Cardiff Winter Wonderland 2026 – Bavarian Curling, Festive Food and Family Fun!

From competitive family curling to delicious festive food, thrilling funfair rides and plenty of Christmas magic, Cardiff Winter Wonderland 2026 has really pulled out all the stops!

Last night, we were invited to the press launch of Cardiff Winter Wonderland 2026, and WOW, did it amaze us!

We’ve been working with Winter Wonderland for nearly 10 years now. Yes, you read that right, 10 YEARS! Man, I feel old!

And I must say, Cardiff Winter Wonderland 2026 has topped them all!

Every year, we look forward to seeing what Winter Wonderland has in store for families, and this year certainly didn’t disappoint. With new experiences, delicious festive food, fantastic entertainment and plenty of funfair rides, there’s something for everyone.

But one new attraction really caught our attention…

Bavarian Curling – A New Family Favourite!

New for 2026 is Bavarian Curling, an exciting experience for groups of up to six people.

As soon as we entered Winter Wonderland, we booked ourselves a session. There was absolutely no way we were missing out on trying something new!

We split into two teams: Dad and Harrison (who prefers to stay off my blog!) versus Mum and Ethan.

Let the family competition begin!

After being shown the rules, we were ready to give it a go.

For those who haven’t heard of Bavarian Curling before, it’s a traditional ice game where competitors slide ice stocks across an icy surface, aiming for a target or trying to cover the longest distance.

Sounds easy, doesn’t it?

Well, let me tell you, it’s harder than it looks!

I certainly wasn’t the best at it, but Ethan was brilliant. In fact, I think he was better than all of us!

He’s a strong lad, and you definitely need a bit of force and control to guide the ice stock in the right direction.

There was plenty of laughter, a little friendly competition and, of course, some very questionable techniques from yours truly!

But the important thing is…

MUM AND ETHAN WON BY ONE POINT!!

YES!

Not that I’m competitive or anything. Haha!

All four of us thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and I can honestly say that Bavarian Curling was one of the highlights of our evening.

It’s something a little different, great fun for families and a brilliant way to get everyone involved.

If you’re visiting Cardiff Winter Wonderland this year, I would definitely recommend booking a Bavarian Curling session.

Whether you’re visiting with family or friends, it’s a fantastic activity that will have everyone laughing and getting into the competitive Christmas spirit!

Festive Food – Oh, the Smells!

After all that curling, we decided to check out some of the food vendors.

And WOW!

The smell of freshly cooked food was absolutely incredible. Our tummies were rumbling before we’d even decided what to eat!

First up, we tried some authentic bratwurst hot dogs.

Oh my goodness, they were delicious!

Harrison, who follows a gluten-free diet, just had the sausage without the bread, while the rest of us tucked into our hot dogs.

They were so tasty and exactly what you want on a cold November evening.

There’s just something about Christmas markets and festive food, isn’t there?

The smell of sizzling sausages, sweet treats and warm drinks makes the whole experience feel even more magical.

And if you’re anything like us, you’ll probably end up eating your way around Winter Wonderland!

No complaints from me!

Cardiff Castle, Christmas Music and the New Tafarn Bar

After enjoying our food, we sat and listened to some music before Ethan and I headed off to explore the Cardiff Castle section of Winter Wonderland.

This year, there’s a new addition called Tafarn Bar, and what a lovely atmosphere it had!

The bar offered a fantastic range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, with warm, comfortable seating areas and plenty of feel-good Christmas tunes.

It was the perfect place to sit back, relax and soak up the festive atmosphere.

The whole area looked beautiful, and the Christmas music really added to the excitement.

We then headed over to take a look at the ice rink.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t brave enough to get on the ice!

With my disability and mobility difficulties, ice skating is a big no-no for me.

But we really enjoyed watching families skating around, laughing and having a wonderful time.

It looked like so much fun!

I’ll happily stick to watching from the sidelines, thank you very much!

Hot Chocolate Heaven!

Of course, no visit to Winter Wonderland would be complete without a festive hot chocolate.

And these weren’t just any hot chocolates!

The boys and I treated ourselves to Terry’s Chocolate Orange hot chocolates, while Richard enjoyed an extra-special Baileys hot chocolate.

Oh, they were delicious!

Honestly, give me a festive hot chocolate, some Christmas lights and a bit of Michael Bublé, and I’m one happy woman!

With our drinks enjoyed, we decided it was time to head over to the Cardiff City Hall Lawn section of Winter Wonderland.

The walk between the two locations was lovely, with beautiful festive displays and twinkling Christmas lights along the way.

