Cardiff Tourist Traps

Street parking in the city centre areas is tightly controlled by the use of parking vouchers, currently (2006) 1.20 GBP each. Unfortunately it is not always easy to find somewhere that sells parking vouchers. Especially if you are a visitor. There are no maps on the street, or voucher machines. But lots of parking wardens of course :-)

It is a particular problem around the Civic Buildings - University, Museum - because shops are not allowed in this area. Recently it took me 15 minutes to find a side door in one of the buildings where they sold vouchers. And I live in Cardiff!! When I returned a traffic warden was 20 metres from the car, waiting to pounce.


Unique Suggestions: At least if you have no alternative but to bring your car, check the Cardiff Council Website for a lost of parking locations. The have a list of outlets which sell parking vouchers. These outlets have the yellow letters "SG" displayed in their window - oh, that's soo obvious, isn't it ;-)

If you do have to leave your car to buy a voucher, then BE QUICK!!!!


Fun Alternatives: As an alternative you could use one of the large multi-storey carparks in the city centre. Or short term car parks on North Road. Or "Park & Ride" on a Saturday.

Or better still, don't bring your car and come by bus, coach or train.

UPDATE: roadside ticket machines have recently (2008) been installed around the Civic Buildings. And remember that after 6pm, parking here is FREE!

The gift shop at the castle has the usual souvenirs : welsh mugs, postcards, books on the Castle and Wales, plastic figures of knights and dragons; soap in the shape of dragons; lollipops in the shape of dragons, bookmarks, badges, lovespoons.... anything that can be decorated with the Welsh flag.

Unique Suggestions: If you must buy something to remind yourself of the trip, choose something that is useful and not expensive

Fun Alternatives: look around in the local market where the same object may be available cheaper

This building must be one of the most ugliest that I have ever laid eyes on. It is all glass, slate and steel and there's not one redeeming quality about it. To be honest, it looks like a football stand that has been plonked in the middle of the bay; it would have looked far more fitting at the Millenium stadium in Cardiff, than on here.

Unique Suggestions:
Walk straight past it and go for a cup of coffee on Goleulong Lightship a few hundred feet away.

Getting good rates at hotels in Cardiff is all about planning ahead.

When there is an event on at the Millennium Stadium most hotels will double or triple their prices, and enforce a minimum two or three night stay policy. (this goes for the entire region, not just Cardiff)

Even so, the atmosphere in Cardiff is so good on match days that hotel rooms sell out months in advance; so don't expect to be able to get a room a couple of weeks before a big event. There's also no guarantee that a hotel will honour your booking if you bought it on ebay.

Great deals can be found, however, during non-event months. January, February, April, August and September are good months to visit, and the local tourist board often offer great deals, such as 'book two nights get third free'. Other special deals can be found on their site at www.visitcardiff.com

Hotels such as the Park Plaza, St David's Hotel, Vale hotel and Spa, and Future Inns also often run room and ticket deals for performances in the New Theatre, Wales Millennium Centre, or hospitality at the stadium, which are another way to save money.

It's not really a tourist trap, but don't bother doing the tour of the stadium if you can help it. It's better to go and see something actually happening in it rather than paying £5 for a substandard tour of it empty.

Admission charges to National attractions were cancelled years ago, the problem is that Castles were not included, only for museums. But there are 3 or 7 days passes for 9 and 15 pounds per person, not a bad deal.

The Cardiff Card gives you for two days unlimited admission to some sights, travel on local buses and trains and special prices in certain shops and restaurants.

The card is on sale at many places: outlets, Tourist Information Centres, post offices, hotels, attractions ...

People who live or work in Cardiff can visit the Castle grounds for nothing, and have reduced prices to the inside, with no limits on number of times you do it.
To obtain a pass, call Cardiff Castle on 2087 8100 for an application form or call at the Castle Information Office,

Monday – Friday, 9am to 4.30pm