Quick links to page sections:

City Centre Attractions • features Cardiff Castle, Museum and Stadium

Shopping • features Shopping Centres, Arcades and Markets

Food and Drink • features great little Cardiff cafés and takeaways


City Centre Attractions

Cardiff Castle website Castle Street, Cardiff • Tel (029) 2087 8100 Cardiff Castle is one of Wales' leading tourist attractions. Situated in the very heart of the capital, alongside city centre shopping and the magnificent Bute Park, the Castle's enchanting fairytale towers conceal an elaborate and splendid interior.

Cardiff Civic Centre Cathays Park, Cardiff The Civic Centre is built on the former "Cathays Park", purchased from the Marquis of Bute in 1898 for new civic buildings surrounding a central park, that would lead to new City status in 1905. The area has three main gardens, namely Alexandra Gardens (after Queen Alexandra) with the National War Memorial at its centre,

Gorsedd Gardens and Friary Gardens. The main buildings are the University Registry (1903), City Hall (1906), Law Courts (1906), University College (1909, now Cardiff University, Main College), Glamorgan County Hall (1912, now Cardiff University Glamorgan building), Cardiff Technical College (1916, now Cardiff University Bute building), National Museum of Wales (1927), Temple of Peace (1938) and the Welsh Office (1938, now the Welsh Assembly Government).

National Museum and Gallery website Cathays Park, Cardiff • Tel (029) 2039 7951 Containing a great range of art and science displays. The museum houses many rare pieces from throughout Wales and the Galleries provide a magnificent setting for some of the world's most famous artists, including the Impressionists. Opening times: 10am-5pm, Tue - Sun and Bank Holiday Mondays. Free Admission.

Bute Park council website Bute Park is one of Cardiff's biggest park, right in the centre of the city. It stretches northwards along the River Taff from Cardiff Castle to Pontcanna and Llandaff fields - with Llandaff Cathedral just over the road. The area offers relative peace in the bustling city and a great place for a summer picnic or game of football!

Millennium Stadium website • tours Westgate Street, Cardiff • Tel (029) 2082 2228 One of the most famous sporting landmarks in Wales and home to the Welsh National Football and Rugby teams. Also currently home to the FA Cup and other league cups whilst Wembley Stadium is being built. Tours of the stadium available daily.

City Sightseeing website Castle Street, Cardiff • Tel (029) 2038 4291 Open top bus tours of the city centre and bay. Operates weekends during April - October, daily during the summer. Main bus stop outside Cardiff Castle.

Saint John the Baptist Church website St John Street, Cardiff The church of St John the Baptist has stood in the centre of Cardiff for over 800 years, a place of worship for many generations of Christians, and a haven of peace and contemplation in the busy city.

Cineworld Cinemas film times Mary Ann St, Cardiff • Tel (029) 2066 7667 • Bookings 0870 200 2000 Cardiff's biggest cinema with 14 screens and two cool bars is a great place to spend a couple of hours catching up with the latest blockbuster movies. (Formerly UGC Cinemas)

Vue Cinemas Wood Street • Tel 0870 767 2676 • film times
In the Millennium Plaza complex. (Formerly Ster Century)

Tourist Information Centre website Working Street, Cardiff • Tel 08701 211 258 Open daily, information on events and places in Cardiff and South Wales.

Riverside Market website Fitzhamon Embankment, Cardiff Weekly Farmers market held Sundays until about 2pm. Great place to pick up some real Welsh Food!

City Centre Shopping

Queen Street
Queen Street is Cardiff's main shopping area, taking over from the old centre of High Street. Most of Queen Street, from the old castle moat to Dumfries Place, use to be called "Crockherbtown", Crockherbtown Lane can still be found off Park Place. Mass demolition has left the street with little character, in 2003 further buildings were demolished for a new shopping centre even though they were part of "the conservation area". The area is now pedestrianised.
From Duke St, shops include: American Express, Laura Ashley, Legends, Qube, Dorothy Perkins, Envy, Gap, Superdrug, JJB Sports, Boots, Etam, Top Shop, Evans, Bhs, USC, HMV, Principles, River Island, Zara, Clarks, All Sports, Marks & Spencer, Clinton Cards, WH Smith, Peacocks, Next, Specsavers, Game, Fopp, Thornton's, Phones 4U, Carphone Warehouse, Schuh, Millets, Sainsbury's.

