My Favourite Neighbourhoods in Cardiff

Cardiff is a vibrant city with each neighbourhood adding something unique to the Welsh capital. A Cardiff neighbourhood was even recently named one of the coolest in the UK! 

As a Cardiff local, I’ll highlight some of the key things about the best neighbourhoods to help you decide what suits you. While reading, keep in mind that there is a crossover between and variation within different neighbourhoods. Cardiffians love debating the boundaries of each area! 

Wherever you are, you’ll always be close to the many amazing things to do in Cardiff. Let’s take a look at some of my favourite neighbourhoods in Cardiff!

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9 Best Neighbourhoods in Cardiff

Pontcanna

Expect independent shops, award-winning eateries and tree-lined streets in this trendy neighbourhood.

📍 Google Maps |👉 Best Hotel for Your Scouting Trip: Pontcanna Inn

Pontcanna is a trendy and upmarket neighbourhood in the west of Cardiff and is regularly considered one of the best places to live in the city. 

I enjoy strolling down the leafy streets and browsing the boutique shops and weekend market stalls at King’s Road Yard. There are plenty of appealing cafes and bakeries to pop into; Canna Deli is one of my favourites. You’ll also find some of the best restaurants in Cardiff, including Michelin-starred restaurant Gorse. 

Pontcanna is adjacent to lovely open green spaces, which provide a nice route to walk or cycle through to Cardiff City Centre. There are good connections to other parts of the city, although it is not as well-connected by public transport as other neighbourhoods. 

Pontcanna has a strong sense of community and is popular with people of all age groups, particularly young families, due to the good schools in the catchment area. Pontcanna is one of the more expensive neighbourhoods due to its popularity.

Pros of Pontcanna

• Excellent range of restaurants, cafes, bars and shops 
• Short walking distance to Cardiff City Centre
• Near green spaces and parks

Cons of Pontcanna

• Limited public transport options
• More expensive and competitive to rent and buy than in other neighbourhoods
• Limited on-street parking options 

Canton

There are plenty of places to soak up the arts and eat well in this up-and-coming central neighbourhood.

📍 Google Maps | 👉 Best Hotel for Your Scouting Trip: The Lincoln House Hotel

Canton was recently named the third coolest neighbourhood in the UK by Time Out. The diverse up-and-coming neighbourhood earned this accolade for its cafes, eateries and creative places to visit.

You’ll find Corp Market, a hip market with independent traders and street food, and Chapter Arts Centre, a cultural haven. My personal culinary highlights of Canton are Purple Poppadom and Hiraeth, but you’re spoilt for choice here!

As well as the food on offer, I also enjoy visiting Victoria Park, a much-loved outdoor destination with a splash-pad, landscaped gardens, and leisure facilities. 

Canton is one of the most popular neighbourhoods with young professionals, which has contributed to its gentrification and increasing property prices. It is in a very central location and has good pedestrian access and cycle lanes into the city centre. There are multiple bus routes, and a taxi journey from the centre at night doesn’t cost much. 

Pros of Canton 

• Close to central areas with good transport links, including cycle lanes
• Loads of restaurants, shops and cafes on your doorstep 
• Popular cultural destinations and parks

Cons of Canton

• Increasingly expensive 
• Main roads are busy 
• Traffic builds up during events in the nearby Cardiff City Stadium

Roath

From bustling streets to the calm of Roath Park Lake, Roath has a bit of everything.

📍 Google Maps | 👉 Best Hotel for Your Scouting Trip: Crofts Hotel

Roath is home to the beautiful Roath Park, a popular destination with landscaped gardens, a lake, and leisure activities. Streets near Roath Park typically have larger period houses with larger price tags.

Not far from the park, you’ll find bustling streets like City Road, which is full of shops and international restaurants, like Shaam Nights. These parts of Roath tend to be cheaper and are popular among students, although the neighbourhood as a whole attracts families due to the excellent nearby schools.

