Doctor Who Private Walking Tour of Cardiff

This is the perfect tour for die-hard Doctor Who fans! We’ll be starting in the morning with Cardiff’s National Museum, City Centre, Bay, and Castle. You will learn the history and importance of these sites, how they were used in various episodes, how filming was managed, and even some behind the scenes secrets!

From 176 per group

Tour map

Tour details

  • Meeting point

    Please arrive 10 minutes before departure outside the entrance to Cardiff Castle, 376 Castle Street, Cardiff CF10 1BS (view map).

  • Tour departs

    Daily at 9:00 am (Jan – Dec)

  • Tour ends

    Cardiff city centre

  • Duration

  • Where

  • Live guide speaks

  • Travel by

  • Tour type

  • Max group size

    15 persons

  • Tour operator

  • Cancellation policy

    24 hours or more before start: full refund less 5% booking fees.
    After that time or no-show: no refund.

  • Exclusions

    Food & Drink
    Entry fees
    Gratuities (optional)

  • Things to bring

    Appropriate clothing
    Comfortable shoes

  • Film series

  • Trademarks

    Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures (and related titles and characters) are trademarks of the BBC. All rights reserved by the BBC.

  • Disclaimer

    This is an independent, unofficial tour of public locations featured in the BBC’s Doctor Who television series. It is not connected with, or licensed or endorsed by, the BBC in any way, and does not include access to any official Doctor Who sets or props.

Locations (7)

2. St John The Baptist City Parish Church

St John The Baptist City Parish Church in Cardiff
St John The Baptist City Parish Church in Cardiff

St John The Baptist Church in Cardiff is one of the oldest buildings left in the city. It was used as a filming location for The Runaway Bride starring Catherine Tate and David Tennant. You will hear about how the production team worked with the church to use the church’s organ and organist to play the Wedding March and why the Doctor Who team will never be allowed back to film here again. Finally, you will have the chance to find a cyberman hidden inside this ancient church.

Once outside the church, you will learn how drunken students almost stopped filming for the Christmas special The Voyage of the Dammed. They managed to miss Kylie Minogue, who plays Astrid in the episode, and was hidden in plain sight. Maybe she was protected by a perception filter?

3. Cathays Park

Cathays Park, Cardiff
Cathays Park, Cardiff

Cathay’s Park is one of the finest examples of an early 20th Century Civic Centre. The buildings in this part of Cardiff are constructed using the same stone as St Pauls, making it the perfect stand-in for London. Used numerous times in Doctor Who, this is where Danny Pink dies whilst on the Phone to Clara, and where Bill attends St Luke’s University.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Ianto's Shrine

Ianto’s Shrine
Ianto’s Shrine

Ianto’s Shrine is not only a shrine to the dead fictional character Ianto Jones from the Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood, but is also a shrine to the fans love of all things related to Doctor Who. At the shrine, you will be able to admire some of the numerous artefacts and items that fans have left behind to commemorate one of the Whoniverse’s most memorable characters. And if you want to, you can add your own momento to the shrine.

You will learn how Doctor Who, Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures and Class have changed the Welsh capital forever and why having an extended universe was so important to Russell T Davies, the man who brought Doctor Who back to our screens.

7. Wales Millennium Centre

The Wales Millennium Centre
The Wales Millennium Centre

The Wales Millennium Centre is one of the newest and most iconic buildings in Cardiff. Home to several resident arts organisations, it’s a major location in several episodes of Doctor Who. Perhaps most notable for its appearance in New Earth, the Wales Millennium Centre has also been seen in The Sounds of Drums, The Girl Who Waited and Vincent and the Doctor.

Reviews (0)

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Be the first to review “Doctor Who Private Walking Tour of Cardiff”

Contact us