Cardiff's city centre is in the southern portion of the city just north of Cardiff Bay. It is traditionally centred at the castle, bounded to the north by the historic civic centre, large Bute park arboretum and university buildings, by the River Taff to the west, and by the Valleys and National rail lines to the east and south respectively. Growth in recent years, however, is pushing the city centre beyond these boundaries, especially in regards to commercial office and residential provision.
Cardiff's history follows its castle which has been occupied for over 2,000 years when the Romans created a fort on the river Taff (where the name may have come from 'Caer' = fort, on the 'Taff'); the fort's original walls can still be seen highlighted around the base of Cardiff Castle's walls. In Medieval times the castle grew, and a small town spread from its south gate, the medieval street pattern can still be seen around High Street. In the 15th century the town was destroyed by the last great Welsh Prince Owain Glyndwr. Successive owners fortified the castle and the town timidly grew, until the industrial revolution when the 2nd Marquess of Bute built the Glamorganshire canal to transport coal from the Welsh valleys through Cardiff's docks.
Combined with the later arrival of the railways, Cardiff's population exploded and the docks grew to become the largest coal exporting port in the world. At its peak, the price of the world's coal was determined at Cardiff's Coal Exchange and the first ever £1,000,000 cheque was written here in 1901 (equivalent to £77,837,000 today). Cardiff was the 3rd largest port of the British Empire resulting in Edward VII granting Cardiff city status in 1905. With the rise of the city's fortunes the Marquis of Bute transformed Cardiff castle into a fairytale gothic palace, donating land to build the truly impressive civic centre which contains the City Hall, National Museum, university and government buildings, all built in elaborate neo-classical Baroque styles out of expensive white Portland stone.
Cardiff was lucky not to have its city centre heavily bombed like other industrial cities during WWII, and was spared the worst excesses of the post war rebuilding, so a stroll around throws up many contrasts in eras and designs. It may surprise people that Wales (Cymru) did not have a de jure capital until 1955, when Cardiff was chosen as the outstanding candidate as largest city. However, with the post-War decline of coal, the city's docks became increasingly abandoned, and in the 90's the city's transformation began with the building of a barrage to stop the worlds second largest tidal range from revealing dirty mud flats, and creating what is today Europe's largest waterfront regeneration project. The Bay today is a mixture of apartments, sport, leisure and culture and its success has also seen a rejuvenation of the city centre, where large scale pedestrianisation and the recent massive St David's redevelopment have created a vibrant city, combining the best of the old, sitting close to modern architecture and amenities. As for the Castle, it was handed over to the people of Cardiff, and is now a major tourist, corporate and cultural attraction, an indication of where the city's future lies.
Cardiff has a strong sporting and cultural presence given that it is the capital city, and therefore plays host to most Welsh sporting events, especially since the opening of the Millennium Stadium in the city centre. In fact one of the city's charms is when it plays host to matches, the city centre atmosphere can be extraordinary, being swelled by 75,000 attendees and thousands of revellers.
In the past it was quite a gritty city with the port and industry playing a huge role, Cardiff's ports were once amongst the most important in the world. Notable milestones were when Cardiff Bay (sometimes called Tiger Bay) was the first area of modern Britain to be thought of as a multicultural area given the huge part immigrants played in the city's ports, and the world's first 'million pound' deal was also signed at the Bay's own Coal Exchange building.
In the past few decades however, the city has moved away from its industrial past and has been transformed by developments such as Cardiff Bay, which now hosts famous and striking landmarks such as the National Assembly for Wales and the spectacular Wales Millennium Centre. Massive investments have also been made throughout other parts of the city, such as the opening of the Millennium Stadium and massive Saint David's shopping centre.
Cardiff is best to visit during late spring to early autumn as the warm weather adds to the city's pleasures and allows maximum experience of all the sites and areas of the city, although the city usually benefits from mild weather all year round, with notable exceptions.
