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This travel guide is going to cover everything you need to know before visiting Cardiff, Wales! Cardiff is the capital of Wales and the largest city in Wales. It’s a fairly small city, and is an amazing day trip from London! Of course, there is much to explore in the countryside of Wales (it’s a popular bike trip), so if you’re booking a Wales trip, I’m sure you would spend more than one day in Cardiff. However, since it is so accessible from London, I just visited for a day on the train. If you’ve read a lot of my posts, you would know that I like to maximize my time and budget while traveling! This guide is going to cover everything you need to know about visiting Cardiff in one day.
Disclaimer: This blog post is written in collaboration with adidas. I have linked a few of my favorite products in this blog post, but as always, all opinions written below are my own.
Why Should You Visit Cardiff?
Compared to other major European cities, or even other cities in the UK like London and Edinburgh, Cardiff is not highly visited. It’s probably not at the top of your bucket list. However, it’s so accessible from London and if you’re interested in exploring more of the UK, like I was — you should definitely plan a London to Cardiff day trip! There are so many day trip options from London, like to The Cotswolds, but this one was a favorite!
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The city is nicknamed the “city of arcades” for its many Victorian-style shopping arcades, and is also famous for its rugby culture, live music and fun pubs, and some of the best nightlife in all of the UK! The vibrant city perfectly blends rich Welsh history and modernity, and the Cardiff Castle alone makes this worth the visit — more on this below. I also loved how green this city is! It’s very clean, packed with charm, and is very walkable.
Where Is Cardiff Located?
This is up for debate, but there are 3 countries that constitute the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, and Wales. Then there’s also Northern Ireland. Yes, Northern Ireland is separate from the country of Ireland and is located in the northern part of Ireland. Collectively, these 4 countries are called Great Britain. People often refer to these places as “countries within a country”. The UK is a unitary sovereign state, and each of these “countries” have their own legal systems, cultures, languages, and ways of life.
Although Cardiff is a part of the UK, I wanted to check all of these “countries” off my bucket list, so I went out of my way to plan a Cardiff day trip from London!
Cardiff is located in the southeast of Wales (which is located in the southwest of the UK) on the Bristol Channel. It’s about 150 miles west of London.
How Do You Get To Cardiff?
By Bus
You can take a coach bus from London to Cardiff on a National Express coach for £8.90 one-way. The coach buses depart London Victoria station and pull into Cardiff Coach Station up to 19 times a day! This is the cheapest option to get to Cardiff but also takes about 3 hours (almost double the time of the train!).
By Train
The best way to get to Cardiff in my opinion on a London to Cardiff day trip is via the train! Although a pricier option than the bus — tickets cost about $42 USD each way, the train is fast and comfortable!
Pro-tip: Tickets go on sale about 6 months in advance. They will be cheapest if you book ahead and can get up to $70+ each way if you book your trip the week of.
The train schedule also allows for ultimate flexibility as they depart as early as 6 in the morning and travel to about midnight. 68 trains run along this route each day, and trains leave the station every 9 minutes. The perfect option for a London to Cardiff day trip!
The train journey takes a little less than 2 hours (1 hour and 47 minutes). The total distance travelled is 212 kilometers. More than one train company operates on the route from London to Cardiff. I recommend using the Great Western Railway (GWR) for your London to Cardiff day trip.
By Plane
The Cardiff Airport is an airport in Rhoose, Wales, about a 20 minute drive from the city center. However, I don’t recommend this option since the bus and train are almost as fast and more convenient.
What To See In Cardiff In One Day
Once you are in Cardiff, the below sights are very walkable from each other! You won’t need to rent a car, or even a bike. I recommend wearing comfy walking shoes, like these cute white sneakers.
Cardiff Castle
At the very top of my recommendations for one day in Cardiff, Wales is to explore Cardiff Castle! This iconic castle, located in the heart of the city, has a rich history spanning over 2,000 years. It’s known for its Roman fort and Victorian Gothic palace. This castle is one of the top heritage sites to see in all of Wales.
The castle is just a 10 minute walk from the train station, so after you grab a coffee I would start your day here!
