4 of the best day trips from Cardiff, Wales

Cardiff has plenty of things to entertain you. That said, Wales‘ capital is perfectly positioned between the coast, countryside and mountains, so it’d be a waste not to venture beyond the city limits. Spend a day on fossil-strewn beaches, taking scenic hikes, enjoying gastronomic delights and rural idylls. From golden sands to rugged peaks, these destinations offer some of the best day trips from Cardiff.

1. Find fossils, fine food and funfair thrills in the Vale of Glamorgan

Travel time: 30 mins

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Cardiff county is shouldered to the southwest by the Vale of Glamorgan, a rural area known for its dramatic coastline, patchwork agricultural fields and traditional market towns. Its proximity to Cardiff means you can visit multiple locations in one day.

Start on the shore. Barry has two great sandy beaches; Whitmore Bay is vast, golden and backed by the amusements, ice cream and funfair of Barry Island, while Jacksons Bay, separated only by headland, is a much smaller, secluded cove. Both are brilliant on a sunny day, though Whitmore can get very busy during school breaks.

Penarth’s seafront has a pebbled beach, a pretty pier, and a certain elegance, as well as lots of places in the main town to eat and drink (try Brød for Danish pastries and coffee or the Touring Club for unfussy dining). Llantwit Major Beach, part of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, is a rugged, cliff-backed stretch packed with rock pools and fossils. If the weather is good and you like hiking, you could walk the entire Glamorgan Heritage Coast, a scenic 14-mile coastal trail from Aberthaw to Porthcawl.

Inland is Cowbridge, a stylish market town with a characterful main street lined with boutique shops, a walled Physic Garden, independent eateries and plenty of pubs. Dinas Powys village, between Barry and Cardiff, has a sprawling, fairy-tale ancient woodland, complete with a former hill fort lookout, wildflowers, a tranquil river with a resident heron and protected trees as far as the eye can see. Swing by One O’Clock Gate for food; its Korean fusion small plates attract people from miles around.

How to get to the Vale of Glamorgan: From Cardiff, driving typically takes 35 minutes to Barry Island, 35 minutes to Llantwit Major, and 15 minutes to Penarth. From these hubs, you can reach inland destinations in a short drive. To get to the coast…