2-Day Private Wales Tour to Cardiff and Aberfan from London

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Cardiff

Today’s journey goes straight to the Capital of Wales, Cardiff which takes approximately three and a half hours by car. The roots of its name are debated, but it is widely believed that the original Welsh title Caer-Taff (Fort on the Taff) originated from the English corruption. In the 1st century AD, in Roman times, a little fortification was built, where the Gloucester-Carmarthen road crossed the Taff several times before the present stone-closed site was created. With the arrival of Normans in the 11th century, the city began its continuing existence. Within the remnants of the Roman fort, possibly already in 1081, the Norman landowner Robert Fitzhamon built a fortification. The Castle of Cardiff was the foundation of Glamorgan lords who for the next 450 years ruled over the County in the name of the English Crown. Cardiff, with many things to see, is a fantastic place to visit.

Cardiff Castle

The Castle of Cardiff is one of the most significant Welsh heritage sites and an internationally important site. The walls and fairy tale towers of Cardiff Castle are situated in the centre of the city's beautiful parks. By the end of 50AD, the Roman fort at Cardiff was built on a strategic site with easy access to the sea. Archaeological findings indicate that the Cardiff Castle was the first of four forts to occupy this site, all of them of various sizes. Remains can now be seen from the Roman wall. The castle keep was built after the Norman invasion and the Roman fort site was restored.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

The National Museum of Cardiff houses amazing national history, geology, and natural heritage collections, and a large number of temporary exhibits, right at the heart of Cardiff's elegant city centre. The museum's art collection is one of the best in Europe. Visitors can see 500 years of beautiful Welsh and worldwide paintings, sketches, sculptures, silver and pottery, including one of the best collection of Surrealist art in Europe. Here in this museum, you may take a wonderful ride through Wales' evolution from the very early days to the present day. The story begins from the big bang in the universe and takes you on a journey of 4,600 million years that brings the dinosaurs and woolly mammals along the way. You will also find out how life in Wales developed and what dinosaurs were straying around the country. Wales' rich natural past is a massive journey from the sea to the mountains.

Norwegian Church Arts Centre

One of the best landmark buildings in Cardiff Bay, the Norwegian Church Arts Centre provides amazing panoramic views of the seafront.

Principality Stadium Tours

The Millennium Stadium, known since 2016 for sponsoring purposes as the Principality Stadium is Cardiff's National Stadium in Wales. It is home to the national Rugby Union in Wales and has also hosted national soccer team games in Wales. Initially planned to host the 1999 Rugby World Cup, it hosted several other major events too. The events include Tsunami Relief Cardiff concert, the Super Special Stage of Wales Rally Great Britain, the Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain and numerous concerts. It also hosted six FA Cup finals and several other high-profile football fixtures while Wembley Stadium was being redeveloped. Millennium Stadium is the third-largest in the Six-Nation Championships after the Stade de France and London’s Twickenham Stadium. It is also the world's second-largest stadium with a completely retractable roof. This was Europe's second stadium to do so.

Cardiff Bay

The Industrial Revolution of the 1790s, which spurred mining in South Wales' valleys, is the origin for Cardiff's history. The Glamorganshire Canal was also built in 1794, which carried down iron and coal from the valley. With the growth of the industry, it became clear that a more efficient transport was needed and the Taff Vale Railway was opened in 1840. The increasingly growing trade in iron and coal was also the reason for many docks in the Victorian era. Butetown and the surrounding dockland have during this period become a cosmopolitan city of seafarers from around the world who made Cardiff their home. In the 1880s Cardiff had been the largest city in Wales, and its harbour handled more coal than any other harbour in the country. Coal shipments hit a record of 13 million tonnes on the eve of the First World War in 1913.