We might be slightly biased, but we think Cardiff is one of the best cities in the world. That’s one of the reasons Personal Class Travel was formed in 2019. To show off our amazing home, and show the best of the City. It is perfect for a City Break.
The 15th largest City in the UK, the Welsh Capital regularly appears in “Top City Break” lists. In a recent such list, The Times Newspaper ranked Cardiff above London for a City Break. Cardiff comes in at number 12 on the Rough Guides List, and at number 9 on the Which? List. According to Visit Britain, in 2017 & 2018 Cardiff was the 11th most visited City in the UK, with 400,000 and 376,000 visitors respectively. The city attracted more visitors than the World Heritage Site of Bath in both years. In 2019, Cardiff was the 12th most visited UK City, with 382,000 visitors, with Bath nicking 11th place by 19,000 visitors.
The stats are clear, and back up our claim, that Cardiff is an amazing City. If you haven’t been yet, why not? If you have been, come again.
Europe’s Youngest Capital?
Cardiff is one of Europe’s youngest Capital City, having been named the capital of Wales in 1955. Google Europes Youngest Capital, and you will see Cardiff, Pristina in Kosovo, and Podgorica in Montenegro, all claiming to be “Europe’s Youngest Capital City”. Once just a sleepy village, Cardiff rose to become the biggest, and busiest port in the World. It was once, one of the richest cities in the world. Post War decline, saw the city slump, but regeneration towards the end of the last millennium has seen Cardiff re-invent itself once more.
Big Enough to Cope, small enough to care
Despite being just the 15th biggest city in the UK, Cardiff more than punches above its weight, in terms of what it can do, and indeed what it does. In the last 10 or so years, it has hosted some of the biggest events in the world. From NATO Summits, to World Cups in multiple sports. The biggest club football game in the world, the 2017 UEFA Champions League Final. When Queen Elizabeth II passed away last September, and King Charles III became King, Cardiff was the first place he visited, after his mothers death. It is a city that is big enough to cope with anything, yet small enough that it retains its friendly feel and you don’t get lost.
Come Visit Us
So now that you have seen the light, and decided to have your City Break in Cardiff, what do you do with your weekend? In all honesty, just about anything you want to do. A rich, vibrant and multicultural city, Cardiff has something to offer and entertain just about anyone. We have put together, an amazing weekend for you. One you wont forget. Just one thing though, bring a brolly. The weather is about the only thing that isn’t amazing about Cardiff.
Friday Afternoon / Evening
For your City Break, we are going assume you have driven to Cardiff on a Friday Afternoon / Evening, arriving around 4:00-5:00pm. As you are driving, we would recommend staying outside the City Centre. Most of City Centre Hotels either have no or limited parking, or charge extra. Where as most, if not all, the Hotels outside the City Centre have free parking. On this weekend, you book yourself into New House Country Hotel to the north of the city (other hotels are available). Situated on the side of the hills that that form the northern boundary of Cardiff, this Hotel over looks the City, giving you a stunning look at the city you will be exploring over the next couple of days.
On your first evening in Cardiff, you get yourself comfy in the hotel. You can either have dinner in the hotel itself, or stroll down to Miller & Carter, or up to The Travellers Rest. Both are only around 0.5 miles from the Hotel, but be warned, its a steep hill up to The Travellers Rest.
Saturday Morning
The start of your first full day of your City Break in Cardiff. New to the City, and not totally sure of what there is to see, or where things are, your best course of action is to book our Premium Cardiff City Tour. One of our driver guides will meet you outside your hotel at around 10:00am and take you on a 2 hour driven tour of the City. This will not only give you an idea of what’s where, and what you could see and do later in the weekend, but it is a good way to see a large part of the city in one go. Your guide will also tell you about the History of the city, and various locations.
Your Tour
You will go past the Victorian Roath Park, with its 1 mile round Lake, and the Captain Scott Memorial Lighthouse. We will stop at the 900 year old Llandaff Cathedral, before taking you down the tree lined avenue of Cathedral Road, whose buildings were built by wealthy coal merchants, traders and ship owners during Cardiff’s boom years.
We will continue past Cardiff City Stadium, the 2nd largest stadium in Wales. Past Cardiff Bay Barrage, which was the largest civil engineering project in Europe when it was being built, and into Cardiff Bay itself. We will then head towards the city centre, taking in the largest stadium in Wales, and one of the largest stadiums in Europe, The Principality Stadium. Then drive past Cardiff Castle, which is built on 2000 year old Roman Foundations. Finally we go around Cathays Park, home to the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff University, and several other beautiful buildings. We will then loop back round to Cardiff Castle where the tour will end.
Saturday Afternoon
After getting lunch at Pettigrew Tea Rooms next to Cardiff Castle, you spend a few hours exploring Cardiff Castle. Climbing the Norman Keep, and marvelling at the work of William Burges, in the Arab Room and Roof Garden. Then you will explore Cardiff’s many Arcades. As Cardiff Docks grew in the 19th Century, so did the wealth of the City. The wealthy merchants wives had money to spend, and wanted to spend it on the latest fashion. This led to high end boutiques popping up in the city. Many of which opened up in newly built arcades. These were constructed to allow the high society women to move from shop to shop, whilst remaining protected from the elements. Today, these arcades are as popular as ever and are largely occupied by independent traders.
