Cardiff - unmissable bits

[PurpleSweetPeas]

Hello you lovely lot.
We think we know Cardiff fairly well but after the wonderful ideas we were given for places to visit in Liverpool (that was one amazing place!). I'm wondering what people would suggest to do/visit in Cardiff. No suggestion too obvious as I don't want to miss anything! TIA

If you know it well already, I'll go with the slightly less obvious bits...

Love City Road, it's full of amazing Turkish and Middle Eastern restaurants and takeaways and smells amazing.
Cardiff Bay and Betty Campbell's statue
St Fagans museum is a must, if you haven't been there.
New York Deli, Wally's, Wally's drink shop, Nata & Co, Curado Bar (dotted around the city centre)
The greenhouse and terrapin pool by Roath Lake
Castell Coch (outside Cardiff but worth the trip if you have a car)
Cafe Cita for amazing pizza and other Italian food

Thank you @JesusInTheCabbageVan
I've only been to Wallys out of all of those.
When I say we know it well, it's our go to city to visit but we haven't really explored it on any great depth which is something I need to put right!

There used to be an arcade with a cheese place and a German cafe. Both were good, but this was years ago.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie I believe Madame Fromage has closed down recently at least, it was closed last time I went. The German place could be Wally's? I've never actually eaten there, but I love a good browse. @PurpleSweetPeas if you haven't tried the handmade chocolate counter yet, you must!

Not sure whether the Christmas market is up and running yet, but I do love that too. It's probably not too different from everyone else's Xmas market (ten stalls selling chilli jam and a thimble of mulled wine for £6) but it still gets you in the Christmas mood

Just also remembered the farmer's market on the Taff embankment - Sunday from 10am, and they have the most amazing curry van among other things. And on Clearwater Way every weekend there's a little independent market. Different stalls every time, but on Saturday it's more foodie and on Sunday it's mostly crafts and things.

Who are you travelling with (kids?). Walks / cycling around Cardiff Bay / bute Park/ taff trail... Depending on time and energy levels you could cycle to castell coch from city centre up taff trail. Or for less energetic option walk from Cardiff Bay over barage to Penarth and get the water bus back.

Techniquest and dinosaur bits of National Museum if with kids. Roath Park.

St Fagans

Think the German Cafe is Wally's - founded by Austrian Jewish refugees in the 1930s I think. Great food and great value.

Out at the bay, easy to visit the Senedd building - wouldn't call it unmissable but free, interesting and little known.

Cardiff Castle is utterly mad inside and prob actually worth the steep admission price ...

The Clearwater Way market is shut 😭

I love walking in the woods behind Castell Coch
If you have a car the Wenallt woods are also gorgeous
Roath Park - get train to heath high or low level
Cardiff Castle
St Fagans
Bar 44
The Ivy
Cardiff Bay walk to Penarth
There's a great new swimming pool in Cardiff Bay but it's on the outskirts so again easier to drive
Off Newport Road trampoline and climbing parks
Games cafe in the centre Chance & Counters
Escape Rooms
Arcade Vaults for old arcade games pay once and all free
There's a new bowling place opened in town too in the hayes but I've not tried there
What do you enjoy doing? Will you have a car? If on the train a trip to Caerphilly? Or Penarth?

Definitely Bute Park and if fit and able, bike hire is really popular through the park ( Secret Garden Cafe is great) and easy cycle routes along the Taff and then on into the bay. Lots of visitors cycle across the barrage from the bay and up into Penarth (last bit is steep!) down to the Victorian Pier.
Five or six stops (20 mins) on the train will take you to Barry Island which has really lovely walks around the coast and beach is lovely.

Oh and there's the theatres and stadiums if you want some entertainment. If no fit state circus are in town they're amazing

Wally's have closed the cafe until after Xmas due to staff shortages
If you haven't been inside Cardiff castle, it really is great.
Then a walk up through Bute park, stopping in at the secret garden cafe.
The boat from Bute park to the bay.
Tour of the principality stadium, if that's your kind of thing!
Walk along the cliffs at Penarth- amazing views in a clear day.
The inside market (especially the new food places upstairs on the balcony)

Amazing, thanks for all the suggestions. There are a fair few things we've missed and will definitely do.
To the PP who asked - we go as a couple and with kids.

I didn't know about the new food places in the indoor market. My other half spends a lot of time perusing the vinyl in there.

@GiveMeNovocain

Oh and there's the theatres and stadiums if you want some entertainment. If no fit state circus are in town they're amazing

I love a circus and hadn't heard of No Fit State. They have a show coming up so thank you!

The Thai food stall on the market ground floor i s brilliant too!

Welsh cakes made in front of you from the indoor market.

Boat ride over to Penarth, or better still past the Millenium Stadium and into the city centre from the Bay

Cardiff Bay - try to see a show in the Millenium Centre, but for sure try to be there at night when it is all lit up. Also in the Bay the Senedd and go inside the Pierhead building.

St Fagins is amazing

Cardiff Castle is a must see, as in Castell Coch.

Cardiff city hall is lovely inside for a very quick visit.

Museum of Wales if you like Welsh artists - its more of an art gallery than museum.

The Arcades has some great, quirky shops.

We were in Cardiff yesterday, we didn't do much but did visit the Torchwood tower and Ianto's shrine. Admittedly if you aren't fans of Dr Who/Torchwood that will mean nothing to you. But if you are there are tons of filming locations in and around Cardiff.