CARDIFF CASTLE - The Cardiff Castle stands in the heart of the city of Cardiff next to a lovely park and the city's main shopping streets. CNS Photo by Fred Eckert. So when we recently visited its capital city of Cardiff for the first time, we weren't surprised to find that that among its leading attractions is a splendid castle in the very center of the city next to a lovely park and the city's main shopping streets. Cardiff Castle, built after the Norman Conquest on the site of a first century Roman fort, eventually fell into the hands of the Bute family, who had amassed one of the world's great fortunes by turning Cardiff into the world's largest coal-exporting port. In the late 18th century, the third marquess of Bute teamed up with an acclaimed architect, William Burgess, to create behind the castle's Gothic towers an incredibly opulent Victorian interior in which each room has a special theme. BAYSIDE PLAYGROUND - The largest waterfront development in Europe has totally transformed Cardiff Bay from a coal-exporting port into a huge watersport and leisure-activity complex alongside what is now a freshwater lake. CNS Photo by Fred Eckert. On a high hill just outside the city, the two created another unusual castle that is also one of Cardiff's leading attractions, Castell Coch. Often labeled a "romantic folly," like Cardiff Castle it is known for its lavish interior and even better known for the way it matches the idea most of us seem to have of a fairy-tale castle. But Cardiff, like the rest of Wales, has a lot more going for it than just castles. The largest waterfront development in Europe has totally transformed Cardiff Bay from a coal-exporting port into a huge watersports and leisure-activity complex alongside what is now a freshwater lake. TIME STANDS STILL - The museum of Welsh Life, 100 acres of living history just outside Cardiff, contains many original structures and features craftspersons and costumed historic interpreters demonstrating Welsh life over the centuries. CNS Photo by Fred Eckert. In addition to fine cafes, restaurants and boutique shops, Mermaid Quay offers such attractions as the new Wales Millennium Centre, housing opera, ballet, dance and musicals in one of Europe's leading centers for the performing arts; Techniquest Science Discovery Centre, whose more than 150 interactive exhibits make it one of the U.K.'s finest science discovery centers and a great place to visit with children; and the Cardiff Bay Visitor Centre, where you can learn about the bay's impressive transformation and obtain sightseeing information. A number of boat tours operate from Mermaid Quay and there's a year-round water taxi service to and from the center of the city. We stayed on the bay at St. David's Hotel and Spa, which has great views and quickly became one of our favorite hotels in the U.K. CASTELL COCH - Often labeled a ''romantic folly,'' Castell Coch, just minutes from downtown Cardiff, is known for its lavish interior and even better known for the way it matches the idea of a fairy-tale castle. CNS Photo by Fred Eckert. Cardiff may not be a place that comes to mind when you think of art museums, yet only in Paris will you find a larger collection of impressionist paintings than you will see at this city's National Museum and Gallery. Rugby is probably something you are more likely to associate with Wales, and Cardiff's new Millennium Stadium is an ideal place to catch a game; it's also an interesting place to tour. One of the sights that we most enjoyed visiting was the Museum of Welsh Life, just outside the city, a 100-acre, open-air living-history museum containing many original structures and featuring craftspersons and costumed historic interpreters demonstrating Welsh life over the centuries. Cardiff is a compact city built on level land and is easy to get around in, with all leading attractions quite close to one another. It is also very close to both the coast and scenic mountains. IF YOU GO To ask questions or request information about Cardiff and Wales, click on www.visitwales.com, call Visit Britain at (877) 872-1133 or e-mail walesinfo@visitbritain.org. For information about St David's Hotel and Spa, click on www.thestdavidshotel.com. Fred and Karen Eckert are freelance travel writers. © Copley News Service

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