Cardiff City Centre essentials

Facilities & Services: hospital, police & schools

Nearest Hospital

Heath Hospital

Location: Heath Park , Cardiff , CF14 4XW
University Hospital of Wales - 10 minutes by car A470 northbound

Local Police Station

Cardiff Central Police Station

Location: King Edward VII Ave , Cathay’s Park , Cardiff , CF10 3NN
Open 8am till midnight, 7 days a week

Schools

The Bishop of Llandaff High School

Location: The Bishop of Llandaff , Church-in-Wales School , Rookwood Close , Cardiff , CF5 2NR
City Centre to the school Bus time: 20 minutes Drive Time: 10 minutes

Cardiff High School

Location: Llandennis Road , Cyncoed , Cardiff , CF23 6WG
City Centre to the school Bus Time: 30 minutes Drive Time: 8 minutes

Fitzalan High School

Location: Lawrenny Avenue , (Canton & Leckwith) , Cardiff , CF11 8XB
City centre to the school Bus Time: 15 minutes Drive Time: 6 minutes

Ninian Park Primary School

Location: Virgil Street , (Leckwith/Canton area) , Cardiff , CF118TF
Drive time: 5 minutes

Moorland Primary School

Location: Singleton Road , Splott , Cardiff , CF24 2LJ
Drive Time: 7 minutes

Little Angels Nursery School

Location: Brunel House , 2 Fitzalan Road , Cardiff , CF24 0EB
Drive Time: 5 minutes Walk: 12 minutes

Getting around Cardiff City Centre

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Bus

Cardiff Central Bus Station is located right next to the train station. Currently undergoing major redevelopment, the station provides link to the whole city. There are also links to all major UK destinations and Cardiff Airport (with bus T9) from here.

Rail - Central Station

The whole of Cardiff is serviced well, with over 20 localised stations in total. Cardiff Central is the largest station and trains can transport you direct to London Paddington within 2 hours, perfect for business (or shopping!) trips.

Rail - Queen Street

Being so close to many of the large corporate offices and with regular links to Cardiff Bay, Queen Street Station is a handy second addition to the Central Station. Walking from Central Station to Queen Street = approx 14 minutes

Major Road Links

M4 - Cardiff is linked by the M4 making it an easily accessible city to the rest of the UK. Northbound the cities main road is A470. Westbound and Cardiff Airport (South) is the A4232. To the east Newport Road (A4161) goes from the heart of the city centre onto the M4 within minutes.

What's on in Cardiff City Centre

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Bute Park

Location: Bute Park , Cardiff
Fancy some green, green grass of Wales? Yes please! The stunning park grounds at the heart of the city is the perfect picnic spot. Set within the grounds of the iconic Cardiff Castle, it's a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Our top tip - grab lunch from one of the numerous shops around the Castle, and sit in the park watching the boats go by on the river. Who said a working lunch had to be boring?!

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Principality Stadium

Location: Westgate Street , Cardiff , CF10 1NS
Built in 2000, the stadium has hosted some of the world’s biggest events including the Olympics football in 2012. You haven't tasted the true Cardiff experience until you've stood alongside 80,000 fans singing Land of My Fathers at the top of their voices during a Six Nations Rugby International. The Millennium Stadium is truly Cardiff’s Calon Lan!

Cardiff Castle

Following the death of the 4th Marquess of Bute, the family decided to give the Castle and much of its parkland to the city of Cardiff. For 25 years, the Castle was home to the National College of Music and Drama and since 1974 has become one of Wales’ most popular visitor attractions. If you live or work in Cardiff, you can get a castle key for reduced priced entry.

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National Museum Cardiff

Location: National Museum Cardiff , Cathays Park , Cardiff , CF10 3NP
This is on the City Centre side of the Cathays Park area. The National Museum is a truly stunning building, offering a unique historical experience. It takes you from times of dinosaurs (you know, when our parents roamed the lands), right through to Iron Age Wales and finally modern times. It has a quaint café with a quirky, touristy feel to it. For the really impressed there's also a chance to spend some pennies at the very chic museum souvenir shop. The museum is popular with tourists and locals alike. A great day out - and its free entry for everyone - hurrah!

