Places to visit
Cardiff Bay is one of the UK’s most successful regeneration projects with dozens of bars, cafes and restaurants at Mermaid Quay, a freshwater lake for sailing and water sports enthusiasts, and the home of the impressive Welsh National Opera. The best way to appreciate the scale of the development is on a tour of the bay with a 45-minute Aquabus Cruise.
Around the corner from the Principality Stadium is Cardiff Castle in the heart of the city. With over 2,000 years of history, former residents include the Romans, medieval knights and locals taking refuge from air raids in WW2.
Places to drink
The City Arms, one of the city’s favourite watering holes, has almost as great a rugby pedigree as the stadium itself. Two minutes from the Principality Stadium, this boozer is popular with locals and fans alike.
If you closed your eyes and imagined a die-hard rugby pub, The Old Arcade would be it. The walls are covered with rugby memorabilia and rare shirts donated by the Welsh Rugby Union.
The Prince of Wales is virtually on the doorstep of the stadium and inside retains features such as the balconies when it was once the Prince of Wales Theatre.
With three projector screens over two floors and the biggest selection of Welsh beers in the city, Tiny Rebel straight across the road from the stadium is a massive hit on match days, serving beers from the award-winning brewery based in Newport.
Places to eat
The Potted Pig is undoubtedly one of Cardiff's finest restaurants – it’s in an old bank vault but won’t cost a fortune. Even notoriously difficult-to-please restaurant critic Jay Rayner liked this wonderful French-Welsh restaurant on Cardiff’s High Street, which is within a penalty-kick of the Principality Stadium. If there’s a group of eight or more of you, try the whole suckling pig.
If Italian is more up your alley Casanova boasts outstanding Italian food and is featured in the Michelin Guide and the Good Food Guide. Again, its proximity to the stadium is unbeatable and it’s also great value. Or head to the city’s Brewery Quarter for a range of great restaurants just off St Mary Street in the heart of Cardiff.
