I should be clear here, that I'm not about to write any sort of political review. Hardly. I'm the…read morekind of person who forgets to register to vote. No, instead I'm going to merely make a couple of comments upon the building at Cardiff Bay and the crazy landmark that it's become. The National Assembly building is an incredible piece of architecture. Built around the same time as the Wales Millennium Centre, there are similar vibes to the two buildings. Both use open wood cladding, and a whole lot of slate. There is also an importance placed upon roofs in both buildings. While the Millennium Centre is endearingly known as The Armadillo to locals, I'm not sure is the Assemble building has ever acquired such a description. This is probably because the roof defies description. It's massive and all encompassing and seemed to somehow float on glass walls by nothing more than the desperate willpower of the people who work there. If it was to have a nickname, I might suggest: The Umbrella, The Toadstool or even The Flying Carpet. Worth a look.

I came here and did a tour with tour guide Gareth and I'm pretty happy about the National Assembly…read morefor Wales and what it represents! I'm from America and back in the States I was pretty politically active and was passionate about what I believed in. However, when it comes to politics in the UK and especially Wales I'm pretty clueless about what the Welsh Assembly actually accomplishes (no offense). Asking my Welsh partner and he has no idea either. However, leaving the tour I feel a great respect for the National Assembly for Wales and all the people surrounding it! ~ Fun facts: - Anyone can come in and watch the political debates for free. Anyone can come by and speak to their representatives and voice your opinion. Back when everything about Wales was decided in England, it would be pretty hard to travel all the way to London to get your voice heard about local issues. The fact that the National Assembly for Wales is so accessible to the public is a great thing! - To submit a petition to the Welsh Assembly and guarantee it on the agenda as a talking point, you don't have to be of any age and you only need 10 signatures. Yes, that's right. 10. So if you're from a really small area, if an issue is important to you you can make sure you get your voice heard regardless. --- Yes, the building is without a doubt beautiful. But the National Assembly for Wales and what it represents is amazing. Even if you don't agree with what they do, the fact that you can just rock up and actually VOICE that disagreement is something that every government should strive for! Please try to go on a guided tour as well; you'll learn a lot! Gareth was amazing and entertaining as well, I highly recommend him!

If you are female and you feel this review seems a little sexist or appears to stereotype then I…read moreapologise but in its defence its only aimed at the male population. Lads, if you are ever in a predicament where you have agreed to be dragged around Cardiff shopping by your other half only to realise half way through this punishment that you are missing a big sporting event on TV then don't panic. Make your way to the Hayes where they have a huge jumbo screen. More often than not they usually screen big sporting events on it. Its where I watched the mens Wimbledon final. You can even splash out, get yourself a coffee at the nearby Island cafe and sit yourself down at one of their tables - perfect - until the othr half wonders where you have gone that is.

The Hayes sits at the very heart of Cardiff city centre, and forms a kind of pedestrianised square…read more(albeit not very square-shaped!) lined by shops, restaurants, the vibrant St David's Hall concert venue, and the new St David's 2 shopping centre. In the middle of the Hayes, under some ancient trees, is the well-known Hayes Island Snack Bar, with outdoor seating amidst the hustle and bustle of shoppers and office workers. Around the edges of the Hayes area there are lots of shops including Waterstones and Habitat, plus restaurants and cafés such as Jamie's Italian and Starbucks, along with the Tourist Information Centre (housed in the Old Library) and St David's Hall. Just off the square there's the historic Morgan and Royal Arcades, and just around the corner is Cardiff Indoor Market, and in the other direction Mill Lane - known locally as 'Café Quarter' because of its many continental style restaurants with outdoor terrace seating.

