A castle in the city centre, a stadium with a roof and a bay reborn: Cardiff is a young, lively capital that loves a big occasion.
Cardiff is the capital of Wales, and one of the youngest capital cities in Europe, given that status only in 1955. In the nineteenth century it grew from a small town into one of the busiest ports in the world, shipping coal from the valleys of south Wales. The wealth of that age built its castle interiors, its arcades and its grand civic centre.
Today Cardiff is a lively, friendly and compact city, with a castle in the middle of the shopping streets, a national stadium a short walk from the station, and a waterfront reborn around Cardiff Bay. It is at its most exciting on big match days, when the whole city turns red. This guide covers ten things to see and do, followed by where to eat, where to stay, a weekend plan and how to get there.
1. Cardiff Castle
Cardiff Castle stands in the heart of the city, surrounded by shops and busy streets. Its history spans two thousand years. The Romans built a fort here, the Normans built a castle on a mound, and in the nineteenth century the castle was transformed into a fantasy palace.
The Norman keep, on its tall mound, still stands, and you can climb to the top for views over the city. Parts of the Roman walls have been rebuilt and can be seen around the edge. During the Second World War, tunnels in the castle walls were used as air raid shelters, and you can walk through them.
The castle’s Victorian interiors, designed by the architect William Burges for the Marquess of Bute, one of the richest men in the world, are extraordinary. Every room is covered in painted and gilded decoration, carvings and stained glass, inspired by medieval legends and far off lands. Guided tours take you into the most spectacular rooms.
The castle hosts concerts, festivals and events in summer, and its green is a lovely space in the middle of the city. Allow at least half a day. There is a café and a shop.
2. The Principality Stadium
The Principality Stadium, beside the River Taff in the city centre, is the national stadium of Wales. It opened in 1999, and it holds around seventy four thousand people. It was one of the first stadiums in Britain with a retractable roof.
It is the home of Welsh rugby, and match days, especially during the Six Nations, are among the most exciting occasions in world sport. The singing of the Welsh national anthem before the match is famous. The whole city is transformed, with fans in red filling the streets and pubs.
The stadium also hosts football, concerts and other big events. Because it is so close to the city centre, it has a unique atmosphere. Tours take you behind the scenes, into the dressing rooms and down the players’ tunnel, on non match days.
On big match days, the city centre is packed and many roads are closed. A car booked ahead, with a pickup point agreed outside the centre, is the easiest way to get home.
3. Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay, about a mile south of the city centre, was once the heart of Cardiff’s coal port. After the docks declined, the area was transformed, and a barrage was built across the bay to create a large freshwater lake. Today it is a lively waterfront of restaurants, bars, attractions and important buildings.
The Senedd, the home of the Welsh Parliament, is a striking modern building of glass, slate and wood, designed by Richard Rogers. Visitors can go inside and watch debates from the public gallery, and free tours are available. Next to it, the Pierhead Building, a red terracotta building from 1897, tells the story of the bay.
The Wales Millennium Centre, a huge arts centre with a copper coloured roof, stages opera, musicals, dance and comedy. Words in Welsh and English are cut into its front, in letters so large they form windows. The Norwegian Church, a small white wooden church, is where the author Roald Dahl was baptised.
Boat trips run around the bay and out past the barrage into the Bristol Channel. You can walk or cycle across the barrage to Penarth. The bay is lovely on a summer evening.
4. St Fagans National Museum of History
St Fagans National Museum of History, about four miles west of the city centre, is one of the most popular attractions in Wales, and it is free to enter. It is an open air museum, where more than forty historic buildings from across Wales have been moved and rebuilt. It shows how people in Wales have lived, worked and played over the centuries.
Among the buildings are farmhouses, a school, a chapel, a workmen’s institute and a row of ironworkers’ cottages, each furnished in the style of a different period. There is a Celtic village with roundhouses, and a medieval church, painted as it would have looked. Craftspeople demonstrate traditional skills.
The museum is set in the grounds of St Fagans Castle, an Elizabethan manor house with beautiful gardens. It has won a national award as museum of the year. There is plenty for children to enjoy.
Allow a full day, as the site is large. There are cafés and places for a picnic. It is easy to reach by car or bus from the city centre.
5. The arcades
Cardiff is known as the city of arcades, because of its beautiful Victorian and Edwardian shopping arcades. They wind between the main streets in the heart of the city, with glass roofs and ornate shopfronts. They are full of independent shops, cafés and restaurants.
The Royal Arcade, opened in 1858, is the oldest. The Morgan Arcade, the Castle Arcade and the High Street Arcade are among the others. Each has its own character.
The arcades are home to record shops, bookshops, fashion boutiques, cafés and delis. They are a lovely escape from the busy high street. Spillers Records, in the Morgan Arcade, is said to be the oldest record shop in the world.
The city centre also has the huge St David’s shopping centre, with high street names and department stores. Queen Street, the main shopping street, is pedestrianised. Cardiff is one of the best places to shop in Wales.
6. National Museum Cardiff and the civic centre
National Museum Cardiff, in a grand building in Cathays Park, is one of the finest museums in Britain, and it is free to enter. Its art galleries have one of the best collections of Impressionist art in Europe, including works by Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh and Cézanne. Many of them were given by two sisters, Gwendoline and Margaret Davies.
The museum also has galleries of natural history, including dinosaurs, a huge leatherback turtle and displays about the evolution of Wales. There are collections of Welsh art and archaeology. It is a wonderful place to spend a few hours.
