Hidden gems in Cardiff
Skip the tourist circuit. These Cardiff spots are the ones locals actually send their out-of-town friends to.
Top spots in Cardiff
Cardiff Castle
CultureCity Centre
Roman fort, Norman keep and Victorian Gothic apartments inside one wall.
Principality Stadium
CultureWestgate Street
Retractable-roof rugby cathedral — match-day singing shakes the city.
St Fagans National Museum of History
CultureSt Fagans
Open-air museum of 50+ reconstructed Welsh historic buildings — free.
Cardiff Bay
OutdoorsCardiff Bay
Mermaid Quay, Doctor Who Experience site and Wales Millennium Centre.
Bute Park
OutdoorsCity Centre
130-acre castle parkland following the River Taff — pedalo and tree trail.
Where to eat
Heaneys
$$$Modern Welsh · Pontcanna
Tommy Heaney's neighbourhood tasting menu — Welsh produce in focus.
Asador 44
$$$Spanish · Quay Street
Basque-style asado, Galician beef and a serious sherry list.
Brother Thai
$Thai street food · Castle Arcade
Roti wraps and chicken satay in a Victorian arcade — easy lunch.
Fabulous Welshcakes
$Welsh Café · Mermaid Quay
Fresh-griddled Welsh cakes by the bay — chocolate or traditional.
Frequently asked
- Locals' under-the-radar picks include Cardiff Castle, Principality Stadium, St Fagans National Museum of History. These are the places that don't show up on the first page of mainstream travel guides.