Cardiff

Home to the Welsh Assembly and with a population of 306,000, Cardiff is financially, industrially, and commercially the most important city in Wales. It's also one of Europe's youngest and most vibrant capital cities, with an appealing blend of old and new. Attracting increasing numbers of tourists are its handsome Civic Centre, magnificent parklands, canopied shopping arcades, and a castle with abundant Victorian verve. These traditional sights stand alongside new landmarks like the Millennium Stadium and Cardiff Bay, a onetime coal-exporting hub that has undergone a dazzling regeneration. Here a dam across the Taff and Ely rivers has created a freshwater lake edged by eight miles of prime waterfront, an area of promenades, shops, restaurants, attractions, and exciting modern buildings like the Wales Millennium Centre.