Cardiff Newport Train

Cardiff is bordered to the west by the rural district of the Vale of Glamorgan—also known as The Garden of Cardiff— to the east by the city of Newport, to the north by the South Wales Valleys and to the south by the Severn Estuary and Bristol Channel. The River Taff winds through the centre of the city and together with the River Ely flows into the freshwater lake of Cardiff Bay. A third river, the Rhymney flows through the east of the city entering directly into the Severn Estuary. Its location and geographic features were influential in its development as the world's largest coal port, most notably its proximity and easy access to the coal fields of the south Wales valleys.

Today, Cardiff is the main financial and business centre in Wales and the city was recently placed seventh overall in the top 50 European cities and also ranked seventh in attracting foreign investment. Cardiff is one of the most popular tourist destination cities in the United Kingdom, receiving around 18 million visitors in 2010 and generating £852 million for the city's economy. There are a large number of hotels of varying sizes and standards in the city, providing almost 9,000 available bed spaces.

Located on the Pembrokeshire coast in South Wales lies the town of Newport which has retained its charm and laid back way of life and is a popular destinations for visitors wishing to escape the excesses of modern life. Newport is a town of two halves, the streets around Market Street and the area around the Parrog. Market Street was once wide enough to accommodate market stalls but has since been narrowed with the enclosure of front gardens at many of the properties. Just over 5 miles to the east of Newport is Castell Henllys, a reconstructed Iron Age hill fort complete with roundhouses and other buildings, built in exactly the same place as the Iron Age buildings as identified by archaeological excavations. Also a few miles from Newport to the south east is Pentre Ifan, an exposed Neolithic burial mound on the hillside high above the village. The setting is magnificent with Carn Ingli and Newport Bay as a backdrop. The main shopping streets of Newport city centre are pedestrianised and include High Street, Newport Arcade, Market Arcade, Commercial Street, Skinner Street, Bridge Street, Upper Dock Street, Market Street, Griffin Street, Corn Street, Cambrian Road, Hill Street, Llanarth Street and John Frost Square.