CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM

Cardiff, Capital of Wales since 1955

Wales has undergone many changes in the last decade and nowhere is this more apparent than the transformation of the capital city, Cardiff. Very compact for a city, and far quieter than London, it attracts large numbers of visitors who come for the shopping, the nightlife, the peaceful parks and surrounding countryside and the modern delights of the city centre and Bay development.

City Centre An excellent starting point is Cardiff Central Station and the Cardiff Welcome Centre, opposite, which has details of current events, festivals and concerts.

Step out of the station and cross the road. The Welcome Centre is to your left. Now, turn right, towards St Mary Street, one of the oldest streets in the city. Some of its early architecture is still intact, as are the classic old shopping arcades and the grand Howells department store. Turning left up St Mary Street, cross the road and call in at the old indoor market, opened in 1891, which retains its original roof and décor, and has the stalls placed in the same positions as they were the... more