The main airport is Cardiff International Airport. This is the only major airport in Wales and is situated some 12 miles to the south-west of the city in the Vale of Glamorgan. The airport is served by a number of airlines including [url=http://www.Flybe.co.uk]Flybe[/url], KLM [url=http://www.KLM.com],]Thomsonfly [url=http://www.Thomsonfly.co.uk[/url]]and Skybus [url=http://www.skybus.co.uk[/url].]KLM provide worldwide links to Cardiff via Schipol (Amsterdam, NL). Domestic services operate daily to [[Anglesey[/url]], [wiki=623145997cee6352dace475eaf530fff]Belfast[/wiki], [wiki=cf73ea45f3f54527c64d6b57eb9b2bb7]Newcastle[/wiki], [wiki=d8e8198a25a4cfdbcc1ecc71953cfaa6]Newquay[/wiki], [wiki=3cda26e0c8aedbf662adb42f923ef3ec]Jersey[/wiki], [wiki=d586293d554981ed611ab7b01316d2d5]Glasgow[/wiki] and [wiki=03cf54d8ce19777b12732b8c50b3b66f]Edinburgh[/wiki]. As for European routes, [wiki=3eb8670d999ac077dd0e2c345cb7c905]Amsterdam[/wiki], [wiki=e20d37a5d7fcc4c35be6fc18a8e71bfa]Paris[/wiki], [wiki=6314044c3803213e9fd3f3ecf8c90d65]Madrid[/wiki], [wiki=50fefb5efb085fd11b1a4fd2b6dda0aa]Dublin[/wiki], and many other holiday routes such as [wiki=11f7b1f5fd42a9b03a4f8de3bdbae7f2]Faro[/wiki], [wiki=7b3fe8e75691bb35d176785419028915]Palma de Mallorca[/wiki] and [wiki=7041ef854e9569a8be34b9fa14005ac1]Alicante[/wiki], operate daily. The T9 bus operates an express service between the airport, Cardiff City Centre and Cardiff Bay, every 20 minutes from 04:00 to 23:00, 7 days a week. A single journey is £5 and return is £8.
=====Car parks serving Cardiff Airport=====
[wiki_table=5cabc05e]
Wikitravel has a guide to [wiki=47aae13255934a59c545b41559108f2b]Rail travel in the United Kingdom[/wiki].
Cardiff Central railway station is a major hub for many services and is in an ideal location being very close to the main city centre attractions and is in close proximity to Cardiff Bay. Arriva Trains Wales [url=http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/]]operate the vast majority of inter-Wales services with regular departures from Cardiff Central to the South Wales Valleys, [[Swansea[/url]], and a frequent service to [wiki=d4b590ef761e64be048ab6063afdebb8]North Wales[/wiki]. They also operate regularly to Manchester and Birmingham making Cardiff ideal to visit via rail. All inter-city travel is via Cardiff Central while Cardiff Queen Street station near the eastern end of the city centre is the hub for Cardiff's Valley Lines services, connecting the centre of the city with the suburbs and commuter towns. Both stations are controlled by ticket barriers, so you will need a ticket to enter or leave the platforms. Ticket machines are in the entrance of both stations and in Central station there are many maps that will help you plan your journey.
Cardiff Central is two hours from London Paddington by train, however some may take longer with more stops. Trains depart half hourly during the day and are operated by First Great Western [http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/]. These services also continue hourly to Swansea. First Great Western run a service from Cardiff to Portsmouth Harbour via Newport, Bristol, Bath and Southampton.
Rail service provides quick and easy links to other interesting areas (such as the Vale of Glamorgan and West Wales), making Cardiff a pleasant and cheaper place to use as a home base while exploring the surrounding areas.
The city itself has around 22 train stations within its boundaries, with travel to North Cardiff especially accessible, Travel to tourist attractions such as Cardiff Bay, Castell Coch and Barry Island can be easily and cost effectively reached by train or bus.
