Behind Swansea’s familiar streets and sweeping bay lies another city: one of heroic dogs, vanished chapels, haunted pubs, and seaside legends. Quirky Swansea uncovers the stories that give this city its distinctive character, celebrating the people, places and moments that make Abertawe unlike anywhere else. From roaring rugby and football stadiums, beloved local food, seafront promenades, and iconic landmarks, every corner of Swansea brims with life and history. Step inside Gower’s ancient painted caves, meet the fighter ace who outwitted the Nazis, and uncover the hidden feats of trailblazing women, explorers, and musicians. The city also has its uncanny side: the skull-headed Mari Lwyd that parades through winter streets, the cursed Swansea Devil statue that watches over bombed ruins, and fairy folk that dance on moonlit hills.

Quirky Swansea lifts the lid on the hidden stories of a city shaped by the sea, its people, and a proud tradition of doing things its own way.

Mark Rees is a journalist and author based in south Wales. For more than fifteen years he has published articles about the arts in some of Wales’ best-selling newspapers and magazines. His roles have included arts editor and what's on editor for the South Wales Evening Post, Carmarthen Journal, Llanelli Star and Swansea Life. He has written about and spoken widely on Halloween in the press and media, including appearing as a guest expert on the BBC documentary Halloween in Wales (2024). He is currently completing a PhD in Gothic visual culture, which includes a focus on Halloween traditions.