High Street and St Mary Street These streets have retained much more character from the past, though the former shops and hotels have made way to offices and rows of bars. Packed solid with traffic during the day, pedestrians take a definite second place. Shops still remaining (from Duke St) include: High & Mighty, WRC, Howells, Oddbins, Toni & Guy.

St John Street, Working Street, Trinity Street, Victoria Place and The Hayes
Partly closed to traffic, partly pedestrainised and with great features such as St John's church, Cardiff Market, the old Free Library, Howells and the old David Morgans building, the area lacks continuity and is in need of sympathetic upgrading. This is planned over the next few years as part of the major Saint David's 2 development. For some reason, the council has decided to "remove Victoria Place", which runs from Wharton St/Trinity St junction to The Hayes (at Morgan Arcade) from this area. Shops include: Saks, Freespirit, Shop Wales, Waterstones, Carphone Warehouse, Habitat, TK Max, Spillers Records.

St David's Centre Queen Street, Cardiff • Tel (029) 2039 6041 Built in the 1980's over the former streets of Paradise Place, Ebeneezer Street, Cross Street and most of Frederick and Union Streets, it was Cardiff's first big indoor haven for shoppers. Shops include: Debenhams, Miss Selfridge, Pravins, Bodyshop, Mothercare, Early Learning Centre, Adams, Burton, Vision Express, Dolcis, Thorntons, Gadget Shop, Past Times, Holland & Barrett.

Queen's Arcade website Queen Street, Cardiff • Tel (029) 2022 3581 Built over the small earlier Queens Arcade, this is a modern 'Mall'. Shops include: Argos, Disney Store, Post Office, The Pier, Faith, Partners Stationers, F Hinds, La Senza, Scholl.

Capitol Centre website Queen Street, Cardiff • Tel (029) 2022 3683 Shops include: Virgin Megastore, Orange, Swatch, Oasis, MK One, H&M, Accessorize, Vidal Sassoon, Benetton, Dune, Austin Reed, Quicksilver, Kookai.

City of Arcades Cardiff has a wealth of small shopping arcades. Duke Street Arcade and High Street Arcade (near the castle) feature cool clothing stores Wardrobe and Buzz, over the road, Castle Arcade has more including Drooghi, Barker, I Claudius and Chessmen. Morgan Arcade and Royal Arcade (just off The Hayes) are well worth a stroll along too, featuring more gems and some great little cafes.

Cardiff Central Market council website St Mary Street, Cardiff • Tel (029) 2087 1214 Historic bustling covered market of food and retail stalls, open Monday to Saturday.

Jacob's Antique Market West Canal Wharf
Quaint ramshackle building of antique and clothes stalls, hidden by the main railway line and on the banks of the old Glamorganshire Canal - now a dual carriageway. Surrounded by the oh-so-posh Callaghan Square, how they must hate that this was the only building saved from the bulldozing campaign. Open Fridays and Saturdays.

The Welsh Crafts Centre Castle Street, Cardiff A myriad of Welsh gifts aimed at the Tourist market.

Food and Drink

Celtic Cauldron Castle Arcade, Cardiff • Tel (029) 2038 7185 Great mix of food in this small café, all freshly made, situated just opposite the castle.

New York Deli High Street Arcade, Cardiff • Tel (029) 2038 8388 Huge sandwiches/subs, made fresh to order.

Crumbs Morgan Arcade, Cardiff • Tel (029) 2039 5007
Cardiff's first veggie café, eat in or take-away.

Hayes Island Snack Bar Victoria Place, Cardiff • Tel (029) 2039 4858 Coffee and snacks in the sun (or the rain)!

Servini's Wyndham Arcade, Cardiff • Tel (029) 2048 5566
Cardiff's gem of a café, eat in or take-away.


Ozone Café Charles Street, Cardiff
"A wonderful place and stocks organic and locally produced food stuffs, a great addition to Cardiff. It is also run by two lovely ladies Jean and Caroline."


Most restaurants are open for food at lunchtimes, pubs and bars are open throughout the day, see the Nightlife section for more details.