Saturday Evening
Working your way through the many Arcades, you will eventually arrive in the southern end of the city. Here you will find many of Cardiff’s bars, a number of restaurants. This is also the centre of the cities nightlife. Here you will have a plethora of places to dine, with a wide choice of cuisines available. After dinner, you will have the choice of partying the night away in some of the city’s many bars, seeing a show at The New Theatre, going to a gig at The Motorpoint Arena, or seeing a show at St Davids Hall.
If none of these take your fancy, The Glee Club and Wales Millennium Centre are just a short Uber ride away in Cardiff Bay. As is The Red Dragon Centre with cinema’s and bowling. The Tramshed and Chapter Arts Centre are both located near to the City Centre, and have many events going on through out the year. From concerts and gigs, to cinema nights. Comedy shows, and open mic nights.
Sunday Morning
Sundays are for relaxing, so after a relaxing breakfast, you check out of the hotel, and load your bags into your car. Your City Break is not over, and it is not time to head home just yet. You drive down to Cardiff Bay, and park in one of the many Car Parks down there. Our recommendation would be the on street parking on Harbour Drive, near to The Senedd. Once parked, you can look around the Cardiff Bay Exhibition in The Pierhead Building. Take a boat tour of Cardiff Bay, with Cardiff Boat Tours and see things from different view.
Sunday Afternoon
After lunch in one of the restaurants in Cardiff Bay, many of which look out over the water, jump back in the car, and head to St Fagan’s Museum of Welsh Life. Along with Cardiff Castle, St Fagan’s is a must go to place for anyone visiting Cardiff. You will spend the final few hours of your time in Cardiff, walking around this homage to Welsh history through the ages. Laid out in the grounds of St Fagan’s Castle, this museum has many historic and re-constructed buildings, as well as demonstrations.
Building preservation
Highlights at St Fagan’s include Rhyd-y-Car Terrace, a purpose built terrace of identically sized houses. Each one displays a different time period from 1805 up to 1985, showing how Welsh life progressed across nearly 200 years. The curators at St Fagan’s have also painstakingly rebuilt several buildings that are important in Welsh History to create a village in the museum. Including a 19th Century Shop, a post office from the 1930’s, a 19th Century school building, and Working mans club from World War 1, and a pub built in 1853. There are also many other buildings dotted around St Fagan’s, in different settings. Importantly, none of these buildings are replica’s. Each one was dismantled where it originally stood, brick by brick. Then transported to St Fagan’s from all over Wales, where it was rebuilt, brick by brick.
St Fagan’s Castle
Parts of St Fagan’s castle is also open to the public, as are the gardens. Whilst named a Castle, it is fact an Elizabethan Manor House. The castle part refers to be formerly being fortified, as it is fortifications that classify a building as a Castle, and not the look of the building.
You can spend all day at St Fagan’s if you wished. Including time just relaxing in the castle gardens. You should allow at least 3 hours, as this will give you time to see the majority, if not everything St Fagan’s has to offer. The museum closes at 5, so you should aim to arrive around 1:00-2:00pm.
Then, as if by magic, that would be around 48 hours after you arrived at the hotel, and completing your 48 hour City Break in Cardiff.
Cost
How much would this Cardiff City Break cost you?
New House Country Hotel
A two night stay for two, bed and breakfast checking in on 12th May for two nights is £253.70
Premium Cardiff City Tour
Our Cardiff City is £95.00 per group, and we can take up to 6 people on a tour in our luxurious Mercedes V Class
Pettigrew Tea Rooms
Depending on what you order, prices start at £3.00 for something light, up to £10.00 for a Ploughman’s Lunch or a Club Sandwich for £14.00. Or you can treat yourself to an afternoon tea for two for £45.00
Cardiff Castle
Entry to Cardiff Castle is £14.50 per person. The Castle have numerous tours available for £4.00 per person
Cardiff Boat Tours
An hour long round trip on the boat is £14.00 per person
Cardiff Bay Parking
You can park on Harbour Drive for up to 3 hours for £3.60. The maximum stay here is 3 hours.
3 hours parking in Mermaid Quay Car Park is £4.50, and 4 hours is £5.50.
St Fagan’s Museum of Welsh Life
Entry to the Museum is free, but you do have to pay for parking, which is £6.00 per day. There is no convenient free public parking near the museum
Total
Two people following this itinerary would be £445.20 plus evening meals and Sunday lunch. A room for one night in a nice Hotel in London would cost that alone.
Why wait? Book your hotel now, and come and see us in Cardiff for a City Break. We cant wait to show you round.
Disclaimer
We are not affiliated with, or a partner of any of the locations, venues, attractions or establishments mentioned. Our suggestions should not be taken as a recommendations, they are merely suggestions, and you should carry out your own research before booking a hotel or visiting any locations, venues, attractions or establishments. Apart from our Cardiff City Tour. We definitely recommend that.