Cardiff

Cardiff is the capital of Wales and, though it does not boast an eventful history, it is very interesting by itself.

You can get to Cardiff by low-cost airline from many European cities or by bus or train from London in a couple of hours. I usually buy tickets on-line on the websit  www.GoEuro.com.

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If you come to Cardiff by train, you can start walking around the city directly from the Central Railway Station. It deserves a special attention. First of all, it was built one and a half century ago. And since then, the basic concept has not changed so much, although, of course, the station has been constantly further expanded. Second, the whole construction is quite curious: for the sake of this railway direction, the course of the Thames River was changed. So, it is definitely worth a walk around.

In case you decide to get to Cardiff by bus, it stops right in the historic center on Castle Street, opposite the famous Victorian fortress, Cardiff Castle.

In the XII century, the castle, initially made of wood, was rebuilt with stone. It is open to the public all year round from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in summer and 4 p.m. in winter. A ticket for an adult costs € 12.5. You have to pay extra € 3.25 for visiting additional halls. 

The pride of the city is its Central Market. It is located on the other side of the castle, if you cross Castle Street. This modern construction was built at the end of the XIX century. It is very well maintained and has turned into an original architectural monument. The features of the Victorian style can be easily recognized in its appearance.

It is also worth to mention the University of Cardiff, founded in 1883. It is one of the oldest British universities and the largest university in Wales. A very beautiful park surrounds the building.  It takes just two minutes of walk to get there from Cardiff Castle.

Among the traditional attractions there is Llandaff Cathedral. Though it is already over 900 years old, it is still active. So, anyone can visit it. The cathedral is remarkable not only for its architecture, but also for its famous men's choir and less frequent girls ' choir as well.

The city centre of Cardiff is quite nice, but there is not much to do here for more, than one day. The old typical British architecture is also preserved here, though, it is heavily interspersed with modern buildings and shopping centers, so that the city looks less interesting, than other cities in the UK.

There are also shopping arcades that are very common in Cardiff, like in the most British cities. I am talking about elegant streets with shops and cafes, covered by the roofs. There is no need going specially to see them, but it is very pleasant to pop in there along your way or to hide from rain.

Those, who love theater, can visit the New Theatre Cardiff, one of the main city theatres located in the heart of Cardiff on Park Place. It celebrated its centenary in 2006. Here you can watch the plays or an annual Christmas pantomime.

Football fans will be interested to see the Millennium Stadium — the home arena of the Welsh national football team. The stadium is located right by the River Taff and has an interesting structure, as if it is hanging over the water.

If you're in Cardiff, take a look at the National Assembly building, known as The Senedd. It is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This huge modern construction is semi-transparent and, in that way, it symbolizes the openness of the city authorities and its democratic character. On top of that, Senedd is one of the most eco-friendly constructions in Welsh capital.