Conference Venue > About Cardiff

Cardiff is a city of attractions, sport, culture and entertainment. Within the few square miles of the city-centre alone, you'll find a wealth of things to do, whatever your tastes, and in the surrounding areas, you'll find everything from abseiling to whisky tasting.

You'll find a lively entertainment scene in and around Cardiff, which features opera, ballet, musicals, and live music from world-class acts. Across the city, there are a range of theatres, galleries, museums, arts and live music venues. From the traditional to the ground-breakingly modern, from seating thousands to cosy intimate spaces, Cardiff can satisfy every taste.

Cardiff is a city proud of its culture, history and language which has undergone a fascinating journey over the last 2000 years. Discover Cardiff's progress from a small settlement, to the world's busiest port, to the modern capital city it is today.

To enhance your taste of Wales, visit our Instant Welsh lesson page. Here you'll find a quick introduction to the Welsh language as well as where you can go to learn more.

Local Transport  (Cardiff Bus) 

Ticket prices are 

Single Journey   £1.80    - The correct change must be presented to the driver on boarding the bus
Day to go           £3.60     - Ticket can be used for multiple journeys for one day - correct change must be presented to the driver

A weekly ticket can also be purchased in advance from Cardiff Bus Customer Service Centre, Wood Street (opposite Cardiff Bus Station).

City Sightseeing

Cardiff is a lovely city to just walk around. The city centre is quite compact and so is easily explored. There is an open top bus tour which departs from outside Cardiff Castle on a regular basis. Tickets can be purchased in advance or on the day and last for 24 hours.

Cardiff Bay

Cardiff Bay, just a mile from the city centre, is now a popular part of any visit to Cardiff. Visitors can enjoy a wide range of restaurants, bars and shops in Mermaid Quay, cruise or sail on the water, or explore attraction such as the impressive Wales Millennium Centre, Norwegian Church, new Doctor Who Experience, Red Dragon Centre, World of Boats or Techniquest - an interactive science discovery centre.

Cardiff Bay is now a mecca for Doctor Who fans from around the world. The new Doctor Who Experience sits next door to BBC Roath Lock Studios. The series is filmed around Cardiff and South Wales and you can spot many filming locations in Cardiff Bay. Why not take the unofficial guided 1 hour walking tour of locations with Brit Movie tours.  

Find out more about Cardiff Bay - www.visitcardiffbay.info.

By bus to the Bay: To get between Cardiff city centre and Cardiff Bay, just hop on the Bay Car or 'Bendy Bus' (no.6). This service runs 7 days a week, every 10 minutes during the day and every 15 minutes during the evening and weekends. The route runs anti-clockwise around Cardiff city centre and on down to the Bay where it stops outside the Doctor Who Experience and Wales Millennium Centre. For more details visit www.cardiffbus.com.

By train to the Bay: Frequent rail services operate Monday to Saturdays with connections at Queen Street Station from the rest of the Valleys and Cardiff local routes network. For details call the National Rail Enquiries (24 hours) on 08457 48 49 50 or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk.

The Aqua Bus travels between Mermaid Quay and the Castle grounds (city centre).

Open Top Bus Tours

There is an open top bus tour from Cardiff Castle taking in the city centre, civic centre, National Museum, Cardiff Bay, Hop on hop off service. Tours last approximately one hour and can be booked in advance via the website.  Tickets last for 24 hours and the tours start every 30 minutes.  Tickets can be purchased on the bus or in advance on line.

Millennium Stadium – Westgate Street, Cardiff

Guided tours of the impressive  Millennium Stadium, host to the Rugby World Cup 1999 & FA Cup final. Seating 72,500. This unique Stadium has a retractable roof and removable turf which makes it an all year round event venue and worthy of a visit when in Cardiff. Tours can either be booked in person at the stadium or online.

National Museum, Cardiff – Free Entrance (not open on Mondays)

Situated in the heart of Cardiff’s elegant civic centre (right next to Cardiff University's main building), the National Museum, Cardiff houses Wales’s national archaeology, art, geology and natural history collections as well as major touring and temporary exhibitions.

The Visit Cardiff website will also have lots of information on what to see and do whilst you are in Cardiff.