The City Girl shares her Cardiff secrets in new travel guide


Lowri Haf Cooke is a city girl through and through. She was born and raised in Cardiff and her blog – Merch y Ddinas (The City Girl) - is proof of her love for the Capital. Who else could therefore write about the wonders of Cardiff in all their technicolour glory than Lowri? “I’m what you could call an enthusiastic travel-geek really.” For someone who has literally travelled to the four corners of the globe, Lowri still believes that there is nowhere quite like home and from this love has come the first Welsh language travel guide to the city of Cardiff, Canllaw Bach Caerdydd (Gomer). However, Lowri is keen to emphasize that the book is written as much for those who live in the city as it is for travellers.


Lowri, says, “It amazes me how little people know about the city in which they live. People are used to the familiar I suppose. I find those from thewest of the city are unfamiliar with the eastern areas and the same applies the other way round. Canllaw Bach Caerdydd offers an opportunity for everybody to get to know their city a little bit better – from its people to its history and quirky places.”


Lowri worked for a number of years with BBC Radio Cymru, “I recorded a programme on Radio Cymru called Diwrnod yn y Ddinas (A Day in the City) which became the inspiration for the book. I was aware, after working for 11 years with Radio Cymru that not everybody shared my passion for Cardiff. I therefore had to consider these people as I researched this book. As a result, I have notwritten about Cardiff in its role as Wales’s Capital city but rather Cardiff with a small ‘c’.


“I started with my favourite places – I wanted to write from a personal perspective – but in delving deeper I discovered hidden corners and incredible tales which I hope will have an impact on all readers. The book challenges the residents of Cardiff in addition to visitors to discover the city anew. I’m also expecting those who pick up the book to do some detective work themselves – it’s not my Cardiff or their Cardiff, but everyone has their own view of what the city is all about.


“As an enthusiastic traveller, I’ve always collected guidebooks but in saying that I do not want anywhere I go simply presented to me on a plate. I don’t like feeling that someone has discovered a place on my behalf as I appreciate finding places on my own. This was my mantra as I put this book together. There was no strategy other that it was an organic process in terms of writing, having said that however I was clear in my mind that I was not aiming to compete with such publications as Time Out or Wallpaper but I wanted my books to compete with them in terms of style and quality.


“I have a degree in Geography and Welsh and I’ve got a good sense of direction. Rarely will I get lost and I’m also a good map-reader. I love travelling, eating, shopping, art and love Cardiff…in short, everything I love in life has come together in one place in this book.


“I’m also fond of talking and enjoy forming links through conversations with local people wherever I go whether it is Clifton Street in Roath, Melbourne, Istanbul, Helsinki or New York – places I have been fortunate to visit over the past year. Taking the advice of local people is the only way to discover a new place as it is very easy to miss the gems of a city, in Cardiff’s case, the Victorian arcades, Butetown History and Arts Centre or the Trade city café to name but three.


“As a family – father, mother and two sisters – we love travelling. The reaction from both my sisters when I announced I would be writing this book was ‘Oh No, you’ll tell everyone about our secret places!” That took me slightly by surprise. I want to support unique places and independent businesses and would rather that people discovered these places rather than seeing them close down. Unfortunately over the past two years I have had to remove 30 special places which have closed down for different reasons, mainly due to the difficult economic situation.


“I’m sure some will be annoyed that their favourite place is not in the book and other who will be quite glad that they have been omitted! Having said that, the book is a snapshot of the city as we enter 2013 and I was adding new places up to the last minute before the print button had to be pressed.”



Lowri Cooke’s favourite places in Cardiff:

Restaurant - La Cuina and The Potted Pig

Tea and Cakes - Waterloo Gardens Teahouse, Cocorico Patisserie

Quick lunch – Minuet Restaurant, Ham Roll at The Bread Stall, Cardiff Central Market

Coffee - The Plan

Cocktail Bar - Milgi, Vanilla Rooms, Ba Orient

Cardiff Curry - The Cinnamon Tree

Deli - Bant a la Cart, Wally’s

Fish and Chips - Youngers, Albany Fish Bar

Book Shop - Troutmark Books, Caban, Siop y Felin

Shop - Clare Grove Buttons, Vivienne Westwood

Art Gallery - National Museum Wales, Martin Tinney Gallery, Project/Ten

Hair Salon - Ocean, Wellfield Road

Beauty Salon - Ener-Chi (Radyr), Year of the Tiger (Penylan)

History - The Cardiff Story, Butetown History and Arts Centre

Sport – Millennium Stadium, SWALEC Stadium, the city’s swimming pools

Park – Roath Park

Club - Clwb Ifor Bach

Pub - The City Arms, Duke of Wellington, The Pear Tree