Cardiff and the País de Gales, the United Kingdom: things to do, when to go and how to get there

Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

País de Gales occupies the west of the island of Great Britain, between the Irish Sea and England, and is one of the four nations of the United Kingdom, with its own parliament, the Senedd. It has two official languages, English and Welsh, a Celtic language spoken by about a quarter of the population; signs are bilingual, and many place names have Welsh and English forms. The country is known for its castles—around 600—for its mountains and coastline, and for the traditions of choral singing and rugby.

Cardiff, in the south, has been the capital since 1955. The city grew in the 19th century as the world’s largest coal port. In the centre stands the Castelo de Cardiff, which combines Roman walls, a Norman tower and Victorian halls decorated with Gothic fantasy. The old docklands became Cardiff Bay, with the Senedd, the Wales Millennium Centre and a barrage that created a freshwater lake. The city also has the National Museum, with Impressionists, and, on the outskirts, the open-air museum of St Fagans and the Castell Coch.

In the north, Conwy is a medieval town enclosed by almost complete walls, with one of the castles built by Edward I in the 13th century, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nearby are the Victorian resort of Llandudno, with the Great Orme peninsula, the gardens of Bodnant and the Eryri national park, also known as Snowdonia, with the Yr Wyddfa, or Snowdon, the country’s highest mountain, which can be climbed on foot or by rack railway in season.

Between south and north the roads cross mountains and are slow. The currency is the pound sterling.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Cardiff, Conwy.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Cardiff and the País de Gales is

How to get there: Cardiff and the País de Gales

✈ Cardiff Airport (CWL), in Rhoose · 20 km to Cardiff

✈ Bristol Airport (BRS), in Bristol · 70 km to Cardiff

Check before booking. Cardiff Airport has European flights; Bristol, Manchester and London airports are alternatives. From London Paddington the train reaches Cardiff Central in about 2 hours. For the north, trains depart London Euston and reach Conwy and Llandudno Junction in about 3h15.

Suggested arrival point: Cardiff

País de Gales · Cardiff and the País de Gales Capital Suggested arrival point

Cardiff

Cardiff is the capital of País de Gales, in the south of the country, on the shores of the Bristol Channel. In the compact centre are the Castelo de Cardiff, with Roman walls and Victorian halls, Bute Park, the National Museum and the rugby stadium; to the south, Cardiff Bay, with the Senedd and the Wales Millennium Centre. On the outskirts are the open-air museum of St Fagans, the Castell Coch and Llandaff Cathedral.

País de Gales · Cardiff and the País de Gales

Conwy

Conwy is the medieval town in the north of Wales, on the banks of the Conwy estuary, surrounded by almost complete 13th-century walls and dominated by the castle of Edward I, a World Heritage Site. Inside the walls are Plas Mawr and the smallest house in Great Britain, on the quay. It is the base for Llandudno and the Great Orme, the garden of Bodnant and the mountains of Eryri, with Yr Wyddfa and its train.

The local experience

Things to do in Cardiff and the País de Gales

Cardiff · País de Gales · Castle

Cardiff Castle

The castle in central Cardiff, with Roman walls, the Norman tower on a motte, and the Victorian fantasy-gothic interiors created by William Burges for the marquess of Bute.

Conwy · País de Gales · Castle

Conwy Castle

The fortress built by Edward I between 1283 and 1287 on the banks of the Conwy estuary, with eight round towers and the town walls joined. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Cadw property.

Cardiff · País de Gales · Waterfront

Cardiff Bay

The old docklands of Cardiff transformed into a district beside a freshwater lake, featuring the Senedd, the Wales Millennium Centre, the Pierhead Building, the Norwegian church and the barrage.

Conwy · País de Gales · Wall

Conwy Town Walls

The medieval walls of Conwy, about 1.3 km long, with 21 towers and three gates, almost complete, with walkways along several sections and views over the town, the castle and the estuary. From Cadw.

