Cardiff, Wales

Cardiff is a spectacular place to visit and is fast becoming the most popular place in the UK for people to visit.

Set in the heart of Wales, Cardiff is small enough to be friendly, but is large enough to have a good time and be entertained. It has only been the capital of Wales since 1955, known as “Europe’s Youngest Capital”; however it has swiftly grown to be a city on its own. Sport tops the list for Cardiff and is well known for its Rugby Union team. Also giving the city a feel of its own, Cardiff offers the Cardiff Bay, which is teemed with restaurants, to Victorian-era castles and parks.

Cardiff’s first dock was built in 1839 by the second Marquis of Bute, who also owned masses of the rapidly industrializing South Wales valleys; it insisted that all coal and iron exports use the docks of Cardiff, helping it become one of the busiest ports in the world. From first being a small village, in just one hundred years up to the turn of the twentieth century Cardiff’s population soared to 170,000. The city has had some downfalls in its time, from when the docks trade slumped in the 1930s to the heavy bombing in World War II. But the creation of Cardiff as the capital city has now managed to get it back on to its feet and the optimism and confidence of the city has grown greatly.

It is a city well known for its surprises, and is already known for its sporting, artistic and maritime traditions. Cardiff is a city that boasts a great amount of attractions, cultural and leisure facilities that anyone would expect from a modern capital city; a city that caters for all needs, and all accessible at your fingertips.

The city centre has brilliant shopping, and just beyond there you will find the famous Millennium Stadium and acres of lush parkland. You can then take a short walk to Cardiff Bay which has many attractions to keep you amused, you can enjoy a meal on the waterfront, and you can also enjoy a show at the Wales Millennium Centre.

Cardiff is not the only place to see in Wales, it has many activities, but it also makes a great base to start from to see the rest of South East Wales. As there are great road links to all parts of the south, using a rental car is almost a necessity not only for a stimulating city break; but also to allow you to see the rural scenery at Cardiff’s door.