From [wiki=59ead8d1e124ccfb79f3ace06f43e703]London[/wiki] and the South East of England, Cardiff is most swiftly reached by taking the M4 motorway west across the Severn Bridge and into Wales. Journey times from Central London to Cardiff are usually 3 hours, although visitors from Heathrow could shave up to an hour off this time. Don't forget the bridge charges a toll to cross See [url=http://www.severnbridge.co.uk/toll_prices.shtml]]for up-to-date information on toll charges. The M4 is also the main artery linking Cardiff with West Wales including [[Swansea[/url]], while the A470 road mainly links Cardiff with the South Wales Valleys. Traveling from North or Central England and Scotland the M50 links the M5 motorway with Wales and continues down to south Wales eventually linking with the M4.
Cardiff's junctions are 29 - 34 inclusive.
Within Cardiff, it is cheaper to find a train station and continue onto the city centre via train, as car parking within the city although plentiful, can be expensive. Getting around the city by car is straightforward, even within the city centre, it is quite easy moving around; although, it's best to restrict entering the city centre area during off-peak times as congestion can occur at rush hour like any city. Generally though, the city centre is pretty compact and its much easier and cheaper to move around on foot.
See [http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=2870,4048,4194,4255&parent_directory_id=2865&Positioning_Article_ID=&language=&sortkey=] for a list of Cardiff City Council operated car parks.
National Express [url=http://www.nationalexpress.co.uk]]operate regular services to and from most other major cities in Britain with Cardiff Central bus station, which is in the forecourt of Central railway station, making it quite easy to switch between train and bus. In addition, Megabus [http://uk.megabus.com[/url] offers a regular and very cheap service to London and departs from Kingsway near the Hilton Hotel. Cardiff is about 3 hours, depending on traffic, from London. Megabus also runs to Newcastle, and on Wednesdays costs £5 for any route in England and Wales. You can also get the Megabus to Rosslare, Ireland from Cardiff, including ferry crossing. Greyhound buses also run from from Cardiff Central bus station to Bristol Airport.
Cardiff, especially the central area, is pretty compact with the main attractions being quite close to each other making getting around on foot quite easy. Most sights are signposted to help you guide your way around the city centre and the bay.
The city's flatness makes cycling fairly painless, especially around the Bay and City Centre (including Bute Park). The Taff Trail and Ely Trail provide mainly off-road paths through the city and beyond. Most parts of the city provide pleasant cycling, but some areas are more difficult due to heavy traffic or no-cycling pedestrianised roads (such as Queen Street).
Cardiff Bus [url=http://www.cardiffbus.co.uk]]offer a comprehensive network of services across the city, to the nearby City of Newport and to destinations in the Vale of Glamorgan. Fares are low, but you must have exact change: £1.70 for any adult journey across the city, £3.40 buys an all-day 'Day to Go' pass to travel across the network (including Penarth, Dinas Powys, Llandough, Sully and Wenvoe) all. Another option is the 'Network Dayrider' ticket. This costs £7.70 for an adult ticket but gives unlimited access to any bus travel in South East Wales.
The central bus station is in Central Square, in the forecourt of Central railway station, and maps are readily available to help you plan your journey.
If you are sightseeing in Cardiff during the day and then go to Caerphilly and then Newport, for example, this ticket will cover all that travel.
Cardiff Bus also operate a frequent 'Baycar' service between the city centre and Cardiff Bay, which makes it easy to get between the main attractions and is good value if you do not want to walk. Stagecoach in South Wales, Veolia Transport Cymru and First Cymru also offer regular routes in and around Cardiff and South East Wales.
Open top sightseeing buses operate regularly during the summer season at a price of approximately £8.00/person.
There are also park and ride sites based at County Hall and Crown Way, see National Park and Ride Directory.[http://www.parkandride.net/cardiff/cardiff_frameset.shtml[/url]
It can be quite cost-effective, quick, and easy to visit areas with a local train station, such as Llandaff Cathedral or Penarth Pier as services leave from both Cardiff Central or Queen Street, so check on maps for train services. The wider Cardiff metropolitan area (including Penarth, Taffs Well, [wiki=d6bdfc871bf5f5c657b994f17471a033]Pontypridd[/wiki] and Dinas Powys) contains 26 stations, making train travel a viable alternative in many cases.