Cathays Park, around the museum, is Cardiff’s civic centre, a group of grand white stone buildings set among lawns and trees. City Hall, with its tall clock tower and dome, is one of the finest civic buildings in Britain. The Welsh National War Memorial stands in the gardens.
The university buildings are also in Cathays Park. The area is lovely for a walk. It is a short walk from the castle and the city centre.
7. Bute Park and Llandaff
Bute Park, stretching north from the castle along the River Taff, is one of the largest city centre parks in Britain. Once the castle’s private grounds, it has woodland, gardens, an arboretum and riverside paths. It is a lovely place to walk or cycle.
The park is home to hundreds of tree species, and many champion trees. There are cafés and a tree nursery. In summer, boats run along the river from the park to the Bay.
At the northern end of the park, a walk along the river leads to Llandaff, a village with an ancient cathedral. Llandaff Cathedral stands on the site of a sixth century church. Inside, a huge aluminium sculpture of Christ by Jacob Epstein, called Majestas, hangs on a concrete arch above the nave.
Llandaff village, around the cathedral green, has cafés, pubs and historic buildings. Roald Dahl was born in Llandaff. The walk from the castle to Llandaff through the park takes about an hour.
8. Castell Coch and Caerphilly Castle
Castell Coch, about six miles north of Cardiff, is a fairy tale castle on a wooded hillside, with round towers and conical roofs. Its name means Red Castle. It was rebuilt in the nineteenth century by William Burges for the Marquess of Bute, on the ruins of a medieval castle.
Inside, the rooms are decorated in the same extraordinary style as Cardiff Castle, with painted walls and ceilings showing animals, birds and scenes from legends. The drawing room is especially spectacular. It is looked after by Cadw.
Caerphilly Castle, about seven miles north of Cardiff, is one of the largest castles in Britain. It was built in the thirteenth century and surrounded by artificial lakes to protect it. One of its towers leans dramatically, more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Caerphilly Castle is also looked after by Cadw. The town of Caerphilly is famous for its cheese. A car makes it easy to visit both castles in one day.
9. Cardiff Market
Cardiff Market, in the heart of the city, is a Victorian covered market with a glass roof and a gallery running around the upper floor. It has been trading since the late nineteenth century. It is a great place to feel the life of the city.
The market’s stalls sell fresh fish, meat, cheese, fruit and vegetables, as well as books, records and clothes. It is a great place to try Welsh food. Look out for Welsh cakes, cooked fresh on a griddle, and laverbread, a traditional seaweed dish.
The market also has cafés and food stalls. It is busiest on Saturdays. The atmosphere is lively and friendly.
The market is close to the castle and the arcades. It is open most days of the week. It is a good place for lunch while exploring the city centre.
10. Penarth and Barry Island
Penarth, just south of Cardiff Bay, is an elegant Victorian seaside town. Its restored pier, with an art deco pavilion, stretches out into the Bristol Channel. The seafront has cafés and a promenade.
You can walk or cycle to Penarth across the Cardiff Bay barrage, a lovely route of about two miles. The town has independent shops and restaurants. The marina is peaceful.
Barry Island, about eight miles south west of Cardiff, is a classic seaside resort with a sandy beach and amusements. It was the setting of the popular comedy Gavin and Stacey, and fans come to see the places from the series. Whitmore Bay is lovely on a sunny day.
The Vale of Glamorgan coast, beyond Barry, has cliffs, beaches and pretty villages. A car makes it easy to explore. The Glamorgan Heritage Coast is beautiful.
Where to eat and drink
Cardiff has a lively food scene. Try traditional Welsh food, including cawl, a hearty stew, Welsh rarebit, a rich cheese dish on toast, and Welsh cakes. The Bay has restaurants with water views, and Pontcanna and Canton, west of the city centre, have independent cafés and restaurants.
Caroline Street, in the city centre, is famous for its chip shops and is known locally as Chippy Lane. Cardiff also has a strong brewing tradition, and there are plenty of pubs, especially around the stadium.
Match days
On international rugby days, Cardiff is transformed. Tens of thousands of fans fill the streets, the pubs are packed, and the singing can be heard all over the city. It is one of the great experiences in sport, even if you do not have a ticket.
Roads around the stadium close for several hours, and the trains are very busy. Plan ahead, and if you are travelling by car, agree a pickup point well away from the centre.
Where to stay
For a first visit, stay in the city centre, close to the castle, the stadium and the shops, or in Cardiff Bay, with its waterfront hotels. Pontcanna, west of the centre, has smaller hotels and guest houses in a leafy area. Hotels fill quickly on big match and concert days, so book early.
A weekend in Cardiff
On the first day, visit Cardiff Castle, then explore the arcades and Cardiff Market. After lunch, visit National Museum Cardiff, then walk through Bute Park. In the evening, have dinner in the city centre.
On the second day, head to Cardiff Bay for the Senedd, the Wales Millennium Centre and a boat trip, then walk across the barrage to Penarth. With a third day, visit St Fagans, or Castell Coch and Caerphilly Castle.
Getting there and getting around
Cardiff Central station is in the city centre, next to the stadium, with trains to London Paddington in around two hours, and to Bristol, Swansea, Manchester and the valleys. Cardiff Queen Street serves the valleys and the Bay.
Cardiff Airport is about twelve miles south west of the city, around half an hour by road. Bristol Airport is about an hour away. The M4 passes the northern edge of the city. A car booked ahead is the easiest way to travel between Cardiff, the airports and the stations, and to reach St Fagans, the castles and the coast.
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