See 9 more places in Cardiff and the País de Gales

Cardiff · País de Gales · Museum

National Museum Cardiff

The Welsh national museum in Cathays Park, with one of the largest collections of Impressionist art outside Paris, Welsh art, dinosaurs and the country's natural history. Entry to the permanent collection is usually free; check in advance.

Conwy · País de Gales · House museum

Plas Mawr

The best-preserved Elizabethan town house in Great Britain, built between 1576 and 1585 by a Welsh merchant in Conwy, with colourful plastered ceilings and restored decoration. Owned by Cadw.

Cardiff · País de Gales · Museum

St Fagans National Museum of History

The open-air museum of Welsh history 6 km from Cardiff, with over 40 buildings brought from around the country and reassembled, from Iron Age houses to a school, a chapel and a working bakery. Admission is not usually charged; check in advance.

Conwy · País de Gales · Mountain

Yr Wyddfa

The highest mountain in Wales, at 1,085 metres, in Eryri National Park; climbed by six main paths or, in season, by the rack-and-pinion railway that departs from Llanberis.

Cardiff · País de Gales · Castle

Castell Coch

The Victorian fairy-tale castle on a wooded hillside north of Cardiff, rebuilt by William Burges for the Marquess of Bute over 13th-century ruins, with conical towers and decorated rooms. From Cadw.

Conwy · País de Gales · Tourist train

Snowdon Mountain Railway

The rack railway that has climbed from Llanberis to the summit of Yr Wyddfa since 1896, operated with steam and diesel locomotives, in a journey of about 1 hour to the Hafod Eryri visitor centre in season.

Conwy · País de Gales · Garden

Bodnant Garden

The c.32-hectare garden in the Conwy valley, 13 km from the town, with Italian terraces, the yellow laburnum tunnel in spring, a wooded dell and views to the mountains of Eryri. Managed by the National Trust.

Cardiff · País de Gales · Church

Llandaff Cathedral

The medieval cathedral of Llandaff, in the former village now part of Cardiff, featuring the sculpture Majestas by Jacob Epstein on a concrete arch in the middle of the nave, rebuilt after the Second World War.

Conwy · País de Gales · Nature

Great Orme

The limestone peninsula above Llandudno, 6 km from Conwy, with a tram and cable car to the summit, Bronze Age copper mines, wild goats and views over the Irish Sea.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From May to September the days are long and the weather is usually more settled for the mountains and the coast; the Snowdon train typically runs from spring until early November. July and August are the busiest months in the north. In winter it is cold, the mountains have snow and some attractions reduce their hours. It rains at any time of year.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Two days in Cardiff, with the castle, the bay, the National Museum and St Fagans, and two or three days in the north, with Conwy, Llandudno and Eryri. A week in total allows you to see both regions without rush.

Which city to stay in

In Cardiff, the centre around the castle and Queen Street makes everything walkable; Cardiff Bay has waterside hotels, a 10-minute train ride from the centre. In the north, Conwy has guesthouses inside the walls, and Llandudno, 6 km away, has many Victorian hotels on the seafront. For the mountains, villages such as Betws-y-Coed and Llanberis are located within the national park.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Cardiff and the País de Gales

Do I need to speak Welsh?

No. Everyone speaks English, and signs are bilingual. Welsh is used daily in several areas, especially in the north.

How to get from London to Cardiff?

By train, from London Paddington to Cardiff Central in about 2 hours.

Do I need a car in País de Gales?

Not in Cardiff and Conwy, which are served by trains. For the Eryri mountains and the coast, a car helps. You drive on the left, and mountain roads are narrow and slow.

Can you see the south and the north of País de Gales in the same trip?

Yes, but the journey between them takes about 4 to 5 hours by car or train. Use a base in each region.

Does País de Gales use a different currency?

No, the pound sterling, as in the rest of the United Kingdom.

Cardiff and the País de Gales

A region to enjoyat your own pace.