Try out this Cardiff ghost tour to explore haunted pubs, eerie landmarks, and shadowy alleys where the capital’s restless spirits still roam
If you’ve ever wandered Cardiff’s streets at night and felt a sudden chill — it might not just be the wind from Cardiff Bay.
The Welsh capital is built on Roman stones, Norman walls, and a theatre of Victorian life, and the spirits of its past have a habit of walking alongside the living.
This self-guided ghost walk will take you through some of the most atmospheric, history-steeped, and haunted locations in the city centre, with a few pubs where you can steady your nerves.
It’s a great way to celebrate Halloween in Cardiff, or any time you feel the need to see the dark and spooky side of the Welsh capital.
You can start at the most haunted place in Cardiff…
Cardiff Castle, Castle Street, CF10 3RB
We begin under the looming towers of Cardiff Castle, where history runs deeper than the moat.
Beneath the Gothic Revival fantasy exterior lies a Roman fort, Norman keep, and centuries of siege and intrigue.
The Black Tower holds one of the grimmest tales — the 15th-century execution of a nobleman whose head was left on display as a warning.
On misty nights, staff and night-watchmen speak of an armoured figure pacing the battlements, his boots ringing on stone before melting into shadow.
Down in the WWII tunnels, visitors have reported phantom air raid sirens and the muffled weeping of unseen children – reminders of the days when these passages were crowded with families sheltering from the Blitz.
Walk to next stop: 5 minutes to The Angel Hotel.
The Angel Hotel, Castle Street, CF10 1SZ
In the shadow of the castle stands The Angel, a grand Victorian hotel that has played host to statesmen, actors, and — if local whispers are true — at least one long-term spectral resident.
In the 1890s, a chambermaid reportedly fell to her death down a back stairwell.
Guests staying on the upper floors have claimed to wake with the air heavy with lavender — her favourite scent — and the feeling of someone sitting on the bed beside them.
One actor in the 1920s described a young woman crossing his room and vanishing through a wall where a door once stood.
Walk to next stop: 6 minutes to St John the Baptist City Parish Church.
St John the Baptist City Parish Church, St John Street, CF10 1GJ
The city’s oldest surviving medieval building has stood since the 12th century, its stones darkened by time and weather.
By night, the churchyard is said to be the domain of a tall, spectral figure who stands watch over a particular tomb.
Passers-by have glimpsed a strange golden glow through the windows when the church is locked and empty.
One gravedigger swore he saw a man in a wide-brimmed hat step from behind a headstone, tip it in greeting, and vanish into mist.
Walk to next stop: 5 minutes to The Prince of Wales.
The Prince of Wales, 81–83 St Mary Street, CF10 1FA
Once the New Theatre Royal, this pub retains the ghosts of its theatrical past.
The most enduring story is that of a young actress who collapsed during a performance and died backstage.
Patrons seated near the old stage area have felt a tap on the shoulder with no one there, and staff say she is sometimes seen drifting along the balcony, a faint scent of roses and powder marking her passage.
Walk to next stop: 4 minutes to Tiny Rebel Cardiff.
Tiny Rebel Cardiff, 25 Westgate Street, CF10 1DD
Before it was a craft beer haven, this was the Great Western Hotel — a popular stop for railway travellers.
Staff in its later years told of lights switching on in locked rooms and the sound of boots walking across the bar after closing. In the cellars, people felt as if someone brushed past them in the dark.
Today, the beer may be modern, but some say the old guests have never quite checked out.
Walk to next stop: 6 minutes to Cardiff Central Market.
Cardiff Central Market, St Mary Street, CF10 1AU
Bustling by day, eerie by night.
Built in 1891, the market has long been a place of trade and gossip, but some say one stallholder never left.
The ghostly figure of a woman in an apron has been spotted by night security, tending to goods that no longer exist.
Footsteps cross the locked floors, and voices call out names in the darkness.
Walk to final stop: 5 minutes to The Golden Cross.
The Golden Cross, 283 Hayes Bridge Road, CF10 1GH
Our tour ends at one of Cardiff’s most distinctive pubs.
Beneath its ornate Victorian tiles lies a history of sailor fights, underworld deals, and a supposed crime of passion.
Local rumour tells of a jealous lover stabbed here, his ghost appearing to patrons in the back snug.
Another spirit is more mischievous — knocking over pints, whispering in ears, and rearranging chairs overnight.
Regulars swear they’ve seen him leaning on the bar, grinning faintly before vanishing.
Have you seen a ghost in Cardiff? Share your story in the comments below and add to the city’s haunted history.
