A guide to the capital of Wales in interesting detail: how the city came to be, what is attractive to tourists, and why the Welsh love the joke "Drinking is a national sport".
5 reasons to visit Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital of Wales and a great vacation destination. See for yourself - read the top 5 reasons why you should visit the Welsh capital:
Guaranteed active vacation
Cardiff is home to Welsh rugby, a sport with over a thousand years of history. The largest stadium "Millennium" constantly hosts a variety of matches, and not only in rugby. There are also excellent conditions for active vacations: the Cardiff International White Water center offers to take part in rafting and canoeing of Olympic standards, to play hockey at The Cardiff Devils club. The scenic landscapes make Cardiff an ideal destination for cycling, water sports and walking.
Unique historical routes
This place has existed for two thousand years, starting with the presence of the Romans and ending with modern times, so the cultural and historical heritage of the capital of Wales can hardly be overestimated. Castles, medieval villages, towers, forests - as for a selection of real masterpieces and unique cultural monuments.
Fans of Doctor Who - just a must see!
Tourist trips to Cardiff are rarely complete without a visit to the BBC studio, which filmed the cult series Doctor Who. A real adventure awaits visitors - an interactive immersion in the universe of a famous character.
National theaters and entertainment
The city has a huge number of theaters, museums and entertainment centers. Tourists will be able to attend concerts of British celebrities, connoisseurs of fine arts - to see the largest collection of Impressionists, and lovers of gastronomic delights - go to excellent restaurants and pubs.
Variety of tours
The tourist sphere of the city is well developed: it is easy for tourists to choose a tour of Cardiff (bike, walking or bus), which will convey its identity and form the overall impression.
How the city appeared and what is the mystery of its name
City name "Cardiff" - distorted on the English Welsh word Caerdydd. How the word is translated, scholars are still wondering: the first part of Caer raises few doubts and, most likely, means " fortress ", but dydd is translated differently as " day " or " castle ". Facts about the city in numbers:
- Year established: 1081
- Area: 140 sq. Km.
- Climate: temperate
- Population: 346,100
- Official language: Welsh and English.
In the oldest English-language "Encyclopedia Britannica" you can read: " In the 1st century AD, the Romans built a small fort on the site of Cardiff, but the development of these lands began with the arrival of the Normans only in the 11th century. On the ruins of a Roman fort, Robert Fitzhamon built a fortress here, which became home to the Lords of Glamorgan, who ruled Wales for 450 years under oath to the British kings. " Over the centuries, the city was tested for strength and was almost completely destroyed at the beginning of the 15th century, but it always returned to a prosperous state. For a long time Cardiff retained the status of the main coal port, and after that - a large industrial center.
What about the weather?
- January = 2 ° C-7 ° C
- February = 1 ° C-7 ° C
- March = 3 ° C-9 ° C
- April = 4 ° C-12 ° C
- May = 7 ° C-16 ° C
- June = 10 ° C-19 ° C
- July = 12 ° C-21 ° C
- August = 12 ° C-20 ° C
- September = 10 ° C-18 ° C
- October = 8 ° C-14 ° C
- November = 4 ° C-10 ° C
- December = 2 ° C-9 ° C.
TOP 7 attractions Cardiff, what to see in Cardiff
Cardiff is not a popular tourist destination, although it has all the prerequisites for this. The thousand-year history of the city, its nature, prosperity and the desire of the Welsh to preserve their culture make the city very distinctive.
- Cardiff Castle - a building with a 2000-year history has preserved traces of the Romans and Normans, has a Gothic period and even visited the family estate. Today it is one of the main castles in Britain , a museum and a venue for musical events. Tourists can walk through the tunnels inside the walls, visit the museum and climb the observation deck. Ticket prices: £ 13.5 (adults), £ 9.5 (children 5-16 years old), free (children under 5 years old).
- The medieval village of Kosmeston - time seems to have stopped in this place and takes you to the XIV century. The history of Cosmeston is amazing - in about 1340 the villagers either died from the plague or fled their homes. And for several centuries the place was empty: it is believed that no one even knew about its existence! In the 20th century, the builders of the Cosmeston Park discovered ruins here. Today, the place is perfectly complemented by historical reconstructions, knightly tournaments and excursions from residents engaged in medieval professions. Ticket prices (guided tour or audio guide): £ 5.1 (adults), £ 3.6 (children from 5 to 16 years old), up to 5 years free.
- Llanduff Cathedral is another historic landmark with a long history. In the XII century, there was a Celtic church, which in the XVII century turned into a tavern and a stall. In the 18th century, the church was undergoing restoration. Llanduff Cathedral is interesting for architecture, choir, tombs of knights and priests.
- Cardiff City Hall , a two-story gray building dating back to the early 20th century, looks much older: it is decorated in the Baroque style and is decorated with sculptures, a fountain, a clock tower and a dome.
- Bute Park is a 100-hectare park with preserved ruins of the abbey, open arboretums, gardens of stones and wood sculptures.
- The National Museum of Wales is a museum with a huge collection of exhibits, among which the collection of Impressionist paintings and carcasses of prehistoric animals are especially famous.
- The Millennium Stadium is the second largest stadium in the world with a retractable roof, which hosts football, rugby and boxing matches.
How much and how to get to Cardiff
- The most popular and comfortable time to visit the city is late spring or early autumn: arriving in the warm season, you can see most of the sights in the open air.
- The duration of the Moscow-Cardiff flight is 3 hours 30 minutes, the airport is located in the southwestern part of the city. There is a train station nearby, with bus and train connections to Bristol, Newport, London, South Wales and Aberhavanny. Bus fares range from £ 1 to £ 4.5.
- The cost of living in a four-star hotel is about 11 thousand rubles, budget options will cost less - 5000-7000 rubles.
What are they, residents of Cardiff?
Residents of Cardiff may seem closed and reserved, but not in pubs, where their other side opens up - openness, kindness, the desire to chat and laugh. Most of the inhabitants are Christians. To learn more about the Welsh nature, we have collected the main stereotypes about the locals, which they themselves confirm, according to the Welsh publication Wales Online:
- Rugby is the second religion: residents watch matches very emotionally, and feuds often develop between fans of different teams
- The Welsh are not happy with the level of transport infrastructure, but despite this, they are great patriots
- Some of the names of local residents seem to be taken from Tolkien's books about hobbits and elves: they are extremely difficult to pronounce, and even more difficult to remember
- You shouldn't start political discussions with the Welsh, much less make fun of them: they are ready to defend their culture by any means
- A Welsh joke is common on social media: Drinking is a national sport (Drinking is our national sport).
