Explore the city

Living in Cardiff

Cardiff wouldn’t be the vibrant city it is without its vast variety of art centres, music venues and theatres. From City centre venues to the waterfront, each offers its own unique variety of artform for you to enjoy. Take a look at just some of the venues listed below.

Located on the city’s waterfront, <a href="https://www.wmc.org.uk/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wales Millennium Centre</a> is a constant hive of activity, from West End musicals, opera, ballet and contemporary dance, hip-hop and stand-up comedy, to art exhibitions and workshops.

This busy arts centre and community hub boasts an art gallery, an independent cinema, a café bar, a performance space, a community hub... and so much more. This diverse arts venue never fails to enable creativity, inspire, excite and entertain.

<a href="https://www.thegate.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Gate</a> is a community arts centre in the heart of Roath. With a focus on the community, it’s a home-from-home for residents to explore their innate creativity through their varied programme of art classes, music, and theatre performances.

Nestled in the leafy Cardiff suburb of Llandaff, <a href="https://www.insolecourt.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Insole Court</a> is a Grade II* listed mansion house with a rich history and vibrant public events such as concerts, film screenings, market days and heritage tours have made the mansion and gardens a new destination for both tourists and Cardiff residents.

<a href="https://www.ffotogallery.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ffotogallery</a> is an art gallery based in Cathays, focusing on new developments in photography and lens-based media in Wales and beyond. They encourage public understanding of and deeper engagement with photography and its value to society.

The Norwegian Church Arts Centre is one of the city’s landmark buildings situated in Cardiff Bay and has panoramic views over the waterfront. Formerly a Church for Norwegian sailors, the iconic building dates back to the industrial revolution, when Cardiff Docks were the world’s greatest exporter of coal.

An experimental space formed and maintained by an evolving group of artists, <a href="https://shiftcardiff.org/shift/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SHIFT</a> is a multidisciplinary artist-led, collaborative art space. Sharing space for production, research &amp; development, performance and exhibitions.

Working with artists, makers, and craftspeople, <a href="https://cardiffmade.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cardiff Made</a> works with artists to curate the latest in Welsh creative talent.

A skatepark come art space, Spit &amp; Sawdust has a creative programme which includes exhibitions, residencies, and numerous events including screenings, performances, and workshops.

Situated on Albany Road lies The Globe, at the heart of the heavily student-populated area of Roath. A former cinema, the venue includes an auditorium and a balcony and provides a varied and exciting lineup.

The concert hall of Cardiff. Located in the heart of the city centre, it’s the home to many orchestras, including the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. It has a capacity of 2,000 and hosts a variety of mainstream performances as well as ballet and orchestras.

Named after a Welsh leader who rebelled against the English during the 12th century, this venue is used as a social centre for Welsh speakers in the city. The three-story building welcomes acts from across the globe. If there isn’t a live band playing, there is often an alternative club night to enjoy instead.

The Moon describes itself as ‘Purveyors of Fine Music and Hard Liquor’ and it’s hard to question their claim. With a wide range of spirits and liquors to sip while enjoying a gig, this small venue hosts a diverse range of music genres inside its walls.

Cardiff International Arena (CIA) is a multi-purpose venue that has hosted concerts by some of the biggest names in music. It's also been used for sports events and banquets, among other things.

The hidden gem of music venues (quite literally hidden), Porters is a place for a coffee with friends by day and a home of vibrant and diverse entertainment and fun by night. A great location for jazz nights, cabaret, comedy and so much more.

Standing on Park Place in the heart of the city since 1906 is the New Theatre. Over a century on, the venue continues to welcome some of the biggest touring musicals, ballet, drama, comedy, children’s shows and the spectacular family pantomime to the capital.

Based in the heart of Cardiff, Sherman Theatre is a leading producing house which creates and curates exceptional theatre for the people of Cardiff. Its focus on the development and production of new writing and on nurturing of Welsh and Wales-based artists makes the Sherman the engine room of Welsh theatre.

The UK’s leading large-scale contemporary circus company, No Fit State Circus produces professional touring productions. With their base in Cardiff, they offer a wide variety of community, training, and education projects for people of all ages.

The Other Room is Cardiff’s first pub theatre. They support, produce and curate plays with an emphasis on the very best in Welsh and Wales-based artists. It’s an intimate theatre of just 45 seats, bringing an intensity to theatre no other venue in Cardiff offers.

You may think it’s just another cinema but think again. The cinema offers a wide array of mainstream, independent and classic films, special events, launches and a diverse calendar of live satellite broadcasts. Not to mention a lovely small theatre space for local, live performances. There truly is something for everyone here.

It's not just our culture bursting at the seams. Being a compact place, we have plenty to offer right within the city centre. One minute you're in the shopping arcades and the next you’re in a green park full of flowers and nature. Not every city has that – and not every city has a massive castle in the middle of it, either!

