Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CARDIFF &
THE SOUTH OF
WALES
by Nick Dalton & Deborah Stone
18
This is a land of hills and history, of castles and sandy
coves. Yet for every ancient site, there's a modern
restaurant serving locally produced, organic food.
Cardiff, the country's capital, is a vibrant destination, and
Swansea, Wales's second city, is hot on its heels. What once was a heart-
land of the Industrial Revolution now welcomes tourists to the old mining
towns as well as to the timeless and beautiful beaches of the Gower
Peninsula and Pembrokeshire.
CITIES & TOWNS
Cardiff 's old docks have been reinvented as the
buzzing
Cardiff Bay.
The
Cardiff Bay Barrage
keeps the sea placid,
and now the water laps against quaysides alive with restaurants and attrac-
tions. It's a perfect counterpoint to the city's fairytale castle, world-class
museum, and extensive shopping. To the west is
Swansea,
a seafront city
with its own revamped docks (the
Maritime Quarter
), cool hotels and
beaches on
The Mumbles.
At Wales's westernmost point is
St. Davids,
Britain's smallest city, with a beautiful cathedral.
COUNTRYSIDE
The
Brecon Beacons National Park,
a wonder-
land of mountains, waterfalls, and stunning walks, is at the region's heart,
but there is so much more. From the stark
Black Mountains
to the
meandering valleys near
Rhayader
with their astonishing collection of
Victorian dams,
there's a beauty spot at every turn. There are walks
along rivers, in forests, and up
Pen y Fan,
the south's highest peak.
EATING & DRINKING
This is a major food area, whether it's
Welsh
lamb
grazed on lush hillsides or the
bounty of the sea.
Sophisticated
restaurants are springing up all over, and boutique producers even extend
to the
ice creams
of Cadwaladers, Gianni's, and Joe's. And
Welsh
cakes,
a flat, sugary treat, are as good as ever.
COAST
The dazzling beaches on the west coast (
Newgale
near St.
Davids is jaw-dropping) and the
Gower
's fine sands get all the publicity,
but there are special places all around the coastline; drive down a tiny lane
