Swansea is a city in Wales and a Welsh County. The city of Swansea is situated on the South Wales coast immediately to the east of the Gower Peninsula and is the second largest city in Wales.

Swansea's diverse and interesting past has helped weave a city of character and charm, which has produced many famous personalities. On the literary stage, the poet Dylan Thomas is perhaps the best-known. He was born in the town and grew up at 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, Uplands. There is a memorial to him in the nearby Cwmdonkin Park. The actress Catherine Zeta-Jones is probably the most famous of the city's recent cultural exports, and she maintains close links with the city. Welsh rock band Man, Pete Ham of the rock/power pop band Badfinger, author Mary Balogh, singer/songwriter Mal Pope, MP Michael Heseltine, scriptwriter and producer Russell T. Davies, singer Bonnie Tyler and entertainer Sir Harry Secombe were also born and raised in the city, as was the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.
Perhaps the city's most celebrated personality is Jack - a black Labrador. During his seven years of life, he managed to save twenty-seven people from drowning in the murky waters of Swansea docks. There is a monument to commemorate Jack's gallant efforts on the foreshore near the St. Helen's stadium. People from Swansea are known locally as Swansea Jacks, or just Jacks. The source of this nickname is not clear. Some attribute it to Swansea Jack, the life-saving dog. Others point to Swansea's long history as a port and the use of the word jack to indicate a sailor.
With its seaside location and varied inland geography, Swansea makes a suitable destination for a range of outdoor activies like swimming, sailing, water skiing, surfing, sea angling, canoeing, and rowing, or hiking.

The wide sandy beaches at Langland, Caswell and Limeslade are the most popular with swimmers and tourists with children, whereas the wide and calm waters of Swansea Bay tend to attract the water-sport enthusiast. Coastal paths connect most of the Gower bays and Swansea Bay itself, and hikers can enjoy countryside views throughout the year. The North of Swansea, whilst little known on the tourist map, has some of the most outstanding countryside in the country, with panoramas of the Welsh mountains. One of the most popular tourist destinations in the county, the former fishing village of Mumbles (located on the western edge of Swansea Bay) has a variety restaurants and coffee shops. The promenade at Mumbles offers a panoramic view of the Swansea Bay vista.