Out & About in Cardiff

With a population in excess of 320,000 people, Cardiff is the capital city of Wales and the largest of its kind in the country. Renowned for its stunning Welsh scenery, Cardiff also has a rich historical and cultural heritage. Indeed, around 11% of the Cardiff populace has retained use of the Welsh language, whilst the city's early history can be traced back to the period of the Roman Empire.

Cardiff hosts an impressive collection of notable landmarks and buildings, such as the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff City Hall, the National Museum Gallery of Wales, Cardiff International Arena and Llandaff Cathedral. Nevertheless, it is the wealth of castles in the city, comprising Cardiff Castle, Cardiff Castle Keep, Castell Coch and St. Fagans Castle, that leave many tourists awestruck. These castles really are must-see destinations for tourists visiting the Welsh capital.

Cardiff University is also a notable landmark in the city and it is home to some 30,000 students and is ranked highly amongst the world's top 150 universities. The university is also important to the diverse local economy.

Shopping

Cardiff is a bona fide shopper's paradise. Residing at the heart of the city, the Capital Shopping Centre is full of fashionable designer outlets, such as Karen Millen, Oasis, Fat Face, Quiksilver, and Moda in Pelle and Dune. There are also large HMV and Zawi stores, plenty of trendy places to eat and drink, on site parking and evening (until 7pm) shopping every Thursday. Also in the central shopping district of the city, St. David's Shopping Centre offers a more typical range of popular stores, including Debenhams, Marks & Spencer, Boots, Bhs and Timberland. Whilst St. David's does not offer any parking facilities, it is easily accessed via the high street and there are more than 60 leading stores to choose from.

The Mermaid Quay is a relatively lavish and chic waterfront centre that boasts the perfect tonic to a hard day's shopping - stylish boutiques, makeover salons and more than 25 restaurants, bars and cafés. An oasis of retail therapy surrounded by shops, shops and more shops - just what every woman wants!

Cardiff also contains Queens, Morgan and Castle Arcades, the Hayes Shopping Centre and various different types of indoor and outdoor markets. Just to reiterate, Cardiff is a shopper's paradise!

Food and Drink

As can be expected of a capital city, the food and drink on offer in Cardiff are second to none. The Bayside Brasserie in the chic Mermaid Quay, for instance, offers panoramic views of Cardiff city and has an equally impressive menu, which typically includes such dishes as roast duck, sirloin steak, whole sea bass and lemon sole. Delicious! Also in the Mermaid Quay, the Bosphorus Turkish Restaurant is set beautifully positioned over Penarth Marina and has an interesting and varied menu, which thoughtfully includes some vegetarian dishes.

Besides trendy restaurants, there are plenty of pubs in Cardiff. One such place is the Plymouth Arms, which is renowned in the area for its warm and friendly service, quality ales and hearty food. Other bars and pubs in the city include Callaghan's Irish Bar, the Cayo Arms and the Bar Cuba, which offers a very Latin experience!

Arts and Entertainment

Visitors to Cardiff will also find that the city has a rich cultural heritage. Indeed, Cardiff has a wide variety of museums to choose from, including the National Museum Cardiff, St. Fagans Natural History Museum, National Waterfront Museum, the National Coal Museum, the National Roman Legion Museum and the National Slate Museum! Current collections at the National Museum Cardiff include Monet's 'San Giorgio Maggiore' and 'San Giorgio Maggiore by Twilight', Vincent van Gogh's 'Rain - Auvers' and works by Manet, Pissarro and Renoir.

There are also several theatres in Cardiff, including the Cardiff International Arena, Millenium Stadium, New Theatre, Sherman Theatre and Wales Millenium Theatre on Cardiff Bay. All of these venues offer a little something for everyone, from theatre, dance and classical to music to contemporary gems such as Disney's live High School Musical stage performance, which can be enjoyed at the Wales Millenium Centre.

Hotel and Travel

There are many different forms of accommodation in Cardiff, from bed and breakfasts to luxury hotels. It is argued that any stay in a capital city should include at least one or two nights in the more expensive hotels, however. In this respect, the Cardifflet at Landmark Place is well worth a visit for its prime central location, en suite rooms and excellent facilities.

Cardiff International Airport operates regulars flights to destinations across Britain, including Newcastle, Dublin, Belfast and Edinburgh, in addition there are also routes to many popular European tourist resorts, such as Faro and Malaga. Nevertheless, Cardiff Central Railway Station is a key mode of transport in the city, catering to almost 10 million annual passengers, whilst the M4 motorway provides easy access across Britain.