Van Travel Guide

Cardiff

Castell y Van This building lies on the eastern edge of Caerphilly and a description of the building located by the entrance gates reads as follow;- Records referring to Van Castle date from 1415, but the dressed stone quoins and faced stones of the lodge, keep and main mansion building carry 12th century mason marks and are from the original Norman castle. In the grounds of Van Castle stood one of the largest medieval columnbrians (dove cotes) in Britain. The round pennant stone building contained over 100 nesting boxes and was described as a truly remarkable building. In 1529 Van Castle became the home of Sir Edward Lewis, descended from the Welsh Prince of Gwarthfoed. The Lewis family controlled vast estates in Wales and England and during the 16th century the Van was described as one of the finest houses in the county. In 1640 in his diary, the writer Symons of the Royalist (Kings) Army states Sir Edward Lewis Esq de Van has an annual income of £5,000pa from the vast Van Estates. The Van Castle and the Vast Lewis family estates in England and Wales passed with the marriage in 1730 of Elizabeth Lewis to the Third Earl of Plymouth. Her infant son other Lewis became the 4th Earl of Plymouth on the death of his father in 1732 and Van Castle remained part of the Plymouth Estate until 1991. The Castle Lodge, Castle Keep and Van Castle Mansion are now three private residences, and are not open to the public.
Clos Guto, Van On the Lansbury Park estate, to the north of Caerphilly.
Photo by Roger Cornfoot (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0)
River Rhymney, Bedwas Looking east.
Photo by Roger Cornfoot (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0)
Road Bridge over River Rhymney
Photo by norman hyett (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0)

Popular places to visit

Millennium Stadium featuring a river or creek and modern architecture

Principality Stadium

4.5/5(200 reviews)

The spiritual home of Welsh rugby, the Principality Stadiumin Cardiff is one of the most famous sporting arenas on the planet, envied the world over for its cauldron-like atmosphere and state-of-the-art facilities.

Principality Stadium
Pierhead Building, a Grade One listed building of the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff Bay, Wales. A Cardiff's landmark taken from Cardiff Bay.

Cardiff Bay

4.5/5(191 reviews)

Explore the waterfront in Cardiff with a trip to Cardiff Bay. Discover the lively bars and acclaimed theatre scene in this relaxing area.

Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Castle showing heritage architecture, château or palace and heritage elements

Cardiff Castle

4.5/5(251 reviews)

Located in the heart of the city centre, Cardiff Castle is one of Wales’ most important cultural attractions. A rich history spanning 2,000 years is contained within its walls and fairytale-style towers.

Cardiff Castle
Aerial panorama of Barry Island, Wales, UK

Barry Island Beach

4/5(76 reviews)

If you’re looking for a quintessential Welsh seaside experience, look no further than Barry Beach in the picturesque Vale of Glamorgan.

Barry Island Beach
D6WYKM Aerial photograph of the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena

Utilita Arena Cardiff

4.5/5(60 reviews)

Cardiff Motorpoint Arena is located on Mary Ann Street in the heart of Cardiff. It was opened in 1993 and is the largest purpose-built facility for staging exhibitions and concerts in South Wales.

Utilita Arena Cardiff
Main building of Cardiff University - Wales; Shutterstock ID 289260233; purchase_order: Comps; job: ; client: ; other:

Cardiff University

4/5(44 reviews)

Founded by Royal Charter in 1883 and located in the heart of the thriving Welsh capital, Cardiff University has built an international reputation for the quality of its work.

Cardiff University

Things to do

Cardiff Bay Boat Tour

Cardiff Bay Boat Tour

฿536
per adult
76% of travellers recommend
Cardiff Bay Boat Tour
The Royal Mint Experience: Ticket, Guided Tour & Exhibition

The Royal Mint Experience: Ticket, Guided Tour & Exhibition

฿732
per adult
100% of travellers recommend
The Royal Mint Experience: Ticket, Guided Tour & Exhibition
Cardiff: Gower Peninsula's Cliffs Scenic Day Tour

Cardiff: Gower Peninsula's Cliffs Scenic Day Tour

฿3,683
per adult
Cardiff: Gower Peninsula's Cliffs Scenic Day Tour
Cardiff in a Day

Cardiff in a Day

฿3,558
per adult
Cardiff in a Day
Cardiff Doctor Who Walking Tour

Cardiff Doctor Who Walking Tour

฿947
per adult
Cardiff Doctor Who Walking Tour
Cardiff: Waterfalls, Mountains & Castles Day Tour

Cardiff: Waterfalls, Mountains & Castles Day Tour

฿3,683
per adult
100% of travellers recommend
Cardiff: Waterfalls, Mountains & Castles Day Tour
See all activities in Cardiff

