Castell Coch Walk & Guided Tour

Castell Coch, Castle Road, Cardiff, CF15 7JQ, Wales

About

A magnificent magical sight! The fairytale towers of Castell Coch reach out of the forest trees on the craggy hillside north of the city. The tour begins with a brief account of highlights of the castle’s earliest known role in history dating almost 900 years: - a base for the Welsh Princes and their Norman conquerors. - banquets, kidnappings, ransoms, legends of buried treasure (and the odd ghost!) - its sudden decline and ruin in the 14th century. Then we step inside for the main part of the tour - a magical journey through a medieval fantasy castle restored as a summer house for the richest man in Britain in the 19th century. You will have to pinch yourself to remind yourself you are in Cardiff and not high in the misty mountains of central Europe! You will see the genius of the extraordinary art architect William Burges; witness the breathtaking images and colours in the rooms, and how every room has a story to tell; learn about life as a member of Britain’s richest Victorian family - the Butes of Cardiff Castle, and why this make-believe fairy-tale retreat was much admired but ultimately seldom used! The walk lasts about an hour. This tour is not recommended for people with mobility challenges as, regrettably, ascent and descent of steps and spiral staircases (with over 50 steps in some cases) is unavoidable. However, please get in touch if you wish to enjoy this beautiful castle but are concerned about the logistics and let’s see what we can work out!