National Geographic lists Cardiff in top ten worldwide ‘Best Summer Trips’ -

If I hadn’t seen this with my own eyes I would have thought that someone had slipped some acid in my Brains SA, but the esteemed National Geographic magazine has declared Cardiff to be a top ten global holiday destination.

Now, I loves the ‘Diff as much as the next Taff, but it does seem mighty strange to see the city being included in an exotic list that includes the Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, the San Juan Islands, Washington, Muskoka Cottage Country, Ontario and Patagonia.

Heck, we’re even ahead of the Azores in the list!

Placing us sixth in their Top Ten Summer Trips for 2011, here’s what National Geographic had to say about Keyaaardiff:

Historically a city of castles and coal, Wales’s capital is emerging as a modern sports-entertainment destination. Summer action centers on Cardiff Bay, once the world’s largest coal-exporting port, now a 500-acre freshwater lake with eight miles of waterfront.

Surrounding diversions, part of Europe’s largest waterfront development, include shopping and dining at Mermaid Quay, rafting and kayaking at Cardiff International White Water, and windsurfing and powerboating on the bay. Celebrate the August bank holiday weekend (August 27-29) at the Cardiff Harbour Festival featuring tall ships, free activities, and, new for 2011, the Breitling Wingwalkers aerobatic formation team.

From Mermaid Quay, take an Aquabus or water taxi up the River Taff or bike along the Taff Trail to Cardiff’s compact city center.

Signature sites here include the free National Museum Cardiff (closed Mondays), iconic Cardiff Castle (host of the Grand Medieval Melee, August 13-14, the 150-store St. David’s (named Global Retail Leisure International’s 2010 international shopping center of the year), and Millennium Stadium, site of several London 2012 Olympic Games soccer matches and the Brit Speedway Grand Prix, June 25.

Personally, I would have put Caroline Street (aka Chip Alley) and the Cardiff City stadium on that list, but that doesn’t take away from an amazing achievement.

Big up Cardiff/Caerdydd! Tidy!

[National Geographic]