Showing posts with label Cardiff. Show all posts

Top Must Do Attractions In Cardiff Wales

Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, is a vibrant bustling city perfect for a weekend away. What is just so perfect about Cardiff is that the centre, with its theatres, big brand shops, and independent boutiques and cafes, is easily walkable. It's a short car ride from my hometown on the South Wales coast, so we visit often and really love the city.

At the moment most of us can't travel in the UK, but when restrictions are lifted, and it's safe to do so, I can really recommend visiting Cardiff for a fun-filled city break.

Here are some of my top attractions in Cardiff. This is an advertorial.

Take in the history at Cardiff Castle



Cardiff castle stands in the centre of the city and is one of Wales' leading historic attractions. It consists of a medieval castle and Victorian Gothic revival mansion, as well as an original motte and bailey castle built in the 11th century by Norman invaders on top of a 3rd century Roman fort. It's a really interesting place to visit for all you history buffs out there, and it also holds music concerts too. Tickets to visit the castle are £14.50 per adult, and £10 per child, with under 5's free and family tickets available too.

Shop the independent shops and eat in the independent cafes



Cardiff is known for its independent shops and cafes especially in the Victorian and Edwardian arcades. Hawkes Essentials is a stylish menswear shop favoured by Mr W and check out The Plan cafe, for a great cup of coffee and some healthy salads, both in Morgan Arcade. Other favourites include Cameraland and Wally's Deli which is almost a Cardiff institution in the Royal Arcade and Crystals, for well-priced jewellery in Castle Arcade. Outside of the arcades, a cute little place for some refreshments is Pettigrew Tea Rooms where all the cakes are homemade, see the deliciousness above. 

Immerse yourself in an escape room



If you are visiting Cardiff and are looking for something different to do, especially with a small group of people, try one of the many escape rooms. If you are not sure what an escape room is, then let me explain, you are locked into a room for 60 minutes with other people and have to use your intellect to get out by solving the themed puzzles. It's great family-friendly fun although you can also do more adult games involving serial killers and unsolved murders! I can recommend Escape Reality as well as Adventure Rooms Cardiff which is our personal favourite.

See how the Welsh used to live at St Fagans 



St Fagans - the National Museum Of History in Wales, is an excellent museum within 10 to 15 minutes drive of the centre of the city. This open-air museum documents Welsh life from the past and is free to enter. Walk around the original buildings some of which have been dismantled and re-erected there. A highlight of our trip was the Gwalia Supply Co, a typical general store from the South Wales valleys and St Teilos church with its unexpected 15th-century paintings inside. For more details check out this post and video on St Fagans on the travel blog I write with my husband, Fly Drive Explore.

Take a stroll around Cardiff Bay



A 25-minute walk or little over a 5-minute drive from the centre of the city, Cardiff Bay is a lovely area to take a stroll. You can walk around the Cardiff Bay Barrage to the little town of Penarth, see the Norweigan church, which was built to serve the Norwegian sailors who docked in the city and take in a show at the Millenium Centre. There are also plenty of restaurants too as well as a brilliant science museum for kids called Techniquest. If you are interested in politics you can also tour The Senedd, designed by Richard Rogers, where the Welsh parliament make the laws of the land.

See how Wales evolved at the National Museum Cardiff

National Museum Of Cardiff

The National Museum of Cardiff is a free to enter museum, an easy walk from the main shopping area of Cardiff. With a great national history section exploring the evolution of Wales and art from the 1500s to the modern-day, it's worth spending some time here if you enjoy visiting museums. At the moment there is a great exhibition on the actor Richard Burton which I would love to see.

Where to stay in Cardiff


Ok, you can't stay in Cardiff Castle but Cardiff has a number of hotels to stay in, at a range of budgets. Our favourites include the Hilton, Hotel Indigo, Premier Inn and the Clayton hotel. If you want to stay in a serviced apartment have a look at SITU Serviced Apartments. Apartments are great if you want that extra space as city centre hotels typically have small rooms, and serviced apartments can be surprisingly affordable as well. 

So here is my guide to some of the top attractions in Cardiff. Let me know, have you been to Cardiff? Would you like to visit?

* Image National Museum of Cardiff creative commons copyright free

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My Favourite Restaurant Chains In Cardiff

We live about 20 miles from Cardiff and visit on a frequent basis, and when we go shopping there we like to eat out. The centre of Cardiff has a number of decent restaurants and although independent restaurants can be hard to find, there are some fantastic chain restaurants in the city centre. If you are visiting Cardiff for the first time or just want to try somewhere different check out my favourite restaurant chains in Cardiff where you will always have a great meal.

