Cardiff Castle (Welsh: Castell Caerdydd) is a medieval castle and Victorian Gothic revival mansion located in the city centre of Cardiff, Wales. The original motte and bailey castle was built in the late 11th century by Norman invaders on top of a 3rd-century Roman fort. The castle was commissioned either by William the Conqueror or by Robert Fitzhamon, and formed the heart of the medieval town of Cardiff and the Marcher Lord territory of Glamorgan. In the 12th century the castle began to be rebuilt in stone, probably by Robert of Gloucester, with a shell keep and substantial defensive walls being erected. Further work was conducted by the 6th Earl of Gloucester in the second half of the 13th century. Cardiff Castle was repeatedly involved in the conflicts between the Anglo-Normans and the Welsh, being attacked several times in the 12th century, and stormed in 1404 during the revolt of Owain Glyndŵr.
After being held by the de Clare and Despenser families for several centuries, the castle was acquired by The 13th Earl of Warwick and Comte de Aumale in 1423. Lord Warwick conducted extensive work on the castle, founding the main range on the west side of the castle, dominated by a tall octagonal tower. Following the Wars of the Roses, the status of the castle as a Marcher territory was revoked and its military significance began to decline. The Herbert family took over the property in 1550, remodelling parts of the main range and carrying out construction work in the outer bailey, then occupied by Cardiff's Shire Hall and other buildings. During the English Civil War Cardiff Castle was initially taken by a Parliamentary force, but was regained by Royalist supporters in 1645. When fighting broke out again in 1648, a Royalist army attacked Cardiff in a bid to regain the castle, leading to the Battle of St Fagans just outside the city. Cardiff Castle escaped potential destruction by Parliament after the war and was instead garrisoned, probably to protect against a possible Scottish invasion.
Great place to visit, with access to most of the castle possible. The exhibition is very well maintained and the talk about the history concerning 300 years of firearms available in the "Firing Line" display area was very good. When climbing to the top of the Norman Keep you will need to take care and hold of any younger children as the steps are very narrow and the ladder used to access the very top is tight to access. Saying that the view from the top is stunning and we'll worth the effort. Don't forget to download the mobile app in advance as it gives you 10% off entry price. And for me mobile cover at the Castle wasn't great. It states allow 2 hours to visit the castle, but personally I would at least double this. The staff were very helpful and the dressing up area was great fun for my children.
Robert YoungFeb 18, 2018
Very good. 2 adults and children (7 and 11) enjoyed it. Worth paying extra for tour of rooms. Eric guide gave right level of information. Impressed by splendour of rooms and history behind everything. Excellent view of Cardiff from look out. Army but nothing to write home about
James ChevertonFeb 13, 2018
What an amazing place! The manor house is the most opulent I've ever been to, such decoration. Would highly recommend paying a little extra for the guided tour - the guide was very knowledgeable and you got to see lots of rooms not included normally. Download their app beforehand and you save 10% off admission price too.
Andrea LakerMar 1, 2018
It's worth the money and when we went downloading the app meant a 10% reduction. The app itself was a comprehensive tour guide. Shout out to the staff who were always smiling, friendly and passionate about the place.
Cee MorrisseyFeb 28, 2018
Took the grandsons 5 & 2 last year (2017) to see Father Christmas..it's one of the best I've gone too...well worth the extra as a little bit more expensive than others.. although their may be 10 or more in each group..you actually see father Christmas one family at a time.. which was more personal because his little helper had already asked and passed on the grandchildren names.. definitely be going this year
Susan NicholasFeb 5, 2018
Absolutely beautiful place! Expect to spend around 1-2 hours here as there is lots to see. You can join a guided tour and see the inside of the castle. Enjoy the gardens with the views and lots of photo opportunities! Or visit the museum which is interactive at certain points and will make it more enjoyable for the little ones. Personally if visiting Cardiff I would say this is a must 👌
L. B. H.Mar 23, 2018
This is one of the most beautiful spots in the heart of Cardiff city. The admission fee is worth-it (it’s not too pricey for a student like me) and seeing the inside of the castle and the fort is a must. I enjoy every corner of it. The staff are friendly and they maintain this place well. The food is quite delicious and the restrooms are clean.
