Cardiff Hotels

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Cardiff is the largest city in Wales situated on its sourthern coast, was a small town until the early nineteenth century when it started to become an important port for the transportation of coal mined in the Rhondda Valley, as well as the related iron and steel industries

After a period of decline that followed the closure of many of the mines in the 1980's, the Tiger Bay area is now being regenerated as a popular area for arts, entertainment and nightlife and Cardiff is starting to become a centre for good contemporary music. The city's central region is now full of attractive modern buildings.

Historically, the name Cardiff is said to derive from the Welsh name "Caerdydd" from the the word "Caer", which means "fort" or "castle,". A Norman castle still exists within the site of an earlier Roman fort, but was greatly altered and extended during the Victorian period. Nonetheless, original Roman work can still be distinguished in the wall facings. There is a second castle north of the city, called Castell Coch ("the Red Castle"). The current castle is an elaborately decorated Victorian folly that stands on a much older medieval castle.

Cardiff's centre is a particularly green one with a number of parks, such as Bute Park, Roath Park with a very popular boating lake, Victoria Park and Thompson's Park.

Places of interest in Cardiff include:

• Cardiff Arms Park
• Cardiff Bay and Cardiff Barrage
• Cardiff Castle
• Cardiff City Hall
• Cardiff International Arena
• Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral
• Castell Coch
• Chapter Arts Centre
• Llanover Hall Theatre
• Museum of Welsh Life (St. Ffagans)
• National Museum and Gallery
• New Theatre
• Ninian Park
• The Millennium Stadium
• Wales Millennium Centre (which also houses Welsh National Opera)
• Weston Gallery