Things to Do in Cardiff
Arcades, waterfront, castle. All of it walkable.
Cardiff packs its visitor scene into two walkable clusters. The city centre holds the castle, the Victorian arcades off The Hayes and the Queen Street shops. Cardiff Bay, one stop from Queen Street, offers Mermaid Quay, the waterfront and the sports village at Olympian Drive. Most of it is free to wander.
Two clusters, one short hop
The centre runs from Cardiff Castle down St Mary Street to The Hayes, with the Victorian arcades threading between. Cardiff Bay sits two miles south, reached by the short shuttle from Queen Street. Walking between them takes about forty minutes.
What does Cardiff cost?
Less than you expect. The arcades, the parks and the barrage walk to Penarth cost nothing, and the national museums charge no entry. Budget instead for the castle, a stadium tour and a waterfront dinner.
When the calendar fills
Rugby internationals turn the city centre into one long crowd, and the music festival spreads across venues through October. Book beds early for match weekends. Midweek is quieter, and the arcades are better for it.
Things to Do in Cardiff
Capitol Shopping Centre
Shopping centre
Queen Street mall opposite Queen Street station, with retail, food outlets and the Premiere Cinema multiplex on its upper level. Postcode not confirmed in this session.
Queen Street, Cardiff
Cardiff Airport
International airport
Wales' national airport, about 12 miles west of the city; served by its own rail station on the Vale of Glamorgan line plus a shuttle bus to Cardiff Central.
Vale of Glamorgan, Rhoose, CF62 3BD
Cardiff Bay railway station
Branch line rail station
Terminus of the short shuttle from Queen Street; station building on Bute Street with passenger access from Lloyd George Avenue. Main arrival point for Cardiff Bay visitors. Postcode not confirmed in this session.
Bute Street, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff
Cardiff Central railway station
Main line rail station
The busiest station in Wales with about 12.5 million entries and exits in 2024/25; eight platforms serving London, Bristol, the Midlands, west Wales and the Valley Lines.
Central Square, Cardiff, CF10 1EP
Cardiff Coach Station (Sophia Gardens)
Coach station
The city's National Express coach terminal, relocated to Sophia Gardens; about 15 minutes' walk from the city centre across the River Taff.
Sophia Close, Pontcanna, Cardiff, CF11 9HW
Cardiff International Sports Village
Sports and leisure destination
Cluster including Vindico Arena, Cardiff International Pool and Cardiff International White Water on the Cardiff Bay waterfront; a major draw for group and family visits.
Olympian Drive, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, CF11 0JS
Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cyncoed Campus
University campus
Second Cardiff Met campus, home to Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences and the Cardiff Met Sport facilities. Postcode not confirmed in this session.
Cyncoed Road, Cyncoed, Cardiff
Cardiff Metropolitan University, Llandaff Campus
University campus
Home of Cardiff School of Art & Design, Cardiff School of Management and Cardiff School of Technologies; the university has more than 12,000 students across two campuses.
Western Avenue, Llandaff, Cardiff, CF5 2YB
Cardiff Queen Street railway station
City-centre rail station
Second busiest station in Wales and the interchange for Valley Lines services and the Cardiff Bay branch; at the eastern end of the Queen Street retail pitch. Postcode not confirmed in this session.
Station Terrace, Cardiff
Cardiff University, Cathays Park campus
University campus
Russell Group university and the largest in Wales; most academic schools sit around the Cathays Park civic centre, with addresses spread across Park Place, Museum Avenue and Colum Road. Single campus postcode not asserted.
Park Place, Cathays, Cardiff
Cardiff Visitor Information Point
Tourist information point
The city's official visitor information point in the Old Library, alongside the Museum of Cardiff; also offers luggage storage.
The Old Library, The Hayes, Cardiff, CF10 1BH
Clayton Hotel Cardiff
City-centre hotel
Four-star hotel on St Mary Street in the heart of the city centre, close to Principality Stadium and Cardiff Central. Postcode not confirmed in this session.
St Mary Street, Cardiff
Hilton Cardiff
Large city-centre hotel
Four-star hotel directly opposite Cardiff Castle and City Hall, with meeting and event space and a spa.
Kingsway, Cardiff, CF10 3HH
Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel & Spa
Large hotel and conference venue
One of the larger conference hotels in Cardiff, on Newport Road close to Queen Street station, with a spa and sizeable function suites. Postcode not confirmed in this session.
Newport Road, Cardiff
Queens Arcade
Shopping centre
Covered shopping centre linking Queen Street and Working Street, adjoining St David's. Postcode not confirmed in this session.
Queen Street, Cardiff
Rhoose Cardiff International Airport railway station
Airport rail station
On the Vale of Glamorgan line about 11.5 miles west of Cardiff Central, roughly a 30-minute journey; 0.172 million passengers in 2024/25, with a shuttle bus to the terminal. Postcode not confirmed in this session.
Rhoose, Vale of Glamorgan
St David's Dewi Sant
Major shopping centre
Over 1.4 million sq ft and more than 180 stores after the 2009 extension; anchored by John Lewis (the largest outside London) and Marks & Spencer. One of the UK's busiest shopping centres.
Bridge Street, Cardiff, CF10 2EF
The Coal Exchange Hotel
Historic hotel in Cardiff Bay
Grade II* listed 1883 Coal Exchange converted to a hotel; reopened under new ownership in September 2020. Five minutes' walk from Mermaid Quay and Wales Millennium Centre.
Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, CF10 5FQ
The Morgan Quarter (Morgan and Royal Arcades)
Historic shopping arcades
Two linked Victorian arcades forming part of Cardiff's celebrated arcade network, home to independent retailers including Spillers, billed as the world's oldest record shop. Postcode not confirmed in this session.
St Mary Street and The Hayes, Cardiff
The Parkgate Hotel
Large city-centre hotel
About 170 rooms in the converted former Post Office and County Court buildings beside Principality Stadium; owned by the Welsh Rugby Union, about 7 minutes' walk from Cardiff Central.
Westgate Street, Cardiff, CF10 1DA
voco St David's Cardiff
Large waterfront hotel
Landmark sail-shaped five-star hotel on the Cardiff Bay waterfront, with spa and event space. Postcode not confirmed in this session.
Havannah Street, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff
Cardiff, asked.
How do I get from Cardiff Central to Cardiff Bay?
Walk to Queen Street station and take the short Bute Street shuttle to Cardiff Bay, the main rail arrival for the waterfront. On foot it is roughly two miles down Lloyd George Avenue, about forty minutes. Buses run from Westgate Street and Central Square.
Which Cardiff museums are free?
National Museum Cardiff in Cathays Park and St Fagans National Museum of History both charge no entry, funded by Welsh Government. St Fagans parking is paid separately. The Museum of Cardiff in the Old Library was temporarily closed for leak repairs at the time of writing, so check before you go.
How do people promote a show in Cardiff?
Word travels through the venues themselves. Printed what's on guides, leaflets stacked in foyers and cafes, and posters around Womanby Street and Albany Road still reach audiences who are already out. Listings from Visit Cardiff and the venue's own mailing list do the rest.