Cardiff Travel Guide: Travel and tourist information, things to do and see in Cardiff

Cardiff, the capital of Wales, dates back some 2,000 years when founded by the Romans. It is dominated by the city centre castle, a wonderful mixture of Roman, Norman and Victorian buildings.

Later in the Victorian era the Third Marquis of Bute, one of the richest men in the world at the time, built a Castle in a mock Gothic fantasy style out of the ruins of the Norman Castle. Both Cardiff Castle and Bute's Castle Coch are impressive to visit. However there are many other Castles dotted around the surrounding area which are also worth visiting. There are also many museums to visit if you wish to learn about the Welsh way of life.

Despite being occupied since the Middle Ages, Cardiff really made a name for itself during the Industrial Revolution as an important dock town used for the distribution of iron and coal in Wales. Since becoming the Welsh capital in 1955 and subsequently the seat of the Welsh National Assembly, Cardiff has undergone a massive transformation from a forgotten industrial port to a modern capital.

The popular Bay Area has a massive commercial development with striking modern architecture and modern art. Other popular attractions in Cardiff include Cardiff Castle, The National Museum and Gallery and the Millennium Stadium - the new home of Welsh Rugby Union and Welsh internation football.

There are plenty of shops, lively street arcades, and Cardiff's famous market to amble through. If this has left you in need of refreshment there are ample cafes, pubs and restaurants to choice from. When the shops close and the night gains Cardiff is still a hive of activity. With over 350 pubs and a vibrant club seine there is something to suit everyone's taste.

Under this bustling cosmopolitan exterior is a different Cardiff to be discovered, an ancient Cardiff steeped in history. Cardiff Castle is actually three castles in one and has its own bizarre history. It was firstly a Roman Fort, and the present day grand castle walls are built on these Roman foundations. Across the moat sits what remains of the Norman Keep.

The city's arts facilities are exceptional, with the National Museum and Gallery housing the second largest Impressionist collection after Paris. Cardiff's Bay has been transformed into a stunning waterfront with a wealth of attractions, leisure facilities and its own Visitor Centre 'The Tube' to keep you informed.

South Wales is strewn with castles and Cardiff has its fair share; most notable the stunningly elaborate Cardiff Castle located in the centre of the city. On the northern edge of Cardiff, set in the wooded hillside, is the fairytale Castell Coch (Red Castle) located.

The Cardiff area of bygone years is vividly depicted by a wealth of award winning attractions, not least of which is the Rhondda Heritage Park, a former coal mine recreating a grueling underground life. The Museum of Welsh Life at St Fagans is one of Europe's leading open-air museums, a living village representing Wales through the ages.

Cardiff can boast the Manic Street Preachers, widely regarded as Britain's best band, mould breaking bands like Gorky's Zygotic Mynci and the Super Furry Animals, the Stereophonics and Catatonia, led by the divine Cerys Matthews. With such a strong Welsh influence on the International pop scene, it should be no surprise to discover that live music in Cardiff's pubs and clubs is the norm and not the exception. Admission prices to live music venues in the city are low or even free, so when in Cardiff, enjoy the local music scene.

If it's a West End show, opera, ballet, pop concert or local production that interests you, be sure to find it on offer in one of our many theatres around the city. The awesome Wales Millennium Centre is an international arts center staging among others productions of the renown Welsh National Opera, musicals and dance.

The capital's main pop venue, the Cardiff International Arena, regularly hosts the really big names such as Kylie, Pavarotti and Boyzone. If you fancy a laugh visit the Glee Club, the place to see live comedy show. The New Theatre, an Edwardian Playhouse which opened in 1906, has played host to the legends of stage like Sarah Bernhardt and Anna Pavlova. So the stars of today are in good company.

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Population: 2.958.600
Languages: English, Welsh, Scots Gaelic
Currency: British pound
Currency code: GBP
Local Times:
U.K. - Wales - Cardiff

Country Dialling Code: +44
Voltage: 230V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
3 large flat prongs

Wales is a mountainous country. Around one quarter of the land is above 305m (1,000ft) and in the north the peak of Snowdon rises to 1,085m (3,560ft), the highest point in England and Wales. Wales' 732-mile coastline is a varied one, consisting of bays, beaches, peninsulas and cliffs. The largest bay - Cardigan Bay - gives the west-facing Welsh coastline its distinctive 'horseshoe' shape. The largest island, connected to the mainland by road and rail bridges, is Anglesey in the north.

North Wales is a holiday area which attracts lovers of coast and countryside in equal measure. It is a varied region, with long stretches of sands, craggy mountains, towering headlands and deep valleys. Snowdon, the highest peak in Britain south of the Scottish
Highlands, dominates a rocky mass of mountains which acts as a magnet to climbers and walkers.

To the east, in contrast, is a much gentler landscape of heather moorlands, green vales and the rounded hills of Wales's border country. Predominantly rural in character, this thinly populated central region is the most peaceful and least explored part of Wales. As such, it attracts connoisseurs of the countryside - those who enjoy walking across silent hills, or discovering characterful old market towns, or spotting the rare Red Kite in the skies.

The Mid Wales coast, shaped by the great arc of Cardigan Bay, also has a timeless, tranquil quality. Mountains and farmlands roll down to the sea along a coastline dotted with outstandingly beautiful estuaries, quiet beaches and small resorts.

West Wales attracts many visitors. Pembrokeshire in the far west, home of Britain's only coastal national park, is justly famous for its spectacular seashores, while Carmarthenshire offers the dual appeal of restful landscapes and the long, sandy beaches of Carmarthen Bay.

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park runs around the western tip of Wales from Amroth (near Tenby) in the south to St Dogmael's (near Cardigan) in the north, a distance of around 180 miles. Most visitors stay in or around the resorts of Tenby, with its picturesque Georgian harbour and beautiful beaches, and neighbouring Saundersfoot, a popular sailing centre.

South Wales, although the most populous part of Wales, also contains large areas of unspoilt countryside and coastline. The capital city of Cardiff is located here, along with Swansea, Wales's second city. Yet next door to Swansea is the beautiful Gower Peninsula, while close to Cardiff are the mountains of the Brecon Beacons, the lovely Wye Valley and Vale of Usk, and the Glamorgan Heritage Coast.

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