I was going to call this post, 3 hours in Cardiff and then thought…nah that isn’t me at all…I’m more of a blink and you miss it kinda gal. G was working all week in Cardiff (hello eating ice cream sundaes all week for dinner!), so I thought a visit to Cardiff seemed perfectly reasonable…I’d never visited the city and G had free accommodation!
After an eventful train journey from Paddington Station (I popped my Paddington Train Station Cherry) to Cardiff Central…Wales was playing football so everyone on that train was watching the game…going through tunnels became a game itself…buffering became a dirty word…it was hilarious to watch and Wales did win that game…queue screams of joys as I arrived into Cardiff…I like to think they were happy to see me but G burst that bubble.
We stayed at the Holiday Inn in Cardiff City Centre; it was reasonably priced, clean and tidy – everything you want from a hotel and G was earning a nice little number of points through the IHG loyalty scheme…and the location is fabulous, right across from Cardiff Castle!
^^The view from the Holiday Inn Cardiff City Centre on a gorgeous summers morning!
I knew I only had a few hours to explore the city so it was a choice between breakfast vs castle, breakfast vs castle….the castle won…I knew there was cake at the end of the tunnel.
I didn’t know what to expect from Cardiff Castle; firstly I was blown away by how big it was…I should warn you now, there is going to be a lot of flags coming up…Sheldon Cooper would be proud! I took a walk around the walls of the castle which offers fab views over the castle and Cardiff itself…
…god I love castle hunting, how gorgeous is that clock tower!
The wind was blowing in between loads of showers…
…I even spotted a New Zealand flag…queue happy kiwi dance!
**coughs** there was also an EU flag!
There was a family event held at the castle the night prior to my visit for the football so they were loads of stands they were taking down first thing on the Saturday morning but the castle was still glorious and it made my heart skip a few times.
Popping inside the castle for a snoop…the must see room for me was the Arab Room…breathtaking…just a word of warning…you might accidentally walk past the entrance…
…imagine having a feast in here with a few friends…that table is just screaming out to be danced on…I was a good girl…
…up to a point…can you tell I’m not a fan of selfies!
No castle is complete without a killer library…
…and Cardiff Castle delivers!
Leaving Cardiff Castle…I wandered along the animal wall…some of the animals are scowling down at you…making you walk a tad faster to your yummy cake destination…
…Pettigrew Tea Rooms is just an amazing cake destination in Cardiff…gluten free, diary free or vegan…there is something for everyone…
….I had the gluten free raspberry and coconut cake, washed down with a chai latte! I can’t recommend this place enough; the staff were knowledgable and there were so many gluten free options…go, go, go!
Travel Tips for Cardiff
- The Holiday Inn in Cardiff City Centre has a grand location and an easy walk from the train station. If you’re a platinum member in the IHG loyalty scheme then free parking is included in your booking
- Entrance to Cardiff Castle is £12 per person and I would recommend this castle; a free audio guide is provided in the ticket price
- There is a lift inside Cardiff Castle for people with limited mobility
- I would recommend wearing flat shoes for walking around Cardiff Castle as there are a number of stairs inside the castle grounds
- Pettigrew Tea Rooms offers a great selection of gluten free food which I would highly recommend; if you fancy a gluten free afternoon tea then you must give them 3 days notice to prepare.
So when are you planning your visit to Cardiff?
xx
If you liked this post on A Blink & You Miss It Visit To Cardiff, Wales then why not come and join me on Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest – I won’t bite!
xx