Jan HöfnerApr 1, 2018
Loved it! We went on the 'Filming locations tour' and it was amazing! I went with people from Cardiff who had been to the castle lots of times before and this tour showed them lots of new areas. The tour guide was lovely and had great anecdotes because he had been around during lots of the filming. Highly recommend!
Maria 124Apr 6, 2018
A beautiful place to visit. There is plenty of information about the vast history of the Castle. The exhibits on show are varied and tactile. It is a great day out for both children and adults. There is plenty to do. The prices are fairly competitive. It is easy to navigate. Definitely reccommend it!
Joanna BoatfieldApr 4, 2018
The wonderfully imposing & beautifully preserved & maintained castle in the heart of Cardiff. The original motte & bailey part of the castle is still intact & open to explore, (There are a lot of steps) Inside the castle walls there is a walkway, which was used as an air raid shelter in the last war. The whole length of the walkway has been made into a replica of how it looked & sounded. There are many ornate & curious rooms to explore, either on your own or as part of a guided tour. In the visitor & cafeteria building, you can see the original roman walls. A very good day out…
Vance WillisApr 3, 2018
Absolutely MUST visit. Good mix of outdoor and indoor viewing. Especially loved the air raid shelter tunnels and the realistic sound effects. The staff very incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and welcoming. Great place for a tea and cake and a very impressive gift shop.
Lucinda RammMay 7, 2018
What a fantastic castle. My wife and I went here with our Granddaughter and we were surprised to find out she loved it. She was given a wee book with things to tick of as we walked throughout the castle. A brilliant visit.
David PettittApr 19, 2018
A beautiful historical castle. Well worth a visit and tour. The architecture is splendid, you can also visit the Keep and original air raid shelters. The grounds are lovely and there is a cafe and shop on site or you can picnic on the green. Peacocks stroll the grounds. Beautiful.
Jackie RankmoreApr 12, 2018
Chose holiday in Cardiff to visit the beautiful historical castle, no regrets. Had a lovely day. Victorian Gothic fantasy built on the remains of Norman & Roman ruins, with a colourful interior. There is plenty of information about the history of the castle. Brilliant central location at the heart of city. On offer are several options for tickets with different prices to suit your needs, worth exploring before paying. Guided tours a bit pricey with full package of history. You can tour at your own pace, use audio tour guide follow numbers. Easy to navigate, good mix of indoor and outdoor viewing. Great restaurant for coffee, tea & cake. Very impressive gift shop. Enjoyed garden walks with lots of picture capturing. Great for everybody plenty to do, loved activity book for children with things to tick as they walk along giving them opportunity to concentrate. Staff very incredibly friendly, knowledgeable & welcoming always go above and beyond to help. 10/10 Definitely recommend
Nat PdfMay 21, 2018
Really nice place to visit. Right in the centre of town. Great wartime exhibit downstairs near the Roman wall. You can walk through the castle walls where people sheltered during the war. The house is amazing to look around with the decor. Guided tours available in the house. Audio description available for the castle grounds. Limited access for wheelchairs and prams, mainly to the keep. Wheelchair access lift in the house
claire wrightMay 21, 2018
Marvelous castle with amazing internal decor, the clock tower tour is a must. Lot of history from the Roman times through the Norman times to present. Gift shop is well priced with lot of nice souvenirs up for grabs. The nearby castle quarter arcades are good for food and drinks.
Peter SimonJun 5, 2018
Chose holiday in Cardiff to visit the beautiful historical castle, no regrets. Had a lovely day. Victorian Gothic fantasy built on the remains of Norman & Roman ruins, with a colourful interior. There is plenty of information about the history of the castle. Brilliant central location at the heart of city. On offer are several options for tickets with different prices to suit your needs, worth exploring before paying. Guided tours a bit pricey with full package of history. You can tour at your own pace, use audio tour guide following numbers. Easy to navigate, good mix of indoor and outdoor viewing. Great restaurant for coffee, tea & cake. Very impressive gift shop. Enjoyed garden walks with lots of picture capturing. Great for everybody plenty to do, loved activity book for children with things to tick as they walk along giving them opportunity to concentrate. Staff very incredibly friendly, knowledgeable & welcoming always go above and beyond to help. 10/10 Definitely recommend
Nat PdfJun 9, 2018
The castle was beautiful! There were plenty of things to do and see. Great views of the city! Nice architecture. The bomb shelter was amazing! You can easily spend around 3 hours here looking at everything! They also host events, so make sure to see if anything is going on while you're there!
