Surrounded by old woodlands, its turrets poking above the trees, Castell Coch is a spectacle to behold. It’s just as impressive on the inside as well! The walls and ceilings are hand painted with flora and fauna and are a sight that will stay with you for quite some time after you visit this little gem. Although it’s a small castle, there’s still plenty of nooks and crannies to explore. Most interesting, check out the room for the wife, the room for the children’s nanny and the room for the mistress. Now that was a man who had mastered the art of having his cake and eating it.

As others have described it,” a fairy tale” in the welsh hills,this is a must for any castle lover..it has it all.
The children have easy access to everyones image of a castle and the adults can enjoy Burgesses interiors and the amusement of victorian/edwardian luxury within a castle exterior.
Castell Coch is the “petit triannon” to Cardiff Castles “Versailles” ,you cannot visit one without the other.
The guides are in now way as informative or friendly as at the main castle and one tends to have the exploration to do oneself with the aid of boards and handouts,but some may well prefer this to being “herded” and informed?
There is extensive parking here and a large wooded park which is ideal for picnicing only a few minutes from the city.

This has to be my favourite castle and yet it is a fake. It is the very image of a medieval fairytale castle. Turrets from which any maid, damsel or princess would have happily resided in. (see the maquises bedroom and bed).

Perched on high cliffs and surrounded by forest it was rebuilt in 1890 as a country retreat for the 3rd Marquis of Bute on the foundations of a medieval castle. it wasn’t finished until around 1990ish and would not look out of place in Disneyland.

It is all gilded, has sumptuous carvings, wonderful glass and murals ..luxury and opulance.
Look for the four winds and the carving showing The Three Fates, or Moirae, who spun, wove and cut the threads of human lives. Amazing!
Not to be missed.

Also has a lovely cafe.

This is fairytale in a modern world, this castle is gorgeous with a real Disney Princess feel!

Set in the amazing countryside of Wales it is a masterpiece.

You can walk around the grounds take in a picnic, there is a cafe and a gift shop.

You could really spend a whole day here just looking at the beauty around you.

This is a very very beautiful castle, one of the prettiest I ever visited in Wales. It is a truly fairytale worthy place, located near to Tongwynlais (which is a very pleasant little village btw).

Be warned the visit is a very short one, because of the dimensions of the castle are small, but it is truly a masterpiece. This was built for the Marquees of Bute for their summer retreat, it is a very simple castle. You will visit 3 rooms, but believe me, it is worth it! When you enter the main doors to the inner circle of the building you will picture yourself in a medieval scene in which you would want that castle to be your home. Its facilities include a souvenir shop.

right next to the building you have an amazing set of woods with a map for you to get going. If you have a spare time and you are close to Cardiff just drop by and you won’t be sorry. To reach to Castell Coch from Cardiff you will take around 10-15 mins. by car, or you can take one of the buses that leave from Cardiff’s Central Station that drop you on Tongwynlais and all you have to do is walk around 5-10 minutes and you are there.

Take my advice and go there if you want to be mesmerized by an awesome place!

Based on the site of a 12th century castle this restoration by William Burges for the third marquess of Bute may not be everyones idea of a banqueting lodge; but as most of us well never get the chance to design our own this one is well worth the entrance fee. Managed by CADW (the ‘official guardians of Welsh built hertiage’), the castle is an ideal place to visit on a wet day. The tracks leading from the car park provide the more energetic with some great walks and moderate mountain biking.

Occupying a commanding position north of Cardiff is Castell Coch - “Red Castle” in Welsh. Originally a small wooden castle, it was rebuilt in red sandstone around 1280, but was seriously damaged in a battle in the 14th century, and by the 1800’s was a picturesque ruin.

And it might have stayed a ruin, but for the fabulously wealthy Marquess of Bute. The son of an early industrial magnate and owner of Cardiff’s coal-exporting docks, he was fascinated by the mediaeval period and commissioned William Burges to rebuild the castle as an occasional summer dwelling, in the mediaeval style, but with modern conveniences (like plumbing and central heating).

Completed in 1891, the result is an amazing Victorian mediaeval fantasy. The castle has a proper working drawbridge and portcullis, and turrets with tall, conical roofs. Some of the original mediaeval stone-work is still visible in the lower levels.

The interior is even more extraordinary. The level of detail Burges incorporated is stunning - exacting designs for furniture, fittings and an elaborate decorative scheme were developed and executed faithfully. Most of this scheme survives. My favourites are the bed, with its huge crystal-ball bed-knobs, and the wallpaper featuring tales from Aesop’s fables.

It has featured in many television series and, not surprisingly, is a great place to take kids!