Cardiff has many taxis:
* Capital,☎ +44 29 2077 7777
* Celtic, ☎ +44 29 2045 2045
* Dragon, ☎ +44 29 2033 3333
Taxis in Cardiff are black and black with a white bonnet. Licensed taxis have a white plate on the rear of the vehicle and can be flagged down on the street.Private hire vehicles are multicoloured and have yellow plates on the rear of the vehicle and can only be prebooked via phone/Internet.
For a different experience, Cardiff Waterbus runs regularly during the summer season between the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Bay and Penarth. Tickets are about £5.
Cardiff Castle, Castle St, ☎ +44 29 2087 8100. fax: +44 29 2023 1417, [url=http://www.cardiffcastle.com]]. Cardiff Castle is a large castle whose foundations are based upon a Roman fort. In the nineteenth century, it was the one of the homes of the Marquis of Bute. The Norman fort in the centre, the Welsh regimental museum and and excavated Roman ruins are open, and tours of the Bute household are available. The Bute part of the castle is quite amazing. The interior was all done in the early 1900s in a very idiosyncratic and interesting style. There is barely an inch that is not adorned with some sort of artistic work. Yet, it is not overwhelming. The craftsmanship is well worth a look. Admission is £8.95 for adults, £6.35 for children and £7.50 for students and seniors. Admission with a tour is £11.95 for adults, £8.50 for children, and £9.95 for students and seniors. There are family group discounts.
* The Millennium Stadium, [url=http://www.millenniumstadium.com[/url].]74,200-seater stadium opened for the 1999 Rugby World Cup, and now host to the Wales national rugby and football teams. It hosted the FA Cup Final for some years during the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium in [[London[/url]] and is still the largest stadium in Europe with a completely retractable roof (good for those rainy days). A must see for any sport lover, tours are available online or at the ticket desk. Tours cost £8.50 for adults.
* The Wales Millennium Centre, [url=http://www.wmc.org.uk].]An outstanding piece of modern architecture, opened in 2004 by the Queen, the futuristic Wales Millennium Centre is host to opera, dance and West End musicals throughout the year, making it a must see for those who like theatre. Entry is free throughout the year. While entrance to the theatre is charged, free live performances take place in the foyer every lunchtime at 13:00 and before shows in the evening. It currently hosts the exhibition about Cardiff Bays development that used to be house in 'The Tube'
* The National Assembly for Wales or the Senedd, Cardiff Bay, [url=http://www.naw.gov.uk[/url].]The seat of Wales' national government and was opened on St David's Day, 1 March 2006 by the Queen. Visitors have a chance to see public debates from the viewing gallery or a free tour around the building, which is made out of purely Welsh materials, and was designed by star architect Richard Rogers to be eco-friendly and as open as possible. Entry is free though expect security checks on entrance.
* The Norwegian Church, Cardiff Bay, (next to the Assembly). First established in Cardiff Bay to serve the large community of Norwegian sailors working in the docks. Originally elswhere in the bay its main claim to fame is as the place where the author Roald Dahl was christened, but today it is a cafe and art gallery.
* Cardiff Bay Visitor Centre, (also known as the Tube). Home to displays and exhibitions on the development of Cardiff Bay as the world's largest port. Entry is free. Closed for work on the BBC drama studios, exhibition in the Millennium Centre.
* Llandaff Cathedral, In the ancient 'city of Llandaff', now incorporated into the north west of the city, and is one of the oldest religious sites in Europe. The cathedral dates from 1107 and features some spectacular architecture. After bomb damage in World War II it was very boldly restored; the huge statue of Christ in Majesty by Jacob Epstein tends to divide opinion, but is well worth a look. The surrounding village is an interesting place to explore with a local coal magnate's house (Insole Court) donated to the people of Cardiff and open for visitors. The Ghost tour has really become the thing to do in the area, making it into the Guardian's top 10 list of things to do in the UK.
