GREEN WITH ENVY
CARDIFF is home to so many lovely neighbourhoods, each of which has its own charm and distinct personality. Whether grand, Victorian villas are more your cup of tea, or whether you’re more interested in luxurious newbuilds, there are hundreds of picture-perfect streets across the capital, all of which are likely to get one’s imagination fired up.
We’ve put together a list of the Cardiff streets that are seen as among the most desirable – or just plain cute – locations in the capital.
■ Elm Street, Adamsdown
When it comes to eye-catching streets, Elm Street in Plasnewydd – just off Newport Road – certainly makes the list.
Known for its brightly coloured houses, a trip along Elm Street is enough to brighten even the darkest winter’s day, with a touch of Aberaeron or Tenby about it thanks to its multicoloured facades.
Residents were inspired to add a vibrant splash of colour to their homes in the late 90s and the idea took off when the street entered the Cardiff in Bloom contest in 2000.
Today, the thoroughfare is a riot of purples, greens, blues, reds, yellows, pinks, and navys.
Over the years it has even boasted a home inspired by an Ndebele tribe design from Africa, and a Caribbeanthemed home complete with boat, parlm tree and banana trees in the garden.
■ Castle Hill, St Fagans
Though it may be relatively short, especially compared with other entries on this list, Castle Hill has a very niche charm that makes it stand out from everywhere else.
Named for its view of St Fagans castle at the top of the hill, this street has to have one of the best views in all of Cardiff, while also boasting the brilliant St Fagans National Museum of History on its doorstep.
Plus, with its gorgeous chocolate box thatched cottages, it’s also one of the most unique of Cardiff’s streets.
■ Cathedral Road, Pontcanna
As the main thoroughfare through Pontcanna, Cathedral Road is, unsurprisingly, a thriving hub jam-packed with exciting eateries and home to some of the grandest architecture and some of the most sought-after properties in all the city.
Not only is it a stone’s throw from the city centre, but it is also just a short walk from a wealth of foodie destinations.
Plus, being so close to Pontcanna Fields and Sophia Gardens there’s an abundance of green parkland on the doorstep if you want to get away from the stress of it all for a bit.
■ Heol Isaf, Radyr
At the heart of the popular suburb of Radyr, Heol Isaf is one of the most expensive streets in Cardiff – and ranked as the sixth most expensive street in all of Wales last year.
While a variety of period properties line its route as it wanders through the heart of the pretty suburb, the main road through the community can offer terraces, semi-detached, and detached homes on both sides of the street.
Within the catchment area of Radyr High School and with amenities including a tennis club and a village centre of local shops the suburb attracts families from around the region.
■ Lake Road East & West, Roath
Okay, sure, this is technically two streets, but it’s impossible to decide between these two as they’re essentially twins that sit directly opposite one another.
With Roath Lake separating the two and sitting between them, the views along Lake Road East and West are pretty unbeatable.
It means that, right on your doorstep, you have one of Wales’ bestloved parks, ideal for a run, soaking up the plantlife in the rose gardens or the conservatory, or just mooching around to feed the ducks.
Plus, the houses along the lakeside are so grand and spacious – with one particular des res even boasting a tennis court in its front garden – that we can only dream about how luxurious it would be to call one of them home.
■ The Cathedral Green, Llandaff
Although a village green as opposed to a street, it would be impossible to put together a list like this and not include the Cathedral Green in Llandaff.
It’s such a gorgeous, picture-perfect setting that it was even chosen as the setting for the picturesque village of Leadworth in Doctor Who, the home of companions Amy and Rory Pond and the place where they first meet Matt Smith’s 11th Doctor.
As well as being just a stone’s throw from Llandaff Cathedral, it is also home to one of the nation’s most distinctive war memorials.
■ Castell Coch View, Tongwynlais
The village of Tongwynlais in the northern outskirts of Cardiff is home to one of Wales’ most iconic landmarks, Castell Coch.
If you’ve ever climbed up the hill from the village and towards the 19th Century castle in the woods, you will
have passed Castell Coch View, a street whose name gives it all away.
The inclusion of this street on the list speaks for itself – after all, who wouldn’t dream about waking up every morning with a fairytale castle on the doorstep?
■ Beulah Road, Rhiwbina
More like a village than a city neighbourhood, Rhiwbina is incredibly green and peaceful, including one of its prettiest streets, Beulah Road.
A mixture of architectural styl`es, from modern mansions to period villas, a proportion of the suburb is described as Rhiwbina Garden Village, which was developed between 1913 and 1923.
It’s also incredibly popular, with Beulah Road ranking as the ninth most expensive street in all of Wales in 2020.
■ Ty Draw Road, Roath
Another entry for Roath, Ty Draw Road winds along the edge of the popular recreation ground, minutes away from the array of excellent independent food and drink spots on Wellfield Road.
With its enormous Victorian villas overlooking the park, Ty Draw Road is one of those streets that is almost impossible not to be impressed by.
■ Fields Park Road, Pontcanna
Tucked away between Pontcanna Fields and Cathedral Road, Fields Park Road is everything people dream about when they think of Pontcanna.
With its cute, uniformed terrace houses one after the other, and green, village-like feel, it’s a perfect spot to feel like you’re getting away from it all without ever leaving the city.
■ Llandennis Avenue, Cyncoed
This hidden gem, located off Cyncoed Road, is home to some of the finest properties – most of which detached – in Cardiff in a range of architectural styles encompassing the 20th and 21st centuries.
Routinely mentioned by estate agents as one of the most soughtafter streets in Wales, it rarely makes “expensive streets” lists, mainly due to the low turnover of property sales on the street.
And, given the stunning homes on offer, you can’t really blame those lucky enough to live there for not wanting to sell up.
■ Mill Road, Lisvane
No list of Cardiff des-reses would be complete without a nod to Mill Road.
This, the affluent suburb’s main through road, meanders past seriously impressive properties which will leave many visitors marvelling at the wonderful homes on offer.
As well as boasting some designer homes that wouldn’t look out of place in architectural magazines, just a short walk away is the hidden delight of the Coed y Felin woods – and on the other side of the community – the heart of the picture postcard “village”, complete with the Black Griffin pub and St Denys Church, whose roots stretch back to ancient times.