St David's Shopping Centre

Location: St David's Shopping Centre , Cardiff , CF10 2EN
Located in the heart of the Welsh capital, St David’s Cardiff is one of Wales’ largest shopping centres. With over 180 shops, cafes and restaurants to explore, St David’s is the ideal destination for a rainy day out. Annual Student Night is a one-night event with exclusive offers for students in Cardiff.

Cardiff Arcades

Shoppers flock to Cardiff for our seven Victorian and Edwardian arcades. You can explore over 100 independent shops, cafes, bars and restaurants here in the heart of the city.

Cardiff Boat Tours

Location: Bute Park near Pettigrew Tea rooms
Take a relaxing short trip on the heated Princess Katharine waterbus, offering live commentary on Cardiff's history and sights. This comfortable 90-seater travels between Cardiff Bay and Bute Park (city centre) year-round (weather permitting). For a unique experience, upgrade to a scenic hour-long cruise or try a vintage open boat trip on the Singfly.

Roxy Lanes

Location: Queenswest, Queen St, Cardiff CF10 2AQ
Strike up some fun at Roxy Lanes Cardiff! Perfect for a staff do, birthday party or a stag/hen, this electrifying venue combines classic bowling with karaoke, shuffleboard and a killer food and drink selection.

Treetop Golf

Location: Level P3 St David’s Dewi Sant, Cardiff CF10 2EL
Putt your way through a lost jungle at Treetop Adventure Golf Cardiff! Explore two 18-hole indoor courses filled with rainforest sights, sounds and even some talking holes.

Clwb Ifor Bach

Location: Womanby Street , Cardiff , CF10 1BR
...or 'The Welsh Club' if the proper pronunciation is proving difficult! If you're a fan of live, alternative music and a festival-like atmosphere, this is the place to be.

Gôl

Location: Lawrenny avenue , Cardiff , CF11 8BR
Gôl is Cardiff's number one five-a-side football centre. The fantastic facility boasts the only 7 a-side pitch in the city and has a fully licensed bar for a true athlete's warm down.

Escape Rooms Cardiff

Location: 119 St Mary St, Cardiff CF10 1DY
With a variety of themed rooms to choose from, you and your team can put your problem-solving skills to the test in a race against the clock. Will you be able to crack the codes and escape before time runs out?

Eat in Cardiff City Centre

Pasture

Location: 8-10 High St, Cardiff CF10 1BB
Chic, upscale spot offering charcoal-grilled steaks & a bar with craft beers & cocktails. This special restaurant gets extremely busy so make a booking in advance!

The Potted Pig

Location: 27 High St, Cardiff CF10 1PU
The Potted Pig offers modern British cuisine with seasonal Welsh produce in a unique, historic setting (a former bank vault beneath the city!).

Casanova

Location: 13 Quay St, Cardiff, CF10 1EA
Modern techniques applied to regional Italian cooking in a discreet 2-floor restaurant.

Bacareto

Location: 13 Church St, Cardiff CF10 1BG
Bacareto is a relaxed café and bar serving Venetian style "cicheti", pizzas, cakes, and coffee during the day, transitioning to a lively bar in the evening.

Cafe Citta [Italian Restaurant]

Location: 4 Church St, Cardiff CF10 1BG
A small, intimate space, Cafe Citta is one of the most popular Italian restaurants at the heart of Cardiff city centre. The food is bursting with authentic Italian taste that will never disappoint!

Bar 44 [Spanish Restaurant]

Location: 15-23 Westgate St, Cardiff CF10 1DD
For a taste of Spanish sunshine, head to this favourite with locals and visitors alike. Bar 44 offers an astonishing range of tapas dishes and a full complement of Spanish wines.

Ty Madeira

Location: 32 St Mary Street , Cardiff , CF10 1AB
Voted the best Portuguese restaurant in Cardiff Ty Madeira is a family run restaurant serving traditional Portuguese dishes with locally sourced ingredients.

Curado

Location: 2 Guildhall Pl, Cardiff CF10 1EB
Snacks, bar fare & Spanish tapas as offered in intimate environs with wines & a gin & tonic list.

Chance & Counters

Location: First floor, 23 High St, Cardiff CF10 1PT
Hundreds of board games, alongside craft beer and cider, speciality coffee, and fresh, simple food.

