Cardiff is the capital of Wales and the city where I spent quite some months of my life. First I went there as it was mandatory for my studies to spend some time abroad, but part of me really fell in love with this city.
It’s big enough to provide entertainment for every possible wish – bars, museums, historic places, a forbidden planet, shopping centres, great pubs. But it’s also small enough to not overwhelm anyone.
You can easily reach Cardiff Bay via Bus from the city centre. It’s a lovely spot and one where I loved to spend time as much as possible!
In Cardiff Bay you can shop a bit, eat in one of the restaurants there and enjoy the great view. But most of these might be more expensive than the ones directly in the city.
Small stores are here, offering interesting goods as well as a Sainsbury’s and other lunch options. But apart from that there are some spots which are really worth a visit:
The Norwegian Church is clearly visible, a white spot in the bay. Today the church features a gallery and an café and keep your eyes open for once in a lifetime art installation on the upper floor!
If you look at the water and then walk to the right, past a hotel, you can reach the wetlands. This is a small area which offers sheltered breeding areas for birds. They are great for a relaxed and calm stroll, but be careful not to disturb any of the birds there.
Doctor Who Experience
The Doctor Who Experience is behind the Norwegian Church and offers all Doctor Who Fans might be interested in. The shop in there is free.
But the Experience does offer lots of props and costumes from the series, and also full sets. It is amazing for every fan of the series!
For Doctor Who or Torchwood Fans there is even more – a shrine for Ianto Jones, a character from the series. A lot of fans often come there, take photos or place pictures of their beloved characters there.
The Pierhead Building is a big red building you really cannot miss. It serves as a Welsh history museum and is one of the landmarks of the Bay.
The Senedd is the National Assembly building and houses a debating chamber and three committee rooms for the National Assembly for Wales. Tourists can enter it freely and have a look around.
The Millennium Centre is the first thing every visitor of the Bay lays eyes upon. Inside it has one large theatre, two smaller halls with shops bars and restaurants. It also houses the national orchestra and opera and every time I was there interesting musicals or concerts were shown. The concert hall had great seating and the acoustic is really great!
You can boat trips from here as well or take a boat taxi to the city centre, which is definitely worth a try to get a unique look at the city!