Olivia JastrzemskiJun 21, 2018
The castle and its grounds are very nice. When we went on a Monday, the attending crowd was small, and we never had to queue. The steps to the keep are a bit steep, but if you can manage it, the 360°-views of the surrounding city are quite nice. While the apartments are lavishly decorated (1800s), the multi-generational use of the castle means that only snippets of each generation have been preserved. For instance, the inside of the keep is bare; though, there are signs describing what would have been seen had it been kept.
Ariel BridgemanJun 19, 2018
Amazing decorations inside the castle itself. It seems that for the size of the castle we weren't able to tour very many rooms but that is sheer conjecture on my part. The tour guide, David, was very informative and interesting. Would definitely recommend taking the time to see this Welsh treasure.
Jennifer LeeJun 26, 2018
Nice place to visit. The jousting show they had on was fantastic. I thought the entrance fee of £15.50 + extra for the tour was a little high though. The grass around the castle was rather over grown and you couldn't see much of the moat when I visited. Nothing like the pictures you see when doing a web search.
Richard RastallJun 26, 2018
Amazing day out! Took my 4year old son and he loved looking at everything easily fill half a day taking your time. Be warned that the main castle has incredibly steep steps and no wheelchair access but the rest of the grounds is largely wheelchair accessible and the cafe has beautiful cakes and an assortment of hot and cold drinks, with kids meals available. The views from the top of the castle are beautiful & the air raid walk through the walls was very cool.
David HowellsAug 6, 2018
Beautiful castle in the center of Cardiff. There is an entrance fee for anyone who’s not a Cardiff resident. For Cardiff residents there’s a small fee of 6.5£ per year. The castle itself was beautiful. Lots of history. I really liked the WWII shelter. The house was jaw-droppingly beautiful. The military museum in the basement of the souvenir shop was very interesting, too. Definitely worth a visit.
Dilafruz VosievaAug 10, 2018
Wow! What an amazing visit we had today. We did pay extra to enjoy the house tour too. The guide was very knowledgeable as well as friendly and entertaining adding to the enjoyment of the tour. The cafe staff were also very friendly and nothing was to much trouble. A truly beautiful , magnificent castle with such an interesting history.
Susan CoxellAug 2, 2018
Great place to visit, with access to most of the castle possible. The exhibition is very well maintained and the talk about the history concerning 300 years of firearms available in the "Firing Line" display area was very good. When climbing to the top of the Norman Keep you will need to take care and hold of any younger children as the steps are very narrow and the ladder used to access the very top is tight to access. Saying that the view from the top is stunning and we'll worth the effort. Don't forget to download the mobile app in advance as it gives you 10% off entry price. And for me mobile cover at the Castle wasn't great. It states allow 2 hours to visit the castle, but personally I would at least double this. The staff were very helpful and the dressing up area was great fun for my children.
Robert YoungFeb 18, 2018
Very good. 2 adults and children (7 and 11) enjoyed it. Worth paying extra for tour of rooms. Eric guide gave right level of information. Impressed by splendour of rooms and history behind everything. Excellent view of Cardiff from look out. Army but nothing to write home about
James ChevertonFeb 13, 2018
What an amazing place! The manor house is the most opulent I've ever been to, such decoration. Would highly recommend paying a little extra for the guided tour - the guide was very knowledgeable and you got to see lots of rooms not included normally. Download their app beforehand and you save 10% off admission price too.
Andrea LakerMar 1, 2018
It's worth the money and when we went downloading the app meant a 10% reduction. The app itself was a comprehensive tour guide. Shout out to the staff who were always smiling, friendly and passionate about the place.
