Day Trip To Cardiff From London: Best Tours, Things To Do & More
Going on a day trip to Cardiff from London is a great way to escape the overwhelming hustle and bustle of the UK capital and experience the delightfully serene Welsh capital instead.
I’ve taken more day trips to Cardiff than I can remember; it is easily one of my favourite cities in the UK. Much quieter and smaller than London, Cardiff is a lovely place that has so much to offer.
In this blog post, I’ll detail the best tours to consider for Cardiff, plus the top things to do, where to stay, and plenty more.
ā In a rush? My Day Tour Recommendations For Cardiff:
Cardiff: City Highlights Guided Walking Tour
Cardiff: Doctor Who City Walking Tour
Cardiff Day Tour from London
Best Tours For A Day Trip To Cardiff From London
Without further ado, let’s take a look at what I believe to be 3 of the best tours to consider when planning a day trip to Cardiff from London:
- Cardiff: City Highlights Guided Walking Tour – this 2-hour walking tour is the perfect way to see the main tourist attractions of Cardiff such as Cardiff Castle, Principality Stadium, Bute Park, The Old Gallows, and more.
- Cardiff: Doctor Who City Walking Tour – this is the must-do tour for any Doctor Who fans visiting the city! Spend 2 and a half hours seeing more than 20 Doctor Who locations where scenes were filmed.
- Cardiff Day Tour from London – on this tour you’ll enjoy a guided tour of Cardiff before visiting the seaside town of Penarth. An entry ticket for Cardiff Castle is also included in the price.
Best Things To Do In Cardiff
Once you get to the Welsh capital, what exactly can you do there? Plenty! Let’s take a look at what I believe to be the best things to do in Cardiff on a day trip:
Cardiff Castle
Without a doubt, the most iconic historical landmark in Cardiff and all of Wales is the fabulous Cardiff Castle. Based very close to the city centre, this impressive medieval fortress was built in the 11th Century by Norman invaders.
š Pro Tip: for the best views of all of Cardiff then you have to climb to the top of the castle! I did this and was blown away by the views. Tickets cost Ā£15.50 for adults and Ā£10.50 for children.
There’s also the option to take a guided tour of the castle apartments on the grounds next to the castle, costing just Ā£4.50 for adults and Ā£3.50 for children and lasts typically about 50 minutes.
It’s not vital to book your tickets in advance, but you can do so on the official Cardiff Castle website. If you’re tight on cash or don’t fancy climbing up the castle then you can just walk around the castle grounds for free.
Discover Cardiff Market
Cardiff Market is a fantastic place where you can discover countless stalls selling all kinds of goods. Most of the stalls sell locally produced food items, but you can also find book and vinyl stores and other interesting products.
Housed in a gorgeous Grade II listed Victorian building that first opened in 1891, the market is very much considered the beating heart of the city.
I’ve spent time at Cardiff Market and loved it! Walking around the market is a perfect way to discover Welsh culture at its finest.
Visit the National Museum
The National Museum is an ideal visit if you want to learn more about Welsh history during your day trip to Cardiff. There are lots of exhibitions on show here, ranging from natural history and geology to the best of Welsh art.
It also has collections of renowned international artists such as Turner, Rodin, and Van Gogh, so there’s plenty to discover for art lovers.
And what’s best is that the National Museum is completely free to enter! Check out the museum’s website to see what’s on.
Check out the Wales Millenium Centre
The Wales Millenium Centre is a huge venue that is located in Cardiff Bay and is the national arts centre for Wales. It hosts everything from opera, classical concerts, and musicals to circus shows.
If you don’t have time to see a show, then the impressive exterior of the building itself is worth seeing and is considered one of the most iconic modern landmarks in the whole country.
You can see what upcoming shows are on at the Wales Millenium Centre here.
Relax at Bute Park
As one of the flattest cities in the UK, Cardiff experiences more hours of sunlight than other top European destinations, such as Milan! So if it’s a gloriously sunny day on your visit then make sure to soak up the rays at Bute Park.
Located very close to Cardiff Castle, Bute Park covers 130 acres and is a delightful place to go for a walk in nature while also being just a few minutes away from the city centre.
I’ve visited Bute Park a few times when it’s been sunny on my trips to Cardiff and always consider it to be one of the best city parks that is available outside of London in the UK.
Discover Cardiff Bay
Probably my favourite area in all of Cardiff is the trendy, fashionable Cardiff Bay. Known as Europe’s largest waterfront development, the bay is a gorgeous location with top views of the Cardiff Bay Barrage Lake.
Although it is over 2 miles outside the city centre, it’s worth taking time out of your day trip. There’s a huge range of top restaurants, cafes, bars, and more here, as well as the iconic Wales Millenium Centre.
š Pro Tip: to reach Cardiff Bay from the city centre, I recommend catching The Baycar (Service No 6) bus, which is considered the easiest option.
You can catch a train from Cardiff Central Station but you will have to change at Cardiff Queen Street.
You can also get a taxi as well of course but this will cost you more, around Ā£6-8, while the bus and train only cost Ā£1-2.
Experience Cardiff’s nightlife
If you have enough time during your day trip to Cardiff from London, I highly recommend visiting the city centre during the nighttime hours, which is when Cardiff comes alive!
Cardiff honestly has one of the best nightlife scenes I’ve experienced in the UK. With awesome restaurants, bars and nightclubs, the city is really lively after dark with plenty of places to visit.
