Monday, April 5, 2010

Travel Guide To Cardiff

By Ramon Van Meer

A town of confidence, Cardiff is a city designed by the wealthiest man in the 19th century, the third marquess of Bute, John Patrick Crichton-Stuart. He made a legacy of great architecture which are visible in the Cardiff Castle and the Civic Center. While preserving this legacy undamaged, this city is slowly changing itself and going with the twenty-first century.

The Cardiff Castle had been once a spot of medieval ruins that the Bute family transformed into landscaped grounds and kitsch. This family was also accountable in making Cardiff the world's biggest coal port. In line with this, they also acquired the Pierhead Building constructed. It is a red-colored brick French Gothic Renaissance building that has been built to stir maritime traffic. You may also see the Llandaff Cathedral, another 1 of the renowned architectural sites in Cardiff. It's a lovely church built on the area of a monastery set up by St. Tielo. The symbol and center of the regrowth of Cardiff Bay is the Wales Millennium Centre. It is deemed an architectural work of art of different colors of stacked Welsh slate and a bronzed steel shell.

The Coal Exchange was the center of the Welsh coal trade. In 1908, the 1st check for one million pounds had been prepared by a coal merchant. Nowadays, arts and performances tend to be situated and hosted in this building. Caf and outlets are located in the harbor of Cardiff at the Mermain Quay. Throughout the Cardiff Festival, a carnival happens here and samba bands and dance troupes are plentiful. This is the great place for shopping and having a leisurely stroll. Remember to see the Goleulong 2000 Lightship. That is found close to the Norwegian Church on the harbor. It houses the Christian center where you can locate a bookshop, caf as well as exhibitions. You can even see the small cabins and climb the lighthouse to get a sight of Cardiff.

Above the shopping street in the city center is the Gothic lantern tower of the Church of St. John the Baptist. It is a 15th century parish which exhibits stonework on the exterior that is so sensitive you would think it was filigree. Elegant arches enhance the inside of the church and this is a terrific place to acquire some quiet moment from the busyness of the street.

Local climate: Like Wales, Cardiff's weather conditions are generally unstable. It can be wet and windy, cloudy and gray, or downright sunny. The rainy season start in October and goes through right up until winter so the best time to go to Cardiff is in the summer or spring. The days are long and warm in summer but there can be a lot of travelers sightseeing as well. If you want to avoid the crowds, go in spring.

Transportation: You can rent a car, motorcycle or even bicycle to get to notable places in Cardiff. You can also take the official black taxi to get around Cardiff. They can be hailed in the street, ordered by phone or you can go to the taxi stops located outside the train station, Duke Street, or at the corner of Greyfriars Road and Park Place. There are buses that also cover different destinations in and around Cardiff.

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