Roath is about fifteen minutes to one hour away from the city centre, depending on transport. There are some good bus connections, but to travel flexibly or at night, you need a car or a taxi.

Roath is a neighbourhood in northeast Cardiff, but has somewhat ambiguous boundaries. I recommend getting a second opinion if you’re unsure whether a property is in Roath or not!

Pros of Roath

• Close to the popular Roath Park
• Great selection of restaurants, shops, and cafes
• Close to good schools

Cons of Roath

• Further away from the city centre and attractions
• Limited on-street parking

Cardiff Bay

The waterfront area of the city offers lots of culture, a great food scene and sea air!

📍 Google Maps | Cardiff Bay Website | 👉 Best Hotel for Your Scouting Trip: Voco St David’s Cardiff

Cardiff Bay is a regenerated waterfront area and a popular cultural and leisure destination in the Welsh capital. You’ll find iconic landmarks such as the Wales Millennium Centre, Pierhead and Senedd. Head to Mermaid Quay to eat in one of the waterfront restaurants, have a drink in a bar, or be entertained in The Glee Club!

Cardiff Bay is a liveable neighbourhood, and residential areas tend to be in modern apartment developments. 

I love cycling around the circular Cardiff Bay Trail and taking in the view of the city and the sea air. For a scenic route from the Bay to the city centre, I recommend taking the boat or walking along the Taff Trail. Frequent buses and trains connect Cardiff Bay with the rest of the city and further afield. 

Cardiff Bay is likely to change in the coming years due to several planned redevelopments.

Pros of Cardiff Bay

• Excellent location for the city and the seaside
• Culture on your doorstep, such as the Wales Millennium Centre 
• Good food scene 
• Well connected by public transport 

Cons of Cardiff Bay

• Limited residential options, mostly apartments 
• Prices can be high, especially for sea view homes!

City Centre

Experience the buzz of the Welsh capital in the heart of the city. 

📍 Google Maps | 👉 Best Hotel for Your Scouting Trip: The Parkgate Hotel

Central Cardiff is a largely cultural, commercial, and leisure area home to iconic destinations like Cardiff Castle and Bute Park. It’s my top choice for where to stay in Cardiff and a must-see for any visitor. 

You’d have popular restaurants like the Potted Pig, bars like Lab22, and nightclubs like Clwb Ifor Bach, on your doorstep. The attractions in the city centre are part of why Cardiff is one of Wales’ top cities.

There are some residential pockets in the city centre, albeit at a slightly higher price to reflect the central location. However, you’d probably have to travel to other neighbourhoods for amenities such as schools and supermarkets. 

Cardiff City Centre is the transport hub of the city and is well-connected by bus routes and trains to other neighbourhoods and further afield.

Pros of Cardiff City Centre 

• Heart of the city, home to attractions, eateries, nightlife, etc
• Great transport connections within the city, and beyond
• Easy commute to many offices 

Cons of Cardiff City Centre 

• Not primarily a residential area, lacks some amenities 
• Limited parking, driving in the centre can be a hassle
• Can get busy and loud, especially on weekends and during major works

Llandaff

A suburb with a village-like feel, historic buildings and plenty of green spaces.

📍 Google Maps | Llandaff Society |👉 Best Hotel for Your Scouting Trip: The Heathcock Boutique Hotel

Llandaff is a suburban neighbourhood in North Cardiff with a lively high street, green spaces and a village-like feel. I recommend a visit to the impressive Llandaff Cathedral and the charming Mansion House, Insole Court. You’ll find numerous pubs and eateries, including the popular Chinese restaurant Summer Palace. 

Llandaff is a family-friendly neighbourhood near several good schools, including Welsh medium schools. Llandaff is on some main bus routes and near several train stations, but you’d probably want to get a taxi home after a night out in the city centre.

Property prices in Llandaff are higher than the city average. Nearby Llandaff North and Whitchurch tend to be a tad cheaper and are similarly pleasant neighbourhoods.

