Cardiff Bay - Local Information

History Of Cardiff Bay

Cardiff Bay, formerly known as tiger bay was a major contributor to the development of Cardiff as it was the means of exporting coal from the Welsh valleys to the world. The coal industry helped fund the development and building of Cardiff into the capital city of Wales, the thrid marquis of Bute who owned the docks became the richest man in the world at that time.

As Cardiff and the coal industry grew, more and more workers from around the world settled in the areas around Cardiff Bay. After the second world war the coal industry closed down and the area became derelict until the recent regeneration project which has seen the Bay area developed into a lively and vibrant waterfront.

Cardiff Bay is one of Europes largest waterfront develepments. The Bay itself has now been turned into a vast freshwater lake with the construction of a barrage. As Cardiff Bay experiences one of the largest tidal ranges of the world, some up to 14m it did mean the bay was inacessible for up to 14 hours a day, the barrage however changes all that. Completed in 1999 it now keeps 500 acres of freshwater around 8 miles of waterfront.

Cardiff Bay Attractions

The Cardiff Bay area is home to numerous attractons, the stunning Wales Millennium Centre is unmistakable and not easily missed, Techniquest discovery centre is a great day out for families. The new Welsh Assembly building (The Senedd) is also worth visiting. Mermaid Quay boasts a number of designer shops and restaurants and bars while the Red Dragon Leisure Centre has a cinema complex, Dr Who Exhibition, bowling arcade and a number of restaurants and bars. A number of leisure boats operate regularly throughout the day from Mermaid Quay to the city centre/castle, past the Millennium stadium and also from the Quay to Penarth with it's victorian pier and promenade.

Cardiff Bay is home to the Cardiff International Sports Village which has been developed with olympic swimming pool and ice rink, home of the Cardiff Devils.

About Cardiff

Cardiff, the capital of Wales, has undergone massive redevelopment in recent years. It boasts that it is the largest city in Wales and the 11th largest in the UK .

The redevelopment of Cardiff Bay has continued with major new commercial, retail, leisure and residential developments being built with more planned. This has opened up new opportunities to purchase property in Cardiff Bay see property for sale Cardiff Bay. There is no doubt that the redevelopment and regeneration of Cardiff Bay has been a resounding success.

Recently, it has been noted for the television series Dr Who being filmed here and a number of filming locations and the Dr Who exhibition can be found in the Red Dragon centre in Cardiff Bay.

Cardiff Castle

For those who like history, Cardiff Castle should be on the top of your list. Originally built in medieval times, the castle has more recently been host to rock concerts, the Welsh Mardi Gras as well as the Cardiff University Summer Ball. A leisurely cruise from Mermaid Quay to bute park in the castle grounds operates daily in high season.

Cardiff Festivals

The Welsh National Eisteddfod is regularly held in the city. Alternate years see the opera world focus on the famous BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. Almost a quarter of a million people flock to the Big Weekend Festival held here each year for the rides and other attractions. There is also an annual free outdoor Cardiff Festival, one of the UK 's largest outdoor festivals.

Music & Nightlife In Cardiff

The city centre is home to a wide range of bars, pubs and clubs – check out the Brewery Quarter if you don't like to travel far between a variety of bars and restaurants. While Cardiff Bay is home to a number of bars and restaurants, the Glee Club and the Red Dragon centre.

Shopping In Cardiff

Choose from several main shopping arcades: St David's Centre, Capitol Centre, Queen's Arcade and the recently opened St David's 2. These are host to hundreds of shops and a number of different department stores. If you prefer more traditional shopping, you will find yourself at home wandering around Cardiff 's numerous Victorian shopping centres, where you can admire the architecture as well as the goods on sale. Take time to visit Howells, the oldest and largest department store in Wales. Cardiff is also home to Spillers Records, which is reckoned to be the oldest record shop in the world.

Sports In Cardiff

As you would expect in Wales, the Cardiff Blues are a rugby union team that play at the Cardiff City Stadium alongside Championship football team Cardiff City. Cricket fans will migrate towards the Swalec Stadium, close to the centre of the city to watch a test match and maybe even part of the Ashes. The Millennium Stadium can cope with up to 75,000 spectators and hosts both rugby and football matches on a regular basis. Speedway fans aren't neglected either: they have their own speedway stadium so they can watch the thrills and spills of this sport.

Visit Television Locations

As well as much of the recent Dr Who series, Cardiff is regularly used as a backdrop for television shows, closely rivaling London in this respect. It was the subject of a "time rift" in both Dr Who and Torchwood and more recently filming of the Sherlock TV series was undertaken in part in Cardiff.

Cardiff Attractions

As well as Cardiff castle mentioned earlier, there are plenty of other attractions to visit if you have the time. Fans of the author Roald Dahl, who was born here, can visit the Roald Dahl Plass (or Plaza). The Welsh National Assembly meets in the Senedd, Cardiff Bay. There are plenty of museums to take your interest with free entry for all. Cardiff Bay has a host of leisure facilities including Techniquest and the International Sports Village. If you prefer more leisurely activities, take a stroll around one of the many parks located in the city centre.