Top hotels in Van

The Angel Hotel

The Angel Hotel

3 out of 5
Castle Street Cardiff Wales
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Cardiff. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and 24-hour room service. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (3,057 reviews)
Clean room,friendly,helpful staff close to Castle & shops

Reviewed on 24 Mar 2026

Get rates
The Angel Hotel
The Parkgate Hotel

The Parkgate Hotel

4 out of 5
Westgate Street Cardiff Wales
The price is ฿3,735 per night from 12 Apr to 13 Apr
฿3,735
฿4,482 total
12 Apr - 13 Apr
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this spa hotel in Cardiff. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the breakfast and the restaurant in their ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (1,775 reviews)
Fantastic service as soon as we arrived. Room was beautiful, well equipped with Toiletries and coffees and tea. Breakfast was beautiful

Reviewed on 22 Mar 2026

The Parkgate Hotel
Future Inns Cardiff Bay

Future Inns Cardiff Bay

4 out of 5
Hemingway Road Cardiff Bay Cardiff Wales
The price is ฿2,549 per night from 7 Apr to 8 Apr
฿2,549
฿3,059 total
7 Apr - 8 Apr
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Cardiff. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (1,594 reviews)
Don’t be put off by the building work going on around the bay. This hotel is a fab base for city and bay exploring . Free parking . Staff couldn’t have been any more helpful . Spacious and clean rooms

Reviewed on 21 Mar 2026

Future Inns Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Marriott Hotel

Cardiff Marriott Hotel

4 out of 5
Mill Lane Cardiff Wales
The price is ฿3,083 per night from 5 Apr to 6 Apr
฿3,083
฿3,699 total
5 Apr - 6 Apr
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Cardiff. Enjoy breakfast (surcharge), 24-hour room service and a 24-hour fitness centre. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,232 reviews)
The conference was well organised and the service couldn't have been better. I was disappointed you charged extra for a mint tea after paying for an adfitional breakfast.

Reviewed on 23 Mar 2026

Cardiff Marriott Hotel
Four Points Flex by Sheraton Cardiff

Four Points Flex by Sheraton Cardiff

3 out of 5
Station Approach Cardiff Wales
The price is ฿1,572 per night from 29 Mar to 30 Mar
฿1,572
฿1,887 total
29 Mar - 30 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Cardiff. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and room service. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in their reviews. ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,090 reviews)
Very close to the station. Room small but clean. Bathroom very small but clean and shower good.

Reviewed on 24 Mar 2026

Four Points Flex by Sheraton Cardiff
Park Plaza Cardiff

Park Plaza Cardiff

4 out of 5
Grey friars Road Cardiff Wales
The price is ฿3,095 per night from 6 Apr to 7 Apr
฿3,095
฿3,714 total
6 Apr - 7 Apr
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this spa hotel in Cardiff. Enjoy a full-service spa, breakfast (surcharge) and 24-hour room service. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,006 reviews)
Great

Reviewed on 24 Mar 2026

Park Plaza Cardiff
See all 1,870 properties in Van
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Other neighbourhoods around Van

Hollybush Estate Road - Coryton

Whitchurch

4/5(29 area reviews)

Whitchurch is popular for its ample dining options, and you might make a stop by Forest Farm Country Park, a top place to visit in the area.

Whitchurch
Llandaff Cathedral featuring religious elements, heritage elements and interior views

Llandaff

5/5(1 area review)

Visitors to Llandaff like its monuments and historical sites, and Insole Court is a sight worth a stop.

Llandaff
DSC_3799

Penylan

Travellers like the restaurants in Penylan, and Teamsport Karting is a top attraction you might want to visit.

Penylan
Main building of Cardiff University - Wales; Shutterstock ID 289260233; purchase_order: Comps; job: ; client: ; other:

Cathays

4.5/5(5 area reviews)

Cathays is well liked for its museums. If you'd like to do some sightseeing in the greater Cardiff area, you might plan a trip to National Museum Cardiff or Cardiff City Hall.

Cathays
A bridge over the River Taff in Cardiff against a blue sky

Pontcanna

4.5/5(70 area reviews)

Bars, historical sites and gardens highlight some of the notable features of Pontcanna. Make a stop by Swalec Stadium while you're exploring.

Pontcanna
CARDIFF, WALES - AUG 10 : Lighthouse in Roath Park commemorating Captain Scotts ill-fated voyage to the Antartic in Cardiff on august 2019

Roath

4/5(10 area reviews)

Travellers like the theatres in Roath, and The Gate Arts and Community Centre is a top attraction you might want to visit.

Roath

Van Travel Guide