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Cardiff Travel Guide

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City Layout

by Frommers Travel Guides
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Content provided by Frommers

    Cardiff Castle, on Castle Street, is in the center of Cardiff, one of the most architecturally distinguished cities of Britain. It is the city's major landmark. To get your bearings and for the best overview, climb the clock tower at the castle, where you'll see all the major shopping streets of central Cardiff, as well as the River Taff, the Sophia Gardens Cricket Ground, and the Arms Park Rugby Stadium.

    To its northeast is Cathays Park, developed in the early 1900s as a Civic Centre. Don't take the word "park" too seriously. It's a complex of white stone structures that include the University College, the National Museum of Wales, and the City Hall, all placed along gardens and streets. The Law Courts and Welsh Office (seat of the government) are also located here. The tourist office arranges walking tours of the Civic Centre in summer only.

    Tree-lined avenues line the center, and these include the main commercial and shopping areas of the capital. The most important is St. David's Shopping Centre, which is a big, bustling shopping mall that takes in St. David's Hall, one of the best of the new concert halls of Europe. The main shopping streets of Cardiff are Working Street, The Hayes, St. Mary Street, and Queen Street.

    In all, it's "A proper fine Towne," in the words of Christopher Saxton, a cartographer of the 1600s.

    Finding an Address

    Street numbering -- or lack of it -- can be confusing. Odd numbers ascend in order as you go along, and even numbers follow the same pattern on the opposite side of the street. The only problem is that many establishments do not use street numbers, only street names. They may have been assigned a number by the city, but they don't post it on their building or use it in their letterheads in correspondence. Even though the street may run for several blocks, no number may appear. If it's a place of public business, look for the sign. You might also, when attempting to find an address, ask for the nearest cross street. That way, you'll be able to find the building you're looking for much quicker.

Cardiff Travel Experiences

Traveler Photos of Cardiff

Cardiff Castle: The castle within a castle. Addison found it amusing. The walls surrounding Cardiff Castle Inside Cardiff Castle, Millenium Stadium in the distance
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