Travel Tips

Focus on Cardiff, Wales: Castles, Cathedrals, and Parks

Cardiff Castle

Long viewed as England’s isolated sister worthy of only a side trip, Wales is fast becoming a destination in its own right.

Cardiff blends modern amenities with historic monuments against the backdrop of the famous Welsh hills.

Though it’s already a fairly well-known and popular tourist destination, Cardiff Castle is a can’t-miss experience.

It’s one of Wales’ leading heritage attractions, has been a mainstay in the city for more than 2,000 years (and unlike most other Welsh castles, it still has a roof!).

The castle is built in a classical Roman style but its interior features unexpected Victorian decor. You can choose between a standard 50-minute guided tour or a more in-depth, two-hour curator-led tour which focuses on the art, design and architecture of the castle. Additional events include lectures on history and architecture, photography workshops, and “art afternoons” between April and June.

If you really want to experience old-timey Wales, stick around for the Welsh banquet held in one of the oldest parts of the castle—£35 per person (about $50) buys you food, wine and entertainment. Be sure to stop by the rooftop terrace which offers unparalleled views of Cardiff’s skyline. www.cardiffcastle.com

In Cardiff, you don’t have to leave the city limits to get a taste of nature—at least 10 percent of the city is comprised of parks and other green spaces. Bute Park is easily accessible from the city center, and is surrounded by Cardiff Castle, the River Taff, Sophia gardens, and Pontcanna Fields. The park is loaded with a variety of plant life, and includes an extensive arboretum, outdoor art, and a “trim trail” that loops around the southern part. www.cardiff.gov.uk/objview.asp?object_id=3582

Another green destination is Roath Park, which is about a 20-minute walk northeast of the city center. A 30-acre lake features a historic lighthouse, commemorating an early 20th-century captain who actually sailed from Cardiff to the Antarctic. Visitors can join guided nature walks, paddle boat across the lake, and check out the massive conservatory filled with tropical plants and wildlife.

Wales BlaenwaenFor a glimpse into the Wales of old, check out St. Fagans National History Museum. Formerly known as the Museum of Welsh Life, St. Fagans is one of Europe’s foremost open-air museums. Visitors to historic St. Fagans Castle are privy to an in-depth look into how the people of Wales once lived, worked, and spent their leisure time.

Historical buildings house workshops with craftsmen who demonstrate blacksmithing and other traditional skills. Workers converse in the Welsh language while native livestock graze in the fields. Best of all, admission to the museum is free. www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans

Can’t get enough Welsh culture? Head to the Llandaff Cathedral, accessible via city bus from the city center (get off at the Llandaff stop). Every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m., Catholic services are held entirely in Welsh—sure, you won’t have any idea of going on, but it’s an experience you couldn’t enjoy anywhere else. www.llandaffcathedral.org.uk

In the last decade, Cardiff’s coal-exporting port areas have been redeveloped into one of the city’s most thriving neighborhoods. Aptly re-named Cardiff Bay, this up-and-coming neighborhood is Europe’s largest waterfront development and a major hotspot for visitors. Check out quirky attractions such as the Dr. Who exhibit, the Techniquest science discovery center, and the bars, restaurants and boutiques of waterfront Mermaid Quay. www.cardiffbay.co.uk

Wales Millennium CentreCardiff Bay is home to one of the biggest visitor attractions in Wales, the Wales Millennium Centre. This center for performing arts has attracted more than six million visitors since opening in 2004. The stunning structure is made from a uniquely Welsh combination of slate from the northern part of the country, sustainable woods from mid-Wales, and metal from the old steel towns of South Wales.

But it’s the front of the building that is perhaps most impressive, with an inscription in both English and Welsh made from massive panes of glass.  Hour-long guided tours take you behind the scenes (and into the dressing rooms) of this iconic building, and cost only £5.50 (about $8). The Millennium Centre’s 1,900-seat Donald Gordon Theatre presents top-tier musicals as well as straight theater—but book early as they tend to sell out fast. www.wmc.org.uk

Although Cardiff Bay is accessible by train or bus, try hopping on a bright yellow Cardiff Waterbus (www.cardiffwaterbus.com) which operates year-round between the Bay and the nearby seaside town of Penarth. The Aquabus (www.cardiffaquabus.com) travels hourly between Cardiff Castle in the city center and Mermaid Quay in the bay. On a warm day, you can even walk or bicycle across the barrage (dam) to Penarth to visit the recreated medieval village of Comeston, or just take a stroll along the distinctive red-rock cliffs.

The history of Wales is deeply rooted in the coal mining industry, so don’t miss a visit to the Big Pit National Coal Museum—accessible by taking the train to Abergavenny and then a short taxi ride to the historic town of Blaenevon. Founded in the 1860s, the Big Pit is an actual coal mine, the first one in Wales that was large enough to allow  two tramways. A free, guided tour gives visitors the chance to go 300 feet underground to experience a day in the life of a Welsh miner. Visitors can also attend various free events such as a workshop on climate change and an upcoming exhibition of photographs from the miners’ strike of 1984. www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/bigpit

Blaenevon itself is a World Heritage site and, perhaps more importantly, is also home to the Blaenevon Cheddar Company. The company produces eight distinct cheddar cheeses along with four varieties of goat cheese—one major highlight is the Pwll Mawr cheddar that is actually aged at the bottom of the Big Pit mine shaft. All of the cheeses are made at their shop on Broad Street in Blaenevon, where visitors can watch artisans hard at work and pick up samples at the gift shop. www.chunkofcheese.co.uk

By Brett Cihon for PeterGreenberg.com.

Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio was live from Cardiff. Check out the guest list and selected interviews here.

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