 Las Iguanas

Las Iguanas is situated on Mill Lane in Cardiff city centre. A Latin American restaurant serving South American and Mexican food, the decor inside is bright and vibrant. The food is authentic and to be honest some of the best Latin American and Mexican food I have had, even when I travelled around New Mexico earlier in the year. Menu choices include appetisers such as nachos and tacos and main course including burrito bowls, Gaucho steak and Dominican goat curry. 

The lamb empanada I chose when I went last was really delicious. A crispy pastry turnover hid a filling of lightly spiced lamb and onions in a rich tomato sauce. What I did like was that the pastry was light and non-greasy, and when served with a sweet salsa dipping sauce it really hit the spot

I also ordered a bowl of beef chilli. The beef chilli was one of the best chillis I had ever had. A really flavourful bowl of hearty chilli, hiding a layer of steamed rice and crunchy spring onions underneath.  The beef was tender and delicious, the chilli not too spicy but still had a kick of heat. It felt like a homemade dish based on traditional recipes. They ask what flavour butter you want for the top, and this can vary in heat. Served with a good size chunk of warm cornbread, this is a dish to have if you are hungry.

 Book a table here with Las Iguanas. In summary, Las Iguanas is a good solid choice in Cardiff, and worth a visit if you like authentic South American food. They also have a happy hour with 2 for 1 cocktails which is worth checking out. 

Bistrot Pierre


 Bistrot Pierre again is in the centre of Cardiff in Caroline Street. It's a restaurant I go back to time and time again as their menu is well priced for the quality of the food. I love the fact that it is consistently good time and time again. I'm also a member of their reward scheme 'Mon Pierre Rewards' which give you points every time you dine and rewards you with free food. The decor inside this branch is unstated and chic and the staff are always welcoming and well trained.


One of the dishes I really like is the poulet printanier. This dish is made up of chicken breast pan-fried and served with a rich mushroom, asparagus, pea and tarragon sauce. Topped with a drizzle of truffle oil, it really is a satisfying dish. All the lunch dishes are accompanied with your choice of complimentary potatoes and seasonal vegetables, salad or pommes frites as well so you won't go hungry.

For dessert, I can highly recommend the frangipane. I've had this dish a number of times and it really is delicious. A light pear and almond sponge hides a layer of raspberry sauce. Decorated with almonds and pistachios adding some crunch and served with cream, this dish really is a delight.

Bistrot Pierre is an excellent choice if you like French bistro food, and they have 20 locations nationwide too, so it's worth checking out if there is one near you. 

The Stable


The Stable Pizza is a restaurant chain covering - you guessed it, pizza! Situated in Bridge Street, close to one of the entrances of St Davids 2 shopping centre, it's a casual restaurant serving simple food well made. They have an excellent priced lunch menu at £6.50 too, and they are also known for their speciality ciders.



When I last went the menu had a good selection of pizzas from classic margaritas to local specials like the 'Trealy Farm Streaker', This pizza was topped with Monmouthshire bacon, field mushrooms, fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella and a free-range egg. They also serve a selection of tasty salads and scrumptious pies every day. My husband tried the 'Fiery Dragon' pizza above. A pizza topped with spicy chopped pork, naga chillies, garlic, red onion, basil leaves, field mushrooms, fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella. It was very good and yes it was very spicy too!

Puddings include an excellent chocolate brownie served with thick cream. My son enjoyed every mouthful of this, and I managed to nab a taste. It was served warm and it was gooey and moreish.

 The Stable also serves a good selection of vegan food, so it's a great choice if you are following a vegan diet. If you are looking for a casual restaurant close to St Davids 2 shopping centre you can do no wrong in the centre of Cardiff. 

So as you can see Cardiff has some great restaurant chains. Have you been to any of these restaurant chains near you? Check out restaurants you can book near you with Bookatable.

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Saray Turkish Restaurant Review Cardiff

Unless you've been to Turkey or are Turkish you may have similar preconceptions to me of Turkish cuisine, that it is all reformed meat kebabs in pitta bread. Well, I have to put my hands up and admit I was wrong.

 Last week I was invited to a cookery class at the Saray Turkish restaurant in City Road Cardiff. 

Saray opened in 2015 and have been proudly serving Turkish food since then. Their motto is 'everything from scratch, fresh and delicious'. The meaning of the word Saray is 'palace'. Throughout history, Saray's have always been a place of getting together and sharing different cuisines.

