Volume 33 Number 11 , November 24, 2009

Travel Excursion – Cardiff, Wales
City’s rich culture attracts visitors to vibrant UK stop

By Patrice Raplee

Photos by © Patrice Raplee

A brilliant, red dragon flag waves against the dusky sunset skies amid the chimes of city hall and the castle clock tower depicting the time. Couples stroll hand-in-hand along Duke Street enjoying the warm evening and marvel at the imposing, gothic-designed Cardiff Castle in Wales.

Cardiff, the capital of Wales, is located in the country’s southern region and is part of the United Kingdom. The city’s rich culture has a wide sundry of ancient Roman and Norman influences combined with the industrial revolution and coal industry. Today, Cardiff is a vibrant, international city that offers visitors tremendous heritage attractions, as well as natural scenic beauty and spectacular modern architecture.

The city centre encompasses about one-square mile that is easily walkable, with most of the major attractions and Victorian shopping arcades located within this area. However, Cardiff Bay, the capitol’s newest development, is a huge tourist attraction and sailing community that is located just a few miles away. Transportation to Cardiff Bay is accessible by a hop-on-and-off bus (Bendybus about 10 minutes), train and car.

The most popular attraction in the city is the magnificent Cardiff Castle. The original castle dates back 2000-years ago and was at that time, a fort built by the Romans with the Normans adding additional structural defenses in the 11th Century. In the late 19th Century, the Marquess of Bute, who made a vast fortune from coal (about three billion a year),hired William Burgess to design and restructure the interior fortification and create a Gothic, pseudo-Medieval palace. Burgess, a flamboyant architect, utilized the great wall surrounding the existing structure and interior Motte and Bailey castle, to build the Marquess’ ornate castle.

The castle and spacious grounds are fascinating with the preserved, ancient structures and the old Norman castle still traversable. When visiting the old castle, climb the stairs, even though they are quite narrow, to the top. The views of the city and the surrounding countryside are impressive and great for photographs. Moreover, guests can take their time and explore the grounds and old castle by use of multiple language audio guides that are available for the tour. However, the tours for Marquess’ palace are only available by guide docents. They provide an excellent history with often-amusing anecdotes of this lavish, fairytale castle, such as the Winter Smoking Room, with its ornate four-season design, where no woman was to set foot. The Arab Room or Ladies’ Room is an exquisite room that reflects a harem motif with opulent in-laid marble. The high, vaulted ceiling is of complex geometrically designed and carved wood hat is intricately painted, utilizing copious amounts of gold leaf. If these two rooms dazzle you, wait until you visit the Roof Garden; it was a veritable paradise for the castle’s Victorian inhabitants.

Cardiff Castle is an intriguing and unique amalgamation of ancient Roman defense and ostentatious Victorian palace that the Welsh preserve with continual conservation projects. There are many options for tours, group tours and special events. For additional information, visit www.cardiffcastle.com.

Many of Cardiff’s official buildings are located adjacent to each other within the city centre’s Cathays Park. The 60-acre development consists of early 20th century civic buildings architected in English Renaissance style and carved from Portland stone. The buildings of interest located in Cathays Park include: Cardiff City Hall, County Law Courts, National Museum & Gallery of Wales, Central Police Station, Cardiff University’s extension buildings and the Welsh Assembly Offices. Cardiff’s national symbol and flag is of the Red Dragon and this distinctive emblem is incorporated in almost all of the Civic Centre’s buildings and indeed throughout Cardiff.

The Civic Centre is beautiful and among the finest in Europe. It is a lovely place to stroll about and enjoy the architecture and landscaped grounds. The two major visitor attractions are Cardiff City Hall and the National Museum. The museum is free and houses a large selection of art and science collections, a must visit! For additional information, visit www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/cardiff.

Cardiff’s Victorian and Edwardian shopping arcades are located in the city’s iconic buildings. In total, there are about seven different arcades originally built in the 1800s. These appealingly covered arcades (mainly an elaborate glass and frame construct ceiling) house every type of shop from apparel to specialty and quaint cafés. The enchanting Victorian design extends from the interior décor, with bistro tables located outside of the cafés to open balconies situated above the passageways. Visit High Street and Castle Arcade where the famous Madame Fromage Cheese shop offers over 150 different varieties of delicious cheeses; especially the Welsh Caerphilly. High Street Arcade is home to one of the best cafes and coffee houses in Cardiff, Garlands Eatery and Coffee House. The café is comfortable with a Victorian décor flair and all of the fresh, homemade dishes are superb, as well as the coffee and tea; their Welsh cakes (a cross between a scone and pancake) are outstanding!

Cardiff's Millennium Stadium opened in June 1999. The stadium’s ultra-modern architectural design is stunning and features a retractable roof. It is also home of the Wales National Rugby Union Team and the Wales National Football Team. The Millennium also hosts major events, such as music concerts where U2, Madonna and the Rolling Stones have performed.

