorable hour's walk and a wide view back over Machen, Caerphilly and the Bristol Channel beyond.
Machen's drinking options are small but characterful, kept friendly by a strong neighbourhood following.
Caerphilly Chilli on Chatham is the village's main bar, well rated locally and a sensible spot for an early-evening pint without driving into Caerphilly itself.
Machen's eating-out options are limited in the village itself, with most sit-down restaurants a short drive into Caerphilly.
For an evening in, Good Fortune on Forge Road is the long-standing local Chinese takeaway, well rated and open on bank holidays for the times when the kitchen at the cottage doesn't quite stretch to dinner.
Machen's standout daytime stop is a country cafe rather than a high-street coffee shop.
Basil & Rusty's Ice Cream Parlour at Gelli Farm is a friendly farmyard cafe serving homemade ice creams and cakes with sweeping country views, plus a children's play area; it's an easy half-hour stop for an afternoon with the family. If you'd like a quiet country base nearby, see our dog-friendly holiday cottages in Machen.