Cardiff travel guide
Cardiff Tourism | Cardiff Guide
You're Going to Love Cardiff
With a population of 302.139, Cardiff is the largest city in Wales, United Kingdom by the number of inhabitants. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Cardiff has to offer.
Where to Eat in Cardiff
If you’re looking for affordable options, The Ivy Cardiff (69/70 St David’s) and The Ivy Asia, Cardiff (84/85 St.David's Shopping Centre) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Gaucho - Cardiff (The Hayes) and Silures (55 Wellfield Rd) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Cardiff.
When to visit Cardiff
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Cardiff in July, when the average temperature is 18 °C, and the highest can go up to 22 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is December, when it can get as cold as 4 °C, with an average temperature of 4 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 90 mm. In contrast, April is usually the driest month of the year in Cardiff, with an average rainfall of 50 mm.
How to Get to Cardiff
Plane
When flying to Cardiff, you’ll arrive at Cardiff Airport (CWL), which is located 15 km from the city centre. The shortest flight to Cardiff from New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 30h 05m.
Train
AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Cardiff, followed by Great Western Railway. The train journey from Cardiff to London takes 1h 48m and costs around $65 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Holyhead, expect to pay about $215 for a 4h 53m trip. Located 1.0 km from the city centre, Cardiff Cathays, Gwent is the busiest station in Cardiff. Another popular train station is Cardiff Central, located 0.5 km from the centre.
Car
Another option to get to Cardiff is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 211 km from Cardiff. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and DRIVALIA , among others, in London.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Cardiff, including National Express, Megabus and FlixBus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Cardiff takes 113 km and will cost you around $13. From London, the ticket costs about $22 for a journey of 282 km. The most popular bus station is Cardiff Malthouse Avenue, located 7 km from the city centre of Cardiff. Cardiff Gate is also a commonly used station, and is 8 km from the city centre.
Airlines serving Cardiff
Where to stay in Cardiff
From 5-star hotels such as the voco St. David's Cardiff to great affordable options like the Tanes Hotel, Cardiff offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $201 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $286 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Cardiff Sandringham Hotel and The Riverhouse.
Where to stay in popular areas of Cardiff
Most booked hotels in Cardiff
Hiring a car in Cardiff
Hiring a car in Cardiff costs $83 per day, on average, or $248 if you want to hire it for 3 days.
Expect to pay $3.10 per litre in Cardiff (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $37.14 and $49.51. The most frequently booked car type in Cardiff is Intermediate (Mercedes-Benz A-Class or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Kia Rio or similar) is, on average, 76% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.