Why you should plan a trip to Wrexham in Wales right now

You're sitting exactly where Will Ferrell was drinking and chatting to the regulars," says Joe Bickerton, as I sip a pint at The Turf, a down-to-earth pub next to the Racecourse Ground, the home of Wrexham AFC, an unsung soccer club propelled into the limelight after a surprise takeover by Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney.

As tourism manager for the Wrexham region, which spans the city and its gorgeous UNESCO-lauded countryside, Joe tells me he's seen an influx of international visitors of late, including funnyman Ferrell and other celebrity pals of the club's new co-owners, such as Hugh Jackman and Paul Rudd, who've rocked up to watch a match or have a drink at The Turf.

Its red-and-white walls flaunting memorabilia, fans' signatures and cartoonish depictions of Reynolds' Deadpool character from the Marvel movies, the pub is a key location in Welcome to Wrexham, an Emmy-nominated Disney+ docuseries that shadows the resurgent club and the local community's bond with "Rob and Ryan" as they're known here (the show is back for its second season on September 12).

"They've really bought into the club and Wrexham as a whole and it seems very genuine," says Sarah Baker, who runs Lot 11, a brunch-friendly city cafe where locals are now regularly joined by folk from across the border in England - 15 minutes' up the road - and further afield, particularly from the USA, Canada and Australia. "A lot of Australians have family roots in north Wales but others have come because they've seen Welcome to Wrexham," explains Sarah, whose cafe was inspired by a working-holiday Down Under (there are flat whites and smashed avo toast on the menu).

"My friends actually thought I was stupid for opening this place because they said Wrexham was dying," adds Sarah. That was in 2017, when this was a market town in the doldrums, a far cry from its Victorian heyday, when coal mines, iron and steel works powered the economy. Mirroring Wrexham's post-industrial decline was Wrexham AFC, which despite its longevity - founded in 1864, it's the world's third-oldest professional soccer club - was cash-strapped and lingering in the fifth tier of English football's pyramid when "Rob and Ryan" arrived in 2020. After a promotion-winning season with a dramatic Hollywood-style ending, the club has new sponsors - notably United Airlines - while the creaking 10,771-seat Racecourse Ground is undergoing expansion. Home games (August-May) are usually sell-outs nowadays and I'm told people even queue to get into The Turf for a flavour of the matchday atmosphere.

Yet soccer certainly isn't the only reason to come to Wrexham, which only gained city status last year for the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Pottering through its compact centre, past typical British high street chains and charity shops, you'll find independent bar-eateries such as The Fat Boar and co-operative ventures like Ty Pawb (Everybody's House), a covered food court, market, performance and gallery space. Next door, at Wrexham's new visitor centre, friendly staff share maps and local tips.

They might point you in the direction of the Wrexham County Borough Museum, which displays everything from prehistoric archaeological discoveries to Welsh footballing paraphernalia at a former police station and courthouse. Another city landmark is St Giles' Church. This gothic beauty has been dubbed one of the "Seven Wonders of Wales", and if you're here on the last Saturday of the month (between April and September), you can climb the 149 steps of the church tower. From the top, on a clear day, Liverpool is visible, 70 kilometres to the north, while Wrexham's bucolic outskirts will surely tempt you on a side trip or two.

One must-visit is the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, a marvel of late 18th-century engineering that's part of a UNESCO World Heritage site straddling the border of Wales and England. The aqueduct carries a canal 40 metres above the rapid-etched River Dee, and you can sail across it on a sightseeing boat, paddle over in a canoe or take a knee-trembling walk on the towpath. Reward yourself afterwards with refreshments at the Pontcysyllte Chapel Tearoom or The Telford, an inn, with a canal-side beer garden, named after the aqueduct's engineer, Thomas Telford.

Later, back in Wrexham, hit The Lemon Tree, a smart-casual restaurant with rooms in a converted Victorian house. Seasonal ingredients play a starring role here and for my three-course dinner I plump for the char siu pork cheek, roasted Welsh lamb rump and chocolate ganache infused with Welsh Penderyn whisky. They're all delicious and, dining-wise especially, I feel like I've scored a hat-trick in Wrexham.

Read more on Explore:

1. LLANGOLLEN RAILWAY: Hop aboard this revived Victorian heritage railway in the postcard-pretty town of Llangollen and enjoy a 16-kilometre journey through the lush Dee Valley. Cute stations along the way may entice you off for a scenic hike.

2. CHIRK CASTLE: Now a National Trust visitor attraction, this fortress dates to AD1295, built for English King Edward I to subdue Welsh rebels.

3. ERDDIG: Roam the rustic parkland, manicured gardens and eclectically furnished rooms of this elegant country estate, another National Trust gem just south of Wrexham.

4. MOUNTAIN BIKING: Saddle up amid the spruce trees of Llandegla forest, which has trails to suit all abilities, from smooth, leisurely rides to bumpy, white-knuckle adventures.

5. CHESTER: Just 15 minutes on the train from Wrexham, Chester boasts England's best-preserved circuit of ancient defensive walls. Walk the loop, peeking over the city's quaint core, which is peppered with cafes, bars, shops and medieval architecture.

Getting there: Wrexham is connected to major cities on Britain's rail network, including London, Manchester and Birmingham. Emirates flies to all three from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane via Dubai. See emirates.com

Staying there: The Lemon Tree has rooms from about $190. Book via thelemontree.org.uk

Explore more: visitwales.com; visitbritain.com

The writer was a guest of Visit Britain and Visit Wales.