Visit Wales Millennium Centre undoubtedly one of Europe's most vibrant performing arts venues, with two theatres providing a world class stage for ballet, opera, dances and musical theatre.
Shopping in Cardiff is a magnet for many. Queen Street and St. Mary Street are amongst the most popular areas. Or why not enjoy the hustle of market where great fresh, local produce is on offer. Visit the National Museum and Gallery, home to a fabulous collection of Impressionist paintings by Cézanne and Monet – the largest outside France.
Surrounding Cardiff
Castell Coch is the ultimate fairytale castle, a rich feast of decoration, detail and allusion. Its conical towers and needle sharp turrets peek out from a wooded slope, presenting a vision more in tune with the Bavarian countryside that a Welsh hillside. Llanerch Vineyard - Wales largest vineyard producing the award-winning wines of the Cariad label.
Take in a game of golf at Glamorganshire Golf Club and enjoy the breathtaking views across the Vale of Glamorgan and the Bristol Channel.
The Glamorgan Heritage Coast
Stretching from Penarth to Porthcawl the Glamorgan Heritage Coast is a spectacular mix of rugged cliffs, golden sandy beaches and pretty little towns and villages.
Visit the Victorian Seaside town of Penarth with its timeless pier and promenade. The Washington is Penarth’s leading contemporary art gallery by the sea. Or take a boat cruise from Penarth Pier along the Welsh coast or sail to Somerset and Devon.
Go to Barry Island, a lovely seaside resort. Safe sandy beaches and a fairground mean this is a popular place for family holidays. In fact, the beach at Barry Island's Whitmore Bay has been awarded a Blue Flag.
Stop off at Fonmon Castle for afternoon tea and enjoy the beautiful walled gardens and woodland that surround the castle. Llantwit Major is a town steeped in history. St. Illtyd founded a church, monastery, school & mission centre here in the 5th century. There is also a beautiful award-winning beach.
Swansea
Aa breezy, bustling city with sandy beaches & a modern shopping area. Swansea is well known for its vibrant nightlife, consisting of a wide range of clubs, bars and restaurants to suit every age and taste. The Wind Street area has become the modern café quarter by day, and by night, is the liveliest street in the city!
Visit the largest indoor market in Wales, where you can sample and buy many of our local delicacies such as cockles and laverbread and of course our traditional welshcakes.
The city boasts an award winning Marina and Maritime Quarter, which is home to the National Waterfront Museum, a must-see attraction.
This new landmark building is a fusion of Welsh slate, glass and steel with a canopied street of cafes and shops overlooking the marina waterfront. What's more, it's only a stone's throw away from Swansea Museum, the oldest in Wales!
An iconic Sail Bridge links the Maritime Quarter with the new SA1 Swansea Waterfront Development, an exciting new development located at the East of the City. The Norwegian Church, also on the waterfront, is to become a UK centre for art glass, and in addition, Swansea city is also home to several art galleries.
The Mumbles – a delightful Victorian seaside resort is home to some of the finest restaurants in Swansea. Mumbles hosts two of the most talked about ice cream parlours in the region, Joe's and Verdi's where one can sit outside and enjoy the spectacular view across the bay.
Do not miss a visit to Oystermouth Castle, which plays host to outdoor theatre performances in the summer and affords lovely view over the coastline. Take a drive up to Bracelet Bay and catch a glimpse of the Mumbles Lighthouse on the way. Mumbles Pier is also well worth a visit, where there is a café and amusement arcade, or take a trip on the Mumbles land train which runs along the seafront.
The Valleys of South Wales
The Wye Valley is steeped in rich industrial heritage.
In Newport there is an extensive public art trail which includes statues and mosaic murals commemorating the Chartists fight for democracy. Visit Monmouth a historical gem of a border town. Monmouth boasts some fine Tudor buildings but is also a gem of Georgian architecture. The old coaching inns and Georgian Shire Hall in Agincourt Square make it one of the most attractive of its kind in Wales. As well as this, there is also the Nelson Museum which has one of the world’s best collections about Britain’s most famous admiral, and even includes his fake glass eye!
Newport is also the home to the Transporter Bridge which was completed by French engineer Ferdinand Arnodin in 1906. Take the two-minute trip across the river Usk on an aerial ferry, one of the few surviving aerial ferries in the world.
Or maybe you would like to go back even further in time? Then a visit to Tredegar House, previously home to the powerful Morgan dynasty and one of the finest 17th Century mansions in Britain would be a great way to start.
Choose also from a wide selection of castles in the region: from the mighty Chepstow Castle at the very entrance to Wales, to the isolated White Castle near Abergavenny. Watch them all burst into life, with staged banquets and civil war battles at Caldicot Castle, falconry at Raglan Castle, and medieval pageants at Abergavenny Castle.
|
