National Roman Legion Museum (High Street, Caerleon, Newport) – located just 33 minutes (19 miles) northeast of Cardiff, visitors can step back in time at the National Roman Legion Museum and explore life in a far-flung outpost of the mighty Roman Empire (Wales being its furthest outpost). In AD 75, the Romans built a fortress […]
Kidwelly Castle (Castle Road, Kidwelly) — located 1 hour & 23 minutes (63 miles) west of Cardiff, this was originally built during the Norman period (made of earth and timber). It was fortified into stone during the 13th century. Its half moon shape stems from the original 12th century Norman timber castle, of the motte-and-baley […]
Harlech Castle (Gwynedd, Harlech, Gwynedd) – located 3 ½ hours (151 miles) northwest of Cardiff, this was another castle built by Edward I (this one being close to the Irish Sea). Its highland position keeps watch over the town of Snowdonia. Admission: £4.25 (adult), £3.20 (seniors/students/children under 16 years). Hours: 10 am – 4 pm […]
Grosmont Castle (near Abergavenny, Monmouthshire) — located just an hour northeast of Cardiff, this is one of the so-called “Three Castles” (or “castles of the Trilateral”) built during the 13th century. Now in a state of ruin, much of the original walls are still standing, with one stone staircase leading up onto the battlements. The […]
Conwy Castle (Rose Hill St, Conwy) – located 4 hours (244 miles) northwest of Cardiff, this was within the network of castles that Edward I built to secure English rule over Wales during the 13th century. Two barbicans (fortified gateways), eight massive towers and a great bow-shaped hall all sit within its distinctive elongated shape, […]
Castell Coch (Castle Road, Tongwynlais, Cardiff) — unlike other castles in Wales, this one (located just 20 minutes northwest of Cardiff harbor) was built during the 19th century – this time by John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, the 3rd marquess of Bute, creating a rural retreat to complement the opulence of his main residence, Cardiff Castle. Admission: […]
Cardiff Castle (Castle Street, Cardiff) – this castle spans an incredible 2,000-year period. Roman soldiers slept here, noble knights held court here, and the Bute family, with extraordinary wealth and vision, transformed the Castle into a romantic Victorian fantasy. Recent developments include the opening of the Wartime Shelters, a unique re-creation of a bygone […]
Cardiff Bay (Cardiff) – this bay has become a more upscale part of Cardiff in recent times (located just 10 minutes by taxi from Cardiff Central Station). Visitors can find the stylish five-star St David’s Hotel and Spa, and Mermaid Quay – a restaurant hotspot with everything from Caribbean to Turkish cuisine. As well as […]
Caerphilly Castle (Castle Street, Caerphilly) – located just 25 minutes (8 miles) north of Cardiff, this 13th century castle was built by Anglo-Norman lord Gilbert ‘the Red’ de Clare, who had it surrounded by a series of moats and watery islands. He also built the original Castell Coch, ‘Red Castle’, located the other side of […]
Caernarfon Castle (Castle Ditch, Caernarfon, Gwyneed) – located 174 miles (4 hours) northwest of Cardiff, this castle, overlooking the River Seiont, was once the location of a Norman motte & bailey castle and before that a Roman fort stood nearby. This, before Edward I built the current one with Polygonal towers. This castle was tied […]