* Castell Coch, [http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=48], (meaning the 'Red Castle' in Welsh). A fairytale castle nestled on a hill overlooking the main gateway into the valleys from Cardiff in the outskirts of the city. Imaginatively reconstruted from ruins for the 3rd Marquis of Bute, its interiors follow the same elaborate designs as Cardiff castle except on a more intimate scale and would not look out of place in Germany. Entry costs £3.60 for adults.
* City Hall, the domed roof of City Hall topped by a Dragon is one of the landmarks of Cardiff city centre. Dating from the start of the 20th century, it is built of beautiful white Portland stone and surmounted by many statues. Inside, the marble hall is dominated by statues of Welsh heroes, the main hall has large bronze chandeliers and the main debating chamber sits under the dome. Open to visitors, events may prevent you from seeing all the rooms but a must-see.
* Cathays Park (pronounced "kut-AYS") is arguably the worlds most beautiful civic centre, comprising expensive white Portland stone buildings in a range of classical styles, all surrounding the formal gardens of Alexandra Gardens whose center contains the beautiful national war memorial of Wales. Most people stop at the first 3 buildings facing the city center (City Hall, National Museum and Law courts) and fail to experience the architectural beauty and tranquility of the park and surrounding buildings. Most beautiful with the spring blossom.
* Bute Park, more a collection of different parks that stretch continuously to the city's edge from the rear of the castle. Bute Park proper is an arboretum and former private grounds of the Bute family who owned the castle.
* Pierhead building, (former headquarters of the railway and port authority). Sits between the ultra modern Millennium center and Senedd as a strong contrast and link to Cardiff's glorious past. A beautiful building covered in dragons and heraldry used for permanent and temporary exhibitions about Cardiff's development, and that of the docks.
*Caerau Castle Ringwork - A Norman ringwork castle within an older Iron Age hillfort (as at Caer Penrhos). Much of the site has been overgrown with vegetation.
*Beaupre Castle - late 13th century building with Tudor additions that make it appear more manor than castle. It is in village of St. Hilary, which lies just south of the A48, a few miles west of Cardiff
* Penarth - a Victorian seaside resort, now a suburb south of Cardiff. Known as "the Garden by the Sea”, it has a beautiful, historic pier
*Cosmeston Medieval Village is a "living history" medieval village near Lavernock, just outside Cardiff
*Penmark Castle - once belonging to the Umfravilles family. Nowadays a part of a 13th century stone curtain wall survives along with a semi-circular tower.
*The Point was a church-turned-popular music venue in Cardiff Bay. The Point is situated in the old merchant's quarter of Mount Stuart Square. The square was named after Lord Mount Stuart, who represented Wales in Parliament during the Napoleonic period. The focal point of the square was St. Stephens, constructed around 1900, that would later be turned into The Point.
St Fagans National History Museum, [url=http://www.nmgw.ac.uk/mwl],]free admission (£3.50 car park charge), ☎ +44 29 2057 3500. Known universally as St Fagans (pronounced "FAG-uns") after the village in which it is located, this was named the UK's favourite visitor attraction by Which? magazine in 2011, and is easily Wales's most popular. An open-air museum of reconstructed buildings from all parts of Wales, built in the grounds of St Fagans Castle, an Elizabethan manor house which is also free to wander around. The Castle gardens, dating from the 19th century, are especially beautiful. You may not be able to see everything in a single visit due to the size of the grounds. Great for kids, the bus ride from/to central Cardiff is very pretty.
