– about the city

Think of Wales, and green countryside, campfires and life in the slow lane immediately spring to mind; an idyllic, Rosamund Pilcher-type scene, a destination for the older generation. A visit to the capital of Wales, Cardiff, soon reveals what a huge mistake this is.

Staying in typical bed-and-breakfast accommodation doesn’t provide the slightest indication of what awaits in the city. As Cardiff, a city of 330,000 inhabitants, is fairly compact, most distances can be covered easily on foot, wandering along, admiring the attractive Victorian architecture. It’s quickly obvious that Cardiff is a pulsating, youthful city. The parks, streets and shopping arcades are full of young people. It’s soon clear why Cardiff advertises itself as the “Youngest Capital of Europe”.

With its countless shops and shopping arcades, Queen Street is a real treasure trove. Set aside a good few hours to stroll along this mile-long stretch of shops, because it has simply everything – shoes, clothes, books, cosmetics and souvenirs – a shopaholic’s paradise. Cardiff Market, in St Mary Street is also well worth a visit. Puppies and kittens, shark steaks, old LPs… if you can’t find it in the many shops on Queen Street you’re sure to find it here.

Shopped ‘til you’ve dropped? Then it’s just a few metres to Cardiff Castle or the Museum of Cardiff, which is really interesting, and entry’s free too. It’s right next to Cathay’s Park, a student rendezvous, with works by Van Gogh, Cezanne and Monet on display. Rest for a while in Cathay’s Park, then visit the “Museum of Welsh Life”. There’s no better place to pick up anecdotes from the history of Wales, and an answer to the question why all signs are written in English and Welsh. While away a few pleasant hours in one of Europe’s biggest open-air museums, a far cry from the dusty atmosphere commonly associated with museums. Still not had enough of tourist attractions? Then book a sightseeing tour on an open-top double-decker bus, but make sure that the weather is on your side, because it never does any harm to pack an umbrella when visiting the Welsh capital. Especially after the bus tour, it’s difficult to understand why Liverpool has been named European City of Culture for 2008, and not Cardiff, which was the favourite in this title race until the last minute.

Meet for a nice dinner before Cardiff’s pulsating nightlife is in full swing. Piero’s (185 Cowbridge Road) has a wonderful menu, and the DJs that spin discs on Friday and Saturday evenings get you in the mood for a great night out.

Purse rather on the light side after a shopping spree? Then eat cheaply and well in one of the countless fast-food outlets.

After a substantial meal it’s obligatory to go into one of the numerous pubs. Just order a beer and soak up the atmosphere. Rugby strip on the walls, the Welsh flag above the bar – in their pubs the Welsh show how proud of their homeland they are. A sure-fire way to put your foot in it is to refer to something Welsh as “English”, whereas you’re sure of a friendly glance or two if you learn a few Welsh phrases.

A pub that is definitely worth a visit is the Old Arcade (Trinity Street). Cardiff’s oldest pub may not be the “in” place for young people, but lovingly furnished and with countless rugby shirts on the walls, it’s the perfect place to get to know people better and chat to “real” Welsh people.

If you’re not worn out with shopping and sightseeing, discover Cardiff’s brilliant club scene. There are clubs to suit every musical taste: be it house, pop or alternative, Cardiff has a lively nightlife. A successful night out is not complete without a trip to one of Cardiff’s many gay bars. The Edge (Charles Street) and the Golden Cross (283 Hayes Bridge Road) come recommended for a way-out end to the evening with cool music and moderately priced drinks.

After dancing the night away you’ll be grateful that everything can be reached quickly on foot. Exhausted night owls chill out in one of the parks or meet up for a coffee. There are countless types of coffee available at Coffee Republic (St John Street) or in Bar Europe (25 Castle Street).

After your caffeine fix, a trip to the Millennium Stadium (Westgate Street) is just the ticket. During the guided tour (student discounts!) the guide will proudly explain what was obvious during the previous evening in the pubs anyway – rugby is an important part of the Welsh identity and, if the guide is to be believed, every Welshman has at least one set of rugby kit at home.

If you don’t spend every last penny in the rugby souvenir shop, shopaholics will be spoilt for choice with two more shopping streets.

The High Street and Duke Street pass the shopping test with flying colours. The countless shops offer everything one could want and once again, it’s a good idea to allow several hours here for relaxed exploration of the various stores.

