Cardiff (Caerdydd in Welsh, pronounced kard-if)

Introduction
Cardiff is an ancient place with a lot of history but also a modern outlook, and is the capital of the country of Wales. It is also the home to the new Welsh Assembly  (a partially devolved government for Wales) and the world-famous Millennium Stadium . Positioned on the Southern Coast of Wales, it has beautiful views over the Severn Estuary and a good deal of seafaring / shipping tradition as a major port.

Cardiff is currently undergoing a huge redevelopment project in the city centre, which has already produced several spectacular buildings and is changing the face of the city.

Quite distinct from any English city (never try calling a Welsh person English!), Cardiff is a cultural focus for Wales. With many million visitors each year, it really is a prime tourist location. However, it is also a gateway to South Wales, from which it is easy to access the rural beauty surrounding it. It is easy to fall in love with this beautiful small country within the United Kingdom.

History
It is likely that people have lived in the area around present-day Cardiff for many thousands of years: there are bronze and iron age settlements nearby. The exact origin of its name is unknown: Caer (Car) means fort, but the diff could come from Aulus Didius, the Roman General who may have founded the Roman fort at the site of what is now Cardiff Castle. Alternatively, it could be named after the Taff, the river on which it stands.
 
After centuries of relative obscurity, a Norman fort was begun at Cardiff in 1091. While this prospered to for a while, by the sixteenth century the settlement was deemed ‘lawless’, and the port was ridden with pirates. A Royal Charter from James I in the early 1600s helped clean Cardiff up. At the time it was only the size of a small town.

During the industrial revolution in the late 1700s onwards, Cardiff became a hugely significant coal port and grew very quickly. It was granted city status in the early twentieth century. It became the Capital of Wales in 1955 and the seat of the new Welsh Assembly in 1999.

Universities in Cardiff
1) Cardiff University

2) University of Cardiff, Institute

3) University of Glamorgan

Nightlife
As a rapidly growing city with many young people, Cardiff has a very vibrant nightlife. Do not overlook the clubs and restaurants in the redeveloped Bay Area when planning a night out.

Student Life in Cardiff
With around 44,000 students in four universities (including the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama), three of which run MBA courses, there is no doubt that Cardiff is a major student city. An increasing number of the students are also international. Each of the universities has a wide variety of societies with which to get involved, or otherwise there will always be something to do in the city itself. Over the last decade or so, it has fast become a major cosmopolitan centre with something for everyone.

Culture
As reflected in the Millennium Stadium and the Welsh Assembly, Cardiff is both a sporting and a political centre. But it is also a focus for culture, the arts, and history:
- The Wales Millennium Centre , opened in 2004, is a fabulous building providing great venue for many musicals and other performing arts events.
- The outdoor Oval Basin is another major cultural venue, and the New Theatre  another major theatre.
- The Welsh National Opera and Cardiff Male Voice choir are both based in Cardiff.
- Cardiff is also the home to a Castle  with roots 2000 years old, that was transformed into a fairytale-style dreamland in the 1800s.
- Castell Coch  is another fairytale-style castle very near Cardiff, which is built on the remains of an ancient castle.
- The National Museum of Wales  is also based in Cardiff, and holds one of Europe’s finest art collections. It also contains a helpful overview of Wales’ story, from its earliest beginnings.
- Cardiff is full of venues and exciting places to visit: too many to list here.

Sources:

  http://wales.gov.uk
  http://www.millenniumstadium.com/
  http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/
  http://www.uwic.ac.uk/
  http://www.glam.ac.uk/
  http://www.bigcardiff.co.uk
  http://www.wmc.org.uk/
  http://www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk/english/index.asp
  http://www.cardiffcastle.com/
  http://www.castellcoch.info
  http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/