Cardiff Bay features the Wales Millennium Centre, Mermaid Key and the ultra-cool exhibition of BBC’s sci-fi drama Doctor Who. The Doctor Who Up-Close exhibition is essential for fans and houses the major collection of props, costumes, sets and artifacts from the new series. Guests begin the tour with the Tardis (blue police public call box) situated on a green screen studio. Have one of your party take a photo of you with the Tardis. Then, trek through various sets from the series where you’ll find the scary Cybermen looming over you about a foot away. There is even a stage show filled with moving and agitated Dalek threatening to exterminate you. Almost every costume or major prop from Doctor Who is on display for a close-up view, including the Victorian period costumes worn by David Tennant and Billie Piper. Furthermore, it’s a lot of fun to walk through and recognize particular aliens from the show; remember the creepy red-eyed Ood? By the end of the exhibit, you’ll want to peruse through the sci-fi shop and find some Doctor Who memorabilia to take home. The exhibition is fantastic for all ages and fans will be elated! For additional information, visit www.doctorwhoexhibitions.com.

Fans across the globe visit Cardiff to seek out the filming sites of BBC’s Doctor Who and Torchwood. Spare yourself the search and go online to the web address of the Doctor Who Location Guide in Cardiff. www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/sites/doctorwho . Visitors can also pick up a detailed map at the Doctor Who Up Close exhibition.

The Wales Millennium Centre opened in 2004, garnering a reputation as one of world’s outstanding performing arts centres and destinations. The stone, metal, wood and glass used in the centre’s building are all Welsh, as well as the modern and insightful design. The interior is immense and amazing and if you want to explore the centre, tours are offered each day. Outside the Millennium Centre, BBC shot scenes of the centre and courtyard throughout its Torchwood and Dr. Who series.

Mermaid Key looks onto beautiful Cardiff Bay with dozens of boutique shops and top restaurants. This area offers several fine hotels, inns and bars as well. One highly recommended bar and boutique hotel is Bar Cwtch and Jolyon’s Boutique Hotel. Cwtch is located down the stairs from Jolyon’s and is reminiscent of a comfortable and chic living room. It’s a wonderful place to chat and sip a glass of wine. Several BBC celebrities also frequent the bar for its quiet and informal atmosphere and great food. Jolyon’s Hotel offers six gorgeous rooms with views of Cardiff Bay and some truly exceptional services and amenities. For additional information on Cwtch and a peek at Jolyon’s Boutique Hotel, visit www.jolyons.co.uk .

If you wish to take a guided tour of Cardiff or near-by towns, See Wales Sight-Seeing Tours is an excellent and reputable company. See Wales offers flexible tours from one to four days with friendly and knowledgeable guides. The vans are comfortable and the tour costs are very reasonable. They provide the best tours in the city and make the most of your time in Wales. For additional information, visit www.seewales.com.

Two top-rated recommendations for accommodations are the upscale Park Plaza, located on Greyfriars Street (ask about the Doctor Who Break package). www.parkplaza.com/cardiffuk . If you’re on a budget but want a clean, and comfortable studio hotel and hostel, the NosDa is located by the Millennium Stadium walkway. www.nosda.co.uk.

Cardiff offers visitors a chance to explore Wales and its distinctive culture, along with attractions, heritage sites and uncompromised, natural surrounding beauty. Whether you visit as a couple, family or individual, there is always activity going on in the city and entertaining clubs that are open into the wee hours. For additional information on Cardiff, visit www.cardiff.com.

Outside of Cardiff

One of Wales’ most spectacular gardens is the National Botanic Garden of Wales, located several miles from Cardiff in Carmarthenshire. Visitors can drive, take a bus or go with one of the sightseeing tours to the 500-acre garden. Aside from all of the incredible plants, animals, water features, exhibits and events, the gardens have something unique, the Great Glasshouse. This geometric, glassed dome is the largest single span glasshouse in the world. It houses the world’s best collection of plants from Mediterranean climate regions. Within the dome, visitors can follow a path through these rare plants and trees. The aromas of these plants are intoxicating and range from tropical blossoms to a tree that smells like curry. After your stroll, sit and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and relax among the flora and fauna of the dome. For additional information, visit www.gardenofwales.org.uk.

The Gower Peninsula is located about 48 miles along the coast, west of Cardiff by Swansea. On the tip of the western peninsula, the village of Rhossili lays atop arresting cliffs. This tiny and charming village proffers a few shops and sits adjacent the Worm’s Head Hotel and Restaurant. Visitors come to stroll along the bluffs and marvel at the expansive bay views, as well as the famous Wormshead landmark resembling a giant rock worm body and head. There is something special about the Gower and any Welshmen will tell you so. You can feel it in the air when you stand on the cliffs looking seaward and the wind is whispering in your ear. If you want a good Welsh lunch or dinner, visit the Worm’s Head bar (a small restaurant really) and try a traditional and delicious bowl of Cawl, a soup/broth made of winter vegetables and meat. To enjoy the enchantment of the Bay, stay a night at the Worm’s Head Hotel. Owners Julian and Veronica Short will make sure you’re comfortable in one of their 17 rooms that overlook the bay with stellar views (the hotel is located right at the edge of the bluff). They also have a great deal of knowledge about the area and strange stories about the Gower that will captivate your interest. For additional information, visit www.thewormshead.co.uk.