By early evening the centre of Cardiff fills with people moving between pubs and bars, and on a Friday or Saturday the streets around St Mary's Street and Greyfriars Road grow loud and busy as the night goes on. In summer, a slower version of the same evening plays out along the water at Cardiff Bay, where people walk, eat and drink into the warm hours.
Cardiff has a reputation as one of Britain's bigger nights out, with a very high concentration of pubs and a wide spread of bars, clubs and late-night places. It suits groups and celebratory weekends as much as it suits a quiet pint, and the city is known for drawing stag and hen parties from across the UK. If you want conversation and traditional pubs, that is easy to find; if you want a loud night with clubs a short walk from Central Station, that is easy too.
Where to go out in Cardiff
1. St Mary's Street and the city centre
This is the core of a Cardiff night out. St Mary's Street holds many pubs and shops and becomes wild and exciting on Friday and Saturday nights, and the surrounding centre has late-night pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants. Greyfriars Road and Mill Lane are especially lively and offer a variety of establishments to suit most tastes.
It suits anyone who wants everything within walking distance and does not mind crowds. If you prefer a calmer drink, the same central area has quieter options: Cardiff Cottage on St Mary's Street is described as one to seek out for a quieter drink, except on weekends and matchdays, and The Old Arcade on Church Street is a traditional pub.
2. Mermaid Quay and Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay is a cosmopolitan area full of restaurants, bars and cafes, and Mermaid Quay is a lively, if smaller, alternative for a warm summer night. It is also a good place for an evening stroll, with views across to Penarth.
It suits a slower, food-led evening or a summer night rather than a heavy club night. The Glee Club at Mermaid Quay is a comedy club serving food and drinks, and there is a mainstream multiplex cinema at Hemingway Road in the Bay if you want to start with a film.
3. Traditional pubs
Cardiff's traditional pubs are a night out in themselves. The Old Arcade on Church Street and the Pen & Wig on Park Grove, at the northern edge of the city centre, are both described as pleasant traditional pubs, the latter with a beer garden and a wide choice of draught real ales.
This suits a conversation-led evening, or an early start before moving on. Drinks in these venues and other traditional pubs may vary from around £1.50 to £3.50 for a beer.
4. Beer and specialist bars
For beer, Zero Degrees on Westgate Street is a microbrewery with a utilitarian feel, beer brewed onsite, televisions showing sport and pizzas. The Head of Steam on Church Street is a modern pub with an extremely large selection of draught real ales and craft beers.
For something other than beer, Gin and Juice in Castle Arcade is a gin bar with a wide choice, and Fly By Night on High Street is an upmarket wine bar serving wines by the glass or bottle. These suit a smaller group or a couple who want to work through a drinks list rather than a dancefloor.
5. Clubs near Central Station
There are numerous clubs a block's short walk from Central Station, and they run into the small hours. This is the late end of a Cardiff night, and it suits anyone who wants to keep going after the pubs close.
Because the area is compact, you can move between the centre and the station on foot. Plan your route back before you go out, since this is the busiest part of the city at closing time.
6. Live music and gig venues
Cardiff has a great number of show and gig venues across the city. Motorpoint Arena Cardiff hosts major bands and artists through the year, and events also run at the Millennium Stadium. More sedate concerts are frequently held at St David's Hall and the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay, the latter staging opera, ballet, West End shows and musicals.
Smaller gigs can be seen at venues across the city including Callaghans, Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff Students Union and The Globe. Check listings before you travel, and note that St David's Hall is listed as temporarily closed with its reopening to be confirmed.
7. Theatre, cinema and comedy
The city has a wide range of theatre and cinema, from mainstream films to foreign and independent work. The New Theatre stages West End shows, the Sherman Theatre is an independent theatre, and Chapter Arts Centre in Canton shows arthouse and alternative cinema. There are mainstream multiplexes at Hemingway Road in the Bay and on Mary Ann Street, the latter across the road from Motorpoint Arena Cardiff.
This suits an evening that starts with a performance and continues afterwards in the centre or the Bay. Book ahead for popular shows.
8. Match days and big events
International rugby is played at the Millennium Stadium in the city centre, with Wales playing several internationals there each year. Cardiff Rugby and Cardiff RFC play at Cardiff Arms Park, and Cardiff City play football at their stadium a mile west of the city centre near Ninian Park railway station.
A match day changes the character of the centre: pubs fill early and stay busy. Going for a pint of Cardiff-made Brains beer in one of the city centre pubs on a match day is a recognised part of the experience, but expect crowds and plan around kick-off.
How a night out unfolds
Cardiff's nightlife is concentrated in the evening and late night, with the city centre liveliest on Friday and Saturday nights and clubs near Central Station running into the small hours. Cardiff Bay is busier on warm summer nights and works well for an early evening of food and drink. On match days the centre starts filling well before kick-off, and the traditional pubs noted above are best avoided on weekends and matchdays if you want quiet. The sources do not give specific dining or closing times, so check individual venues and listings for the night you plan to go out.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- St David's Day Parade — 1 March each year, commemorating the patron saint of Wales.
- Cardiff Children's Literature Festival — held in the grounds of Cardiff Castle each year.
- Cardiff Mela — celebrates Asian culture at Roald Dahl Plas, Cardiff Bay.
- Cardiff Singer of the World — held at St David's Hall in odd-numbered years.
- Pride Cymru — annual event in Cardiff.
- Tafwyl — Welsh language and culture festival in Bute Park, usually June to July.
- Welsh Proms — classical concerts at St David's Hall each July, with fringe events covering jazz, country and folk.
- Winter Wonderland — outdoor public ice rink and funfair in front of City Hall, December to January.
Frequently asked questions
Which part of Cardiff is best for a night out?
For the fullest choice, the city centre around St Mary's Street, Greyfriars Road and Mill Lane is the liveliest, with clubs a short walk from Central Station. For a smaller, more relaxed evening, especially in summer, Mermaid Quay at Cardiff Bay is the alternative.
Where can I find a quiet drink?
Traditional pubs such as Cardiff Cottage on St Mary's Street, The Old Arcade on Church Street and the Pen & Wig on Park Grove are the usual choices, along with the wine bar Fly By Night on High Street. Cardiff Cottage is noted as a quieter option except on weekends and matchdays.
What happens in Cardiff on a match day?
The city centre pubs fill up around internationals at the Millennium Stadium and other fixtures, and the atmosphere is part of the occasion. If you want a calm evening, choose another night or head to the Bay.
Where can I see live music or a show?
Motorpoint Arena Cardiff and the Millennium Stadium host major events, while St David's Hall and the Wales Millennium Centre stage concerts, opera and musicals. Smaller gigs run at venues including Callaghans, Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff Students Union and The Globe.
Check listings and book ahead for the night you have in mind, then plan your route between the centre and the Bay so the evening runs the way you want it to.