Things To Do in Cardiff

The Welsh capital has many interesting things to see, from antiquities to such modern pieces as Epstein's controversial carving, Christ in Majesty, at Llandaff Cathedral. If you're in Cardiff for only a short time, try to see the major sights described in this section.

Cardiff Bay's Inner Harbor

Allow 2 hours to visit this redeveloped area of the old dockland of Tiger Bay, lying about 2.5km (1 1/2 miles) south of the town center. The salty old sea dogs of yesteryear who used to hang out here between sails wouldn't recognize the place today. No longer tawdry, it bustles with shops, restaurants, pubs, and attractions.

In the 19th century, when the area was called Tiger Bay, it became notorious among sailors around the world. The setting for many a novel, Tiger Bay meant poverty, crime, and violence. Today, the panoramic view of the harbor is worth the visit alone, as are the scenic promenades along the bay and even a science center.

Drop in at the Cardiff Bay Visitor Centre, the Tube, Harbour Drive (tel. 029/2046-3833; http://cardiffbayvisitorcentre.co.uk), next to the Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum, to pick up any information about the area. Information is free at the center, which is open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm.

Techniquest, Stuart Street (tel. 029/2047-5475; www.techniquest.org), Britain's leading science discovery center, is the chief attraction here. You can enjoy 160 hands-on exhibits, and visit both a Science Theatre and Planetarium. Some 100,000 people -- both young and old -- visit it annually. Admission is £6.90 for adults, £4.80 seniors or children ages 4 to 16 (free for children ages 3 and younger), or £20 for a family ticket. Techniquest is open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 4:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 10:30am to 5pm. Last admission is 45 minutes before closing.

Parks & Gardens

Cardiff has been called a city of parks, with some 1,092 hectares (2,700 acres) of well-designed parklands. Bute Park, in the heart of the city, spreads its green swath along the River Taff for the pleasure of residents and visitors.

Of special interest, Roath Park, Lake Road West (tel. 029/2068-4000; www.cardiff.gov.uk), is east of the city center, offering facilities for boating and fishing on its 13-hectare (32-acre) lake, as well as tennis courts and bowling greens. Rose and dahlia gardens, a subtropical greenhouse, a children's play area, and an island bird sanctuary add to the pleasures found here. The lighthouse clock tower in the lake is a memorial to Captain Scott. Admission is free, and it's open daily from 10:30am to 1pm and 2 to 4:30pm (bus: 32 or 62).

Close to 5km (3 miles) from Cardiff, Dyffryn Gardens, St. Nicholas (tel. 029/2059-3328; www.dyffryngardens.org.uk), stands in a secluded valley in the Vale of Glamorgan. This park of 20 hectares (50 acres) contains a landscaped botanical garden. Herbaceous borders, a rose garden, a rock garden, and the largest heather garden in Wales are found here, along with an extensive arboretum. Grass walks invite you for long, leisurely strolls through the grounds. A palm house, orchid house, cactus and succulent house, along with seasonal display houses of potted plants, are also on view. The gardens were restored to their original design, as conceived by Thomas Mawson in 1906. From November to February, admission is £3 for adults, £2 for seniors and students, and £1 for children. A family ticket costs £7. From March to October, admission is £6 for adults, £4 for seniors and students, £2 for children, with a family ticket going for £15. The gardens are open daily April to September 10am to 6pm, October 10am to 5pm, and November to April 10am to 4pm.

Whether you're looking for gifts to take home, hunting for souvenirs, or just browsing, you'll like the shops of Cardiff. They are many and varied, ranging from a multiplicity of offerings in a modern shopping precinct, St. David's Centre -- a stone's throw from the castle -- to the stalls of a covered market.

The main shopping streets are St. Mary, High, Castle, Duke, and Queen streets, plus the Hayes. Most of this area has been made into a pedestrian mall, with trees, shrubs, and gracious Edwardian arcades. These arcades, a dozen in all, are the most famous shopping precincts in all of Wales. The best known is the Castle Arcade, constructed in 1887. The interior has a fascinating first-floor wooden gallery with a wooden second floor overhanging it. Dating from 1858, the Royal Arcade is the oldest of the city's shopping arcades. Look for the original Victorian storefronts at nos. 29, 30, and 32. The Morgan Arcade, from 1896, is the best preserved. Note the first-floor Venetian windows and the original slender wooden storefronts such as nos. 23 and 24. All in all, the arcades stretch to a length of 797m (2,655 ft.) in the city.