Cee MorrisseyFeb 28, 2018
Took the grandsons 5 & 2 last year (2017) to see Father Christmas..it's one of the best I've gone too...well worth the extra as a little bit more expensive than others.. although their may be 10 or more in each group..you actually see father Christmas one family at a time.. which was more personal because his little helper had already asked and passed on the grandchildren names.. definitely be going this year
Susan NicholasFeb 5, 2018
Absolutely beautiful place! Expect to spend around 1-2 hours here as there is lots to see. You can join a guided tour and see the inside of the castle. Enjoy the gardens with the views and lots of photo opportunities! Or visit the museum which is interactive at certain points and will make it more enjoyable for the little ones. Personally if visiting Cardiff I would say this is a must 👌
L. B. H.Mar 23, 2018
This is one of the most beautiful spots in the heart of Cardiff city. The admission fee is worth-it (it’s not too pricey for a student like me) and seeing the inside of the castle and the fort is a must. I enjoy every corner of it. The staff are friendly and they maintain this place well. The food is quite delicious and the restrooms are clean.
Jan HöfnerApr 1, 2018
Loved it! We went on the 'Filming locations tour' and it was amazing! I went with people from Cardiff who had been to the castle lots of times before and this tour showed them lots of new areas. The tour guide was lovely and had great anecdotes because he had been around during lots of the filming. Highly recommend!
Maria 124Apr 6, 2018
A beautiful place to visit. There is plenty of information about the vast history of the Castle. The exhibits on show are varied and tactile. It is a great day out for both children and adults. There is plenty to do. The prices are fairly competitive. It is easy to navigate. Definitely reccommend it!
Joanna BoatfieldApr 4, 2018
The wonderfully imposing & beautifully preserved & maintained castle in the heart of Cardiff. The original motte & bailey part of the castle is still intact & open to explore, (There are a lot of steps) Inside the castle walls there is a walkway, which was used as an air raid shelter in the last war. The whole length of the walkway has been made into a replica of how it looked & sounded. There are many ornate & curious rooms to explore, either on your own or as part of a guided tour. In the visitor & cafeteria building, you can see the original roman walls. A very good day out…
Vance WillisApr 3, 2018
Absolutely MUST visit. Good mix of outdoor and indoor viewing. Especially loved the air raid shelter tunnels and the realistic sound effects. The staff very incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and welcoming. Great place for a tea and cake and a very impressive gift shop.
Lucinda RammMay 7, 2018
What a fantastic castle. My wife and I went here with our Granddaughter and we were surprised to find out she loved it. She was given a wee book with things to tick of as we walked throughout the castle. A brilliant visit.
David PettittApr 19, 2018
A beautiful historical castle. Well worth a visit and tour. The architecture is splendid, you can also visit the Keep and original air raid shelters. The grounds are lovely and there is a cafe and shop on site or you can picnic on the green. Peacocks stroll the grounds. Beautiful.
Jackie RankmoreApr 12, 2018
Chose holiday in Cardiff to visit the beautiful historical castle, no regrets. Had a lovely day. Victorian Gothic fantasy built on the remains of Norman & Roman ruins, with a colourful interior. There is plenty of information about the history of the castle. Brilliant central location at the heart of city. On offer are several options for tickets with different prices to suit your needs, worth exploring before paying. Guided tours a bit pricey with full package of history. You can tour at your own pace, use audio tour guide follow numbers. Easy to navigate, good mix of indoor and outdoor viewing. Great restaurant for coffee, tea & cake. Very impressive gift shop. Enjoyed garden walks with lots of picture capturing. Great for everybody plenty to do, loved activity book for children with things to tick as they walk along giving them opportunity to concentrate. Staff very incredibly friendly, knowledgeable & welcoming always go above and beyond to help. 10/10 Definitely recommend
Nat PdfMay 21, 2018
Really nice place to visit. Right in the centre of town. Great wartime exhibit downstairs near the Roman wall. You can walk through the castle walls where people sheltered during the war. The house is amazing to look around with the decor. Guided tours available in the house. Audio description available for the castle grounds. Limited access for wheelchairs and prams, mainly to the keep. Wheelchair access lift in the house
claire wrightMay 21, 2018
Marvelous castle with amazing internal decor, the clock tower tour is a must. Lot of history from the Roman times through the Norman times to present. Gift shop is well priced with lot of nice souvenirs up for grabs. The nearby castle quarter arcades are good for food and drinks.
