Cardiff City Guide

Introduction

Cardiff (Caerdydd in Welsh) is the capital of Wales. With a population of over 350,000, it’s a lively and bustling city that has transformed itself in recent years from a declining industrial town to a modern European city, partly as a result of the establishment of the Welsh National Assembly in 1999. Since then several major development projects have reinvigorated the city centre and its cultural scene.

Attractions

The focal point of the city centre is Cardiff Castle. Although there have been fortifications on this site for thousands of years, the current building is the product of the vivid imagination of Victorian architect William Burges, who turned the interior into a Victorian medieval fantasy. Nevertheless, this modern castle is a spectacular sight, with its wood carvings, gilding, marble, stained glass and murals, and various themed rooms such as a Mediterranean garden and a fairytale nursery.

Just a short walk from the Castle in Cathay Park is the National Museum and Gallery of Wales. It has natural history, archaeology and geology collections as well as a wide range of British and European paintings and crafts from the 14th century to the present day.

A little further out of the centre is the prestigious Millennium Centre, an enormous arts and culture complex that frequently shows ballet, opera, musicals, dance and theatrical performances. The Millennium Centre is part of a waterfront development project around the freshwater lake of Cardiff Bay, formerly the city’s docklands. There are great museums such as Techniquest, an interactive science and discovery centre, as well as water sports, leisure activities and trendy shops, bars and restaurants.

To find out more about Welsh culture and social history, take a trip out of town to the National History Museum at St Fagan’s, an open-air heritage park in the grounds of a magnificent 16th century manor house. Many of the exhibits are original Welsh buildings, which have been painstakingly moved and reconstructed in the park to create an authentic feel. There are churches, schools, shops and workshops, which are complemented by indoor galleries with clothing, farm equipment and domestic objects that piece together an impression of rural Welsh life throughout the ages. The museum is really brought to life with farming and craft demonstrations throughout the day in both Welsh and English.

North of the Cardiff is Castell Coch, another William Burges fairytale castle remodelled on an earlier building on the site, dating from around the 12th century. There’s an excellent audio tour outlining the construction work and craftsmanship that went into the elaborate interior, as well as a good café and gift shop. 

Eating Out

South of the castle at the end of the High Street is St Mary’s Street and the Old Brewery Quarter, Cardiff’s newest and hippest area for wining and dining. It’s truly cosmopolitan and you’ll find just about every type of international cuisine you could imagine, from Thai to tapas. Champers is Cardiff’s first Spanish tapas restaurant and it always serves the freshest dishes cooked in a busy open kitchen. Another popular European restaurant in the Brewery Quarter is La Brasserie, a French wine bar with a great outdoor terrace for alfresco dining in the summer. Enjoy the best Indian food that Cardiff has to offer at Spice Quarter, a modern restaurant with sumptuous Eastern décor and a menu of authentic regional Indian dishes.

The resurgence in Welsh national identity, particularly since the arrival of the Welsh Assembly, has brought about a renewed passion for Welsh cuisine, updated to suit contemporary tastes. The Armless Dragon in the Cathay area offers the best in local Welsh ingredients cooked with imagination and pride, from leek tartlet with Welsh rarebit topping to Brecon lamb with rosemary. Alternatively, Thomas Restaurant at Cardiff Bay is a relaxed, informal restaurant serving contemporary Welsh dishes, again using locally sourced ingredients.

Nightlife

The Brewery Quarter is also the best place to go for pubs and clubs. Try out some locally produced beer at Brains Brewery, or sip a cocktail in some of the sleek and trendy pre-club bars such as Lava Lounge.

Great live music venues are Café Jazz, which, needless to say, has a nightly programme of live jazz music, and Barfly, where you’ll find the best indie and rock music gigs. 

For a change of scenery, head down to Mermaid Quay, another lively area with great bars and clubs such as Salt and Terra Nova. There’s also a great comedy venue here – the Glee Club.

Photos provided by Panoramio are under the copyright of their owners

Image by: Karen James