One of the three constituent countries of Great Britain, Wales (“Cymru” in Welsh) is officially bilingual (around a quarter of the population still speaks the ancient Celtic language) and has a distinctive literary tradition and culture. South Wales was heavily industrialized during the 19th century, and today, it remains the most populous part of the country. The rest of Wales is mountainous, extremely picturesque and a walker’s paradise. The immense Caernarfon Castle, built in 1283 by English King Edward I, is one of the most spectacular fortresses in Europe.