La Pantera

Location: 5 Quay St., Cardiff, CF10 1DZ
La Pantera, Cardiff's self-proclaimed home of the "unauthentic" taco, serves up innovative tacos, mezcal and cocktails in a casual, friendly setting.

Lab 22

Location: 22 Caroline St, Cardiff CF10 1FG
This cool, eclectically-styled cocktail bar & speakeasy also has a molecular food and drink menu.

Dead Canary

Location: Barrack Ln, St Davids Centre, Cardiff CF10 2FR
Cardiff's 'worst kept secret' - a 1920s speakeasy style cocktail bar with no storefront and disguised by a seemingly abandoned building. Be sure to book beforehand and step inside for Gatsby-esque glamour and meticulously crafted, extravagant cocktails.

Coffee Barker

Location: 1-13 Castle Arcade, Cardiff CF10 1BU
Enjoy seasonal specialty coffees, cakes and lunches with an eclectic 1920s vibe.

Uncommon Ground Coffee Roastery

Location: 10-12 Royal Arcade, Cardiff CF10 1AE
We love an excuse to visit the Victorian Arcades and this is definitely a great place to kick back and flex your hipster credentials.

Bigmoose Coffee Co

Location: 4-5 Frederick St, St Davids Centre, Cardiff CF10 2DB
This Bigmoose has a big heart. Your coffee is served up with a passion for reinforcing positive mental health across our city in this award-winning non-profit café. It’s not often a toilet makes the Insta list, but you do need pay a visit.

Ballie Ballerson

Location: Unit 6-7 Brewery Quarter, Cardiff CF10 1FG
Dive into the fun in this adult playground with giant ball pits, delicious pizzas and boozy cocktails. Unleash your inner child and get ready for a night of hilarious chaos.

CPS Homes Guide to Living in Cardiff City Centre

You may not know it but Cardiff is a thriving city you have probably already seen on TV if you watch BBC series Doctor Who, Torchwood, Casualty and Sherlock, to name but a few. Cardiff Council receives thousands of requests to film TV series and movies every year.

Cardiff civic centre

Whilst we could talk about our lovely city all day, we thought we’d tell you about what we think are the hidden gems and facts you may not know!

Cardiff has the sixth most successful shopping centre in the UK. And no wonder! We have a fantastic mix of small boutique shops housed within quirky arcades, a traditional market dating back to the 18th Century and now the ever-gleaming St David's Shopping Centre - housing everything from cafés to designer brands under one roof.

If you like cycling, did you know Cardiff has over 94km of cycle trails? They make that morning commute just a little bit easier! One of the most popular cycle trails is the 55 miles long Taff Trail which will take you all the way to Brecon. And if the thought of the typical ‘Welsh weather’ puts you off, rest assured that Cardiff has in excess of 200 rain-free days a year on average

If you're looking to soak up any of those sunny days, you can always visit an event at the central Millennium Stadium, which boasts one of the biggest sun roofs! Yes, a fully retractable roof means spectators of rugby, football, rallying & concerts are kept sunshine-happy or rain-free. In 2012 the stadium housed spectators of 11 Olympic football matches.

Cultural diversity is at the heart of our city, with almost every sign in both Welsh and English. Cardiff is the Cultural Capital of Wales and offers a warm Croeso! (Welcome!) to all visitors. If you aren’t Welsh speaking yourself, look out for the translations and perhaps before you leave you will be able to pronounce the name of a little Welsh village called Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. It is the village with the longest name in Britain - we kid you not!

The Cardiff Tube? Unlike London and other large cities like Manchester, we don’t need a tube or a tram. Our city centre is fully stocked with shops, bars, restaurants, clubs, pubs, market stalls, libraries, museums, castles, rivers, parks, cafés, theatres, orchestra halls - and you can walk, drive, bus, cycle or run to them all within minutes! Our locals say the best thing about Cardiff is having everything you'd want in a vibrant, major city on your doorstep.

Testimonials

‘Cardiff is an excellent city to live in. Small and compact but with a big and vibrant personality. Something for everyone and the countryside is not too far away!’

‘Fabulous place to live. Full of life, something for everyone, friendly people, beautiful buildings.’

Click on the links above to know more about Cardiff City Centre