Drunk too much tea at the Hayes Island snack bar? Relieve yourself in style in these beautifully…read morearchitectured Victorian water closets. The latrines are framed by an ornate black metal gold tipped fence. A brass handrail guides you down to polished granite floors beneath the busy shopping street. When I visited the facilities they were clean and well maintained. I loved the heavy hardwood doors and brass fittings, the cast iron cistern and the smooth wooden chain pulls. But was slightly disturbed by the 'needle bin' facility on the wall, however better safely binned than scattered on the floor! Although wheelchair inaccessible, a notice on the fence helpfully tells you that disabled facilities can be accessed at the back of the Hayes Island snack bar during opening hours. Highly recommended.

This is a beautiful old building situated in the very centre of Cardiff, and serving as a…read moredistinctive landmark. St John the Baptist Church is over 800 years old and has watched the rest of Cardiff grow up around it. Yet, it manages to remain just as impressive as ever. This church is a lovely place to visit and is staffed my very welcoming volunteers. There is a small tearoom also situated in the building, and it's a great idea to combine tea and cakes with a little bit of architectural appreciation. My favourite time to visit St John is Christmas. Around this time they extend their visiting hours and the church itself is filled with charity Christmas cards, wrapping paper and decorations to sell. For me, this is an essential part of Christmas that cannot be missed.

Wonderful structure.. Is s landmark for the cardiff market…read more. I went inside..very nice.. Well worth a few minutes of your time to explore it..

The home of the Welsh Assembly was typically a very controversial new build cost millions. Still I…read morethink its money well spent. Its an environmentally friendly design which takes heat from the ground and uses rainwater collected from the roof to clean the windows and flush the toilets! Anyway it the spirit of openness visitors are allowed in the building after a bit of a security search. You can look down on the debating chamber or just sit around and admire the wood. Non much else to do there really The step outside are good for a sit down with an ice-crem.

Officially the National Assembly for Wales is described as a devolved assembly with power to make…read morelegislation in Wales. In actual fact I have no idea what they do in that building buts its pleasant on the eye. It uses traditional Welsh materials such as slate and Welsh Oak in its construction, and the design is based around the concepts of openness and transparency - how ironic then that it houses politicians who are anything but or maybe that's the point. As Anna said the design is environmentally friendly and in addition to rain water cleaning the windows and flushing the toilets (let's hope those pipes don't get crossed somewhere as the window wouldn't ended up very clean) the roof features a wind cowl which funnels natural light and air into the debating chamber below. Is it worth going inside? not particularly - just get a photo op outside and its ticked off your list. As i said its a nice looking structure and just another reason why the bay can be so picturesque and worth visiting.

Ok this is a weird one because this is a review about a road - why?…read more Because should you ever feel the need to do some training either to get into shape or get ready for a forthcoming event then this road is an ideal testing ground to see how your fitness program is progressing. Why? Because it is perfectly straight and flat and more to the point it is approximately one mile long. Ok somebody has described at the most boring road in Cardiff - I disagree. It has a clinical asymmetry to it that holds some intrinsic beauty. It also represents old and new from the north to the south (city to the bay) and east to west (old Butetown and new bay). It's also pretty quiet. Anyway don't take my opinion on its aesthetics - get your trainers on and judge yourself.

Lloyd George Avenue represents a singular failure of imagination: Cardiff's new grand boulevard…read morefeatures the most uninspiring and least varied architecture this side of a Lego starter home. The identikit, featureless, brown and red boxes contain flats and houses that, although less than a decade old, are already starting to look a little shabby. Also notable for featuring one of the highest mugging rates in the city, this charmless thoroughfare has nothing to recommend it other than quick access to the Bay. It even squanders its potential as a go-faster strip for boy racers by featuring a maddening selection of traffic lights, none of which are green at the same time, and are guaranteed to impede your journey if you're travelling by car. On foot, it provides a straight walk from town to the bay, but the trip is so devoid of charm, character or incident that a mile or so can feel like ten.