* National Museum Cardiff, [url=http://www.nmgw.ac.uk/nmgc[/url],]free admission. Cathays Park, ☎ +44 29 2039 7951. An excellent collection of paintings, archaeological finds and geological exhibits charting the history of Wales. The art collection is particularly noted for the collection of 19th-century French works assembled by Gwendoline and Margaret Davies, heiresses to a fortune made in exporting coal. This is of international importance and includes works by Rodin, Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh. Children love the dinosaurs and mammoths in the Evolution of Wales section. There is also archaeology from prehistory to the middle ages in the Origins section; there are daily volunteer-led tours of this and the art galleries. Buy parking vouchers here if needed. £4.00 charge for the museum car park.
* Techniquest, Cardiff Bay, (near the Millennium Centre), ☎ +44 29 2047-5475, [url=http://www.techniquest.org[/url],]Over 160 science and technology exhibits to entertain the whole family. There is also a Science Theatre and tours of the Universe in the Planetarium. A good opportunity for adults to be big kids. Entry: £7 Adults, £5 children with concessions available for groups.
* The Cardiff Story [http://www.cardiffstory.com/[/url], free admission. The Hayes, ☎ +44 29 2078 8334. This is the museum of Cardiff's history, located in the Old Library building, which it shares with the tourist information centre.
Cardiff's festivals are increasingly contributing to its development as a major tourist attraction. As most of them are concentrated in the summer months, it is ideal to visit then to make sure that you experience all the attractions and the festivals as an added bonus. Unlike Edinburgh, Cardiff is still pretty cost effective during the summer months so its ideal for those who don't want to go all out!
* Cardiff Children's Festival, held in the grounds of Cardiff Castle each year, and hosts a number of events, exhibitions and play areas for children. Entry is usually free.
* Cardiff Mela, annual event usually held in Roald Dahl Plas, Cardiff Bay.
* St David's Day Parade, a parade held on St David's Day the patron saint of Wales (March 1st), every year. Something different so it's worth a look.
* Cardiff Mardi Gras, one of the UK's biggest gay and lesbian festivals, held every year in the grounds of Cardiff Castle. The 2014 event will take place on 16th August.
* Metro Weekender, held in Coopers field beside the castle grounds on the August bank holiday.
* Tafwyl, [http://www.tafwyl.org/en/], Cardiff's annual celebration of the Welsh language in Cardiff, with music, poetry, food, crafts and children's activities. The 2015 event will be on 4th and 5th July in Cardiff Castle, entry is free of charge and open to all.
* The Welsh Boat Race, the highlight of the Welsh Universities Rowing Calendar, although far from as established as the long running Oxbridge equivalent. Usually held in late April, the race between Cardiff and Swansea Universities alternates between the River Taff in Cardiff, and River Tawe in Swansea. The current holders of the Blue Ribband mens event are Swansea University.
* The Welsh Proms, series of classical concerts takes place at St David's Hall each July. The festival now includes 'Fringe' events, with genres of music from jazz and country to chamber music, folk and jazz.
* Winter Wonderland, in Dec-Jan sees an outdoor ice-rink and funfair set up in front of City Hall, open early 'til late to the public.
Cardiff has some of the best theatre and cinema in Wales and across the UK, covering a huge range including mainstream films, foreign and theatre.
* St. David's Hall, city centre. Symphony hall used for orchestral concerts, recitals and other live music and comedy.
* The Coal Exchange, Cardiff Bay. Exceptionally important building in Cardiff's history. It once saw 10,000 men scurrying around trading, dictating the world's coal prices. It almost become home to the Welsh Assembly. Converted to host mainly music gigs but drama and art shows too.
* Chapter Arts Centre, Canton. Arthouse and alternative cinema.
* Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. Opera and ballet, West End Shows and musicals.
* New Theatre, city centre. West End shows.
* Sherman Theatre, Cathays. Independent theatre.
* Odeon, Cardiff Bay. Mainstream multiplex cinema.
* Vue, city centre. Mainstream multiplex cinema.
* Cineworld, city centre. Mainstream multiplex cinema.
The Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, host to major bands and artists throughout the year.[http://www.ents24.com/web/venue/Cardiff/Motorpoint-Arena-1149.html].
Look out for events at the Millennium Stadium too.
