Cardiff, the capital of Wales, certainly has something to offer most people. Every visitor to the city should make a beeline for the gentrified Cardiff Bay, or Tiger Bay as it is still locally known. This part of the city has been developed into a commercial and entertainment centre: an area of modern buildings, fashionable and expensive housing, of trendy restaurants and watering holes all sensitively incorporated into the existing Victorian buildings.
The recently opened Wales Millennium Centre and the Welsh Government Assembly are two futuristic buildings not to be missed. Indeed the Millennium Centre is now home to the renowned Welsh National Opera.
Tiger Bay's Proud History
Cardiff Bay should be on the list of anyone visiting this city. Looking over the breeze rippled water with the restored remnants of railway headings emerging from the waters of the bay it is difficult to imagine that only 60 years ago Cardiff was the worlds’ greatest coal exporting seaport. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries tall ships were so tightly moored at the docksides it was possible for a stevedore to walk from one part of the dock to another, without stepping on dry land.
One Million Pounds
As a reminder of this period the restored Coal Exchange is worth visiting, from the turn of the 19th century and until the end of the Second World War the Exchange set the global price for coal. Indeed it was here at the start of World War One that the very first 1,000,000 pound deal was done.
Exciting Techniquest
Children and adults alike will enjoy a visit to ‘Techniquest’ a hands-on science discovery centre. All of its exhibits 160 interactive exhibits combine fun with learning. Visit the captivating white clapperboard Norwegian Church, now an arts centre. Founded in 1867 it was here that Roald Dahl was baptised. Dahl’s Norwegian businessmen father made his fortune in the thriving Docks.
Food and Drink
Cardiff Bay is home to an impressive range of restaurants that offer truly global cuisine. Experienced a little of the exotic east at one of the fine Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Thai and Turkish restaurants. Or perhaps try something a little less exotic at the Spanish, Mexican and ubiquitous Italian and French eateries. There is of course a grand fish and chip restaurant in the form of Harry Ramsden’s serving delicious North Sea cod, hake, scampi or skate all with mushy peas and thick cut crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside chips (or French fries).
Cardiff Bay is home to some great pubs too from restored and gentrified traditional stone built pubs of the Tiger Bay era to modern pubs but one thing can be guaranteed is that they all sell a good selection of the local brews by Brains Brewery.
Cardiff is a small city with a compact, easy to get around shopping centre an impressive range of restaurants, pubs and bars and is able to offer world class entertainment in world beating auditoria.
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