Find your perfect gin and be queen of the castle in the Welsh capital

“THAT’S it for now, but Wales Today is back with the latest news at 6.30pm. See you then.”

I look down the camera and give a nervous giggle, glad my efforts aren’t actually being broadcast to the nation.

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In fact, I’m taking a tour of the BBC building in Cardiff – just one highlight of a weekend in the Welsh capital.

Park life

Former post office The Parkgate Hotel is slap-bang in the city centre.

Rooms have chic forest-green panelling, parquet floors and Elemis goodies, while the spa offers views across the city and almost into the Principality Stadium, home of the Welsh rugby team.

Treat yourself to an Elemis Nourish And Renew Face And Body Treatment, £78, and you’ll leave not only glowing, but smelling of heavenly frangipani.

There’s also a pool, sauna and steam room, and the food’s not to be missed, either.

The Parkgate’s Michelin-Guide-listed restaurant The Sorting Room serves up scrummy dishes like cauliflower soup with rarebit croquette, £8.50, followed by rack of Welsh lamb with a miniature shepherd’s pie, £38. 

Headline grabbers

Join a group tour of the BBC’s Cymru Wales in Central Square and you’ll be reconsidering your career within minutes.

It’s the only BBC building in the UK where you can go behind the scenes while journalists work live across TV and radio.

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We said hello to BBC Radio Wales legend Owen Money during his show and chatted to one of BBC2’s continuity announcers, too.

You’ll even get to sit at the desk in the Wales Today studio, complete with its 70sqm wrap-around TV screen to read an autocue.

Afterwards, the video is emailed to you as a memento. A 90-minute tour costs £13 per person (Bbc.co.uk/showsandtours).

If G&T is your tipple, toast your camera debut at Gin & Juice in the Castle quarter.

There are over 300 bottles to pick from, but those with a sweet tooth like me will love the No.1 Salted Caramel Gin with Fever-Tree Light tonic, £10.25, which comes garnished with honeycomb chunks and a whole chocolate bar (Ginandjuice.com)! 

Castle on the hill

You can’t visit Cardiff and not climb to the top of the castle.

Although built after the Norman Conquest, the site dates back to when the Romans created four strategic forts.

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Entry costs £14.50 (Cardiffcastle.com).

While there, take a stroll through beautiful Bute Park, looking out for the stone animals lining the top of the walls.

In the Bay area, around 30 minutes’ walk away, stop for a latte at the Norwegian Church Arts Centre and you might even hear musicians practising in the performance rooms.

Then get your geek on at science discovery centre Techniquest with its fun experiments and puzzles – drive an underwater submersible or even try a giant slide in the interactive halls.

Its planetarium is also worth a visit – guide Paul wowed us with his astronomy facts. Entry costs £13 (Techniquest.org).

For unique shopping finds, hunt out the beautiful arcades just off the main high street.

The Royal Arcade is full of stationery gems, indie jewellers and the Cardiff Antiques Centre, as well as Wally’s Deli – selling food and drink from all over the world (Wallysdeli.co.uk). 

Just down the road, Wales’ only The Ivy restaurant makes for a relaxed lunch.

Feast on light-as-a-feather tempura squid, £10.50, followed by moreish monkfish and prawn curry, £20.95. Save space for the black bee honey and white chocolate cheesecake, £9.50, all washed down with a summery alcohol-free blood orange spritz, £8 (Ivycollection.com). Yaki da!