An absolute must during any visit to Cardiff is a trip to Cardiff Bay. The Rosamund Pilcher romanticism may surface briefly again in one of the bars with a view of the sea, but is quickly dispelled with thoughts of Cardiff’s nightlife.

By Barbara Kranz, EURplace26 Participant

- about the city

Cardiff, the capital of Wales is a vibrant coastal city built with the wealth created by its past coal empire. Today, home to a diverse population of over 300,000 people, it is more popular than ever with young people, and it’s not hard to see why. The quality of life in Cardiff is exceptional, with people flocking from all over the world to its modern suburbs and rural areas to live, work, study and visit. With a nomination for European Capital of Culture 2008 under its belt and a reputation as one of the finest maritime cities in Europe, there is no denying that Cardiff possesses that certain charm which people worldwide look for and other cities seek to have. For young people with a taste for adventure, fun and culture, there has never been a better place to visit and now, with its extensive public transport and accommodation options, there has never been a better time.

- useful information

Cardiff Bay (once ‘Tiger Bay’) has in recent years been substantially redeveloped. Gone are the ‘smokestack’ industries of yesteryear, to be replaced by government buildings, an entertainment complex and many places to eat, drink and enjoy. At the UCI cinema complex, you can choose from a variety of films, compete against your friends in bowling, play on the arcade games, and have a meal and a drink or two. You can use your Euro<26 card at Hollywood Bowl, in the complex to get 20% off bowling on weekdays. Click on http://www.uci.co.uk for more. Mermaid Quay at Cardiff Bay offers stunning views out across the water, along with trendy bars, boutiques, eateries and plenty to do.  You could take a boat trip across the bay and take in some of the stunning waterfront views; there are also events all year round that are definitely worth experiencing. For more information, www.mermaidquay.co.uk is regularly updated with everything taking place in Mermaid Quay, which is a good starting point for anyone considering visiting. Not only is Cardiff Bay a great place to visit but it’s also widely accessible: a ‘Bay Xpress’ bus runs every ten minutes from Cardiff City Centre to Cardiff Bay.

- sights

The world renowned Civic Centre in Cardiff is one of the city’s premier tourist attractions. It houses the architecturally magnificent government offices, law courts, a university campus and city hall. Here, if you want a cultural experience, you can find the National Museum with its historical exhibits and art gallery. This is always a good place to spend a quiet hour or two in between more energetic activities!

Cardiff’s city centre is where you’ll find the hub of the hustle and bustle in Cardiff. Built around the Roman fort at Cardiff castle, not only is Cardiff one of the most historically interesting cities, but also aesthetically pleasing. An award winning team cultivates the grounds around the castle, and the park in summer is one of those rare sites of natural beauty where the city’s youth congregate to relax, socialise and enjoy the settings. Coming in to Bute Park from the busy streets of Cardiff, the first thing you’ll notice is how quiet and serene the park is. This is what attracts so many people to it week after week and it is well worth visiting if you go to Cardiff. For more information on the park, visit  www.cardiff.gov.uk, which is the website of Cardiff county council, which contains all the information you’ll need on areas in Cardiff and things to do.

Also in the city centre you’ll find the Wales National Ice Rink. It’s open to the public at certain times of the day, and everyone’s welcome. There’s skate hire and, on some days, a disco, which promises an amusing experience, trying to stay balanced with flashing lights and loud music! In addition to skating, the rink hosts Cardiff’s very own ice hockey team, the Cardiff Devils. There is nothing more exciting that watching an energetic ice hockey match, with the great atmosphere and all the action on the rink. You can find full information on public skating, as well as the Cardiff Devils, on the official website for the rink, http://www.thecardiffdevils.co.uk.

The shopping in Cardiff, as you would expect from a city with its reputation, is second to none. On Cardiff’s high streets in the city centre, you’ll find shops from boutiques to large high street chains. There are a number of arcades, housing everything you could possibly need for a fab shopping trip. Whether it’s bohemian chic or trendy catwalk you’re after, you’ll find it here in Cardiff. And there are plenty of individual coffee houses, homely sandwich shops and fast food chains to keep your energy levels up during a long trawl around town.

Cardiff is home to the magnificent Millennium Stadium. It is one of the largest stadiums in the UK and has hosted many high profile events, such as rugby and football finals, a speedway grand prix and gigs by artists such as Robbie Williams. There is always something to see here, and it is definitely one place you should add to your itinerary on a trip to Cardiff. One thing that many visitors find surprising is how cosy the stadium feels, considering its huge capacity and size, but the architecture and acoustics are world standard, and it gives the stadium a great atmosphere. If you’re lucky enough to watch a game here, it’s an experience you’ll never forget. The Millennium Stadium’s website has live information on events; click http://www.millenniumstadium.co.uk.

