It may have something to do with my surname being Jones but I always feel extremely relaxed, welcomed and ‘at home’ when I visit Wales.
Unlike many capital cities, Cardiff has managed to maintain a friendly and laid back culture which makes it the ideal place to visit for a long weekend.
My girlfriend Hannah and I stayed in The Parc hotel during our stay which proved to be a perfectly situated base from which we could access some of the main tourist attractions in the city.
After being booked in by a friendly and informative receptionist we went up to our room which was clean, modern and extremely spacious.
Despite being next to one of the main shopping streets, the room was extremely quiet and the perfect place to enjoy a peaceful and relaxing sleep.
On our first night, we ate in the hotel restaurant and found the food to be of the highest quality.
The flavours in the food were excellent and the meal was complemented by friendly staff always on hand to top up drinks or offer assistance.
The breakfast was also one of the best I have come across in a UK hotel.
As well as the usual range of cereal and toast, there were hot breakfast items such as sausages and bacon which were cooked perfectly and not overly greasy.
As our hotel was within in walking distance of the Cardiff Castle, it was the first on our list of places to visit.
Tourists can either pay for entry into the castle grounds or slightly more for a guided tour around the living quarters.
I would highly recommend paying the extra money for the guided tour as the rooms inside the castle bring to the life the story of the 2nd Marquess of Bute, who was one of the richest men in the world in the 19th century and helped Cardiff became the city it is today.
Through a talk which was interspersed with some typically Welsh self-deprecating humour, our guide brought the history of the castle to life.
One of the best things that the Bute family did for the city was to leave the castle to the ‘people of Cardiff’ which means every resident has free entry to the grounds and the site cannot be sold off to a developer.
Another cultural highlight in Cardiff is the National Museum, again within walking distance of The Parc Hotel.
The museum tells the fascinating story of Welsh history revealing how important the coal or ‘black coal’ was to the country.
For art-lovers, the museum also features an art gallery full of Turner paintings which were collected by two sisters from mid-Wales in the early 20th century who then donated them to be used in the public interest.
Another welcoming attraction in Cardiff is the shopping arcades full of independent retailers which have managed to survive alongside the growth of the St David’s shopping centre featuring all the big department stores.
For those wanting a quiet cup of coffee away from the hordes of bargain hunters flocking to Primark and H& M, there are places such as Madame Fromage, which offers the atmosphere of a typical Parisian café.
As well as the smaller food retail outlets, Cardiff also boasts a variety of large chain restaurants such as Red Hot Buffet which caters for culinary tastes of all kinds.
The capital is not short of places to eat out in the evening and we decided to have a meal at Greenwood & Brown.
The stylish restaurant is situated in the heart of the city, near the Millenium Stadium and diners are able to enjoy tasty dishes from a creative menu.
My chicken main course was cooked to perfection and the service was friendly and attentive.
For those wanting to learn more about Cardiff’s history, guided walking tours are available.
As someone who did not know a lot about the city’s history, it was fascinating to have a guided expert bring to life Cardiff’s colourful past including a time when it was a safe haven for notorious pirates.
It was also interesting to learn that, compared to many capital cities, Cardiff is still relatively ‘young’ as it was only officially given its title in 1954.
In terms of nightlife, the city centre offers a range of clubs, traditional pubs and unusual bars such as The Chapel, an old church building which has been recently converted.
On Saturday night we chose to visit the Motorpoint Arena to watch Ronan Keating in concert but visitors can also chose to see a show at the Millennium Centre or go and watch a sports event such as a Cardiff Devils ice hockey match.
With Cardiff being just a two-and-half hour car journey from Northampton, I would highly recommend it as a place to go for a long weekend.
And I’m not just saying that because my surname is Jones.