I was joined by my friend Kacie Morgan from The Rare Welsh Bit and Charlie from High Street Beauty Junkie. 
The lovely Selma

We were met by the very sweet Selma, who part owns the business and Kelly the lovely PR lady. My first taste of Saray's Turkish hospitality was a cup of Turkish tea in a pretty cup. Everyone who comes here gets tea as a form of welcome. For some reason I expected it to be strong and distinctive like Turkish coffee but it was a like a black version of our English breakfast tea - refreshing all the same!


The restaurant is large inside and modern. I was impressed how clean it looked, which is always a good sign.



The menu was well priced, with starters such as hummus from £3. There were many dishes on the menu that I liked the look of. A felafel starter at £3.50 sounded tasty and there was a dish of calamari on the menu at £4 which I thought was a bargain. Of the main courses, the grilled whole chicken marinated in a special sauce caught my eye, as well as the kleftiko, a traditional Turkish dish which is a shank of lamb in a rich vegetable sauce.  Good to see a variety of vegetarian and vegan options too like a tasty sounding vegetable moussaka.

We were here to make our own lunch, so without further ado, we put on our aprons and our hats and donned our gloves to make the first dish - Adana Kebabs.


Jihat our chef

Jihat was our chef. He showed us patiently how to make the kebabs and then let us have a go making them ourselves.

The kebabs they make here are made of good quality minced lamb, chopped onion, diced red pepper, salt, chilli flakes and parsley. They are moulded carefully on skewers then grilled for 4-6 minutes until browned all over. Doesn't that sound easy to make? Well, I can tell you, it was trickier than you would think! You need a little bit of oil on your hands to form the kebabs and it's important to have lamb with a little fat to make the kebabs moist when cooking.




Then onto the Pide bread. Pide is a delicious Turkish flatbread that has an array of toppings and is baked in a stone oven. 


The bread base is made in-house in a traditional way.


This bread dough base was first topped with spinach and cheddar cheese and folded on the edges to get a crimped effect.



Then we made some with different toppings including lamb and chicken.




Kacie from the Rare Welsh Bit

As you can see Pide is the perfect portable dish, with some similarities to a pizza. Great to share with friends or not, depending on how hungry you are. It's a light and delicious dish for sure. 

Then it was time to sit down and taste our creations as well as try a selection of mezze, lots of small dishes and dips to share. We had hummus which is a favourite of mine - a chickpea, garlic and olive oil dip, tzatziki - which is yoghurt mixed with cucumber, mint, salt and garlic and babagannus - a dish with aubergine, peppers, tomatoes, olive oil and seasonings with an interesting smokey flavour. 


When all the food came at once, it really was a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. Everything looked super fresh and inviting.



The Adana Kebabs were really very good indeed! They didn't have a strong lamb flavour, instead, the chilli gave the kebabs a nice bit of spice and the seasoning meant the kebabs was well flavoured. They also were not greasy at all, the fat in the meat helping to keep the kebabs moist.


To finish we had Kadayif, the most indulgent treat of shredded filo pastry with pistachio nuts, soaked in a honey syrup. If you've had ever had baklava it is very similar and equally as delicious.  I must admit, this was a favourite of mine and I had two!

The food at the Saray Turkish restaurant was a total surprise to me, fresh, flavourful, tasty and utterly delicious and not a reformed meat kebab in sight. With a variety of dishes for meat eaters and vegetarians, you can do no wrong if you ventured here for a meal out in Cardiff. Good, honest, Turkish cuisine, packed full of flavour and served with smiles. Recommended.

Sarah Turkish Restaurant
164-166 City Road Cardiff, CF24 3JE
02920 494943
Sunday - Thursday 12pm - 11pm
Friday - Saturday 12pm - 12am

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Stay In A Little Luxury With The Aaron Wise Apartments Cardiff

I'm a recent convert to apartment accommodation. You just get so much more space than a standard hotel room, don't you?  So when I was invited to check out the Aaron Wise Apartments in Cardiff recently I was looking forward to seeing what a stay would bring.

The Aaron Wise Apartments are situated in the centre of Cardiff, a short 10-minute walk from Cardiff Central train station, 10 minutes from Cardiff Castle and a 15-minute walk from high street shopping at Queen Street. With a view of the Principality Stadium, it really is well positioned for a stay in the Welsh capital.

 The two bedroom apartment we stayed in was on the top floor. Entry is via a pin code which they email you before you arrive. Such a simple idea but an efficient idea, no fussing around picking up keys at all.