If anything from clubs, bars, live music venues or pubs takes your fancy, then Cardiff’s nightlife is for you. The city comes alive at nighttime with people from all walks of life coming out to play and revel in the city’s unique nightlife. A good place to start is one of Cardiff’s large comfy bars, like Gatekeeper, Old Monk or The Square, with their drinks offers and warm and relaxed atmospheres. Later on, move on to one of Cardiff’s many clubs, each with their own individual ambience. If indie and rock is your thing, then Cardiff’s most popular alternative music club, Club Metropolitan (known as Metro’s to the locals), will have you rocking: the music is loud, the drinks are cheap and the staff are all young and pleasant. It has a great feel to it, and it comes highly recommended! For the 70s and 80s groovers amongst us, Cardiff’s nostalgic Flares club is a good bet; playing the best of the 70s and 80s for those in the mood to reminisce, it makes for a good night out. Don’t be put off by the sometimes older clientele! It’s well worth a visit. Liquid is a very popular club amongst young people, despite being on the expensive side (but fear not- on weekends you get vouchers for 3 free drinks with the £5 admission charge!) It has a minimalist décor and a great mix of music, from urban, dance, cheesy and trance and you’ll always find the best DJs playing here. Cardiff also has a very vibrant gay scene, with a number of clubs, such as Club X, extending a warm welcome to all. Club X has a fun and funky feel to it, and is a great place to meet with friends and enjoy a drink or two.

- events

One thing you’ll notice as a visitor to Cardiff is that there’s always something to do or something going on in the city. Cardiff County Council organises and promotes hundreds of events throughout the year for the enjoyment of all. The biggest event of them all is the annual Cardiff Festival that runs from July 3rd to August 3rd this year. It is one of the UK’s largest open-air festivals with 20 events over 40 days featuring ‘the very best in street theatre, live music, youth and children’s entertainment, funfairs and drama.’ Cardiff really lives up to its name as Europe’s Youngest Capital City with this huge summer-time celebration.  The highlights are the Big Weekend, with Wales’s largest travelling fairground and Compass Point, Wales’s first international festival of urban music, which is free of charge. For all the latest information on this year’s Cardiff Festival, along with a full list of all the events, go to http://www.cardiff-festival.com.  Another of Cardiff’s main annual events is Red Dragon FM’s Party in the Park. With an impressive list of artists to its name, there is no doubting that Party in the Park is one amazing event. Past performers have included Sugababes, Blue and Liberty X along with many others. Tickets are only available through certain Red Dragon FM events and competitions, but many are given away during the summer months in the lead up to the event. Find out more at http://www.reddragonfm.co.uk.

If you’re visiting Cardiff in the winter, although the chances of seeing some snow are small, you could be fortunate enough to experience Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland, with its outdoor skating rink, attractions and Christmassy atmosphere. Information on this is always available in the local press or from Cardiff County Council (http://www.cardiff.gov.uk). Wintertime Cardiff is as stunning as it is cold, but retains its beauty and wonder even through the colder months, just remember to wrap up warm!

- how to get there

In keeping with its reputation as a great place to visit, Cardiff is well served by public transport links. Both BMI Baby and Ryanair have budget flights to Cardiff, with Ryanair flying from Dublin, and BMI Baby from a variety of airports across Europe.  Return flights can be as cheap as £30, depending on the day and time you travel. Usually flights are cheaper mid week, when the demand is lower. The websites for these airlines are easy to use and you can check flight availability, price and also book online. For BMI Baby, go to http://www.bmibaby.com, and for Ryanair, http://www.ryanair.com. If either does not cover your airport, Easyjet (http://www.easyjet.com) have flights from a number of destinations around Europe that land at Bristol, which is a 40-minute train journey from Cardiff.