Peter SimonJun 5, 2018
Chose holiday in Cardiff to visit the beautiful historical castle, no regrets. Had a lovely day. Victorian Gothic fantasy built on the remains of Norman & Roman ruins, with a colourful interior. There is plenty of information about the history of the castle. Brilliant central location at the heart of city. On offer are several options for tickets with different prices to suit your needs, worth exploring before paying. Guided tours a bit pricey with full package of history. You can tour at your own pace, use audio tour guide following numbers. Easy to navigate, good mix of indoor and outdoor viewing. Great restaurant for coffee, tea & cake. Very impressive gift shop. Enjoyed garden walks with lots of picture capturing. Great for everybody plenty to do, loved activity book for children with things to tick as they walk along giving them opportunity to concentrate. Staff very incredibly friendly, knowledgeable & welcoming always go above and beyond to help. 10/10 Definitely recommend
Nat PdfJun 9, 2018
The castle was beautiful! There were plenty of things to do and see. Great views of the city! Nice architecture. The bomb shelter was amazing! You can easily spend around 3 hours here looking at everything! They also host events, so make sure to see if anything is going on while you're there!
Olivia JastrzemskiJun 21, 2018
The castle and its grounds are very nice. When we went on a Monday, the attending crowd was small, and we never had to queue. The steps to the keep are a bit steep, but if you can manage it, the 360°-views of the surrounding city are quite nice. While the apartments are lavishly decorated (1800s), the multi-generational use of the castle means that only snippets of each generation have been preserved. For instance, the inside of the keep is bare; though, there are signs describing what would have been seen had it been kept.
Ariel BridgemanJun 19, 2018
Amazing decorations inside the castle itself. It seems that for the size of the castle we weren't able to tour very many rooms but that is sheer conjecture on my part. The tour guide, David, was very informative and interesting. Would definitely recommend taking the time to see this Welsh treasure.
Jennifer LeeJun 26, 2018
Nice place to visit. The jousting show they had on was fantastic. I thought the entrance fee of £15.50 + extra for the tour was a little high though. The grass around the castle was rather over grown and you couldn't see much of the moat when I visited. Nothing like the pictures you see when doing a web search.
Richard RastallJun 26, 2018
Amazing day out! Took my 4year old son and he loved looking at everything easily fill half a day taking your time. Be warned that the main castle has incredibly steep steps and no wheelchair access but the rest of the grounds is largely wheelchair accessible and the cafe has beautiful cakes and an assortment of hot and cold drinks, with kids meals available. The views from the top of the castle are beautiful & the air raid walk through the walls was very cool.
David HowellsAug 6, 2018
Beautiful castle in the center of Cardiff. There is an entrance fee for anyone who’s not a Cardiff resident. For Cardiff residents there’s a small fee of 6.5£ per year. The castle itself was beautiful. Lots of history. I really liked the WWII shelter. The house was jaw-droppingly beautiful. The military museum in the basement of the souvenir shop was very interesting, too. Definitely worth a visit.
Dilafruz VosievaAug 10, 2018
Wow! What an amazing visit we had today. We did pay extra to enjoy the house tour too. The guide was very knowledgeable as well as friendly and entertaining adding to the enjoyment of the tour. The cafe staff were also very friendly and nothing was to much trouble. A truly beautiful , magnificent castle with such an interesting history.
Susan CoxellAug 2, 2018
Great place to visit, with access to most of the castle possible. The exhibition is very well maintained and the talk about the history concerning 300 years of firearms available in the "Firing Line" display area was very good. When climbing to the top of the Norman Keep you will need to take care and hold of any younger children as the steps are very narrow and the ladder used to access the very top is tight to access. Saying that the view from the top is stunning and we'll worth the effort. Don't forget to download the mobile app in advance as it gives you 10% off entry price. And for me mobile cover at the Castle wasn't great. It states allow 2 hours to visit the castle, but personally I would at least double this. The staff were very helpful and the dressing up area was great fun for my children.