 As we entered the apartment I was really impressed with the fresh modern decor in muted shades of cream, brown, black and grey, and the lovely style of the furnishings. What also struck me was how exceptionally clean it was. Not a speck of dust anywhere, and no musty smell. I think I need their cleaning team in my home that's for sure!

The bedrooms were well appointed. Each had two bedside tables with lamps, a large full-length mirror and a wardrobe with cupboards big enough to store your clothes for a stay. The bed linen looked fresh and inviting but it was the little touches that were particularly great, such as the cosy slippers and a lovely warm dressing gown each, the sort of touches you get in a luxury hotel. The carpet on the floor was soft to the touch, very clean and felt luxurious.
A large flat screen TV added the finishing touch, and perfect if you want to relax in bed before getting up in the morning.

 A small hallway led to the open plan lounge, kitchen and dining area. The area was compact but had everything you would need. The floors had wood tiling and were very clean.


The kitchen included a small dishwasher, cooker, microwave and kettle, coffee pod machine and large fridge freezer. Dishes, pots, pans and cooking utensils were all there - everything you would need to cook and serve a simple meal. 

I liked the fact that they included tea bags, coffee pods, sugar and little pots of fresh milk in the fridge. One of the first things we do when you get to a destination is put on the kettle, so well done for including these Aaron Wise apartments. Another little surprise was a bottle of Prosecco, what a fabulous gift!

Washing up liquid, and dishwasher tablets were also included for a couple of days use. If you were staying longer you would need to bring extra.
The dining area was big enough for four, and the room looked out onto the River Taff. 

The Prosecco was a nice touch!
In between the lounge and dining area was another flat screen TV and a very useful guide was supplied covering what to do in the city and how to operate the appliances and heating.  
Upstairs was a double bedroom and a shower room. Just a little note if you have little ones, the stairs were a little steep so be careful.

The double bedroom had a large flat screen TV and integrally fitted wardrobes which were super sleek. Again towels, luxury bathrobes and fluffy slippers were available. I loved the fact that the bath towels were large and soft, not teeny tiny and scratchy. 
The shower room was designed in black, grey and beige and was very smart. Elemis toiletries were left including shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and body lotion. I don't think I've ever stayed in an apartment with Elemis toiletries so that was fabulous.

Outside is a garden area, that would be perfect to sit in and socialise on a warm Summer's day.

 That evening we went out to explore Cardiff, and that night we had a comfortable stay in the apartment, the beds were super comfy and we all slept well. The large fan in the lounge/diner was perfect for a warm summer's evening and kept us cool. 

If you haven't been to Cardiff before, it's a great city and compact too. There is amazing shopping with independent shops in the Victorian arcades, and high street shops at St Davids 2 and Queen Street. There is also fantastic history to explore in Cardiff Castle. If you want to read more about Cardiff check out my post on What To See And Do In Cardiff Bay.

One point of note is that the apartment it is perfectly situated for the Principality Stadium, however, if you are not a football fan then you may want to check when matches are on as you would have a level of noise from the stadium.

 There is no special parking for the apartment, instead, there is on street parking at a pay and display machine. When we tried to pay it with a credit card it wasn't working so be sure to have change. Many thanks to a kindly traffic warden who gave us 10 pence. 

We really enjoyed our stay at the Aaron Wise Apartments. The apartment was in excellent condition and was the perfect size for a small family or close group of friends.  Everything was super clean and very fresh smelling. The added luxuries of Elemis products, Prosecco, bathrobes, and slippers, as well as complimentary tea and coffee, added some special touches.  Being only a short walk from the centre of Cardiff the apartments are well positioned too. They market the apartments as 'Luxurious, Modern and Convenient' and they certainly are. We would definitely stay again. 

 If you want to book, add the code MELLOVES10 at checkout for 10% off online or give them a ring and quote that code for your discount.

Aaron Wise Serviced Apartments
57 Fitzhamon Embankment
CARDIFF
CF11 6AN
Tel: 029 2078 2782

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Las Iguanas Review Cardiff

Las Iguanas is a Mexican restaurant chain that you can find in most major cities. You may have spotted one near you and wondered if you should visit. Read on to find out why you should. 


 I was invited to review Las Iguanas in Cardiff's Mill Lane, but as always my opinions are honest and reflect the experience I have and the food I eat.

 Now, honestly, I like Mexican food but sometimes, well, it looks all the same, wraps with or without refried beans, baked or fried with a sauce. Now I am sorry if I have disrespected your favourite cuisine, but you must know what I mean! So it was interesting to see what food they had on offer at Las Iguanas.

