Castle Arcade

It is with some difficulty that I come to write a review about a particular arcade. The reason for this is quite simple. It is because I get quite lost in them all.
But please don’t look down on my ability as a reviewer because of this. I like to think that one of the most beautiful things about our city’s covered alleys of nostalgic shopping excitement is that we are meant to get lost. Unlike the modern St David’s Centre, which puts its wares and its whereabouts firmly on show, the arcades take a little bit more effort to get into and explore, which paves the way for a far more rewarding and interactive shopping experience.
I have chosen to write about this particular arcade, though, because it is the one that I’m most familiar with. It’s the one where I can delight in a lovely espresso at the aromatic Madame Fromage, pop in to National Theatre Wales’ creative hub to find out the latest and keep my eye open for any projects Ark might be getting on with.
I shan’t tell you any more, because what I want you to do is discover it for yourself. Meander and enjoy.
URBAN CHALLENGE: Pop into the downstairs foyer of National Theatre Wales’ hub to read up on what they’re up to.

yeh, I’m not gonna lie, I don’t remember which arcade is which, so I did have to research to see which one this particular one was. I think I’m going to remember this arcade by the fact that it is opposite the castle, hence Castle arcade. This arcade is L-​shaped and can be reached also by St Mary’s street.
I had a little wander down here the other day as I needed some buttons from the Button Shop — that’s right, we have a shop dedicated to buttons, this is extremely handy for me as I like to get a little crafty at times. Also along this arcade is a hairdresser, the cutest little coffee shop called Madame cheese, a fancy dress shop and many more.
This is definitely one of the cuter arcades, it is always quite peaceful. The beautiful surroundings will make you not want that corridor of loveliness to end.

Castle Arcade is one of the many famous, old Cardiff shopping arcades, with a range of different stores. Down this particular arcade there’s an opportunity to pick up a gorilla costume, a surf-​branded t-​shirt, a Charles Dickens novel, and a sandwich. Not bad for a little sheltered area of shops.
This arcade is an L-​shaped one that goes between an entrance opposite Cardiff Castle around to one on St Mary’s Street. As with a lot of the shops in these arcades they tend to be independent traders and can be welcome break from the manic shopping experience of Queen Street or St. David’s 2. Saying that, with the ongoing development of St. Mary’s Street into a pedestrianised area, I expect these traders are hopeful of more business coming their way.

Probably Cardiff’s most famous arcade, Castle Arcade opened in 1887 with — as its name suggests — one entrance right opposite the beautiful city centre castle. The arcade itself is a Grade II* Listed building which runs through to busy High Street, and is lined with lovely independent boutique shops, cafés, and high end delicatessens.
It’s the first Cardiff arcade I ever stepped foot in when I first arrived in the city, and although some shops have changed since then it still holds that same nostalgic air.
You can admire the instruments at Cardiff Violins, stop off for lunch at the cute Italian Café Minuet, buy clothes at Lunacy, or pick up your daily paper at That Shop. From artisan cheese and other gourmet delights at Madame Fromage deli, to beads and jewellery-​making paraphernalia at Claire Grove Buttons and second hand books at Troutmark, each unique shop in Castle Arcade has its own individual personality. Highly recommended.

This is undoubtedly the most stunning of the Cardiff Arcades. The architecture and feeling of this area transports you to another time and place.
There are some lovely shops and the café’s in here are some of the best you can find and because its a little bit out of the way its nice and quiet too.
My favourite aspect is the upstairs balcony. You don’t notice it straight away but look up and you will see there is an upstairs area of shops too, though most are no vacant. Find the tiny little stair next to the café and you can go up and soak up the atmosphere.

Cold as it is open but nostalgic. The last time I went through this shopping area there were a regrettable number of closed shops but that didn’t lessen the fun. There was everything from food to rugby shirts on sale in here and covered as it was, it was a haven from the rain. It’s a narrow alley way but so much fun to look through. Each small shop from seemed to open to a much larger interior and often revealed treasures.
One positive thing to note is that generally these are not your typical high street shops and so you are most likely to find something unique and fun here.

Die Castle-​Arcade ist eine von vielen schönen Arcaden in der Innenstadt von Cardiff. Die kleine Shoppingpassage beginnt direkt gegenüber vom Eingang der Burg und endet in der Mary Street. In der Arcade findet man einige wirklich schöné Läden und unter anderem auch einen gut sortierten Kostümshop. Wer mal etwas zum Verkleiden (Halloween o.ä.) sucht, wird hier sicherlich fündig