Shepherd's huts with hot tubs near Cardiff

Wales’ capital has fashioned itself into a thriving international city in recent decades. Its compelling Victorian heritage and architecture, raised by the riches of what was once the world’s biggest coal industry, is showcased in lavish buildings like Cardiff Castle, and sits alongside compelling museums and truly excellent places to eat and drink. But the surrounding scenery is a massive part of Cardiff’s appeal too. The revamped Cardiff Bay waterfront and gorgeous green riverside space of Bute Park bestow great outdoor playgrounds upon the city itself, while the beaches and history-rich towns of the Vale of Glamorgan and the woodsy trail-laced hills around Caerphilly beckon campers just beyond.

Right in central Cardiff, Bute Park, flanked by Cardiff Castle, is the beginning of Cardiff’s green corridor out of the city and is a lovely, leafy place to base yourself to enjoy both city sights and nearby countryside. You’ll find caravan and camping parks nearby, close to the River Taff and the long-distance Taff Trail and Cambrian Way.

Cardiff is a buzzing, year-round destination and fittingly, campsites like the one in Pontcanna Fields are also open year-round. This is Wales, however, famous for its wet weather and the mud that it brings: April through October gives you a far-better chance of pitching under fair skies and over less soggy ground. July and August are filled with vibrant Cardiff festivals celebrating food, theatre and music—though big events also mean campsites are more crowded.