The public transport within Cardiff is just as accessible and traveller-friendly. Regular buses run throughout the city centre and all over the network, which covers Cardiff and the nearby Vale. Cardiff Bus (http://www.cardiffbus.com) has a number of great offers on for bus travel around South Wales. A City Rider pass, for only £3.20, allows you to travel as much as you like on all services in Cardiff and Penarth for a whole day, giving you the freedom to see as much of Cardiff and Penarth as you’d like, without worrying about the cost. For an extra £1.30, you can extend this to most of the bus services in South Wales, giving you an even larger area to explore. Cardiff County Council has recently introduced a new travel card, the Capital Card. It’s available for the period that you choose and means you can travel as much as you like on buses and trains around Cardiff and the Vale. You can find out more about this, and other offers on rail and bus travel at the central train and bus stations in Cardiff, or by getting in touch with either Cardiff Bus or Valley Lines beforehand (http://www.cardiffbus.com, http://www.valleylines.co.uk).

- hospitality point

A great place to stay in Cardiff is the youth hostel in the city. Owned and run by the Youth Hostel Association (YHA), it’s ideal for young people visiting the city. Only 2 miles from the city centre and well served by public transport, it provides a warm welcome and you can meet people here from all over the world. As with all YHA hostels, there are certain standards it has to meet, meaning that you can be assured of a comfortable, safe and pleasant stay. The hostel is open all year round and a night costs £10.50 if you’re under 18 and £14.50 if you’re over 18. Another plus point is that you can check availability and book online so you can travel with peace of mind. Visit the YHA’s website for more details about the Cardiff hostel and to book: http://www.yha.org.uk. To contact the Cardiff hostel directly, you can email them on Cardiff@yha.org.uk or phone 0870 770 5750 from within the UK or (+44) 29 2046 2303 outside the UK. You’ll need to be a member, and joining is easy, whether you do it online or at any YHA hostel in Britain. It costs from £6.75/£13.50 per annum and lets you stay at any YHA hostel as well as a wide range of discounts in your area. The city centre is also home to the Cardiff Backpacker Hostel. A stone’s throw from the capital, it is close to all the daytime and nighttime activity. The hostel offers single and mixed sex dormitories as well as private rooms and the nightly rate is £14.00, but you can get discounts on longer stays; a week’s stay costs £75.00, which works out at £10.70 a night. Previous guests have had a lot of praise for Cardiff’s Backpacker Hostel; it’s one of the cleanest hostels you’ll find and it’s well run. Being a popular hostel, it’s advisable to book early; you can find more details at http://www.backpackers.co.uk/cardiff/

As a Euro<26 card holder, there are loads of great discounts you can get in Cardiff. Many shops and outlets in the city centre, such as Pravins Jewellers, Kelly’s Records and D2 Jeans offer discounts for anyone with an Euro<26 card. At Riley’s Snooker and American Club, you can get membership for £2.50, instead of the usual £15, also 25% off table rates at all time. If you choose to rent a car to get around and see Wales, Blackweir Car & Van Hire in Maindy, you can get an Euro<26 card holder discount of 10% off vehicle hire, so remember to pack your card with you when you visit Cardiff.  For full information on all these discounts, visit Canllaw Online, http://www.canllaw-online, the organisation that provides the Euro<26 card in Wales. There are hundreds more discounts on offer all through Wales, and all you have to do is show your card and the discount is yours.

As well as Canllaw Online, there are a number of youth information sites for Welsh youth and those interested in Welsh youth culture. Check out http://www.itchycardiff.co.uk, which is an insider’s guide on Cardiff and things to do around Cardiff, including the hottest gigs and festivals of the moment. Cardiff’s live music venues are among the best in country and the variety of music you can find here is amazing, from salsa to soul, rock to rap and classical to country; there truly is something for everyone, and Itchy Cardiff is always a great place to check out what’s on at the moment. The The Project Voluntary Youth Group Cardiff are a new organisation to realise young people’s musical dreams and aspirations and promotes street music and break dancing in the community. The Grassroots Youth Community Project, on 58 Charles Street, Cardiff, has a recording studio and cyber café and is a place where young people get advice and spend some leisure time. For more information on the work of the Project, call 029 231 700.

- useful information

So, why not visit Cardiff this year? This city of youth guarantees great times, beautiful sites and the best memories and is an amazing city to live in, study at and visit. With more discounts than ever for young people and budget travel and accommodation, it couldn’t be cheaper. The only problem you could find with Cardiff is that there isn’t enough time to see it all! So, Hwyl am nawr from Cardiff (that’s ‘bye for now’ in Welsh!) and we look forward to welcoming you sometime in the future! If you do visit, make the most of your time here and see as much of Cardiff and Wales as you can, it’s definitely worth it. And don’t forget your toothbrush!

Ceri Hebert, EURplace26 Participant