Doctor Who Private Day Tour of South Wales

Explore some of the most iconic “new who” locations on the Doctor Who Private Day Tour of South Wales. This tour is your chance not only to see the city of Cardiff and its castles. You will also explore the city’s history and see some of the places where Doctor Who was filmed with someone as passionate about Doctor Who as you are.

This day tour is the perfect way to see the city of Cardiff, three of South Wales’ most important castles, and the locations where Doctor Who was filmed. Blending expert history with geeky Doctor Who knowledge, this tour will keep everyone happy!

From 615 per group

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Locations (10)

2. Cardiff Castle

Cardiff Castle
Cardiff Castle

Cardiff Castle started life as a Roman Fort, evidence of which is still visible today. Indeed the city of Cardiff gets its name from the old Roman fort, as Cardiff or the Welsh version Caerdydd translates into English as “Fort on the river Taff”.

Developed by the Normans, the castle has seen many changes and was once used as a royal prison. Developed further by various English marcher Lords, the castle fell into ruin in the 16th century. Taken over by the Marquis’ of Bute in the 17th Century, it wasn’t until the 3rd Marquis that the current version of Cardiff Castle came into being.

Described as a victorian escapist dream, it is a stunning location for film and TV crews and has been seen countless times in Doctor Who, Torchwood, and The Sarah Jane Adventures. Your guide will show you around the castle, including its most interesting historical features and the locations used for filming Doctor Who.

3. Womanby Street / Pete’s World

Womanby Street explore how the same location can be used in two separate Doctor Who episodes, with two very different Doctors. Starting with The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances we will explore how this non-descript location is transformed into 1940’s Blitz London. Then we will discuss how the same location, filmed from a slightly different angle and dressed in a different way could be used as Pete’s World from Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel with not even the most eagle-eyed fans spotting that it was the same place.

4. Queen's Arcade

Queen’s Arcade is seen in the very first episode of Doctor Who, whilst at this location, you will find out how the Doctor Who team managed to fool everyone into thinking that this shopping centre was in London, and how they worked with the centre management to bring the Auton invasion to life.

5. The Friary

The Friary is another location in Cardiff that is supposed to be in London. Seen in Dark Water/Death in Heaven two-parter in series 8 it is supposed to be close to St Paul’s Cathedral in the City of London. Sadly due to restrictions on filming with firearms in the City of London these sequences had to be filmed in Cardiff. Did the Cybermen and UNIT team cause a scene in Cardiff when they filmed?

6. National Museum Cardiff

Cardiff National Museum
Cardiff National Museum

The National Museum Cardiff is a filming location for several Doctor Who episodes as well as The Blind Banker episode of Sherlock. We will also explore the nearby civic centre, which includes St Luke’s University from series 10, the location of Danny Pink’s death and “Sheffield” police station.

Whilst at the National Museum, your guide will show you some of the highlights of the collection as well as the spaces used in filming for Doctor Who – including the room where Gallifrey Falls/No More was displayed in the 50th Anniversary special The Day of the Doctor.

Please note: The Museum is closed on Monday’s. Tours booked on Monday will be unable to visit the interior of the museum, but other locations will be added to the tour by the guide on the day to compensate for this.

7. Cardiff Bay

Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay

Cardiff Bay is the modern name for the old Cardiff Docks which at their height were the largest coal exporting docks in the world. Owned by the Marquis of Bute, the Jeff Bezos of the day, the area was as multicultural then as it is today.

It is home to the Wales Millenium Centre, Roald Dahl Plass, The Senedd, BBC Wales’ Studio and countless Doctor Who filming locations. Whilst “down the bay” as the locals would say, your guide will show you around one of the most interesting, and beautiful parts of Cardiff, the locations used during the filming of Doctor Who, and its more adult spin-off Torchwood including the internationally famous Ianto’s Shrine.

8. Llandaff Cathedral

Llandaff Cathedral
Llandaff Cathedral

Llandaff is one of the most important Christian sites in Wales. Famous for its stunning Cathedral that was heavily damaged by a German landmine during the Second World War, this is where the author Roald Dahl grew up.

As we drive through this quaint area of Cardiff your guide will point out the Cathedral School, where the young Roald Dahl studied, and the site of Mrs Pratchett’s sweet shop on Llandaff’s High Street which is said to have inspired several of Dahl’s stories including Mathilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Once at Llandaff Cathedral, your guide will point out where scenes from Vincent and the Doctor, The Eleventh Hour and Family of Blood were filmed and discuss how Wales can double up as France, England, and so many other International destinations without even getting on a plane!

9. Castell Coch / Osterhagen Station

Castle Coch
Castle Coch

Castell Coch (or the Red Castle in English) is a unique castle in Wales. Designed by William Burgess for the Marquis of Bute, the Castle and its stunning decorations are not to be missed. Used throughout Doctor Who, most notably as the Osterhagen Station in Stolen Earth and as Natty Longshoe’s Comical Castle in Nightmare in Silver, Castell Coch is a great place to take photos, restage scenes from the show, and enjoy the stunning views over the city of Cardiff

10. Caerphilly Castle

Caerphilly Castle
Caerphilly Castle

Caerphilly Castle is used throughout Doctor Who. Its non-descript passageways, towers, and grounds offer the crew the chance to use the same location over and over again! You will learn how Caerphilly Castle was used in filming, why filming in historic locations can increase visitor numbers, and why in December 2009 the Tardis was parked on top of Caerphilly Castle for everyone to see. Finally, you will discover how the filming for Robots of Sherwood at the castle caused a local fuss when filming went off with a bang!

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