After two days in London and a stop at Salisbury and Stonehenge we arrived in Cardiff. The tourist bureau was closed - Sunday night you know, so tried a Frommer's choice for lodging. As we were wheeling our bags towards the hotel, we noticed the neighborhood was starting to deteriorate. A nice gentlemen with a fair-haired little girl in hand asked us if he could be of assistance - bless him. He told us that the hotel we were headed for was "seedy" (so much for Frommer) and sent us to a better area for a hotel about five minutes away (only if you were driving a Ferrari). Twenty minutes later or may be thirty, still wheeling our bags, we found the Cathedral Hotel which looked promising. It was, they took one look at us and gave us the best room in the house which was on the first floor. It was a large room with high ceilings and beautiful moldings. There was a tea table and chairs, the beds were comfortable and there was a big bathroom with a full-sized tub, yeees! We had to eat.
Nothing was open, Sunday you know. We were given directions to a market that would be open at the end of the block; they didn't tell us the block was a 20-minute walk. We ended up with a nourishing dinner of "Brains" beer, crackers, and yogurt; we fell into bed and slept for 12 hours.
Wales is one of the oldest countries in the world. The European Celts, arrived in Wales just after 600 BC and Christianity arrived in the 5th century from Ireland. Cardiff 's name is actually derived from the Roman general Aulus Didius - Caer Didi, meaning "Fort of Didius", and the city can trace its history back to Roman times.
Cardiff grew up along the banks of the River Taff. it's the capital and largest city (320,000+ inhabitants) in Wales. It's a busy commercial, maritime and university city. During Victorian times, Cardiff was the biggest coal-exporting city in the world.
My Welsh ancestors probably dug the coal in those mines.
Did you know that Utica in New York State and Scranton, Pennsylvania are known as "Welsh" towns.
Did you know that there is a major Welsh settlement in the wastelands of the Chubut Valley in Patagonia, Argentina.
Did you know that Wales requires signs be printed in Welsh, not just in in English and some pubs and public spaces require patrons to speak in Welsh only.
- Pros:Filled with History, Fun People and the Color Green
- In a nutshell:Visit Cardiff if You Get the Chance!
Reviews (17)
You'll Need a Warm Coat
What to Pack
(1)
Love my suitcase on wheels. Worked great on the long walks to and from the train station. It's pretty chilly late... more travel advice
Little History of Cardiff and It's...
Things to Do
(8)
Most likely, the Romans built earliest settlement at Cardiff in the mid-first century AD. This site was of great... more travel advice
Don't Forget the Department Store
Shopping
(3)
It's alway fun to check out the department stores to compare them with the stores at home (don't you love it girls).... more travel advice
Shop 'til You Drop
Shopping
(3)
The main shopping streets are St. Mary, High, Castle, Duke, and Queen, plus the Hayes. Most of this area has been made... more travel advice
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- "Croeso i Gaerdydd/ Welcome to Cardiff"
- "Croeso I'r Caerdydd"
- "Cardiff - the friendly capital"
- "Cardiff ......My Hometown"
- "Cosmopolitan Cardiff"
- "capital of Wales"
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Comments (6)
Just for info - the hole in the centre of the dining table was to enable a real vine to grow through - you can't get grapes much fresher than that!
thanks for all the great information! I hope to be there in early June, my first trip to Europe & I'm so excited.
Hi Nancy! Your page is excellent because full of interesting information, great suggestions and good pictures. Thanks for sharing.
Really good tips. You are a seasoned VT'er!! We Celts once occupied the whole of Britain, until those pesky Saxons, Angles and Vikings shoved us West. But they built a massive ditch, Offa's Dyke, on the border to stop us coming back!!
Obviously my planned two half days there will be totally inadequate. Excellent pages but, we don't expect anything less.
Hi Nancy - great page here. Since '96, the city has transformed almost out of all recognition! BTW, you are right about the moat - A 'motte' is the name of the hill made from the earth from the ditch and a 'bailey' is a wooden wall below - motte & bailey
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