Cardiff event weekends: what to do between sessions

Wales's capital, built around the Principality Stadium in the city centre, a castle and a rebuilt bay.

Events we cover in Cardiff

Arriving

Cardiff airport (CWL) is 30 minutes by bus; Bristol (BRS) is 1 hour 15 minutes. Trains from London Paddington take 1 hour 50 minutes.

Where to stay

Three hotels we would book

• Budget: Premier Inn Cardiff City Centre
• Mid-range: Hotel Indigo Cardiff
• Splurge: voco St. David's Cardiff

Event weekends sell out early and prices rise as the date gets closer: book a cancellable room as soon as you know you are going.

Tours

Where to eat

• Cardiff Market Welsh cakes and laverbread
• Brains pubs Local beer
• Mill Lane Café quarter

With kids

• Techniquest science centre.
• St Fagans.

Rainy-day backups

• National Museum Cardiff.
• Doctor Who locations walking tour.

Free things to do

• Bute Park.
• National Museum Cardiff.
• St Fagans open-air museum.

Getting around

• The stadium is in the centre, next to Cardiff Central station; trains are packed after matches.
• Tap in with a contactless card on buses, trams and most urban trains.
• Book long-distance trains early on the operator app or Trainline: walk-up fares are expensive.
• Uber works in most UK cities; local black cabs are metered.