Cardiff

Cardiff is the capital city of Wales. It is home to the largest media centre outside of London with ITV, HTV, BBC Wales and S4C all having a base within the city and the popular TV dramas of Touchwood and Doctor Who being filmed largely in the city itself or the surrounding county.

Cardiff is a very flat city and this is one of the key factors in establishing it as a major coal port together with its very close proximity to the coal fields of South Wales.

As the capital city of Wales it is not surprising that it is the centre of the financial and business services organisations in the country. There are two major skyscrapers in the city, Brunel House and Capital Tower and they are home to such companies as legal and general, Zurich, ING Direct and British Gas. Employment in the city has risen hugely in recent times and retain can account for a large portion of this. Cardiff has recently won the title of one of the best places to shop in the UK.

If you are visiting the city there are plenty of attractions to visit. Cardiff Castle is a big tourist attraction and is conveniently located in the city centre close to the main shopping areas of St Mary's Street and Queen Street. There is also the National History Museum at St Fagan's is also close to the city centre and is a bit unusual from most museums in that it is an open air museum and houses various buildings from Wales though to be of national importance which have therefore been moved to the site.

Within the Cardiff bay area there is the Wales millennium centre, the national assembly for Wales and the coal exchange. Other popular sites in Cardiff are the millennium stadium and the Cardiff international arena, which houses many concerts and tours by some of the worlds most popular artists.

In the summer every year Cardiff is descended upon by over 200,000 visitors for the Big Weekend Festival. It is the UK largest free outdoor event of its type has includes children's entertainment. It is held in the grounds of Cardiff castle.

Looking to visit Cardiff for a short break then have a look at these sites for helpful information;

Hotels in Cardiff - Find out the locations of great priced hotels in Cardiff, and within walking distance to the cities centre.

Brit Info - Cardiff Taxis - Find the cheapest and most reliable service.

Cineworld - Shows all the latest movies. Comfy seating and lots of space if you're interested in relaxing and watching a film.