A directory of belonging
Places where community is built into where you live — not another club to visit, but somewhere the people around you are part of daily life. Monasteries that welcome guests, cohousing, co-ops, ecovillages, seniors villages, and neighbourhoods that actually function. Start where you are.
Compiled with AI, checked by nobody yet. These are starting points, gathered for Wales — real places as far as we know, but details change. Verify with a phone call before you set your heart or drive across the state.
Hafan Lles offers supported living accommodations for adults with mental health needs, promoting recovery and social inclusion. The community focuses on empowering individuals to live fulfilling lives.
Hafan Lles provides supported living options for individuals, promoting independence within a caring and communal environment. Residents benefit from tailored support while being part of a vibrant and inclusive community.
Plas Dwbl is a Camphill community offering a supportive living and working environment for adults with learning disabilities. Life is shared in family-like households, integrating social, cultural, and spiritual aspects.
Visit website →The Living Well Centre provides supported living for individuals with learning disabilities, fostering independence and community engagement. Residents benefit from a supportive environment and tailored care plans.
This residential care home provides a supportive and engaging environment for older adults, including those with dementia. The community focuses on person-centred care and a vibrant activity program.
A children's hospice offering a supportive live-in care community for children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families. It provides a nurturing environment with specialist care and community activities.
Visit website →Ty'n-y-Groes is a village with a strong local identity and community spirit, often highlighted by its active village hall and local events. While not a formal intentional community, its close-knit nature provides a supportive living environment.
Wales's first cohousing community, designed for intergenerational living with shared facilities and resident-led management. It promotes sustainable living and strong neighbourly bonds.
Visit website →While primarily a college, its residential halls offer a vibrant coliving experience for students, fostering a strong sense of community through shared learning and social spaces. Students live and study together, creating a supportive environment.
Visit website →Llanerchindda Farm offers a unique rural living experience with shared facilities and a strong sense of community among guests and residents. It provides a base for exploring the Welsh countryside and engaging in outdoor activities.
Visit website →The Llanfyllin Workhouse offers residential opportunities for artists and volunteers, fostering a creative and collaborative living space. It's a unique heritage site where community members contribute to its restoration and cultural program.
Visit website →The Old Rectory is a large historic property that has been adapted for shared living, offering a communal environment for residents. It fosters a sense of community through shared spaces and activities, often attracting individuals interested in a more collaborative lifestyle.
A historic property offering shared living spaces in a rural setting, fostering a sense of community among residents. It provides an opportunity for individuals to live collaboratively while enjoying the tranquility of the Welsh countryside.
A renovated former school building offering shared living spaces for individuals interested in sustainable living and community engagement. It provides a supportive environment for residents to collaborate on projects and share resources.
This historic property offers shared living spaces and a communal atmosphere for residents, often attracting individuals interested in outdoor pursuits and local culture. It provides a comfortable base for exploring Snowdonia National Park.
Hafan Cymru provides supported housing and community-based services across Wales, often fostering a sense of community among residents. They focus on empowering individuals to live independently within a supportive environment.
Visit website →A housing co-operative providing affordable homes where residents collectively manage their properties and community. It empowers members to have a say in their living environment and fosters mutual support.
Tŷ Canna is a housing co-operative providing affordable homes and fostering a resident-led community. Members actively participate in the management and maintenance of their living environment.
Tyddyn Teg is a worker co-operative farm that also supports a small residential community focused on sustainable living and food production. Members are actively involved in the farm's operations and community life.
Visit website →Wales's pioneering planned ecovillage, granted permission in 2009 for nine low-impact smallholdings under groundbreaking sustainability policy. Residents build their own natural homes and grow much of their own food, sharing what they learn with visitors and courses.
Visit website →This emerging eco-community in Llanidloes is focused on sustainable living, shared resources, and environmental stewardship. Residents are committed to building a resilient and interconnected way of life.
CAT is a world-renowned eco-centre demonstrating sustainable living and renewable technologies, with residential options for students, volunteers, and staff. It fosters a community dedicated to environmental solutions and education.
Visit website →The Fforest is an emerging ecovillage project focused on sustainable living, permaculture, and community resilience. Residents are actively involved in developing shared resources and a low-impact lifestyle.
