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Cardiff
Welcome to Cardiff - Croeso i Gaerdydd
Cardiff, the capital of Wales, is a city of contrasts.
Innovative architecture sits alongside historic
buildings; the bustle of the city centre is only a few
strides from acres of peaceful parklands, and the Welsh
culture of dragons and myth blends perfectly with a
modern, technology-driven city.
The Romans first built a fort on the site of Cardiff
Castle in AD55, the Welsh lord Owain Glyndwr burnt the
city to the ground in the 15th century and Lord Bute,
the world's richest man in the late 19th century, spent
a fortune on lavishly decorating the castle and
creating the civic centre.
Top Tip
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A few minutes
from the castle and the city centre are
therevitalised docklands of Cardiff Bay,
bordered by dozens ofrestaurants and cafes.
Dominating the skyline in the Bay is the Wales
Millennium Centre, home to seven arts
organisations including the world-renowned
Welsh National Opera. Cardiff's pedestrianised
shopping streets and malls contain popular high
street and designer stores and the Victorian
and Edwardian arcades that criss-cross the city
centre are home to dozens of independent and
boutique shops where you can find unique gifts,
clothes and food, many with a Welsh flavour.
You're guaranteed a warm welcome in our
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How to get around
The city is now dominated by the Millennium Stadium.
The best sports stadium in Britain was built for the
1999 Rugby World Cup. It has a retractable roof, which
proves handy for keeping the merciless Welsh sun off
the athletes and spectators.
One thing that Cardiff is not short of is bars and
club with more than more than 350 with more being added
constantly. Around the vicinity of St Mary St and in
front of the castle you will find the busiest and best
bars and clubs with a good mix of the traditional and
contemporary. During the Spring and Summer months some
bars in the Café Quarter along Mill lane take on
a continental feel as tables and chairs appear beneath
umbrellas.
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Getting Around
By air
Cardiff's international airport is served with regular
direct flights from UK and international destinations.
Cardiff is as little as one to three hours away from
international airports such as Bristol, Birmingham,
Manchester, London Heathrow and Gatwick by train
or coach. For more information contact: Cardiff
International
Airport, T. 01446 711 111, www.cwlfly.com
By road
Cardiff is right on the national motorway system making
every UK city a comfortable drive away. It is situated
on the M4, providing a direct route from London and the
M50 and M5 which link the Midlands and south west of
England. To the west of Cardiff the
A48 and M4 provide a fast route for travellers using
ferry services from Ireland. For further information
please contact:
Traveline, T. 0870 608 2608, www.traveline.org.uk
By rail
Modern air-conditioned trains travel direct to Cardiff
from London, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Portsmouth
and many more cities. For further information please
contact: National Rail,
T. 08 457 48 49 50 (or +44 (0)20 7278 5240 from
overseas), www.nationalrail.co.uk
By sea
For those travelling from mainland Europe there is a
wide choice of entry points to the UK served by many
ferry companies. Ferry ports link with the national
motorway system to provide fast and easy access to
Cardiff. The port of Cardiff also provides an ideal
cruise destination.
When you arrive
Few cities have a more convenient central public
transport hub. Cardiff Central Station is in the heart
of the city where the main train and bus connections
merge. There is a comprehensive public transport
network serving the city centre, the outskirts and
Cardiff Bay. There are water taxis opposite the
Millennium Stadium which operate throughout the year to
Cardiff Bay.
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