Cardiff Castle and its clock tower in the city centre

Cardiff

The Welsh capital: a castle in the city centre, free national museums and a redeveloped bay

Cardiff (Caerdydd) is the capital and largest city of Wales, on the Bristol Channel at the mouth of the River Taff. Visit Cardiff describes it as compact, flat and largely pedestrianised, with many of the main sights no more than about a 15-minute walk apart: Cardiff Castle, the Principality Stadium, the Victorian arcades and Cardiff Market are all in the centre.

North of the castle, the Edwardian civic centre of Cathays Park holds City Hall and the National Museum; to the south, Cardiff Bay has the Senedd and the Wales Millennium Centre on a freshwater lake. West of the river are the restaurants of Pontcanna and the cathedral village of Llandaff, and on the edge of the city St Fagans National Museum of History and Castell Coch.

  • 从伦敦出发About 1 hr 45 minFastest train to Cardiff listed by National Rail; Visit Cardiff says services run every 30 minutes
  • 市内交通About 15 minutes' walkVisit Cardiff says many main sights in the compact, flat centre are within about a 15-minute walk of each other
  • 免费国家博物馆2National Museum Cardiff and St Fagans National Museum of History are free to enter (Amgueddfa Cymru)
  • 建议停留时间2至3天Add a day for St Fagans, Castell Coch or a day trip to Caerphilly or the Bannau Brycheiniog

景点

Highlights across Cardiff

A sight from each area. Every area guide lists the rest, with directions and official links.

With kids in Cardiff

Animal attractions, railways, science centres, beaches and caves from our Cardiff guide, grouped by type. We hold no age ratings or child prices: check each place’s own site for age limits, height rules and family tickets.

Science and discovery

Practical help: travelling with children and where to stay in Cardiff.

行程推荐

规划行程

用短途路线把各个区域串联起来。

The St Mary Street entrance of the Royal Arcade
1 天

Castle, arcades and the Bay

  • Cardiff Castle — the castle, then the arcades and Cardiff Market
  • National Museum — an hour or two in the free museum in Cathays Park
  • Cardiff Bay — the waterbus or train to the Bay for the Senedd and the waterfront
Castell Coch, Pontcanna, Canton and Llandaff
2 天

Add Llandaff and St Fagans

  • Llandaff — walk the Taff Trail through Pontcanna Fields to the cathedral and the Bishop's Palace
  • St Fagans — an afternoon at the open-air museum of Welsh life
  • Pontcanna — dinner on Pontcanna Street or King's Road
Cardiff Market (Marchnad Caerdydd), City centre and Cardiff Castle
半天

Parks and the civic centre

  • Bute Park — the park behind the castle walls
  • Cathays Park — City Hall, the war memorial and the Temple of Peace
  • Roath Park — the lake and the lighthouse, then coffee on Wellfield Road

前往方式

Arriving in Cardiff

Cardiff has its own airport, direct trains from London and the rest of Britain, coaches and the M4. Always check the operator for current times, fares and disruption.

乘火车

Visit Cardiff says Cardiff is less than two hours from London by train, with services every 30 minutes; National Rail lists a fastest time of 1 hr 45 min from London, 47 min from Bristol and 3 hr 12 min from Manchester. Great Western Railway runs from London, Bristol, Bath and the south coast, Transport for Wales runs within Wales and from Manchester, and CrossCountry runs hourly from Birmingham and Nottingham.

乘飞机

Visit Cardiff says Cardiff Airport is in the Vale of Glamorgan, 13 miles west of the city, with direct flights from cities including Edinburgh, Belfast, Dublin, Paris and Amsterdam, and public transport to the city.

乘长途汽车

Visit Cardiff lists National Express services from London, along the M4 corridor, from Birmingham and from Heathrow, Gatwick and Bristol airports, FlixBus services, and a daily TrawsCymru service from mid Wales.

自驾

The M4 runs along the north of the city; Visit Cardiff puts central London about a three-hour drive away, and lists car parks in the centre, Cardiff Bay and the neighbourhoods.