Dedicated to promoting sustainable smallholding practices, this centre fosters a community around shared agricultural and ecological principles. It provides a practical and educational environment for those interested in self-sufficiency and rural living.
A land-based intentional community founded in 1994 on a farm beneath Carn Ingli in the Preseli hills. Members live simply with renewable energy and shared gardens, welcoming volunteers and guests who want a taste of communal rural life.
An enchanting eco-retreat hamlet of natural roundhouses and cabins in oak woods above Llyn Padarn in Eryri (Snowdonia). A small resident team hosts groups, storytellers and retreats, welcoming all who come to connect with nature and each other.
Visit website →An emerging intentional community focused on sustainable living, permaculture, and holistic well-being. They aim to create a supportive environment for personal growth and ecological regeneration.
The Smallholding Centre offers courses and a living environment for those interested in sustainable smallholding and rural skills. It cultivates a community of learners and practitioners focused on self-sufficiency and ecological living.
Visit website →One of Britain's longest-running low-impact communities, where people have lived in tipis, yurts and roundhouses on a Welsh hillside since 1976. It welcomes those drawn to simple living close to the land, with a communal big lodge at its heart.
This community focuses on sustainable living and shared responsibilities, with residents actively participating in the upkeep and development of their environment. It offers a close-knit social structure for those committed to a communal lifestyle.
A Cistercian monastery on a small island off Tenby, continuing a monastic tradition on Caldey that stretches back to Celtic times. The monks welcome day visitors in season and men seeking retreat can stay in the island's guest accommodation.
Visit website →This is a Benedictine monastery for monks, offering a life of prayer, work, and hospitality within a traditional monastic setting. Visitors can experience the peaceful rhythm of monastic life and participate in services.
Visit website →While technically in England, this monastery is very close to the Welsh border and serves a community that often includes individuals from Wales seeking a contemplative life. It is home to a community of Cistercian nuns dedicated to prayer and work.
Visit website →A multi-faith monastic community founded in 1973, home to monks, nuns and rescued animals across three temples in the Carmarthenshire hills. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visit each year, and all are welcomed free of charge.
Visit website →This is a convent for Anglican nuns, dedicated to a life of prayer and service within the community. The sisters welcome visitors for retreats and offer a quiet space for reflection.
Visit website →This Benedictine monastery offers a life of prayer and contemplation within a rural setting. Guests are welcome to join the community for retreats and to experience monastic life.
St Michael's College is an Anglican theological college with a residential community for students and staff. It provides a supportive environment for study and spiritual growth within a historic setting.
Visit website →A small Anglican convent offering a quiet, contemplative life for sisters. They welcome visitors for retreats and shared prayer, fostering a sense of spiritual community.
This retreat centre offers a peaceful environment for spiritual reflection and community living, welcoming individuals and groups for short or long stays. It provides a supportive atmosphere for those seeking quiet contemplation and shared spiritual practice.
This centre offers a tranquil environment for spiritual retreats and reflection, providing residential accommodation for individuals seeking a period of quiet contemplation. It is set in a beautiful rural location with stunning views of the Vale of Clwyd.
Visit website →St. David's Abbey is a historic monastic site offering a spiritual retreat and a place for quiet contemplation. While not a full residential community in the modern sense, it hosts clergy and offers guest accommodation for those seeking a period of communal living and reflection.
Visit website →A community hub and village in Gwynedd that actively promotes Welsh language and culture, fostering a strong local identity. The centre provides facilities and activities that bring residents together and support local initiatives.
Visit website →Gartholwg Community Campus is a hub designed to integrate educational, leisure, and community facilities, creating a strong local neighbourhood focus. While not a residential community in itself, it fosters a strong sense of belonging and shared resources for local residents.
Visit website →This small rural village fosters a strong sense of community through its local church, village hall, and various community events. Residents actively participate in maintaining the village's unique character and social fabric.
While not a traditional residential community, Llanidloes has a strong community energy initiative that fosters deep local connections and shared purpose. This active engagement in local projects builds a robust sense of neighbourhood and collective responsibility.
Visit website →The Grange is a vibrant retirement village offering independent living with a strong sense of community. Residents benefit from shared facilities and social activities designed to foster connection and well-being.
Visit website →The other path
If your state's list is thin, that's not a dead end; it's the reason this project exists. Three friends on one street is already a community. The guide walks you through the whole path.
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