Cardiff is one of the Which? top ten shopping destinations in Britain 2021. Explore the independent shops within the Victorian arcades and markets, and peruse St David’s shopping centre for the high street brands. Take a look at this top guide to navigating Wales’s impressive collection of shops.

Cardiff Bay is Europe's largest waterfront development offering heaps to do. From eateries and bars to white water rafting, boat trips and cultural attractions, there's plenty to keep you occupied. Here’s some of what our glorious waterfront boasts.

Boasting over 330 parks and gardens, Cardiff is a very green capital city. Home to one of the largest urban parks in Wales, we’re so lucky to have Bute Park, known as the ‘green heart of the city’ as our back garden, making it the perfect place to take a walk during your breaks. 
 The city is a green haven for exploring, relaxing and taking some time out from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Take a look at just some of the parks that are definitely worth a visit.

Located in the heart of the city and our old stomping ground (yes, we used to live there), it's hard to miss Cardiff's mighty castle. Cardiff Castle is one of Wales’s leading heritage attractions. From the Roman occupation of Britain to the Norman Conquest, through civil war turbulence, a Victorian transformation and even the terrors of World War II, those walls have seen it all.

The city centre is packed with restaurants, cocktail hotspots, gin bars, and dance floors, to cater to everyone's needs. We have festivals with exciting line-ups and multiple sporting events throughout the year. There's always something to do in this capital city!

From wine and cocktail bars to the clubs where you can dance the night away, Cardiff really offers a vibrant variety of options for nightlife. With a big atmosphere on a tight-knit scale, you won’t need to travel far to find the right place for you. Here are some of Cardiff’s best clubs for ‘pocket-friendly’ partying.

Cardiff’s food and drink scene is not one to miss. With choices to suit all tastes and budgets, why not explore what yummy goods the capital city has to offer? Some of the best places to eat and drink in Cardiff are hidden off the beaten track. They’re either upstairs on top of another business, down an alley or on a suburban back street. However, if you make the effort to seek them out then you’ll be rewarded with something delicious.

Known as a sporting capital, Cardiff has a fine reputation for world-class sporting events over the years. It was named the European capital of sport in 2014 and has hosted a variety of events including 2012 Olympics, 2015 Rugby World Cup, 2017 UEFA Champions League final and the 2022 WWE Clash at the Castle. Wales is most well-known for its love of rugby, and with the Principality stadium right in the heart of our city, it's impossible to miss a game.

Cardiff has a long and interesting history told through its ancient monuments and museums. Take a trip to one of Wales’ diverse range of museums and explore the unusual. Learn about the local history, industrial heritage, textiles, fine art and treasures from around the world and more.

There are loads of festivals in Cardiff you’ll absolutely love with diverse and exciting line-ups. From the National Eisteddfod, a travelling celebration of Welsh music, language and culture, Green Man festival, catering for all genres of music before the burning of the Green Man himself on the last night, to Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend, a family-friendly community event, enabling diverse groups to come together and find out more about one another and the matters that affect the LGBTQ+ community. You may just find your new favourite festival while you’re here.

Ready for an adventure? One of the many perks of Cardiff is that it is surrounded by beautiful nature. National parks are just an hour away from the city centre and with miles of coastline, there's always a place to escape the cosmopolitan life of the city.

Cardiff’s located right on the ocean on the south coast of Wales, making it close to many beautiful seaside towns and beaches. If you are able to drive or take a train, from Cardiff for 30 minutes to one hour, you'll find some amazing beaches and even some that have dinosaur footprints!

Whether you prefer strolling along to take in the gems you pass or energetically stepping up a slope to get your heart pounding, you’re guaranteed to find a walk or hike to suit you around Cardiff, or a stone's throw away (less than 30 miles) in Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons). Known as the Everest of Wales, take on our tallest peak Pen-y-fan or visit the famous waterfalls as seen on Batman. There really is nothing better than the Welsh countryside to clear your mind.

Wales is the land of castles with more than 400 of them in our little country. That’s more per square mile than anywhere else in the world. Some are now romantic ruins, and others are still standing, but if you’re a lover of history, then you’ll love visiting some of these beautiful buildings.

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The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama attracts the best creative talent from across the globe. As Wales’ national conservatoire, we fire imagination and drive innovation, offering training to more than 800 actors, musicians, designers, technicians and arts managers from more than 40 countries. The College presents hundreds of events a year, from orchestral concerts and recitals to drama, opera, jazz, new music and musical theatre, performed by our students and a diverse array of world-class artists from around the globe.

Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama

You may not know it from our size, but there really is so much to do in our little city. So cosy up and immerse yourself in the culture, enjoy the range of entertainment happening, or take time to unwind in one of our scenic natural beauty spots.

You may not know it from our size, but there really is so much to do in our little city. So cosy up and immerse yourself in the culture, enjoy the range…

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