Smaller gigs can be seen at many venues across the city including Barfly, The Point, Callaghans, Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff Students Union, and Buffalo Bar.
Other concert venues areSt. David's Hall and the Wales Millennium Centre.
There are lots of little Mom and Pop eateries with reasonable, plentiful and quite tasty takes on the Full English breakfast, sandwiches, fish and chips, etc.
Also, there is the Brewery Quarter, which contains a few well known and different restaurants including Cardiff's Hard Rock Café.
Vegetarians and vegans should head to Crumbs in Morgan Arcade for a great range of veggie and vegan food.
*The Prince of Wales - a great city centre location offering great food all day at some good prices considering its very central location. This is a typical Wetherspoon pub.
*Canteen on Clifton Street has built up a reputation for excellent vegetarian and vegan food at very reasonable prices. Their evening menu [url=http://www.canteenoncliftonstreet.com/#/eveningmenu/4525313611]changes]every two weeks, with regular 'best of' menus chosen by their customers.[url=http://www.canteenoncliftonstreet.com/#/guestbook/4525343396[/url]]A good selection of vegan wines are available.[http://www.canteenoncliftonstreet.com/#/winelist/4525313655[/url] Only 10 minutes walk from the city centre. The No.12 Cardiff Bus passes their door. Closed Sunday and Monday.Tel: +44 29 2045 4999.
*Garland's Eatery and Coffee House, 4 Duke Street Arcade, Tel: "+44 29" 2066 6914. This nice little restaurant has good prices for authentic Welsh fare and other sandwiches and cheap eats. The Cardiff native I stayed with recommended it.
Also there is the small cafe's in the Indoor Market offering typical cafe food from toast to full roast dinners. prices typically range from .50p to £4.00. good deal for a quick fix.
ffresh, Bute Pl, (Cardiff Bay), ☎ +44 29 2063-6465. Restaurant and bar serves great locally sourced food, stylish surroundings offering a range of drinks.
* Cibo Italian Café, 83 Pontcanna Street (at the non-city-centre end of Cathedral Road), ☎ +44 29 2023-2226. Great little café-restaurant with superb food. Can get busy, booking strongly recommended. Expect to spend about £8-12 for a main course.
* Ichiban, 201 Cowbridge Rd E, T, ☎ +44 29 2066-8833. This is a wonderful Japanese restaurant offering excellent value noodle, curry and sushi dishes. There is one on Cowbridge Road, Canton and another on Albany Road, Roath. Both are a short bus or taxi ride from the city centre, or a 20-30 minute walk.
* Tenkaichi, 236 City Rd, T, ☎ +44 78 3142-1199. Tenkaichi offers authentic Japanese food with a British flare. It is a great restaurant if you want fresh noodles and sushi. It also provides an extensive wine list.
* The Goat Major, 33 High Street, ☎ +44 29 2033-7161. This pub has some very good bar style food in an authentic Welsh atmosphere. Try the Welsh faggots (a type of meat ball) in peppercorn gravy.
* Cafe Malaysia, 101 Woodville Road, ☎ +44 29 2023-5616. Serves authentic Malaysian cuisine. Halal. Opens 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM Mon - Sat.
Castell Restaurant, The Angel Hotel, Castle St, ☎ +44 29 2064 9200. Amazing views of the castle grounds, and serves traditional Welsh cuisine. Also caters for private parties.
*Le Gallois, 6-10 Romilly Cres, ☎ +44 29 2034 1264. Roughly translated from French it means "The Welsh". This is a fantastic gourmet restaurant specialising in bringing Gallic flair to traditional Welsh food such as cockles and lavabread. Expect to pay somewhere around £40/person.
*Tempus Restraunt, the luxury restraunt at the St David Hotel and Spa , ☎ +44 29 2045 4045. Amazing views all around Cardiff Bay, and serves a traditional freshly caught seafood. With drinks expect to pay between £40-60 per person.
