If you’ve heard about a place from others who have visited, or perhaps you’ve only seen it through Google Maps, your expectations might not align with the reality.

I packed a small suitcase for a work trip to the picturesque coastal town of Aberaeron in Ceredigion, thinking I knew what to expect, but I was far off the mark.

As a city girl used to zipping around (within the 20mph limit, naturally) in an old Mini…