Things to Do in Cardiff

Big museum of natural history and art, with dinosaur skeletons and Welsh impressionist paintings. The evolution of Wales gallery covers 4.6 billion years.

🕐 10:00-17:00, closed Mon (except bank holidays)

💡 The rooftop café has views over the civic centre and is usually quieter than the ground-floor one.

130-acre green space along the River Taff. Ancient trees, a restored 19th-century flower garden, and the ruined castle walls at the north end.

🕐 7:30-dusk, daily

💡 Enter through the gate by Cardiff Castle for the best route; the Secret Garden cafe near the north entrance does good parkin cake.

Independent arts centre with two free galleries showing contemporary work, a cinema with budget tickets, and a cheap café popular with students and locals.

🕐 09:00-22:00 daily (gallery 10:00-18:00)

💡 Tuesday afternoons the gallery often has artist talks. The cinema matinee tickets are £5 (cash only) before 5pm.

Scenic waterfront with the Welsh Parliament, the Norwegian Church (where Roald Dahl was baptised), and the barrage to the sea. No cost to stroll the whole loop.

🕐 Open 24 hours

💡 Walk from the city centre via the Taff Trail path – takes about 20 minutes and passes the 17th-century Blackweir weir.

Open-air museum with 40+ historic buildings moved from across Wales, including a 15th-century farmhouse and a 1930s shop. Woodland walks and a working smithy.

🕐 10:00-17:00, closed Mon (except bank holidays)

💡 Arrive when gates open at 10am to see the blacksmith light his forge; the cockle-picking shed on the lake has free tasters of Welsh laverbread on some weekends.