City Life

Cardiff offers a wide range of cultural and social activities that will suit everybody's tastes, from music lovers to sports fans. Here is our own selection of things to do and where to go in Cardiff.

Eating out

If you think eating out in Cardiff involves a hefty bill, relax! There are a variety of restaurants and take-aways with very reasonable prices. British people are fond of food from around the world, so you can be sure to find something that you like! This is a good opportunity to discover some foods that you may never have tasted before!

One of the cheapest options are take-aways. You order your food and take it away to eat rather than sitting in a restaurant, hence the name. Take-aways offer many foods such as: Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Pizzas, Kebabs, Fried Chicken, or the traditional Fish and Chips. Cowbridge Road in Canton and City Road in Cathays have a huge selection of take-aways. In the City Centre, Caroline Street has been nicknamed by the locals "Chippy Alley" because of the high proportion of Fish and Chips shops.

If you want to go out for a meal, you can find very nice restaurants with reasonable prices. The city centre around St Marys Street and as well as Mermaid Quay in Cardiff Bay brings together flavours from all over the globe. If you wish to avoid the buzz of the City Centre (especially on the weekend), the best thing is to check out your local area. Word of mouth is also a good means of recommendation.

If you would like to combine the fun of eating out with a cultural experience, why not go to a pub ? It offers traditional food and holds an important place in British social life. Get together with some friends and do not be afraid to ask what is on the menu. If you are unsure of what to order, this will be the perfect occasion to talk with native speakers!

Going for a coffee

Cardiff offers a great selection of cosy and friendly coffee houses, which are very popular with students, ideal for chatting with your friends after a hard day studying. Close to the City Centre Campus, in City Road you can find AJ's Coffee House and A Shot in the Dark. One of our favourites is Café Europa opposite Cardiff Castle, but nothing beats the advice of your friends!

Shopping in Cardiff

Cardiff is a great place for shopping. It has all the main brand stores in the city centre but also offers the small specialist local shops in the surroundings areas.

There are two main shopping streets in the City Centre: St Mary Street and Queen Street. Most of their shops are major stores that you can find all around the United Kingdom (Zara, H & M, River Island, Next, Monsoon, Marks & Spencers, etc). The good thing about them is that you are sure to wear the latest trend, however it also means that there is a chance of seeing other people wearing the same clothes!

If you want to avoid major stores, the Edwardian and Victorian arcades in the city centre (Morgan Arcade, Royal arcade, High Street Arcade to name but a few) combine nice architecture and unique choice of shops to find that special treat. You will be more likely to find more original items there.

Did you know that Cardiff has the oldest record shop in the world? It is called Spillers and is a must-see for every music fan. Others will probably prefer bigger stores such as HMV and Zavvi for CD's, DVD's, and Video games who offer a wider range of products to suit everybody's taste.

It is a common misconception to believe that it is hard to eat healthily in the UK. If you are looking for fresh fish, fruit and vegetables, your local green grocer of the Cardiff Indoor Market off St Mary's Street is the place to go!