Like I said in my review of the Cardiff Bus Station, it's a shame that first-time visitors to our…read morecity emerge from their chosen mode of transport and are greeted with: Cardiff Central Square. Concrete is the main characteristic of this uninspiring "square", with other discernable features that include pigeons, a few benches, taxi ranks, and a few locals who've brought the party outside. Oh yeah, someone made the effort to set up a snack shack, so hungry and bored commuters have a place to grab sweets and magazines in their mad dash before the train leaves. It's a shame, really, because it's just another missed opportunity to create a welcoming and exciting spot for both travellers and residents to enjoy. Instead, it's just a spot hurried people rush through to get to somewhere else.

Named after the station that flanks the square, this paved open space has the impressive station…read morebuilding as its backdrop. Unfortunately, like at so many stations across the globe, there's often a bunch of dirty, drunken wasters hanging around, often arguing amongst themselves, which can give the square a seedy air. Other than that, the square is dotted with benches to sit on, and there's a little snack bar where you can pick up a drink, a paper and a bite to eat for your journey. As you stand on the square facing the station building, there's the Central Bus Station just behind you, a taxi rank to the left, and a passenger drop off point just in front of the building.

Visiting Flat Holm Island is a must for anyone who loves wildlife, or anyway who fancies getting…read moreout on the water and spending a day in the elements. A day visit consists of a two hour return boat trip and 3 hours to spend o the Island. Its a bit of a bird watching haven and what you see would depend on the time of year you go. They do all sorts of educational events and tours. I'm not much of a wildlife expert and didn't really see anything excited so just had a walk around, some tea in the cafe and came back. But I do know its an area of ecological importance so don't let me put you off. Costs £16.50 per adult and £8 per child.

Just 5 miles from Cardiff, this teeny little island feels more remote than it really is, and is…read morepacked with both history and wildlife. You can easily get there by boat from the Barrage South Water Bus Stop in Penarth Marina (previously, before July 2010, passengers departed from Channel View Leisure Centre - but this is no longer the case). A short day trip to the island (available from March to October) gives you three hours there, which is just about enough - you can fit in a self guided tour (using a pack provided) to discover the island's historic buildings and wildlife, then enjoy a snack at the café before returning to Penarth Marina. Although the island is very small, it has had many uses over the centuries. It was once a retreat for monks in the Dark Ages, and has become a sanctuary for Vikings, Anglo Saxons, silver miners and smugglers over the years. In the late 19th century it was even used as an isolation hospital for cholera sufferers to protect the mainland against the epidemic. It's most famous, however, because the world's first radio transmission across water was made from Flat Holm to Lavernock Point on 13 May 1897. Nowadays, the island is a peaceful place inhabited by all sorts of wildlife, including seabird colonies such as Shelduck, Oystercatchers, Rock Pipits, Finches, Turnstone and Dunlin, plus other wildlife such as slow worms, common lizards, butterflies and all sorts of plants. It makes for an enjoyable day trip, and the boat ride itself is fun.

one of the best free museums ive been to! lots of interesting information and interactive setups. i…read morerecommend checking this museum out if you're visiting cardiff!

Your City, Your Story…read more Opening in early 2011, this will be the first museum where Cardiffians and visitors alike can see the story of the city through the eyes of its people. Housed in the historic Old Library building in the heart of Cardiff city centre it aims to offer 'a fun, free, family day out and a fantastic learning and community resource.' More of their blurb says this... 'An international cultural venue which is an inclusive, exciting and inspirational resource; bringing people together to help them learn about the making of Cardiff, its diverse narratives and the multi-cultural communities which created the capital city of Wales.' If all goes to plan the museum will be a great starting point for any visit to Cardiff, providing an introduction to the city's history and pointing visitors to places where they can find out more. In the lead up to the opening of The Cardiff Story, while the museum is being developed, the first floor galleries will continue to run a diverse programme of art and history exhibitions, as per usual and you can also enjoy a sneak preview of some of the objects and stories that will feature in the galleries. The downstair cafe/bar remains a great place to hang out too.