I have to admit something about this post:
I did not expect it to turn out to be a guide. My goal was to show you a little
bit of my life, but in looking through my pictures, I realized I did so much!
Instead of just telling you what I did, but I hope this will help everyone else
who wants to visit Cardiff and really explore everything it has to offer. This
is definitely a longer post, but I have loads of pictures for you.
Cardiff is the most amazing city. It was so
fun to live there as a student. It is vibrant and there always seems to be
something going on. There is a market on weekends and a castle smack-dab in the
middle of the city centre. What else could you ask for?
The
Parks
Cardiff has so many beautiful parks to
explore. There is so much green space to walk around and enjoy.
Bute Park is outside the castle. It is an
expansive space that belongs to the citizens of Cardiff. When I went in May,
the cherry blossoms that are oh-so-popular with Instagram influencers were all
over the place, so it was a wonderful walk. From there, you can also take a
short boat tour directly to the bay.
I lived near
Roath park, and I’m sad to say I didn’t make use of it. There is a man-made
lake in the middle, a rose garden, a small botanical garden, and a giant playground
for kids. When the weather is nice, you can rent canoes and paddle boats (so
fun) on the lake.
To
Go
Obviously, there is so much more to do than
this. The castle
should be on the list, but I’m dedicated a whole post to that later on.
My sister and I went on the Hop-On-Hop-Off
bus tour. I always think these bus tours are a great way to see a city and
pinpoint what you actually want to see. It’s not as extensive as London or
Paris, but it got us around to all the best parts quickly!
Cardiff Bay is a must-see. There are so
many beautiful buildings and so much to eat and see and do. The Norwegian
Church where Roald Dahl was baptised is also on the bay.
One of the highlights of my year was the
Christmas Market. Unfortunately, I cannot find any pictures from it. There were
so many unique vendors (I bought SO much cheese) tailored to everything you
could possibly want. I also picked up a lot of little Christmas gifts.
To
Eat/Drink
I would like to preface this by saying these
places are the ones I had the best experiences at. I also have a peanut and nut
allergy, so these are safe places for people like me!
Along one of the side streets in City
Centre is a little café called Servini’s. My friend Ellie and I went here a few
times after little shopping excursions. They also have the most divine
milkshakes.
My friends know the owners of a bar called
Penny Royal. This place is great for chilled out drinks with friends. Their
drinks are all specialty. They’re certainly on the pricey side, but they’re
stronger than what you would expect from a typical bar. We also got friendly
with the bartenders who had so much passion and knowledge for what they do. It
was unlike any other place I have ever been to. If the drinks weren’t yummy
enough, this is worth it just for the atmosphere.
If you’re lucky enough to be in Cardiff on
a hot day, then the Bay is where you need to go for drinks. Matt and a friend
of ours came to see me, and we decided to take the walk to the bay and sit out
on a patio and have some beers. I think one of the best parts of the UK is how
the sun really draws people outside to enjoy the Vitamin D.
Entertainment
If you love the theatre, then definitely
check out New Theatre. I went to see The Sound of Music this year, and it was
fabulous. It’s also conveniently located in the city centre as well.
For a cheaper option, there are so many movie theaters where you pay practically nothing to see a film. At the beginning of
the year, my house went to see about five movies when we didn’t have Internet. I
would cringe if I did that at home, but it’s so cheap in Cardiff that it doesn’t
matter!
Bingo Lingo is a
fan favourite. Every Friday night, a warehouse is filled with massive picnic tables,
and the place is suited up for a wild night of bingo. There are ridiculous
prizes ranging from a cardboard cutout of Megan and Harry to a canoe to cash. People
are standing on tables and singing the best songs, and it is a night to
remember. It’s all ages as well, so it’s fun for absolutely everyone.
So there it is! That
is Cardiff as I know it. Like I said, it’s a vibrant and charming place to
live. I am so lucky to have lived there this past year. I cannot wait to go
back!
-Daniella
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