In St. David's Shopping Centre is a branch of Marks & Spencer, 72 Queen St. (tel. 029/2037-8211; www.marksandspencer.com), one of the country's oldest branches of a major chain store, offering clothing with emphasis on British-made goods. A food section contains a range of high-quality specialty items. This is the anchor store in the enclosed center, which has shops opening off wide walkways. You can get to St. David's by bus no. 2, 3, 7, 8, or 9. Shops are usually open Monday to Saturday 8:30am to 6:30pm (Thurs until 9pm).

The best Welsh craft shop in the center is Castle Welsh Crafts, 1 Castle St. (tel. 029/2034-3038), opposite the castle entrance. Shipping service is available, and VAT-refund forms are available for overseas visitors.

Markets are held at several sites. The Central Indoor Market, on St. Mary Street, is open Monday to Saturday. The Outdoor Fruit and Vegetable Market, St. David Street and Mary Ann Street, is open Monday to Saturday. On Bessemer Road, an open-air market is held on Sunday morning.

For a novel shopping jaunt, visit Jacob Antique Centre, West Canal Wharf (tel. 029/2039-0939), to see what's for sale from Grandmother Welsh's attic. Perhaps a Victorian fireplace, 19th-century jewelry, antique brass or hardware, pocket watches, and certainly furnishings mainly from Victoria's heyday. You can get there on bus no. 2 or 3.

Close to St. David's Centre, Capitol Shopping Centre, along Queen Street, is another place to shop for bargains or special gifts. In the complex is one of Britain's best men's stores, Austin Reed, Unit 4, Capitol Shopping Centre (tel. 029/2022-8357). You can get there on bus no. 70, 78, 80, or 82.

At the Martin Tinney Gallery, 18 St. Andrews Crescent (tel. 029/2064-1411; www.artwales.com), a short distance from the Cardiff rail station, you'll find the region's best commercial galleries. Finally, Craft in the Bay, the Flourish, Lloyd George Avenue (tel. 029/2048-4611), features the largest selection of handmade quality crafts in Wales -- baskets, pottery, jewelry, handcrafted furniture, ceramics, and the like.

There's no Soho in Cardiff, but you can find many interesting places to go after dark.

St. David's Hall is one of Britain's leading centers of music, offering an extensive program, including visits by international conductors, soloists, and orchestras. Top rock and pop artists also appear there. The most outstanding local troupe is the Welsh National Opera, which Punch magazine acclaimed as "the world's best opera company."

The Red Dragon Centre, Hemingway Rd., Leisure Village, outside Cardiff (tel. 029/2025-6261), is a lively center for shopping, entertainment, and dining. There's so much going on here in an ever-changing scene that if you drop in, you are likely to find some venue to amuse you. There's an array of amusements for children, so it's very much a family affair. Live entertainment takes place almost every night in one of the Centre's clubs.

For information about after-dark diversions, pick up a brochure from the Cardiff tourist office, "Cardiff 2009," which is revised annually. In it you'll find a selective rundown of the city's most worthwhile entertainment.

The Performing Arts

Built at the cost of £106 million, the Wales Millennium Centre has made its debut at Cardiff Bay (tel. 029/2063-6400; www.wmc.org.uk), the home base for seven leading cultural organizations, including the Welsh National Opera and the Dance Company of Wales. Set against a backdrop of Welsh slate walls and a golden roof, the 1,900-seat auditorium overlooks the waterfront. Right from the beginning, it has established itself as one of the world's leading venues for the performing arts, attracting companies from all over the world, including the Australian Ballet. The center houses the Donald Gordon Theatre and the Weston Studio, plus an array of places to dine, drink, and watch free entertainment. Ticket prices vary, depending on the attraction. On our last visit, for example, prices began at £10 for the cheapest seat in the house, going up to £40.