Café Mao, 90 Whitchurch Rd, ☎ +44 29 2039-8433. This cafe is worth seeking out. Very good quality sandwiches for similar prices elsewhere.
*City Canteen & Bar, 1-2 Mount Stuart Square, ☎ +44 29 2033-1020. City Canteen & Bar is a trendy bar. One can order a light lunch from the bar menu while listening to local DJs play music.
Centrally located camp site on the opposite bank of the Taff from Bute Park. Friendly staff. Bike hire on site, also very limited family room, but wide choice of food & drink within walking distance.
Wedal Road Youth Hostel, 2 Wedal Road, Roath Park, Tel: +44 (0)84 5371-9311, [http://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/hostelpages/111.html] - for £19 (adult without YHA membership) it's the cheapest place to stay and really quite funky (for a Youth Hostel): no curfew, modern, clean, friendly personnel, and a sumptuous breakfast is included; it's about a 20 minute walk from the city centre, or 10 minutes by bus.
* Excellent boutique hostel in central Cardiff just opposite Millenium Stadium. The dorms are neat and simple, bathrooms are nice and always kept clean. There is a common kitchen and eating area, as well as a TV and reading room. Free breakfast and wifi internet is included. The atmosphere is social but not too rowdy. Very hospitable owners and staff.
* Ibis budget Hotel Cardiff Centre is a low-cost hotel close to the shopping and nightlife in central Cardiff.
* Iibis Cardiff gate is a budget hotel, just outside of Cardiff city centre. It is 10 km from the Cardiff Millenium Stadium.
* There are three other hostels in the city including Nos Da, Cardiff Backpackers and Nomad.
Cardiff Marriott Hotel, Mill Ln, ☎ +44 29 2039-9944, [url=http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/CWLDT]]is within a block of the train station, right across from at least ten clubs. It has reasonably comfortable rooms (not yet with the Marriott upgraded beds). They have high speed internet connections in the rooms, but the fee is £15/day for the service. The staff is friendly and helpful. Also, they have a small multi-storey car park for the hotels guest.
* Park Inn Hotel Cardiff, Mary Ann St, ☎ +44 29 2034 1441, [url=http://www.parkinn.co.uk/hotel-cardiff/[/url]]Comfortable hotel in the city centre.
* Express By Holiday Inn Cardiff Bay, Longuiel Close, ☎ +44 29 2044-9000, [url=http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/cdfba[/url].]Clean hotel in Cardiff Bay, 15 min walk from the centre.
* Holiday Inn Cardiff Central, Castle St, ☎ +44 87 0400-8140. Just minutes from most attractions in the city centre.
* Lincoln House Hotel, Cathedral Rd, ☎ +44 29 2039-5558, [http://www.lincolnhotel.co.uk[/url]. Traditional converted townhouse on the outskirts of Cardiff city centre.
Cardiff Hilton, 1 Kingsway, ☎ +44 29 2064-6300. Kingsway. [url=http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-kingdom/hilton-cardiff-CWLHITW/index.html]]This is the place for more upmarket stays. Situated right in front of the castle and offers nice views of the civic centre.
* St. David's Hotel and Spa, Havannah S, ☎ +44 29 2045-4045. A really great stay for those who want that little bit extra. Fronting the bay it offers spectacular scenery and is little more than 5 minutes away from the cosmopolitan bay area. Built and originally operated by the Rocco Forte Group, it was sold in 2006 to the Principal Hayley Group.
* Park Inn Cardiff North Circle Way East Llanedeyrn, [url=http://www.parkinn.co.uk/hotel-cardiffnorth[/url],]☎ +44 29 2058 9988. A quiet location with easy access to the lively city centre and prime attractions, such as Cardiff Bay, Cardiff Castle and the Millennium Stadium.
* Radisson Blu Hotel Cardiff, Meridian Gate, Bute Terrace CF10 2FL [http://www.radissonblu.co.uk/hotel-cardiff[/url], ☎ +44 29 2045 4777. Centre of the city, 5 min walk from both the train and bus stations.