Robert YoungFeb 18, 2018
Very good. 2 adults and children (7 and 11) enjoyed it. Worth paying extra for tour of rooms. Eric guide gave right level of information. Impressed by splendour of rooms and history behind everything. Excellent view of Cardiff from look out. Army but nothing to write home about
James ChevertonFeb 13, 2018
What an amazing place! The manor house is the most opulent I've ever been to, such decoration. Would highly recommend paying a little extra for the guided tour - the guide was very knowledgeable and you got to see lots of rooms not included normally. Download their app beforehand and you save 10% off admission price too.
Andrea LakerMar 1, 2018
It's worth the money and when we went downloading the app meant a 10% reduction. The app itself was a comprehensive tour guide. Shout out to the staff who were always smiling, friendly and passionate about the place.
Cee MorrisseyFeb 28, 2018
Took the grandsons 5 & 2 last year (2017) to see Father Christmas..it's one of the best I've gone too...well worth the extra as a little bit more expensive than others.. although their may be 10 or more in each group..you actually see father Christmas one family at a time.. which was more personal because his little helper had already asked and passed on the grandchildren names.. definitely be going this year
Susan NicholasFeb 5, 2018
Absolutely beautiful place! Expect to spend around 1-2 hours here as there is lots to see. You can join a guided tour and see the inside of the castle. Enjoy the gardens with the views and lots of photo opportunities! Or visit the museum which is interactive at certain points and will make it more enjoyable for the little ones. Personally if visiting Cardiff I would say this is a must 👌
L. B. H.Mar 23, 2018
This is one of the most beautiful spots in the heart of Cardiff city. The admission fee is worth-it (it’s not too pricey for a student like me) and seeing the inside of the castle and the fort is a must. I enjoy every corner of it. The staff are friendly and they maintain this place well. The food is quite delicious and the restrooms are clean.
Jan HöfnerApr 1, 2018
Loved it! We went on the 'Filming locations tour' and it was amazing! I went with people from Cardiff who had been to the castle lots of times before and this tour showed them lots of new areas. The tour guide was lovely and had great anecdotes because he had been around during lots of the filming. Highly recommend!
Maria 124Apr 6, 2018
A beautiful place to visit. There is plenty of information about the vast history of the Castle. The exhibits on show are varied and tactile. It is a great day out for both children and adults. There is plenty to do. The prices are fairly competitive. It is easy to navigate. Definitely reccommend it!
Joanna BoatfieldApr 4, 2018
The wonderfully imposing & beautifully preserved & maintained castle in the heart of Cardiff. The original motte & bailey part of the castle is still intact & open to explore, (There are a lot of steps) Inside the castle walls there is a walkway, which was used as an air raid shelter in the last war. The whole length of the walkway has been made into a replica of how it looked & sounded. There are many ornate & curious rooms to explore, either on your own or as part of a guided tour. In the visitor & cafeteria building, you can see the original roman walls. A very good day out…
Vance WillisApr 3, 2018
Absolutely MUST visit. Good mix of outdoor and indoor viewing. Especially loved the air raid shelter tunnels and the realistic sound effects. The staff very incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and welcoming. Great place for a tea and cake and a very impressive gift shop.
Lucinda RammMay 7, 2018
What a fantastic castle. My wife and I went here with our Granddaughter and we were surprised to find out she loved it. She was given a wee book with things to tick of as we walked throughout the castle. A brilliant visit.
David PettittApr 19, 2018
A beautiful historical castle. Well worth a visit and tour. The architecture is splendid, you can also visit the Keep and original air raid shelters. The grounds are lovely and there is a cafe and shop on site or you can picnic on the green. Peacocks stroll the grounds. Beautiful.
Jackie RankmoreApr 12, 2018
Chose holiday in Cardiff to visit the beautiful historical castle, no regrets. Had a lovely day. Victorian Gothic fantasy built on the remains of Norman & Roman ruins, with a colourful interior. There is plenty of information about the history of the castle. Brilliant central location at the heart of city. On offer are several options for tickets with different prices to suit your needs, worth exploring before paying. Guided tours a bit pricey with full package of history. You can tour at your own pace, use audio tour guide follow numbers. Easy to navigate, good mix of indoor and outdoor viewing. Great restaurant for coffee, tea & cake. Very impressive gift shop. Enjoyed garden walks with lots of picture capturing. Great for everybody plenty to do, loved activity book for children with things to tick as they walk along giving them opportunity to concentrate. Staff very incredibly friendly, knowledgeable & welcoming always go above and beyond to help. 10/10 Definitely recommend
Nat PdfMay 21, 2018
Really nice place to visit. Right in the centre of town. Great wartime exhibit downstairs near the Roman wall. You can walk through the castle walls where people sheltered during the war. The house is amazing to look around with the decor. Guided tours available in the house. Audio description available for the castle grounds. Limited access for wheelchairs and prams, mainly to the keep. Wheelchair access lift in the house
claire wrightMay 21, 2018
Marvelous castle with amazing internal decor, the clock tower tour is a must. Lot of history from the Roman times through the Norman times to present. Gift shop is well priced with lot of nice souvenirs up for grabs. The nearby castle quarter arcades are good for food and drinks.
