Cardiff: address bookBy Emmanuel TresmontantShopping, crafts, pubs... Discover all of the Welsh specialities! Where to sleep in Cardiff ? The St David's Hotel and Spa Havannah Street CF10 5SD Cardiff Wales Tel. : 029 20454045 www.thestdavidshotel.com This contemporary hotel belongs to the international chain founded by the Italian businessman Rocco Forte in 1996. With its opening roof, large panoramic windows, elegant facade and spirally designed interior, this building designed to capture daylight is one of the symbols of the architectural renewal of Cardiff. The ultra-modern spa overlooking the waterfront will appeal to those looking for a mud and seaweed massage and also to those wishing simply to admire the horizon from inside their jacuzzi! In the evening, after a cocktail prepared by the barman Massimiliano Sercecchi, exquisite cuisine by the Austrian chef Georg Fuchs is served in a spacious dining room with understated decor. Copious self-service breakfast and hairdresser's open all day long. Pubs A selection of Cardiff's most beautiful pubs where you can drink the locally brewed beer, the famous Brains, a slightly bitter brown ale.The City Arms 10-11 Quay Street CF10 1EA Cardiff Wales Tel. : 029 20225258 This pub is located opposite Millennium Stadium. During matches, all those who have not managed to get tickets rush here on account of the 6 wall-mounted TVs. The Goat Major 33 High Street CF10 1PU Cardiff Wales Tel. : 029 20337161 Located in the heart of Cardiff on the very busy High Street, this peaceful pub, which is said to be the 'best in town' by locals, stands apart by its lack of a TV. Try one of the nourishing local specialities like Welsh rarebit on toast, traditional lamb cawl, Welsh faggots or Welsh cake. The Cottage 25 St Mary Street CF10 1AA Cardiff Wales Tel. : 029 20337195 Located in one of Cardiff's busiest streets, this very pretty pub has a most beautiful Victorian facade The inside is spacious and clean with a superb period floor. Supporters come to watch matches on a giant screen. Good Welsh specialities. Yard Bar and Kitchen 42-43 St Mary Street CF10 1AD Cardiff Wales Tel. : 029 20402060 This is the hippest pub in town, located close to Brain's Brewery. Ultra-contemporary design mixing steel, wood and brick with, on the ceiling, pipes bringing beer from the brewery to the counter. Shopping Castle Welsh Crafts 1-3 Castle Street CF10 1BS Cardiff Wales Tel. : 029 20343038 Located just opposite Cardiff Castle, this shop sells traditional Welsh craft gifts. You'll see the largest spoon in the world hanging from the ceiling and showing the dragon, the Welsh national emblem! Librairie Troutmark 39-43 Castle Arcade CF10 1BU Cardiff Wales Tel. : 029 20382814 This pleasant secondhand bookshop is located in one of the finest town-centre arcades: Castle Arcade. Old books, cartoons, CDs, posters and postcards. Looking rather like a 1970s hippy, the owner is nevertheless a real book buff! Telynau Vining Harps 8-10 High Street Arcade CF10 1BB Cardiff Wales Tel. : 029 20221199 This interesting shop sells a good selection of instruments crafted solely here, in Cardiff, like the harp with three rows of strings that gave birth to traditional Welsh music. Marvels of all sizes whose sound enflames the soul. Two unbeatable boutiques for rugby fans Jonathan David 33 St Mary Street CF10 1 AB Cardiff Wales Tel. : 029 20226875 This town-centre boutique is one of Cardiff's oldest! You'll find here in particular one of the most essential items to be carried by a rugby fan in all his travels: the whisky flask! When it's cold at Arms Park and when you're tired of having shouted for 40 minutes, it's quite comforting to have such a flask in your pocket! The flasks sold here by David and Margaret Hughes-Lewis are all produced in Great Britain, in silvered metal and half covered with real leather: beautiful objects for life! World of Groggs Trefforest CF37 1BH Pontypridd, R.C.T South Wales Tel. : 01443 485116 Fax.: 01443 405001 www.groggs.co.uk Rugby fans from the world over make a point of stopping in at this shop founded in 1965 by Hugh Hughes and now run by his son John. The family's hereditary talent consists of creating Groggs - clay models of all of the Welsh (and even international) rugby stars. One wall of John Hughes's workshop is covered with the signatures of the world's best players, including Englishman Martin Johnson and New Zealander Jonah Lomu. The Hughes pantheon of figurines also features stars from other walks of life, including Tom Jones, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Eric Cantona. Each unique piece is drawn, sculpted and hand-painted before being fired on site. For gourmands Madame Fromage 25 Castle Arcade CF10 1BU Cardiff Wales Tel. : 029 20644888 This is the cheese shop in Cardiff! Apart from famous French cheeses that no longer need presenting (Beaufort, Comté, Roquefort, Brie, Reblochon, etc.), you'll find a fine selection of typical Welsh cheeses like Caerphilly (a crumbly, white cheese with a slightly salty taste that is not aged for long. It was a staple of the diet of local miners) or Caernarfon (similar to old Cheddar) which comes from one of the most beautiful towns in Wales. The Welsh national dish, it should be remembered, is cawl, a kind of lamb broth served with a large chunk of cheese. |
Tourism and Gastronomy
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