A Weekend in Cardiff

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Open Campus Block

Authored By:

Kevin G.

The journey began early in the morning, it was a long bus ride from London to the port city of Cardiff. Along the way, we made a quick stop in Lacock, England. Several scenes for films and television programs would be recorded at this tiny English village. We made a quick stroll through Lacock Abbey before dinner, which would become a unique experience for any Harry Potter fan as the hallways of this historic site was used for the hallways of Hogwarts. You can also see the ‘real’ home of Harry Potter which is a lovely cottage that sits right behind St. Cyriac’s Church.

Things to do in Cardiff:

  • Arcades: Don't confuse these with video game arcades, the arcades in Cardiff are well-known for their different food venues and shops.

  • Gin: What better way to experiencing Cardiff then by trying some local gin drinks, they come in multiple flavors. *Drink responsibly

  • Markets: Don't miss out on the Cardiff Central Market which offers a wide variety of restaurants, businesses and souvenir shops to remember your time in Wales.

  • Cardiff Bay: Take a stroll through Cardiff Bay. And if you have time to spare, take a boat tour to experience what's it like sailing through the Welsh waters.

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We had our first excursion to St. Fagans National Museum of History which allowed us to experience traditional Welsh life through open-air walks around ancient re-erected buildings and gardens.

Our next stop was Cardiff Castle, which is probably the one site everyone has to see when visiting Cardiff. This ancient site offers a lot to see such as the Roman Wall, the Black Tower, a tour walk inside the very elegant Castle Apartments, the wartime tunnels, etc. 

On our last day, we made a quick stop to the Cardiff Bay to see the Wales Millenium Center and the Pierhead, some of Cardiff’s main tourist sites. And before heading back to London, we had the opportunity to go down into a coalmine at the Big Pit National Coal Museum, which was probably the highlight of this study tour for me.