Cardiff wears its history like a well-loved coat — familiar, textured and full of stories. As Wales’s capital, the city hums with a lively cultural pulse but it’s the arcades that steal the show: winding rows of Victorian and Edwardian glass-roofed alleys, each one a little world of independent shops, vintage finds and cozy cafés. They’ve earned Cardiff the affectionate nickname “City of Arcades” and wandering them feels like stepping into a gentle, bygone era. At the heart of it all, Cardiff Castle rises—a stony silhouette against the sky—reminding you that past and present here are always in good company.