Times are the fastest listed by National Rail on 3 November 2026; some journeys take longer or need a change.

步行游览市中心

Visit Cardiff says the centre is compact, level and largely pedestrianised, and that Cardiff Bay is within walking distance.

Visit Cardiff:市内交通 →

Waterbus to the Bay

Boats run between a stop in Bute Park near the West Gate and the dock in front of Mermaid Quay and the Pierhead Building.

Cardiff Boat Tours →

火车与巴士

Transport for Wales trains link Cardiff Queen Street with Cardiff Bay; Cardiff Bus covers the city and takes app, contactless or exact-cash fares.

Traveline Cymru →

Bikes and the Taff Trail

Visit Cardiff recommends the traffic-free Taff Trail and lists Pedal Power bike hire in Pontcanna and Cardiff Bay.

Pedal Power →

Paying for local transport in Cardiff

Transport for Wales.Transport for Wales Rail lists Advance, season, single, return, flexible and off-peak tickets, sold online, in its app or at stations, with no booking fees. Its site also promoted a £1 bus fare for children and young people (as shown on 1 November 2026).TfW ticket types (opens in new tab)

最佳出行时间

Cardiff through the year

Cardiff works all year: the castle, museums, arcades and market suit wet days. Big rugby, football and concert days fill the centre, so check the stadium calendars before booking a room.

Spring3 月至 5 月

Parks such as Bute Park and Roath Park come into flower, and the Six Nations rugby can bring big match days to the city centre.

Summer6 月至 8 月

The best months for Cardiff Bay, the barrage and boat trips, and for the open-air St Fagans museum.

Autumn9 月至 11 月

Quieter streets outside match days, and autumn internationals at the Principality Stadium; museums and the arcades suit wet days.

冬季12 月至 2 月

Short days, but the castle, the free museums and the covered market and arcades keep a visit busy.

一日游

城市周边

Ideas for a day away from Cardiff. Check the operators for times and tickets.

Caerphilly Castle及其湖泊
Caerphilly

Caerphilly Castle

一座13世纪的城堡,由Gilbert de Clare建造,周围环绕着大型人工湖,位于Cardiff以北不远。

cadw.gov.wales →
Blaenavon的Big Pit矿井提升机
Blaenavon

Big Pit National Coal Museum

一座真正的煤矿,设有地下参观,由Amgueddfa Cymru运营,对方表示免费入场。

museum.wales →
River Wye畔的Tintern Abbey遗址
Monmouthshire

Tintern Abbey

位于 River Wye 威尔士一侧的熙笃会修道院遗址,建于 1131 年,是威尔士第一座熙笃会修道院。

cadw.gov.wales →
Hills of the Bannau Brycheiniog
威尔士指南

The rest of Wales

The Britlens Wales guide covers the Bannau Brycheiniog, Gower and Swansea, Pembrokeshire, Eryri and the north coast.

Wales guide →

常见问题

出行前须知

How many days do I need in Cardiff?

Two to three days covers the castle and city centre, Cardiff Bay, the National Museum and either St Fagans or Llandaff. One day is enough for the centre and the Bay.

从伦敦到Cardiff的火车要多久?

National Rail lists a fastest time of 1 hr 45 min, and Visit Cardiff says trains run every 30 minutes. Check Great Western Railway or National Rail for current times.

How do I get from the city centre to Cardiff Bay?

Walk, take a Transport for Wales train from Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Bay, take a Cardiff Bus, or ride the waterbus from Bute Park to Mermaid Quay.

Are Cardiff's museums free?

National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans National Museum of History and the Museum of Cardiff are free to enter; special exhibitions may be charged. Cardiff Castle charges for entry.

Is this the same as the Cardiff area in the Wales guide?

The Wales guide has a short Cardiff overview for touring Wales. This city guide covers Cardiff in more depth, with four areas and more places to eat and stay.

Nearby places

Guides near Cardiff

Our closest other guides, by straight-line distance between centres. Road and rail distances are longer: check a journey planner.

More in Wales · Places A to Z · Getting between regions

图片来源

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits