Best Areas to Stay in Cardiff, Wales

Cardiff City Centre, as expected is Cardiff’s main administrative, business and shopping district.

This bustling area located on the east bank of the River Taff is home to the city’s main shopping thoroughfares, namely Queen Street, St. Mary’s Street and the Hayes, as well as large shopping centres and arcades.

Not unlike Cardiff Bay, the city centre has undergone a series of redevelopment projects in the last few decades to become one of the most important retail and entertainment districts in the United Kingdom.

Cardiff City Centre is home to the Castle Quarter, a pedestrian-friendly area that includes some of the city’s Victorian and Edwardian arcades.

Cardiff Castle, originally built in the late 11th century on the ruins of a 3rd-century Roman fort was heavily refurbished in a Victorian Gothic revival style in the early 20th century. Today, the castle houses the “Firing Line” regimental museum and interpretation centre and serves as a venue for events, musical performances and festivals.

The majority of Cardiff bus services run to or through the city centre, making this district the best-connected area in Cardiff. Additionally, the centre is home to two major railway stations: Cardiff Central and Queen Street, making travelling to other suburbs, towns and cities very convenient.

As Cardiff’s premier business and transport hub, the City Centre is also where most of the accommodation options in the Welsh capital are located. Here, you can find everything from the most luxurious business-oriented hotels to the most budget-friendly, family-owned accommodations, as well as a lovely selection of tourist apartments.

Cardiff Bay, located about 2 kilometres south of the city centre, is one of the most vibrant districts in the UK.

This area, which has gone a major transformation in the past few decades is home to some of Cardiff’s most exciting developments, attractions and hotels.

Regarded as “one of the most successful regeneration projects in the United Kingdom,” The bay itself is an artificial freshwater lake supplied by the Taff and Ely rivers around the city’s former dockland area.

Cardiff Bay is home to the Senedd building, which houses the debating chamber and three committee rooms of the Welsh Parliament. Other avant-garde landmarks in the area include the Wales Millennium Centre; a cultural landmark offering frequent theatre, ballet, opera and music shows, and Techniquest, a science museum with interactive exhibitions.

One of the few historic structures in this redeveloped area is The Pierhead Building, formerly the headquarters of the Bute Dock Company.

Mermaid Quay, located on the bayfront includes a mix of restaurants, bars, cafés and shops. Nearby, The Red Dragon Centre is a massive shopping, leisure and entertainment centre with restaurants, a cinema, bowling alley, casino and health club.

Other sights in Cardiff Bay include the Norwegian Church Arts Centre and the St. David’s Hotel.

Cardiff Bay station provides frequent connections to the city centre. Additionally, many bus lines connect this area to Cardiff’s central districts and beyond.

Riverside and Pontcanna are inner-city areas located east of the River Taff.

Riverside is a mainly residential area with terraced houses and is known for being a multicultural neighbourhood.

Directly north lies Pontcanna, an affluent area home to wide tree-lined streets and large houses. Pontcanna houses numerous cafes and independent retailers, mainly situated on Pontcanna Street and Cathedral Road.

Thanks to their close proximity to the Principality Stadium and the city centre, these areas have become some of Cardiff’s favourite areas for tourists.

Riverside is home to a number of budget accommodations, while many of the larger villas in Potcanna, particularly on Cathedral Road, have been converted into boutique hotels and guest houses.

There are no train stations in the area. That said, it is easy to get around by bus or on foot.

Centred around Cathays Park, Cathays is Cardiff’s civic centre.

This vibrant area, located directly north of the central business district, is home to the city’s main government buildings, including Cardiff City Hall and the administrative headquarters of the Welsh Government.

This lovely area is known for its Edwardian architecture and being home to the National Museum Cardiff, which exhibits a collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures, silver and ceramics from Wales and across the world.

The National Museum Cardiff also hosts one of the best collections of Impressionist art in Europe.

The expansive Bute Park dominates the northwest of the area, running behind Cardiff Castle along the River Taff southward to Westgate Street and northward to Gabalfa.

Cathays concentrates a wide offer of tourist apartments and a few hotels. The best thing about staying in this area is how central it is. You can easily walk to the city centre or take a train from Cathays railway station to Cardiff Central.

Llandaff is a quiet district located in the north of Cardiff, on both banks of the River Taff.

This mainly residential area is known for its quiet, leafy streets with terraced homes and its many parks and green areas.

The main tourist attraction in the area is Llandaff Cathedral, a 12th-century church featuring a 10th-century Celtic cross and a triptych painted by D.G. Rossetti.

Llandaff is served by railway stations at Danescourt, Fairwater, and Waun-Gron Park; each is about a mile from the cathedral. There is a half-hourly service to and from Cardiff on the Cardiff City Line. Llandaf railway station is located in Llandaff North.