Pros of Llandaff

• Friendly village feel
• Green spaces in the neighbourhood and close to big parks and the Taff Trail
• Lively high street with nice places to eat and drink

Cons of Llandaff

• More suburban location means it is further away from the city centre 
• Fairly limited public transport links compared to more central areas
• Expensive and competitive location

Grangetown

This lively neighbourhood has a great community feel and is conveniently located between the City Centre and Cardiff Bay.

📍 Google Maps | Grangetown | 👉 Best Hotel for Your Scouting Trip: The Coal Exchange Hotel

Grangetown is a lively, multicultural neighbourhood in an ideal location. Grangetown has a strong sense of community and is suitable for people of all ages. 

I lived in Grangetown for a while and loved the neighbourhood! I enjoyed having some great places on my doorstep; shops like Clare Foods, a fabulous local pub, The Grange, and Tramshed, a popular night-out destination. And you’re only a short distance from attractions like the International Sports Village and the Wales Millennium Centre!

Grangetown sometimes gets a negative reputation, which I don’t think it deserves. The neighbourhood has changed a lot in the last decade and is now an up-and-coming area. Although house prices are cheaper than average in Cardiff, they are on the rise.

Pros of Grangetown

• Well located between the city centre and Cardiff Bay 
• Good public transport links, active travel routes, and easy access to the A4232
• Friendly neighbourhood with a strong sense of community
• Great local amenities, shops, restaurants and parks

Cons of Grangetown

• Litter and fly tipping can be an issue (although a lovely local organisation arranges regular litter picks!)
• Higher crime rates than some other neighbourhoods 
• Noisy if near main roads

Heath

Head to this central neighbourhood to check out its great food scene and bustling streets, then relax in the ninety-one acre park!

📍 Google Maps |👉 Best Hotel for Your Scouting Trip: Park Plaza

Heath is a central neighbourhood by Whitchurch Road, a bustling area where you can find popular eateries and arguably the best burger in Cardiff at Got Beef. 

The nearby Heath Park is referred to as a ‘green lung for Cardiff’s northern suburbs’ and covers ninety-one acres. Heath Park has everything from woodland to wetlands and children’s parks to a popular Miniature Railway! The park is especially nice during the spring, one of the best times to visit Cardiff.

Heath is a largely residential area with easy access to some of Cardiff’s main roads, good bus links, and access to two local train stations. 

The neighbourhood is popular among families due to its location, proximity to good schools, and the availability of bigger houses with gardens. Heath is also popular among medical students and people who work in the University Hospital of Wales (known locally as UHW or Heath Hospital).

Pros of Heath

• Good transport links and easy access to main roads, such as the A48
• Proximity to Heath Park
• Bustling street with popular eateries

Cons of Heath

• Areas near busy roads are noisy 
• Not many attractions or hotels in the vicinity

Cathays

A popular neighbourhood among students, Cathays has vibrant streets with lots of great places to eat, drink, and shop!

📍 Google Maps | Your Cathays | 👉 Best Hotel for Your Scouting Trip: Hotel Indigo

Cathays is a central neighbourhood which is largely residential but has a good selection of shops, bars, pubs and eateries. There is often a lot going on in the area, from events at the community centre to the popular pub quiz at the Flora!

I recommend having a feast at Mina’s Lebanese restaurant and watching a memorable performance at the Sherman Theatre.

Many students from Cardiff’s four universities, including Cardiff University, choose to live here due to its location, amenities and lower price tag. 

Cathays is only a short walk or cycle to the city centre, and the cycle routes were recently improved. There is also a train station and multiple bus routes.

Pros of Cathays 

• Central location close to the city centre
• Lively streets with pubs, bars, and restaurants 
• Good transport links, including cycle routes 

Cons of Cathays

• Can be loud near main roads and on weekends
• Crime rates are slightly higher than other neighbourhoods
• Relatively transient population (which could be a pro!)

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Thanks for reading! Whilst you’re browsing different places, why not read my guide on the best towns in Wales?