The castle is unique as many buildings and structures surround the main fortress (The Norman Keep) that sits up on a grassy hill. I recommend doing the 50 minute guided tour of the castle apartments and then exploring on your own. There is much to see within the great rooms, along the Roman walls, and historic hallways, but also the property and gardens are beautiful! There was once a moat that surrounded the castle as well.
Pro-tip: Guided tours here are very affordable and there are many offered! Just £4.50 per adult. If you want to visit the property on your own, adult tickets cost £16. If you live or work in the city then you are entitled to your very own Key to Cardiff Castle, giving you free admission as often as you like for 3 years!
I would set aside about 2-3 hours to explore the Cardiff Castle during your day trip from London to Cardiff. I started my visit with the 50 minute guided tour, then enjoyed wandering around and taking photos for another hour. The castle opens up at 10 am on weekdays and 9 am on weekends, and is open 7 days per week year-round.
Pro-tip: Inside Cardiff Castle’s walls, you’ll find the Firing Line Museum. Discover over 300 years of Welsh military history through displays, events, and exhibits.
Cardiff Market
The next sight you need to see during your one day in Cardiff is the Cardiff Market. This market, also known as the Central Market, for its central location within the city is a Victorian-style indoor market in the Castle Quarter, just a 5 minute walk from the Cardiff Castle! This market sells fresh produce (think farm-grown veggies and butcher shops), but also has food stalls for lunch, along with handmade goods sellers.
You may also see some independent trading taking place here! Trading has occurred at this market for more than 300 years.
I recommend eating lunch here and then browsing the stalls for a unique souvenir! There are 2 levels and public restrooms upstairs.
Pro-tip: Looking for more food recommendations? High Street and St Mary’s Street are two of the main roads in downtown Cardiff for pubs.
Principality Stadium
I didn’t actually tour this stadium, but if you’re a sports fan… you must! Principality Stadium is visible from many points around the city center, including from the Cardiff Castle! It’s so cool to see the new and the old in the same view. It’s also right along the Taff River and is surrounded by restaurants and bars. This area is right next to the central train station.
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay is located slightly further away from the city center compared to the sights mentioned above. It’s a 50 minute walk from the train station, or a 10 minute car ride. I would prioritize the historic city center if you’re just in Cardiff for one day, however the bay has a beautiful waterfront, and is home to the Wales Millennium Center, a main venue for art and cultural events.
This area of the city became very important throughout the 1900s as coal was transported from Wales to the rest of the world. Aside from cafes, bars, and restaurants located here, you’ll also find the Norwegian Church and The Senedd, which is the main public building of the Welsh Parliament.
The Victorian Arcades
Cardiff is well known for its arcades. And I’m not talking about the places where you play Pac-Man. Arcades are historic, covered shopping passages. Think — narrow, historic malls. The alleys are full of shops and businesses, and often have Victorian architecture, glass ceilings, and unique stores.
Pro-tip: Looking for a food walking tour around the diverse shopping arcades of the city? Loving Welsh Food provides a “City of Arcades Testing Tour”.
Cardiff is known as “the city of arcades” and has 7 Victorian alleyways nestled around the city. Each has dozens of shops and restaurants inside. I browsed shops in a few of them and even found a cute spot for afternoon tea! I walked through the Royal Arcade, Castle Quarter Arcades, and the Wyndham Arcade — all located near the castle.
Pro-tip: Don’t miss the world’s oldest record shop located in the Morgan Arcade. Spillers Records is a music store dating back to 1894, selling vinyl and CDs.
National Museum Cardiff
If you still have time before your train after shopping in the arcades, eating at a pub or enjoying high tea, and touring the castle and market, I recommend heading over to the National Museum Cardiff. This impressive building has over 500 years of art history and natural history exhibits. They are closed on Mondays, but open 10 am – 5 pm every other day.
That brings us to the end of a guide to visiting Cardiff in one day! As I mentioned, this is such a feasible and enjoyable day trip from London! I think I arrived around 9 am and left the city around 5 pm, and was able to see all the sights I wanted to. Of course, if you do a Cardiff day trip, you won’t get to experience the infamous Cardiff nightlife, so maybe consider spending a night if you want to experience the pubs or a rugby game!
