A Wales Day Trip Exploring Cardiff

The Not Quite Nation.

“Do you consider Wales a country?” My travel companion, Nina, and I asked this of every native Welsh person we met on our Wales day trip. The answer, as you can imagine, was confusing at best.

One person that we spoke to would passionately shout that Wales was indeed its own country as one could describe themselves as “Welsh.” Less than five feet away, another person would disagree, stating that Wales was not an independent and autonomous country, but technically under the control of the United Kingdom.

As far as I can understand, a country has to do with a piece of land which has a distinct political identity — people can of course be from a country.

On the other hand, a nation is a group of people who share culture and language, but don’t necessarily have a country (i.e. the Roman people, Assyrians, or Basques).

After many drinks (Cardiff has some spectacular bars) Nina and I made it our mission to learn from the citizens of Cardiff what made Wales so unique, and to get their thoughts on Wales’ status as a nation versus a country. In between stirring up the debate, we did some sightseeing.

The Welsh Language.

Wales, in case you didn’t know, has its own language. It’s objectively among one of the most difficult to learn. It’s a point of pride for the Welsh to know and speak the language. Wales has had it rough linguistically speaking, considering their letter combinations are apparently ones that no one else in the world wanted (presumably). Take a look and tell me I’m lying:

Cardiff Castle.

Cardiff Castle is worth the visit, even if it’s the only thing you do all day. It is exactly how I picture most of Wales to be. Rolling green hills and fields surround a piece of history still standing after thousands of years (nearly 2,000 in this case). Visitors are free to climb, marvel at, and explore the castle and surrounding area.

Cardiff Castle is reminiscent of any decent medieval fairy tale, and allows one the feeling of stepping right into a storybook. It is tranquil and the land is spacious enough that it gives every visitor the opportunity to feel that he or she is discovering something unique, untouched, and all their own.

As I always do, I looked out from the windows of the castle and wondered what people must have felt when looking out those same windows a thousand years ago. I daydreamed about looking out at the green fields and thought it amazing that such a castle stands in the middle of a major city.

The interior of the castle is even more of an immersive experience. It looks largely untouched and identical to all the images that the mind conjures when we think of medieval fairy tales. The interior was so well-designed and homey, it felt as though the residents of the castle had simply left for an outing and would return home soon.

The castle offers guided tours, none of which we took because we were short on time. Although if you’re eager to learn the actual history of the castle, I highly suggest you take one.

There are also movies shown on the castle grounds which is a highly unique experience, one I’m sure all of the ancient royals enjoyed thousands of years ago. But, really. How many opportunities do you get to attend a movie on castle grounds?! I didn’t get to partake, but if you ever go…please do this for me! (And tag me in a picture!)

Wowza, Waffles!

Time traveling is difficult work, even in a place as gorgeous as Cardiff Castle. Thus, a stroll through Castle Quarter Arcades to find food was appropriate. A fair amount of options exist within the arcades, which by the way is a term used to describe a building with many shops and not a place to play ancient pinball.

We settled on waffles for breakfast which didn’t thrill me initially because…typical choice. When they arrived I realized just how wrong I was. Enter…the “pop banofee” and “strawberry sundae waffles”! A filling and cozy breakfast alongside a giant mug of coffee with booze was the perfect way to settle into a cozy, rainy vibe of a day in Cardiff.

The Big Red Bus – The Best Way To Do a Wales Day Trip.

I can’t overstate enough that the red bus was a fantastic way to explore on our Wales day trip. Not only does it stop at the castle, it also stops at the National Museum of Wales and Cardiff Bay. The Roald Dahl plaza named after the famed Welsh author is a performing arts center which also hosts outdoor events in the summer, and the bus makes a stop there too.

The big red bus tour was a fantastic way to get our bearings about the city. I’m terrible at navigation and directions, so sitting on top of the behemoth bus and listening to the history from our audio guide was an effective and quick way to gain an understanding of the city both geographically and culturally. We were short on time, so we didn’t get to see the museum or Mermaid’s Quay, but I’ve heard great reviews and would have no reservations about checking them both out. You can get to each by taking the red bus!

Get Lit, Then Get Pierced.

Cardiff seemed to have no shortage of interesting watering holes. From the classic pub to the very elegant salon setting, there is a place to grab a pint or cocktail no matter your taste.

I really enjoyed Bar Libertine because of its elegant, sexy, stylish, and secluded feel. The staff are dressed to the nines, but still easy to talk to and incredibly hospitable. The selection of drinks was creative and it could be really hard to choose, but after sampling a lot…I can safely say that you can’t go wrong.

We gathered our liquid courage in Bar Libertine and wandered into a tattoo parlor to get our noses pierced. No, I’m not kidding. Places to drink and places to get pierced make up an entire strip of Cardiff near the castle. We did both. More on that here.

After getting our faces pierced we grabbed some Welsh cakes. Welsh cakes are a delicious mix between a pancake, cookie, and scone and although we had ours plain, you can have them with chocolate chips, fruit, or nuts. Considering our mission to discuss Wales’ level of autonomy from the UK, we made our way to Revolution Cardiff (very appropriate) for more drinks and chatting with locals.

The modern design and fairy tale string lights provide an Instagram wet dream ambiance. We each grabbed a bottle of cider and headed to the back of the place to play some table games and have a really doltish photo shoot.

How much drinking occurred, you ask?

We came frighteningly close to saying “screw the bus” and turning our Wales day trip into an overnight adventure. However, we had no accommodations whatsoever. Not to mention, we would be leaving my husband and his best friend who were working during the day in London. Literally as we were excitedly talking about what a grand plan this was, the bus to London pulled up right in front of the castle. A sign.

Over four hours later, we groggily disembarked the bus and rushed to a dinner reservation to meet the guys. Hungover and noses pierced, we sat at the booth exhausted. I would have a lot of explaining to do.

Final Thoughts on My Wales Day Trip.

I saw a lot less of London in the week that I was there because I took an entire day to visit Wales. Sometimes, the long road around is worth it. In this case, I feel that it was entirely worth it. Wales, and Cardiff especially, is not England. I was fortunate enough to get a sampling of the culture, history, and language of Wales and, in some cases, closely meet the Welsh people who show a fierce love and pride for their nation, country, what have you.

Nearly everyone I met in Cardiff  made me feel as though I were the only person who mattered in that moment and at that time. Skilled in storytelling and incredibly helpful, all of the Welsh people we met enjoyed the art of humor as well. Cardiff is comfortable. I feel as though I may have found the only city that is not frenzied, bitter, and chaotic — not even a little. A day in Cardiff spreads out before the adventurer in a slow and tranquil manner. It is a place that is almost ethereal, sitting on a misty bay. I can’t wait to get back!