I also recommend visiting one of the many traditional Welsh pubs in the city and savouring some local cuisine such as:
- Cawl – dating back to the 14th century, this is a stew made up of lamb and vegetables and is considered the national dish of Wales.
- Welsh rarebit – basically cheese on toast but with sauce on top such as Worcestershire sauce or mustard.
- Bara brith – a tea loaf that consists of dried fruits and spices and goes perfectly with a nice cuppa!
Where To Stay In Cardiff
If you do decide to stay the night (or multiple nights) in Cardiff then you may be wondering where to stay. Here are my top three accommodation recommendations for the Welsh capital:
- BunkHouse – situated very centrally in Cardiff city, BunkHouse is the perfect choice if you’re on a budget and don’t mind staying in a dormitory.
- New House Country Hotel – this is a beautiful 4-star hotel based on a hill on the outskirts of the city. It has fantastic views of Cardiff, not to mention exceptional amenities such as a fitness centre, restaurant and room service.
- Clayton Hotel Cardiff – this modern 4-star hotel is located right opposite Cardiff Central train station, so is ideal for a quick visit. Expect luxury rooms and a stylish bar and restaurant.
How To Get To Cardiff From London
Travelling from London to Cardiff is relatively straight forward and there are several choices you have to consider:
London to Cardiff by Train š
If you plan on using public transport to get to Cardiff from London then I strongly recommend catching a train. There are 32 trains daily from London Paddington to Cardiff Central, which usually take 1 hour and 47 minutes.
Ticket prices depend on how far in advance you book and can range from less than Ā£10 to over Ā£40 or more.
London to Cardiff by bus š
You can also catch a national express or megabus coach from London Victoria Coach Station. This is relatively cheaper than trains, you can find a lot of tickets for less than Ā£10 but expect a longer journey, with the fastest bus taking 3 hours 20 minutes.
London to Cardiff by car š
Of course, taking a car from London to Cardiff is a good option and is quite scenic at times, especially when crossing the Severn Bridge (officially known as the Prince of Wales Bridge) into Wales.
A typical car journey from London to Cardiff will take roughly just under 3 hours and covers a distance of 145 miles.
Map of Cardiff
Check out this interactive map of Cardiff, which includes all of the locations mentioned in this blog post, as well as accommodation options:
Day Trip To Cardiff From London FAQs
Still unsure about taking a day trip to Cardiff from London? Let me answer some of the most commonly asked questions about this topic:
Is Cardiff/Wales worth visiting?
Absolutely! Wales is such an overlooked country in the UK by tourists, I’m always surprised that more visitors don’t include it in their UK itineraries. It is a gloriously beautiful country and the people are some of the loveliest you’ll ever meet.
And of course, it goes without saying that Cardiff is most definitely worth visiting and should be at the top of your list when planning a visit to Wales. It’s similar but at the same time different from most English cities that it warrants a visit.
Is one day enough time to visit Cardiff?
Yes, in my experience, one day is enough time to visit Cardiff. You can easily explore the city centre, climb Cardiff Castle, and chill out at Cardiff Bay all within one day.
As mentioned, Cardiff is a relatively small city (it’s the smallest capital city in all of Europe!), so it is very easy to walk from one tourist attraction to the next without any problems.
What’s the best time to visit Cardiff?
There’s never a bad time to visit Cardiff, to be honest! But I would recommend visiting during the summer months. It may be crowded during this season and higher accommodation prices but a nice sunny day in Cardiff is unbeatable.
Spring and autumn months are also good times to visit the Welsh capital, but the weather will be more unpredictable. And the same can be said of the winter months obviously, but a rainy, cold day in Cardiff is still a pleasure.
Is 2 days in Wales or 3 days in Wales better?
If you only have 2 days in Wales then make sure to read my ultimate 2-day itinerary to Wales from London for some suggestions on places to visit, such as Llandudno in North Wales.
3 days in Wales would be the better option though, giving you more time to explore the likes of Cardiff, Snowdonia and other quaint seaside towns and villages.
Conclusion: Day Trip To Cardiff From London
So that concludes everything you need to know when planning to take a day trip to Cardiff from London. Cardiff is such a great alternative to London; it allows you to experience a new culture that is distinctly different from the UK capital.
Whether you want to enjoy Cardiff’s trendy social scene, see the city from the top of Cardiff Castle, or just chill out at Cardiff Bay, there are so many things to do in this beautiful and unique city.
I hope this blog post has given you plenty of ideas for your day trip to Cardiff from London and that you’re now inspired to experience the best that the Welsh capital has to offer.
You might also enjoy reading these UK blog posts:
ā”ļø 10 Unmissable Day Trips From Birmingham To Seaside Destinations
ā”ļø 24 Hours In London – Top 21 Cheap Things To Do In The UK Capital
ā”ļø Inverness vs Edinburgh: Which City Is Better To Visit In 2025
ā”ļø The 25 Best Day Trips From Birmingham That Are A Must In 2025
ā”ļø Planning your trip? Here are my favourite resources:
šØ Accommodation: I recommend using Booking.com
š Rental Car: Use Discover Cars for the best car rental prices
ā¤ļø Travel Insurance: I recommend using Visitors Coverage
āļø Flights: Use Kiwi.com for the best prices on flights
