Cardiff is rich in history, but also strides forward with a vibrant nightlife, spectacular contemporary buildings and popular TV connections with the likes of Doctor Who. The rugged but inviting coastline also beckons, while a short drive north takes you through Wales’ famous landscapes up to the Brecon Beacons.
Storm back into the past
Cardiff Castle tells a lot of tales. At its core is an old Norman keep, but even that isn’t the beginning of the story. An earlier Roman fort was erected here almost 2000 years ago. From here the Romans – and the Normans after them – could keep a watchful eye over both land and sea.
The third chapter begins with the Bute family, who took control of the castle in 1766 and added many of the neo-Gothic elements that remain today.
Enter the castle and you can see much of the interior, although a guided tour is more revealing, as you’ll learn the stories as you explore the banqueting hall with its majestic fireplace, gaze up at the clock tower and wander through the grounds. There’s even a medieval trebuchet, for a glimpse into the warfare methods of the past.
Explore the thoroughly modern city
Cardiff has a thriving cultural life, not least when it comes to the Millennium Centre, which opened in 2004 at a cost of more than £100 million. It’s a striking building that celebrates Welsh heritage through its use of local slate covered in a gleaming bronze carapace.
Inside the National Dance Company, Welsh National Opera, orchestras, theatres and more ply their trades, meaning there’s always something going on. Even if you’re not stopping for a show, drop by to admire the exterior with its dramatic windows spelling out a poem in both Welsh and English. The surrounding area throngs with bars and restaurants, as well as locations used for filming both Doctor Who and its Torchwood spin-off.
Sports fans will flock to the Principality Stadium, meanwhile, opened in 1999 and home to football, rugby and huge music concerts.
Discover the wonders of Wales
Wales is home to some superb attractions, with many only a short distance away from Cardiff Airport.
Drive an hour east, past Newport, to reach the spectacular, haunting ruins of Tintern Abbey. It fell foul of Henry VIII’s war against the holy orders in the 16th century, but much of what stands dates from the late 13th. It has been a muse for poets and painters, but also stands as a sign of the religious grandeur of the past.
Closer is Caerphilly, worth a day trip to see the huge castle – one of the largest in the UK. You may have seen it in ‘Merlin’ on television, surrounded by moats and water that once made it a fierce stronghold. It too came into the ownership of the Bute family, who rescued it from falling into ruin. Take a tour, and make sure you pick up some of the local cheese that has made the area so famous.
For a scenic stroll, the Brecon Beacons lie an hour or so’s drive to the north, and provide a beautiful, rolling backdrop in which to walk and take in some fresh country air.
Enjoy all the sights and sounds of this fantastic city and the landscape beyond, when you hire a car at Cardiff Airport.
