One of the questions visitors ask most often when exploring Llandudno is why so many Alice in Wonderland characters appear throughout the town.
The answer lies with Alice Liddell, the real girl who inspired Lewis Carroll’s famous stories.
In 1861, Alice and her family began holidaying in Llandudno. The family later purchased a house on West Shore called Penmorfa and returned to the town for many years. Today, that connection is celebrated through the Alice Trail, the annual Miss Alice competition and a collection of distinctive wooden sculptures that have become some of Llandudno’s most recognisable landmarks.
Although Penmorfa was demolished in 2009, Alice’s connection to the town remains an important part of Llandudno’s identity.
Although Alice’s connection to Llandudno dates back more than 160 years, the town’s embrace of Wonderland is surprisingly modern.
Today, visitors will find Alice characters appearing throughout the town, from the White Rabbit and the Mad Hatter to Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Together, these wooden sculptures have become one of Llandudno’s most recognisable attractions and help tell the story of the town’s unique connection to Alice Liddell.
But where did they come from, and why were they created?
The Alice Trail
The most visible celebration of this connection is the Alice Trail.
Scattered throughout the town are a series of wooden sculptures depicting characters from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.
Visitors can encounter familiar faces including:
- Alice
- The White Rabbit
- The Mad Hatter
- The Queen of Hearts
- Tweedledum and Tweedledee
- The Caterpillar
- The Cheshire Cat
The sculptures create a family-friendly trail that encourages visitors to explore different parts of Llandudno while discovering more about the town’s connection to Alice.
Many visitors enjoy seeing how many characters they can find during their stay.
More Than Just Statues
What makes the Alice statues particularly successful is that they have become part of the town itself.
Children climb on them.
Families pose for photographs beside them.
Visitors search for their favourite characters.
They provide a sense of discovery and curiosity that feels perfectly suited to both Wonderland and Llandudno.
Over the years, the town has embraced this connection through the Alice Trail, the annual Miss Alice competition and a growing collection of Alice-themed experiences.
Alice in Llandudno Today
The Wonderland connection continues to evolve.
Visitors can follow the official Alice Trail, learn about Alice Liddell’s history in the town and explore newer attractions inspired by the story.
One recent addition is Alpine Travel’s Alice in Llandudno experience, which encourages visitors to discover Alice-themed landmarks and locations throughout the town while learning more about the area’s Wonderland heritage.
Together, these attractions help create a uniquely Alice-inspired visitor experience that is difficult to find anywhere else in the UK.
Finding Alice
Of course, not every Alice experience in Llandudno is about history.
Finding Alice takes a different approach.
Instead of simply searching for statues, teams become investigators tasked with solving the mystery of Alice’s disappearance.
Following clues, uncovering hidden secrets and exploring real locations throughout the town, players experience Llandudno through the lens of an unfolding Wonderland adventure.
For teams, the statues become more than landmarks. They become part of the story.
Why It Works So Well
Perhaps the reason the Alice statues have become such an enduring part of Llandudno is that they feel completely at home here.
There is something about the Victorian architecture, the promenade, the Great Orme and the town’s sense of curiosity that suits Wonderland perfectly.
Whether you’re following the Alice Trail, hunting for your favourite character, taking part in Finding Alice or simply enjoying a walk through town, it’s easy to see why Llandudno has become known as Wales’ Wonderland.
And it all started with one little girl who spent her summers by the sea.
