10 Places to Buy Unique Souvenirs in Cardiff
If you’re coming to Cardiff and want an authentically Welsh gift or a unique memento of your visit, then look no further…
1. Wally's
Wally’s
Wally’s is a delicatessen selling speciality and luxury foods from all over the place, but it has a section devoted purely to products made in Wales: strong cheddar cheese, Bara Brith (traditional bread with dried fruit), jams, cockles, laverbread (made of seaweed), beer and ales. There’s lots to choose from, so you can take the taste of Wales home with you.
38-46 Royal Arcade, Cardiff. Phone: 004429 2022 9265
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOkuw4nlEwT/?tagged=snowdoniacheesecompany
2. Castle Welsh Crafts
Shop
Castle Welsh Crafts
Carving ‘love spoons’ is a folk craft which originated in the seventeenth century. They were usually given to a woman by her suitor to prove to her father they had carpentry skills and could provide. Symbols incorporated onto the spoons meant different things, bells for marriage, a horseshoe for luck, a cross for faith. Although they originally had a practical purpose, they’ve become decorative. The tradition has roots in other parts of the world, but they are mostly associated with Wales. You can learn about the meanings behind different symbols and buy one to take home with you from this shop. Plus, they sell other souvenirs too, such as clothing, rugby shirts and crafts.
1-3 Castle St, Cardiff. Phone: 004429 2034 3038
3. Caban
Shop
Caban
Caban sells Welsh books and resources, perfect for if you speak Welsh or are learning. If that is not the case but you still want to buy a souvenir, they also have a great little gift section of lovingly made items from Wales, such as creatures made out of Welsh blanket trimmings and Welsh slate coasters. The shop is small and unassuming, about a 30-minute walk from the centre in residential Pontcanna.
169, King’s Rd, Cardiff. Phone: 004429 2034 2223
4. Museum gift shop
Museum, Park, Shop
Museum gift shop
National Museum Wales stocks loads of great Welsh gifts. While some items might relate to the exhibitions, there are also carefully selected Welsh goods, such as celtic jewellery, books on Welsh artists, miniature food sets and ceramics. The museum shop is on the pricier end of the spectrum, but there is guaranteed to be a big choice.
Cathays Park, Cardiff. Phone: 0044300 111 2333
5. St Fagans National Museum of History
Museum, Historical Landmark
6. Cardiff Market
Market
7. Craft in the Bay
Building, Shop
Craft in the Bay
Craft in the Bay is a place for artists and craftspeople to display and sell their work. Found in the Cardiff Bay area, it is near landmarks like the Wales Millennium Centre and the Welsh Assembly Building. The building is a reworking of an industrial warehouse, a sympathetic reconstruction which earned it a place on the shortlist for a RIBA award. The building is sectioned off into bays where different craftspeople’s work is exhibited. Contact the organisers if you’d like to buy a piece.
The Flourish Lloyd George Avenue, Cardiff. Phone: 004429 2048 4611
8. Riverside Farmer's Market
Market
Welsh Love Spoons by Ken
For a more personalised love spoon, go to Ken’s online shop, where Ken sells the spoons he made himself. He became interested in the craft through his father and grandfather. They made walking sticks and the like with branches from Ceredigion.
9. Cardiff Castle
Historical Landmark
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