Peter SimonJun 5, 2018
Chose holiday in Cardiff to visit the beautiful historical castle, no regrets. Had a lovely day. Victorian Gothic fantasy built on the remains of Norman & Roman ruins, with a colourful interior. There is plenty of information about the history of the castle. Brilliant central location at the heart of city. On offer are several options for tickets with different prices to suit your needs, worth exploring before paying. Guided tours a bit pricey with full package of history. You can tour at your own pace, use audio tour guide following numbers. Easy to navigate, good mix of indoor and outdoor viewing. Great restaurant for coffee, tea & cake. Very impressive gift shop. Enjoyed garden walks with lots of picture capturing. Great for everybody plenty to do, loved activity book for children with things to tick as they walk along giving them opportunity to concentrate. Staff very incredibly friendly, knowledgeable & welcoming always go above and beyond to help. 10/10 Definitely recommend
Nat PdfJun 9, 2018
The castle was beautiful! There were plenty of things to do and see. Great views of the city! Nice architecture. The bomb shelter was amazing! You can easily spend around 3 hours here looking at everything! They also host events, so make sure to see if anything is going on while you're there!
Olivia JastrzemskiJun 21, 2018
The castle and its grounds are very nice. When we went on a Monday, the attending crowd was small, and we never had to queue. The steps to the keep are a bit steep, but if you can manage it, the 360°-views of the surrounding city are quite nice. While the apartments are lavishly decorated (1800s), the multi-generational use of the castle means that only snippets of each generation have been preserved. For instance, the inside of the keep is bare; though, there are signs describing what would have been seen had it been kept.
Ariel BridgemanJun 19, 2018
Amazing decorations inside the castle itself. It seems that for the size of the castle we weren't able to tour very many rooms but that is sheer conjecture on my part. The tour guide, David, was very informative and interesting. Would definitely recommend taking the time to see this Welsh treasure.
Jennifer LeeJun 26, 2018
Nice place to visit. The jousting show they had on was fantastic. I thought the entrance fee of £15.50 + extra for the tour was a little high though. The grass around the castle was rather over grown and you couldn't see much of the moat when I visited. Nothing like the pictures you see when doing a web search.
Richard RastallJun 26, 2018
Amazing day out! Took my 4year old son and he loved looking at everything easily fill half a day taking your time. Be warned that the main castle has incredibly steep steps and no wheelchair access but the rest of the grounds is largely wheelchair accessible and the cafe has beautiful cakes and an assortment of hot and cold drinks, with kids meals available. The views from the top of the castle are beautiful & the air raid walk through the walls was very cool.
David HowellsAug 6, 2018
Beautiful castle in the center of Cardiff. There is an entrance fee for anyone who’s not a Cardiff resident. For Cardiff residents there’s a small fee of 6.5£ per year. The castle itself was beautiful. Lots of history. I really liked the WWII shelter. The house was jaw-droppingly beautiful. The military museum in the basement of the souvenir shop was very interesting, too. Definitely worth a visit.
Dilafruz VosievaAug 10, 2018
Wow! What an amazing visit we had today. We did pay extra to enjoy the house tour too. The guide was very knowledgeable as well as friendly and entertaining adding to the enjoyment of the tour. The cafe staff were also very friendly and nothing was to much trouble. A truly beautiful , magnificent castle with such an interesting history.
Susan CoxellAug 2, 2018
Monday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
Tuesday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
Wednesday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
Thursday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
Friday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
Saturday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
Sunday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
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