I went to Cardiff Wales from the 26th May to the 28th May 2015. It was my first time visiting Wales and I figured Cardiff the capital city of Wales was a good place to start.

I found a very cheap hostel, The Riverhouse Backpackers at which I stayed 2 nights and paid £46 for a 4 bed female dorm. It was very clean, the facilities were good and the location was brilliant, only 10 mins from Cardiff Castle, 5 mins from the Train and Bus Station and across the road for the famous Cardiff Millenium Stadium.

Cardiff is a relatively small city with just over 300,000 in population. Regardless of its size Cardiff has a lot to offer.

What I did on my trip

Cardiff Bay

Cardiff Bay is the area created by the Cardiff Barrage in South Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The regeneration of Cardiff Bay is now widely regarded as one of the most successful regeneration in the United Kingdom.

The bay has a lot going on, with lots of pubs,bars, restaurants, Dr Who Experience and water sports to keep on occupied.

Although I didn’t do this but you could also walk to Penarth marina along the barrage. I trust this would offer some fantastic views.

I really liked the Bay Area although it was very busy and touristy.

I also went on a boat ride around the bay, a 20 minutes boat ride cost £3, cheap as chips.

It was a lovely if a little chilly boat ride but the daffodil boat had blankets on board which I found very nice.

Cardiff Castle

Cardiff Castle (Welsh: Castell Caerdydd) is a medieval castle and Victorian Gothic revival mansion located in the city centre of Cardiff, Wales. The original motte and Bailey castle was built-in the late 11th century by Norman invaders on top of a 3rd-century Roman fort.

The Castle is truly amazing. It is so well kept and a fitting and dominating landmark in Cardiff.

Twelfth Night in Cardiff Castle

I actually came to Cardiff Castle to watch Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night night by The Lord Chamberlin’s Men theatre group.

The play was hilarious I truly enjoyed myself and it felt extra special watching the play in such a historical and beautiful place such as Cardiff Castle.

Cardiff History Museum

I went to the Cardiff history museum as it was free and although the museum exhibits are geared mainly towards children, I found it interesting and worth the visit.

One of the exhibitions I really liked as it depicted the Welsh fighting spirit very well.

The National Museum Cardiff

This was an interesting museum with lots of things to see, I found the exhibition based on the formation of the earth to present day to be most fascinating. Children will also love the life-size recreation of prehistoric animals, with some being automated like the wholly mammal.

Exploring Cardiff

I just walked round and took pictures of any amazing architecture I came across. Taking pictures of buildings and things I find is one of my favourite things to do on a holiday/trip/getaway.

My Ratings of Cardiff

My ratings are out of ten and are my own personal views therefore feel free to disagree .

Culture = 5/10

I went to the Cardiff History museum and The National Museum Cardiff they were both very interesting, free and in the city centre.

I would normally visit the Museum of Modern Art in any city I go to, but I didn’t have enough time. I did however find a gallery that had some cool pieces.

People/ Friendliness = 5/10

The people were just British, that’s the only way I can describe them.

Nightlife = 6/10

Cardiff has a very dynamic party scene, however I found it odd that many of the pubs charged an entry fee, that I found to be rather off-putting.

Attractiveness = 5/10

It’s a quaint city, being a Londoner I felt like I was in a big London town and not a capital city. It is still a cool city.

Food =???

I cannot give a rating as I did not seek out any Welsh food to eat, I ate Pizza two of the nights I was there. However there appeared to be many restaurants to cater to all types of tastes and cuisine preference.

Affordability = 7/10

Cardiff was very affordable, it is certainly cheaper than London. I didn’t need to use public transport as i walked everywhere. I didn’t pay any entrance fees for the museum I visited.  Prices for food and drink are also rather reasonable, a three course meal could be  for £25 at most standard restaurants.

Vibe = 6/10

Quaint comes up a lot when I think of Cardiff. The vibe was chilled which is what I wanted. However any longer than two days I would have been too chilled and started to feel bored.

Overall = 6/10

All in all Cardiff was a great break for me it was 3.5hrs away via coach, the return prices was only £17. For those coming from farther afield I suggest Cardiff forms part of a tour of the UK rather than the main destination.

And there you have it, it was a very short trip and I believe two days was enough to see this small but beautiful city.

Would I come back? Yes, however for a specific purpose, such as another play or event in the Castle. If i do come back I would go to other places nearby such as going for a walk on Brecon Beacons which isn’t too far away.

I hope you enjoyed my blog and please leave a comment and please come back 🙂