Is wales(cardiff) a good place to visit for a week?

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Veronica Katherine

It's a great city. You have to avoid the main city centre area on Saturday (and other) nights as it's deadl oiky with drunk no-brains falling over with no knickers, but it's easy to avoid this and there are lots of other places to go.

Try Cardiff Bay which is only a short walk from the centre, much more upmarket, lots of nice resaurants and cafes and boats to go around the bay on etc. You can even get a power boat trip out over to one of the islands or go over to Penarth on the waterbus when you will get to see all the boats in Cardiff yacht club and the marina at the other side. There is also often something going on in the Bay outside the opera house, farmers markets, fayres etc. Take a tour of the opera house, it is fascinating, or even maybe see an opera (book well in advance).

The New Theatre usually has something on plus the Sherman over at the University does good stuff which are a bit more 'experimental'.

Cardiff Castle is worth a look, good view from the top and amazing over the top decor. It's in Bute Park which is lovely for a walk if the weather is good, the Taff trail goes through here which is a several day walk or cycle ride up into the valleys but very beautiful in parts.

If you want arts then try Chapter arts centre in Canton just a mile west of town, lovely cafe, exhibitions, all sort of stuff happening, or for the larger more traditional place try the national museum and gallery in Park Place, free and lots to see.

If you want to venture out of the city for a day, you could head north to the Brecon beacons, or haye on wye for books, both lovely towns in beautiful countryside. Or head west along the coast, it gets nicer the more West you go and once you get to Swansea (less than an hour away ) you have a huge marina with hundreds if not thousands of boats, cafes etc. lovely to sit out if it's sunny - plus the waterfront and Dylan Thomas museums. Walk from there along Swansea sands, an enormous bay, and you come to Mumbles, a little seaside town, with a pebbled beach and fish and chip shops ice cream parlours etc. go around the headland from Mumbles and you hit Gower which is stunning, 3 cliffs bay, Rhossilli etc. are amazingly beautiful and usually quite quiet. There are lots of walks around there and boat trips, seal watching etc. along the coast, or you could try sea kayaking or 'coasteering' if you're feeling brave.

If you want to go even further, maybe an hour and 20 mins drive from Cardiff go into Pembrokeshire, Tenby is a nice town and you can go over to Caldey Island, where there is a lovely monastery.

Cardiff is a good base for lots of things really, I'd say do a couple or 3 days in Cardiff then explore the area around for the rest of the time, would be a shame to go to the city and miss all that surrounds it.

Enjoy.

subst99

Check out http://www.visitbritain.co.uk/destinations/wales/cardiff.aspx
and
http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=2868,2969&parent_directory_id=2865&positioning_article_id=&language=&sortkey=

Cardiff is much nicer for shoppping than Brimingham, actually. make sure you see all the little Victorian shopping arcades, or roofed shopping streets, or whatever you like to call them.

I think you could easily spend 3 to 4 days in Cardiff - make sure you see the castle. If you fear you might not be able to fill 7 days, check out if there are any daytrips on offer - Pembrokeshire is said to be beautiful.

Alex L

Cardiff is a small city, but still quite lively with good shops and nightlife.

The main shopping area is quite compact - big stores and small specialist stores in the various old arcades are right in the town centre, around Queen Street, High Street and The Hayes.

There are not a huge number of touristy / sightseeing things in the city, but places like the National Museum, Cardiff Castle and Cardiff Bay are all worth a look, if you're interested in that kind of thing.

It's probably better to visit for a long weekend or a few days, as you may run out of interesting places to visit if there for a whole week!

Of course, if you want to spend a week in Wales, you could try visiting other nearby places - the Brecon Beacons aren't too far away from Cardiff, for example. Or, you could split your holiday up and visit other parts of Wales too, such as the Pembrokeshire coast, rural Mid Wales, or the resorts of the North Wales coast.

jokerman

great location, great Ikea, great scenery nearby

Trudy Teacher

The city centre is like any other, a couple of shopping malls with the same shops you get in any city, however there are a few older arcades with more interesting shops in which are well worth a look. At the moment some shops such as John Lewis are closed as there is a new massive development going on which will double the size of the shopping area and make it one of the largest shopping cities in Europe in another year-ish. If it's just shopping you want then it's not huge but you can probably get most things there, but you def couldnt' spend a week shopping there (could you anywhere?) but spend a day shopping then spend a day in the Bay which has lots going on, then take advantage of your location and see the surrounding area which is beautiful, the brecon beacons, the Gower peninsular etc. Lots of water sports stuff happening along the coast, good nightlife in Cardiff, if you like that sort of thing (...)

derrybornandbred

Actually when you visit Wales you will return. The people are plain simple folk who love a laugh. They also sing very well and their Rugby Team isn't half bad. A week is not long enough if you want to see the real Wales. You will love it and given a good clear day the harbour at Cardiff is worth a visit. It was the first multi cultural City even ahead of Liverpool. Go there and prove me right.

Katherine X

Yes lots to do - if you like adventure sports - kayaking, whitewater rafting, coasteering, caving, abseiling - or even just walking, there is LOTS to do. Cardiff Bay is lovely, you can explore the islands, or go along to Gower which is out of ths world. The city centre is like any other really, same shops, a few more interesting arcades, lots of drunk people from the valleys on saturday night wearing next to nothing, but stick to Cardiff Bay and you'll avoid those, they don't go far from the station so they can stagger back home after they've puked up on St Mary's Street. Avoid that and it's a great city.

Colin-why?

I cant answer that particular question, but for shopping, you cant beat Birmingham.
Well worth the trip

tash?

Cardiff is definitely the best city in Wales for shopping tbh.

There's St. David's arcade & Queen Street mainly that are packed with shops.

Um. Yeah;]

I wouldn't stay for a week, though, maybe a few days ?

Cymro i'r Carn

Caerdydd is a lovely place plenty to do and go to the St davids canolfan siopa you will find many great shops there.

Naomix

Cardiff is great, you'll enjoy it there :)

ruthster74

Cardiff is a lovely place to visit with a good shopping centre. Cardiff Bay is also worth seeing while you're there, and you could see what's on at St. David's Hall or the Wales Millennium Centre. The National Museum in the City Centre is worth seeing as is Cardiff Castle. If you've got a bit more time then the Museum of Welsh Life at St. Fagan's is a short drive outside Cardiff.

beaver cleaver

I had fun in Cardiff. and I saw alot of good stores.

Angel

No, it's Chav City.

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