Cathays sits just north of the city centre of Cardiff in Wales, a compact inner‑city area defined by long rows of late‑Victorian terraces, pocket parks and the formal lawns of Cathays Park. Its short walk to the university and central transport links makes it feel very connected while still retaining quieter residential streets and the large Victorian Cathays Cemetery on its edge.
The neighbourhood has a strong student presence because of its proximity to Cardiff University, which shapes the local economy - plenty of rented housing, small independent shops, cafés and pubs - and a mix of transient and long‑standing communities. Historically, much of the area grew during Cardiff’s late 19th‑century boom, and today local residents’ groups engage actively on issues such as housing standards and conservation, giving Cathays a lively civic as well as cultural character.
Postcode districts covering Cathays
Most populated places nearby
- Cardiff 0.5 miles
- Newport 11.2 miles
- Weston-super-Mare 14.5 miles
- Tonypandy 14.4 miles
- Barry 6.8 miles
- Bridgend 16.6 miles
- Cwmbran Central 12.4 miles
- Cwmbrân 12.5 miles
- Merthyr Tydfil 19.5 miles
- Coity Higher 16.3 miles
- Pontypool 15.2 miles
- Ebbw Vale 19.7 miles
Neighbouring places
- Cardiff Built-up area 0.5 miles
- Gabalfa Parish 0.7 miles
- Plasnewydd Ward 0.7 miles
- Roath Parish 0.7 miles
- Castle Parish 0.8 miles
- Pontcanna Parish 0.9 miles
- Riverside Parish 1.2 miles
- Penylan Parish 1.2 miles
- Adamsdown Parish 1.2 miles
- Heath Parish 1.4 miles
- Llandaff North Parish 1.6 miles
- Splott Parish 1.6 miles
Example postcodes in Cathays
CF24 4AN, CF24 4BY, CF24 4DX, CF24 4NU, CF24 4LB, CF24 4AL, CF24 4AS, CF24 4QH, CF24 4LE … See all
Transport links
- Cardiff Airport 9.7 miles
- Bristol Airport 21.4 miles
- Cathays Railway Station 0.4 miles
- Cardiff Queen Street Railway Station 1 mile
Hotels near Cathays Ad
- Hotel Indigo Cardiff 4 0.9 miles
- The Lincoln House Private Hotel 3 0.8 miles
- Leonardo Hotel Cardiff 4 0.9 miles
- The Parkgate Hotel 1.1 miles
- Voco St David's Cardiff 5 2.4 miles
- Four Points Flex by Sheraton Cardiff 3 1.3 miles
- The Royal Hotel Cardiff 4 1.2 miles
- Park Plaza Cardiff 4 0.8 miles
- Hilton Cardiff 5 0.8 miles
- Holiday Inn Cardiff City 3.5 1 mile
Schools in Cathays
- Fairoak Primary School Primary
- ILM Primary School Independent - primary
Local points of interest
- Vita Student Cardiff College 0.5 miles
- Cardiff University Queens Buildings University 0.9 miles
- St. David's Shopping centre 1 mile
- Millennium Stadium Stadium 1.1 miles
- Cardiff Millenium Stadium Stadium 1.1 miles
- Cardiff City Stadium 1.6 miles
- Cardiff University University 1.7 miles
- Cardiff International Sports Stadium Stadium 1.8 miles
- Grangemoor Park Nature reserve 2.7 miles
- St Fagans: National History Museum Museum 4 miles
- Craig Llysfaen Mountains 4.5 miles
- Hensol Castle Estate 8 miles