Cardiff, worth a visit?

We LOVE Cardiff!!! Great, interesting shopping in modern malls AND old Victorian arcades and markets (even one in an old church). The harbor has been "redone" in recent years and is supposed to be great. There is a slate mine nearby, I understand- it gives tours and would make a good day trip, I think. I have also heard of a "living museum" of old buildings- haven't confirmed that though. Oh, and the castle is right in the middle of the city! Cardiff is very walkable. Also, if interested the new scoccer stadium gives tours- it is supposed to be one of the best in the world.

There's a train that goes up to Caerphilly which is a really great castle. The National Museum is world-class and very well done for a smaller museum. Somwhere down by the harbor there's a boat tour that takes about an hour and is really good. Skip the Cardiff castle.

Have you checked out the St. Fagan's Open Air Museum? Its in with the Welsh National Museum. We spent 3-4 hours there a really enjoyed the buildings, docents and displays.

While in Cardiff, be sure to try a Brains Beer. Only sold there.

I agree with the previous poster. Cardiff is quite low on my priority list. Many other (well renowned and unknown) places to visit.
Near Wales, I like the Wye Valley- Tintern Abbey and Symonds Yat for scenery. Or even up to Chester Wales is more for wild mountains and scenery plus their many castles

If you want to sample some typical South Wales. I suggest the town of Bridgend, South of Cardiff. Not very secnic but the inner areas are typical old Wales row houses. There is one ruined castle (more a manor house) in the center of town, and then South of there (along the nearby Coast ) are at least two more I am aware of , travel through country lanes. (I believe one of them is Ogmoor). there is a river in the town

As John suggests, there is nothing like ordering a pint of Brains. I enjoyed a pre-lunch pint at The Cottage and watched the old folks fuss about. You don't see old women drinking beer much here in the states. I wish I had gone to York instead of Cardiff. I was underwhelmed by both the castle and the National Museum, both vastly inferior to London's offerings. Cardiff Bay was interesting to me since I'd watched the Torchwood series. The experts tell me there are much better Welsh castles outside of Cardiff.

I was in London about a year ago and spent 2 nights in Cardiff before returning to London for a week. I have been to London many times and taken several of the more popular day and overnight trips (Oxford, Bath, Dover, Edinburgh, etc), so thought I would try Cardiff this time. It was a bit underwhelming to say the least. With a little planning I could have done this as a day trip instead of 2 overnights. IMO it is rather nondescript, although it is trying very hard to be an interesting tourist destination. If this is your first time to the London area (or second or tenth), Cardiff would not be my choice for an overnight trip. If you do go, I recommend Wye Valley as a day trip.

I liked the Castle but overall the city was just okay. I would personally prefer to spend more time seeing the castles in Northern Wales.

We liked Cardiff. The castle wasn't great at all, but when we were there an Indian festival was going on at the waterfront. We took a water taxi to it (that you catch in a very pretty park), and it was really very nice. Also, they have a very good art and history museum there. We liked St. Fagan's, though it was not quite as good as when we visited about 5 years ago - still worth a visit.

We have lived in Bath this year, and Cardiff was our most disappointing "field trip." The only thing we enjoyed was the Caerphilly Castle, but I found the city itself rather lacking in charm. There are so many better places, IMHO, to visit in this area - Glastonbury, Bath, Wells, Oxford, Lacock, a drive through the Cotswolds.....

Eli, my parents really enjoyed the Techniquest science center at Cardiff. I think it's a hands-on kind of place - just checked the website and there seems to be a planetarium, interactive area, science theater, and laboratories. Good luck with your planning!