I’m no authority in what places are the must-dos. But I can tell you which are the ones I went to. I’ll sprinkle in some basic information along the way and tell you about my experience. Your trip will be different than mine. But I thought I’d share what I saw.

I had a free weekend. My UK visa was expiring in a few months. And I have never been to Wales. And with those three facts in consideration, I booked a flight to Cardiff and decided to enjoy a weekend there! The big bonus was two of my friends from university ended up joining me for a day.

I had no expectations. But what greeted me at the immigration border was an interrogation of why I decided to visit this beautiful city and what kind of places I go to.

After passing the graded recitation, I was on my way to a Friday night where the city center was filled with booze, loud music, and parties. If I wanted to maximise my upcoming two days, I needed to rest and sleep in my bed. And that I did.

Cardiff is the capital of Wales. Yes, Wales is a country but is governed by the state of the United Kingdom. Welsh is a language that’s distinct from English and its preservation continues to be a relevant and pressing issue for the locals. The place has its own rich history and culture that is as colourful as what their neighbours have.

Here are five places I visited in Cardiff:

Cardiff Castle

When I was looking at attractions to visit, Cardiff Castle was an obvious and logical choice. The structure stands in the middle of Cardiff’s City center (DISTANCE, CHECK). The price is relatively affordable, about £10 when I visited (COST, CHECK). The entirety of the compound takes about two hours to comprehensively finish (TIME, CHECK).

I was about to write off the castle as another wealthy exploit by a nobleman obsessed with demonstrating his power and glory. Towering defence infrastructures, lavish halls, and fortified walls are definitely in store. But the underground tunnels, repurposed as shelters during the Second World War, made me suspend my judgment.

Outside of a tourist destination, I was not expecting to find a practical utility for such a historic building. The pathways have been relatively well maintained that a tourist like me can walk through the footsteps of our brothers and sisters from the past. The exhibition has been curated in such a way that it can transport me to a specific moment from a few decades back.

Bute Park

Literally beside the Cardiff Castle is Bute Park. And I get conflicting or inconsistent accounts about how much of the park was formerly part or intended to be incorporated to the rest of Cardiff Castle. But what’s important in today’s context is how relaxing and calming the place made me feel.

I went twice over the weekend. That is 130 acres of land covered in green, where I could walk and be one with nature. There’s something for everyone – a playground where kids can wreak havoc, basic workout equipment and huge space for the fitness-driven, paved roads and vast amounts of grass for dogs to explore, and a break from the hustle and bustle of Cardiff City for people like me who just need a break.

National Museum of Cardiff

The fact that museums are mostly free in the United Kingdom slipped my mind. So imagine my pleasant surprise when I walked into the National Museum of Cardiff. If you don’t have the luxury of time and therefore making a mistake, do remember this place is different from the Museum of Cardiff. Do not ask me why they couldn’t have made more creative names to distinguish the two.

There are permanent exhibitions related to natural history and art. And for the interested, they have an extensive collection for you to feast your eyes on. I went basic and looked for the paintings made by Monet and Van Gogh. I remembered what made them great and world-famous.

Art and natural history seem to be staples in any city’s museum. But during my visit in March 2023, there was a temporary exhibition on the 100-year presence of BBC in Wales. I decided to invest my time and attention to it. I must say, I enjoyed my time.

The curation was made from a factual and critical lens. Considering how far reaching BBC’s footprint is, I found the approach quite refreshing and particularly important.

Some of the various facets of Welsh life covered – the incorporation of Welsh language into programming, the relationship people had with technology, from radio licensing to today’s social media, the presence or lack of representation of women and LGBT in news reporting and TV shows, and the often unseen role Wales plays in today’s pop culture masterpieces, such as Sherlock and Doctor Who.

Cardiff Bay

What is to be expected from a bay? Waterfront views, a couple of cafes, restaurants and shops, and roads where people could leisurely walk, jog, or cycle in. Cardiff Bay checks everything on the list.

I was mostly speaking with my friends. The season is winter. And despite living in Europe for close to two years now, I’m still not accustomed to the cold. DESPITE ALL THAT, I thought the stroll was worth our time. So, I wouldn’t count out the place despite how predictable the experience can be.

Techniquest, the Senedd (home of the Welsh Parliament), and the Wales Millennium Centre are all nearby. So if you want to make an efficient use of your time, hitting them all in one go is an option.

Caerphilly Castle

This is cheating. Caerphilly Castle is technically not in Cardiff. But a car ride from the city center takes 20 minutes, and a train ride plus some walking take about 40 minutes. For all traveling intents and purposes, the distance makes its location Cardiff.

The fortress is huge and imposing. I understand the castle is one of the largest in Wales. And again, going through the entire place, with no stone left unturned, takes about two hours.

For fans of architectural anomalies, there is a leaning tower inside the compound. The height is significantly smaller than Pisa’s. But the tilt is greater.

And what made the situation better is I didn’t have to share the experience with 1 million tourists. Which is what the journey felt like when I visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

All photos were taken on March 2023.