 Ollie our server was pleasant, accommodating. He whizzed through the main menu with us and the lunch time offerings too, patiently responding to my questions and queries. One thing I picked up on quickly was the Happy Hour menu with 2 for 1 cocktails and coolers every day.  Now I love a good cocktail but as it was lunch time I decided to order a raspberry cooler - well two raspberry coolers for the price of one. Mr W ordered a coke, he is a creature of habit.

As you can see I couldn't wait to try the raspberry cooler, it was sweet without being too sweet, refreshing and perfect for a warm day, the raspberry really came through in the flavour. A good start.

 The menu


A selection from the lunch menu

 There is a lunch menu and the main A La Carte menu. The lunch menu is served until 6.30pm every day and is made up of smaller starters at £2.95 and normal sized main meals between £7.50 and £9.50.

The A La Carte menu is available at all times throughout the day. So if you visiting at lunchtime and wanted to mix and match dishes off both menus you could. Prices for starters on the A La Carte menu are from £4.95 to £7.50, and main courses are from £10 to £17.50, the latter price is for the steak.

Highlights of the main menu were 'taco planks' - grilled soft corn & flour tortillas topped with your choice of filling &  fresh taco slaw, as well as a wide range of tapas including empanadas, quesadillas, nachos and chicken wings. You can also find Mexican classics such as burritos, fajitas and enchiladas, a selection of burgers with a South American twist and Cuban sandwiches and steaks. 

Vegetarians are well looked after with a wide selection of inventive dishes including sweet potato, butternut squash & chickpea chilli chimichanga and halloumi churrasco skewers.

The food

We ordered off the lunch menu, I ordered a lamb empanada, and then the beef chilli, Mr W the nachos and then the chicken burritos.
lamb empanada

The lamb empanada was scrumptious, a crispy little pasty, hid a filling of lightly spiced lamb and onions in a tasty tomato based sauce. It came with a sweet salsa, which was great as a dipping sauce. What was impressive was the fact that the pastry was light and non-greasy and yet still crisp - no sogginess here. This smaller size portion was from the lunch menu if you have a large appetite I would suggest you order a starter from the A La Carte menu.


Mr W's nachos were yummy. Crispy tortillas, softening slightly under melted cheese with a decent portion of sour cream, guacamole and salsa. A good solid portion of nachos, again from the lunch menu, so a smaller portion and not overwhelming.

Chicken burritos

Mr W enjoyed his burritos - the chicken was mixed with refried beans, spicy but not too spicy he said. The guacamole, sour cream and tomato salsa was tasty but fairly standard, what you would expect really. What was great was the salad served with it that added some freshness and lightness to the dish.

Beef chilli

Now onto the beef chilli. I will say this and I will say this only once, this is one of the best chilis I have ever had. Why? Well, it was so flavorful, the beef was chunky and tender, the gravy rich, dark, and tasty. I could really imagine someone's mum from Peru, simmering it on the stove gently, stirring it and looking after it, really nurturing the dish.

It is served with a topping of chilli butter, adjusted to your heat and this added that perfect touch.

The spring onion rice was layered in the bottom of the bowl with the chilli on top. I liked how you had to dig deep into the bottom to get to the yummy rice, it really added an authentic touch.
Jalapeno cornbread accompanying the chilli

The chilli also came with a chunk of warm cornbread, which was great to mop up the juices and had a hint of lime and jalapeno. This was one hearty chilli for sure.


Love the decor!

Feeling as if we were going to explode we sadly left dessert. I did, however, browse the menu and can assure you dessert lovers among you wouldn't be disappointed, from the Aztec chocolate fudge cake to a delicious sounding creamy caramel cake there were some scrumptious sounding desserts on the menu.



I personally feel Las Iguanas is a great choice when you went Mexican food, their ethos is super and refreshingly simple - they want to bring authentic South American food to your table. They pride themselves on using the freshest ingredients and I feel it really shows in their food - every day they make over 30 sauces and salsas fresh by hand in their kitchens.

We would definitely return, I mean, how could I not after that chilli? With 2 for 1 cocktails and coolers, a well-priced lunch menu, authentic tasty South American food and super efficient service, Las Iguanas is carving out a well-respected niche on our high street. Recommended.

 Las Iguanas
8 Mill Lane, 
Cardiff 
CF10 1FL
 029 2022 6373
https://www.iguanas.co.uk/restaurants/cardiff
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