The Parkgate Hotel

How many cities have both an outstanding castle and a world-class stadium and events arena right in the thick of things? That’s Cardiff – plus great shopping and an array of cool cafés, restaurants and bars. The urban medley creates a modern, buzzing city with a bit of a reputation for its nightlife – come the weekend, this hub of activity is a haven for fun-lovers from the valleys.

Drinking aside, this is a wonderful modern city, but one that’s never far from its roots, evident from the number of statues. It is filled with elegant buildings – a mix of Victorian and Edwardian – the loveliest being the classic Portland stone buildings of the Law Courts, City Hall and the national museum. They make up the civic centre and what is now the university area. The city is also very green, with the biggest open space being Bute Park, which takes you from the castle to the banks of the River Taff. On the riverside, you can catch a waterbus pass the famous Cardiff Arms Park and the Principality Stadium to Cardiff Bay, where the old dockyards have been transformed into a busy, thriving waterfront.