IF you get your kicks nosing around other people's homes you can choose anything from the Smallest House in Britain, on Conwy Quay, to the National Trust's massive Erddig Hall, near Wrexham.
At Erddig you can do an extensive tour of the house, built in the 17th and 18th centuries, and also take in the associated outbuildings, formal gardens and country park. If you've got the stamina, it wouldn't be hard to spend the best part of a day here.
The Smallest House, on the other hand, shouldn't keep you occupied for more than a few minutes, but just up the road in Conwy, there are the twin attractions of Aberconwy House (National Trust) and Plas Mawr (CADW).
The latter is an Elizabethan gem, with superb decorative plasterwork dating back to the late 16th century, and outstanding gatehouse, stepped gables and lookout tower
Aberconwy House is a medieval merchant's house, dating from the 14th century, the only one of its age to have survived in the town.
Other National Trust properties which are particularly notable for their location and atmosphere are Ty Mawr Wybrnant, Penmachno, and Plas yn Rhiw, right at the tip of the Llyn Peninsula, while back on the grand scale, there's Plas Newydd, Anglesey, with beautiful gardens in a stunning setting by the Menai Strait.
Its namesake, Plas Newydd, Llangollen, is an unusual black and white house with formal gardens, developed from a cottage by the notorious Ladies of Llangollen, who ran away from their families in Ireland to live together in Wales.
In a class of its own is Portmeirion Village where architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis built a group of Italianate houses, many with materials rescued from around the world. It is also noted as the setting for the cult TV series The Prisoner.
Bodrhyddan Hall, Rhuddlan, the home of Lord and Lady Langford, was built in the 17th century, extended in the 19th century, and has glorious gardens. Both house and gardens are open to the public only on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from June to September.
Between Harlech and Talsarnau is The Lasynys Fawr, which was home to writer Ellis Wynne (1671-1734), and, amongst other wonders, houses an angel cupboard and a squeaking bed!
Swtan, the last thatched cottage on Anglesey at Church Bay, is also open to visitors from Friday to Sunday from April until September.
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