Travel By Jury

There aren’t many negative things you could say about Cardiff, the capital of Wales; it’s a very walkable, friendly city, with small neighborhoods branching out of its city center that deserve exploration on their own. If you go to Cardiff, be prepared to drink some Brains, the local beer and thus sponsor of the (very, very popular) local Rugby team. The colors are red and green, so dress accordingly. Cardiff is a city of malls – often linked by pedestrian-only streets, like Queen’s Road – with zillions of shops that offer everything from great eats to rare books to the world’s oldest record store, Spiller’s. You can’t miss the city’s castle, which has an rich history and pretty fascinating museum (the gift store/coffee shop also sells international stamps, if you’re looking to send a postcard). While the folks in Cardiff are proud of their Welsh history and every sign is in Welsh and English, you can get around without speaking much Welsh, though a “hello” or “thank you” is much appreciated. Cardiff’s bus system is simple to navigate, so getting from, say, the city center to Mermaid Quay, is as easy as one-pound-seventy (please use exact change). Mermaid Quay, situated on Cardiff Bay, is home to many shops and such that have a bit less unique charm than their city counterparts, but you can do all sorts of outdoorsy stuff in the Bay in the warmer months (a trip in mid-February was pretty cold and damp, but hey, it’s the UK). The “Oval,” where the old Norwegian Church is located (look for Roald Dahl Plass under the pedestrian footbridge if you’re a fan) is also a major Dr. WHO fan site. A walk in beautiful Bute Park is a must, and you can see the River Taff as well as walk along the famed Taff Trail, which extends from the Millennium Center to the Breacon Beacons Park. Also, if you’re walking, it’s about a half hour walk from Cardiff’s city center to the “ancient village” of Llandaff, which has since been incorporated into Cardiff but is a little hamlet of its own right, with a magnificent ancient cathedral and lovely little pubs. Cardiff was hard to leave, as is much of the UK – next time you’re there, go down south and see what the capital of Wales is all about.

Filed under: Europe | Tagged: Arcades, Brains beer, Breacon Beacons, Bute Park, Cardiff, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff bus, Cardiff Castle, Cardiff rugby, Dr. WHO, Europe, friendly folk, Great Britain, Llandaff, Mermaid Quay, Millennium Center, Norwegian Church, Queen's Road, River Taff, Roald Dahl Plass, Shiller's Records, Taff Trail, UK, Wales, walkable | Leave a Comment »