It really did feel like Christmas had arrived in Cardiff!

Funfair Fun at City Hall Lawn!

As we approached the City Hall Lawn, we could see the giant wheel towering above us and all the brightly lit funfair rides.

The boys were immediately excited!

And I must admit, so was I!

There’s something about a funfair at Christmas that brings out the big kid in me.

We decided to start with the giant multi-storey funhouse, which was great fun.

Then the boys headed for the bumper cars.

Unfortunately, because of my mobility difficulties, I couldn’t take part in that one, but I certainly wasn’t going to miss out on all the fun!

I managed to enjoy a ride on the pirate ship, which was brilliant!

And then came Snow Storm.

WOW!

What a ride!

It was absolutely fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute.

I might have a few mobility limitations, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a little excitement when I’m able to!

The atmosphere around the funfair was brilliant. Everywhere you looked, there were families laughing, children enjoying the rides and people soaking up the Christmas magic.

With so many attractions to choose from, it’s a fantastic place to spend an evening together.

More Food, Live Music and Toasted Marshmallows!

After a few rides, our tummies started rumbling again.

Yes, AGAIN!

What can I say? All that festive excitement works up an appetite!

We grabbed ourselves some more food and found somewhere to sit and enjoy the entertainment.

And what fantastic entertainment it was!

A very talented saxophone player and singer was performing some Michael Bublé favourites, and the atmosphere was just perfect.

Great music, delicious food and beautiful Christmas surroundings.

What more could you want?

Honestly, it was such a lovely way to end our evening.

There’s something so simple but special about standing together, enjoying a sweet treat and watching the Christmas lights twinkle around you.

These are the moments that make family days out so memorable.

Is Cardiff Winter Wonderland 2026 Worth Visiting?

ABSOLUTELY!

Having visited Cardiff Winter Wonderland for nearly a decade, I can honestly say that this year’s event has been one of our favourites.

And that’s saying something!

There was so much to see and do, and we all found something we enjoyed.

For me, the biggest highlight was definitely the new Bavarian Curling experience.

It was fantastic to find an activity that all four of us could enjoy together, and the friendly family competition made it even better.

Although I should probably mention again that Mum and Ethan won!

Just in case anyone forgot. Haha!

The food was another huge highlight. From the delicious bratwurst hot dogs to the festive hot chocolates and toasted marshmallows, there were plenty of tasty treats to enjoy.

And the funfair?

Brilliant!

The rides, lights, music and entertainment all came together to create such a wonderful festive atmosphere.

I also appreciated that, although I couldn’t take part in every activity because of my disability, there were still plenty of things I could enjoy.

Whether you’re a thrill-seeker, a foodie, someone who loves Christmas markets or simply looking for a festive family night out, Cardiff Winter Wonderland has something to offer.

Our Top Three Things to Try at Cardiff Winter Wonderland 2026

1. Bavarian Curling

Our absolute favourite! Brilliant family fun, lots of laughter and a little healthy competition. Definitely book a session if you can.

2. The Festive Food and Drinks

Come hungry! The bratwurst hot dogs were delicious, the festive hot chocolates were amazing, and roasting marshmallows was such a lovely treat.

3. The Funfair at City Hall Lawn

From the giant funhouse and bumper cars to the pirate ship and Snow Storm, there’s plenty of excitement for families who enjoy a good funfair.

Our Final Thoughts

Overall, our experience at Cardiff Winter Wonderland 2026 was absolutely amazing!

After nearly 10 years of visiting, it’s lovely to see the event continuing to introduce new experiences while keeping all the festive favourites families love.

The atmosphere was fantastic, the food was delicious, and we made some wonderful family memories.

I would particularly recommend trying the new Bavarian Curling sessions, sampling some of the amazing festive food and spending time enjoying the funfair.

It’s a great family night out and, in my opinion, well worth a visit!

A huge thank you to Cardiff Winter Wonderland for inviting us along to the press launch.

We had an absolutely brilliant evening!

And if you’re heading along this Christmas, make sure you give Bavarian Curling a go.

Just don’t challenge Ethan.

Apparently, he’s a bit of a professional now!

Merry Christmas, lovely lot!

Welsh Mummy Blogs
www.welshmummyblogs.com

Visit Cardiff Winter Wonderland

Location: Cardiff Castle and City Hall Lawn, Cardiff

Website: https://www.cardiffwinterwonderland.com/

Check the official website for opening dates, session times, attraction prices and Bavarian Curling bookings.

Press event disclosure: We attended the Cardiff Winter Wonderland 2026 press launch as invited guests. All opinions and experiences shared in this review are our own.