Cardiff is a beautifuland intriguing city that blends medieval architecture and a two thousand yearold history with lush green spaces and a legendary night life and entertainmentscene. The capital of Wales is a lively port city, home to medieval castles,pristine parks, modern sporting arenas and a sparkling waterfront leisuredistrict. It dates back to the Roman period when it was just a small settlementon the River Taff it grew over the centuries to officially become a city in1905 and has been the Welsh capital since 1955.
Cardiff has two maintourist areas: the historic city centre and CardiffBay. It’s easy to explore the compact centre comfortably on foot, makingit a cheap city to navigate, made all the more simple by the extensivesignposts indicating the major attractions.
Check out the medieval Cardiff Castle, a stunningexample of Norman architecture and one of five castles located in the city. Wanderthe glorious parkland and arboretum of Bute Park. Admire the grand civicbuildings and pretty Alexandra Gardens in Cathays Park. Discover the evolutionof Wales and then spot impressionist art at the National Museum Cardiff. Learnabout the history of the city at the Cardiff Story.
The people of Cardiff,much like the rest of the Welsh, have a passion for sports and live events. The75,000-seat Millennium Stadium plays host to major rugby and internationalfootball matches. The stadium offers tours when they aren’t putting on events,but nothing beats watching a rugby match live or a gig by world-famous artists,which the stadium also does. Or, if you want something a little moresophisticated, watch ballet, opera or the philharmonic orchestras at St.David’s Hall.
Pay a visit to Cardiff Bay, a former dockland, nowa shopping and entertainment district. Here you’ll find bars and restaurants,boutique shops and fashion retailers in refurbished Victorian arcades. Perusethe Norwegian Church Arts Centre, which showcases the work of local artists.History buffs shouldn’t miss the displays of historic vessels at the World ofBoats.
Make sure you see St. Fagans National HistoryMuseum, where you’ll find a collection of over 40 typical Welsh buildings.Other historical landmarks include Castell Coch and Llandaff Cathedral. Accessany of these via public bus from the city centre.
Cardiff has aninternational airport, which receives flights from most major Europeandestinations. The city is only about a three hour drive from London, andthere’s plenty to explore around Cardiff, includingthe beaches of Gower Peninsula and the picturesque hills of BreconBeacons National Park, so why not get yourself a hire car and makethe most of your Cardiff city break.