St. David's Hall (or Neuadd Dewi Sant in Welsh), the Hayes (tel. 029/2087-8889; www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk), was designed in an octagonal format of shimmering glass and roughly textured concrete; it is the most comprehensive forum for the arts in Wales. A number of world-class orchestras appear regularly, along with popular music stars -- everybody from Tina Turner to Welsh-born Tom Jones. Dance, films, and classical ballet, among other events, are also presented.

The hall maintains an information desk for the sale of tickets throughout the day. It also has dining facilities, plus a changing exhibition of art. Prince Charles laid the hall's cornerstone, and the Queen Mother officially opened the arts center in 1983. The top-notch acoustics are attributed to its interior arrangements of a series of interlinked sloping terraces, any of which can be opened or closed for seating depending on the size of the audience.

Instant confirmed bookings for events are available by phone with a Visa or MasterCard daily 10am to 6 or 8pm, depending on the concert schedule. The box office is open Monday to Saturday 9:30am to 8pm (but only until 5:30pm on days when there's no performance). On Sunday, the box office opens 1 hour before the start of a scheduled performance. Ticket prices depend on the event. Take bus no. 1 or 2.

Cardiff's main repertory theater, Sherman Theatre, Senghennydd Road (tel. 029/2064-6900; www.shermantheatre.co.uk), is on the campus of the University of Wales. It has two auditoriums -- the Main Theatre and the more intimate Arena Theatre. More than 600 performances a year are staged here, including drama, dance, and Welsh folkloric performances. The box office is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 8pm (until 5:30pm, if no performance is scheduled). The cost for most tickets is £12 to £15 for adults, or £10 to £11 for students and children. Take bus no. 70, 78, 80, or 82.

Finally, Chapter, Market Road, in Canton (tel. 029/2030-4400; www.chapter.org), is an arts center complete with a theater; two movie facilities; three galleries and artists' studios; video, photography, and silk-screen workshops; a dance studio; a bookshop; two bars; and a cafe. Its box office is open Monday to Friday 11am to 8:30pm, Saturday 2 to 8:30pm, and Sunday 3 to 8:30pm. Take bus no. 17, 18, or 31.

Music Clubs

The hottest action is likely to be found at Clwb ifor Bach (the Welsh Club) at 11 Womanby St. (tel. 029/2023-2199; www.clwb.net), whose activities spread across three levels. The top floor rocks to live bands, including some of the best in Wales, such as Bullet for My Valentine, Lostprophets, and Super Furry Animals. There's something different happening every night the club is open. Cover ranges from £3.50 to £8, and the club rocks Wednesday to Monday, usually from 7:30pm to either 2 or 3am.

Liquid, St. Mary's St. (tel. 029/645-464; www.liquidclubs.com), has the best sound and lighting systems, with striking visuals. Management plays all the best funk, house, electro, R&B, whatever, with the town's best DJs. Charging from £5 to £12 entrance fee, Liquid pours over Friday and Saturday 9:30pm to 5am.

Pubs & Bars

A traditional favorite is the Pub at Hamon's Restaurant, in the Thistle Hotel, Park Place (tel. 0871/3769011), a cozy pub and bistro format. Stained-glass windows evoke Victorian nostalgia. You can also come here for a pub dinner. Take bus no. 8 or 9.

More modern and attracting a younger crowd, Salt, Stuart Street, Mermaid Quay (tel. 029/2049-4375), is a two-story bar that serves some of the best cocktails in town. Take bus no. 8.

A hangout for rugby fans, City Arms, 10 Quay St. (corner of Quay and Womanby sts.; tel. 029/2022-5258), attracts sports enthusiasts and is the most likely venue for any pop star or celebrity visiting Wales. Take bus no. 50, 51, 52, 70, 71, or 72.

Gay Clubs

Exit Club, 48 Charles St. (tel. 029/2064-0102; www.exitclubcardiff.com), is a hot spot that is usually crowded and cruisy. Its precincts accommodate the Richard Burton or Dylan Thomas wannabes of the 21st century. Surveying the dance floor of heavy-drinking hot guys, one patron claimed, "You want to get 'em before they're too pissed." There's no cover before 9:30pm; after that hour, you pay from £2 to £5. The club is open Sunday to Thursday 8pm to 2am, Friday and Saturday 8pm to 3am. Sunday is cabaret night.