City centre
First-timersAround the castle and arcades.
Cardiff city guide
Cardiff Travel Guide
A compact capital with a castle in the middle of the shopping streets, a rebuilt waterfront, free national museums and a stadium that empties 70,000 singing fans into the centre on match days.
2
Hostels in the city
7.8
Average, from 3,897 reviews
1955
Cardiff becomes the capital
74,000
Seats in the Principality Stadium
2 h
To London by train
A young capital with an old castle
Cardiff became the capital of Wales only in 1955, and it grew on coal: in the late nineteenth century its docks were the busiest coal port in the world. The money built the Victorian arcades, the civic centre and the extraordinary Gothic interiors of Cardiff Castle, which sits right in the middle of the city.
The old docks have been rebuilt as Cardiff Bay, home to the Senedd, the Welsh parliament, and the Wales Millennium Centre. The Principality Stadium stands in the city centre, and on rugby international days the whole city fills.
Cardiff is small, friendly and walkable. Two days is right, with castles and Wales's best open-air museum nearby.
Where to stay
The centre is compact. Stay near the castle or in Cardiff Bay.
Cardiff Bay
WaterfrontThe Senedd and Millennium Centre.
Cathays
StudentsNorth of the centre.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 2 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Cardiff
Cardiff Castle mixes a Roman fort, a Norman keep and Victorian Gothic interiors, lavishly decorated for the Marquess of Bute. The National Museum Cardiff, in the civic centre, is free and has one of the best Impressionist collections in Britain.
Walk through the Victorian arcades and Cardiff Market, then down to Cardiff Bay, with the Senedd, the Wales Millennium Centre and the waterfront.
St Fagans National Museum of History, an open-air museum of rebuilt Welsh buildings, is free and twenty minutes away. Castell Coch, a fairytale Gothic castle in the woods, and Caerphilly Castle, the largest in Wales, are both close.
Tour the Principality Stadium, or better, be in the city for a match.
Free things
Free things to do in Cardiff
National Museum Cardiff and St Fagans are free.
Bute Park, the arcades, the market and Cardiff Bay are free.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Cardiff
Cardiff has a lively food scene. Cardiff Market has Welsh cakes and laverbread. The arcades are full of cafés and independent restaurants.
A pub meal is £12 to £16.
Nightlife
Going out in Cardiff
Cardiff on a rugby weekend is one of the great nights out in Britain. Otherwise, St Mary Street and Womanby Street, the city's live music street, are the centre of the night.
A pint is £5 to £6.
Getting around
Getting around Cardiff
The centre is walkable. Trains reach London in about two hours, Bristol in under an hour and Swansea in about an hour.
Cardiff Airport is about thirty to forty minutes away by bus or train and shuttle. Buses and trains run to the valleys and Cardiff Bay.
Costs
What Cardiff costs
Cardiff is cheaper than England's big cities. Dorms start around £20, rising sharply on match weekends. A careful day is £45 to £60.
The currency is the pound sterling. Cards work almost everywhere, including contactless on buses.
Safety
Staying safe in Cardiff
Cardiff is safe. The centre is busy and rowdy late on match days and weekends.
Emergency number is 999 or 112; for mountain rescue, call 999 and ask for police, then mountain rescue.
Day trips from Cardiff
Castles, valleys and the coast.
Castell Coch
A fairytale Gothic castle.
Caerphilly Castle
The largest castle in Wales.
Brecon Beacons
Bannau Brycheiniog, the mountains of the south.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Rugby weekends are the biggest events of the year.
Staff pick
29 Nov – 20 Dec
Cardiff Christmas Festival
The Cardiff Christmas Festival transforms the iconic Spiegeltent in Sophia Gardens into a festive hub of live entertainment each December. With a carefully curated…
Staff pick
26 November
Blossoms
Blossoms is an English indie pop band known for their catchy melodies and vibrant, upbeat sound. Their music combines nostalgic influences with modern production,…
Staff pick
9 December
UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell
UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell brings reggae-pop hits like "Red Red Wine" and "Kingston Town" to life. Their concerts are laid-back, feel-good celebrations of classic…
Staff pick
20 December
Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra
Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra deliver lively shows filled with boogie-woogie piano, classic covers, and swinging brass. Led by the acclaimed…
Staff pick
29–30 January
Greg Davies
Greg Davies is a British comedian and actor known for towering stage presence and stories full of absurdity and dark humor. His stand-up mixes…
Staff pick
29–30 January
Greg Davies
Greg Davies is a British comedian and actor known for towering stage presence and stories full of absurdity and dark humor. His stand-up mixes…
Staff pick
1 February
Donny Osmond
Donny Osmond is a pop icon and entertainer whose career spans decades in music, television, and stage. Known for his smooth vocals and charismatic…
Staff pick
1 February
Donny Osmond
Donny Osmond is a pop icon and entertainer whose career spans decades in music, television, and stage. Known for his smooth vocals and charismatic…
Hostels
Where to stay in Cardiff
The top-rated places to stay in Cardiff right now, live from Hostelworld.
When to go
May to September is best. Six Nations weekends fill the city.
Jan
Wet
Feb
Six Nations
Mar
Six Nations
Apr
Spring
May
Good
Jun
Long days
Jul
Summer
Aug
Summer
Sep
Good
Oct
Wet
Nov
Wet
Dec
Christmas
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. It rains in every month.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in pounds.
Match weekends run far above these figures.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Cardiff travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Are Cardiff's museums free?
The National Museum and St Fagans are.
What is a rugby weekend like?
The best night out in Britain, and the hardest weekend to find a bed.
How far is London?
About two hours by train.
Is Cardiff Castle worth it?
Yes, for the Roman walls and the Victorian interiors.
How do I get from the airport?
By bus, or train and shuttle, about thirty to forty minutes.
How many days do you need?
Two.
When is the best time to visit?
May to September, or a match weekend if you book ahead.
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