Cardiff Overview
Cardiff is a port city located on the south coast of Wales, with a revitalised bay which now includes the famous Millennium centre as well as a wide range of shops and restaurants. The Millennium Centre opened in 2004 and is a 2,497-seat auditorium which often shows the biggest names in the theatre industry such as; Wicked and Jersey Boys. You are able to get tickets to the biggest productions for as little as £20 which makes it a great place to visit on your own or with friends. Cardiff Castle is one of the countries most famous historic attractions with over 2000 years of history. The castle is located in the heart of the city surrounded by beautiful parklands, you are able to get a student discount when you book online to visit the castle and the ticket allows you to view the whole castle and learn about its rich history.
Things to do in Cardiff
Cardiff is one of the top ten shopping destinations in Britain, there are two main shopping centres; St David’s Centre and Capitol shopping centre boast a wide range of well-known retail stores. There is also Cardiff indoor market which has been operating since the 1700s and offers an array of independent stalls where you will find very unique gifts at great prices. There are six Victorian Arcades which offer lots of different boutique shops offering everything from vintage clothing to arts and crafts shops. To learn more about the city you will be living in you can take a river cruise, you will get on the boat at the Cardiff bay and travel down the River Taff taking in all the sights and learning about the unique buildings that make Cardiff the city it is. For those of you who enjoy seeing the city from above, take a trip to Motley Movies which is a rooftop cinema that boasts fantastic views of the city. It’s best to visit the cinema during the summer unless you want to visit in the winter but make sure you wrap up warm. There are over 5 different cinema’s to choose from in the city and all of them show the latest blockbusters and Hollywood Thrillers.
Sport in Cardiff
There are over 10 leisure centres with a wide range of facilities in each, with several swimming pools and sports halls you will be able to stay fit and healthy whilst you study at university. For spectator sports you have Cardiff City FC, they are a football team that are located next to the Capital Retail Park just outside of the city. Rugby is a well-known sport in Cardiff with several tournaments being held in the city over recent years including the Rugby World Cup 2015. There are several golf courses dotted around the city and the 2010 Ryder Cup was held at the Celtic Manor resort which still attracts golfers from all over the globe.
Escape Cardiff
Roughly 20 minutes north of Cardiff is Brecon Beacons National Park which has several walkways and cycle paths which is accompanied by some picturesque landscape which makes it a great place to spend the day. Just a short 35-minute drive east of the city is Bristol, to get to Bristol you have to cross the Prince of Wales bridge. To the south of the city is Barry which is a seaside town famous for am award winning British TV series Gavin and Stacey.
Transport in Cardiff
The M4 is located a short 10-minute drive north of the city, the M4 runs from Swansea to reading and connects the city to the national motorway network. You are able to get a direct train from Cardiff Central station to London in just over 2 hours. You can also get direct trains to the majority of major cities in the UK.
