IN its 900 year history Cardigan has been both the well fortified seat of kings, a booming port and a holiday attraction for thousands of tourists.

The historic town is set at the lowest crossing point of the picturesque River Teifi, a mile-and-a-half from the sea.

With a population of just over 4,000 Cardigan is a busy market town serving a large, rural community of up to 30,000. Today it is an important shopping and cultural centre.

The town was the birthplace of the Eisteddfod -- the first one was held here at Cardigan Castle in 1176.

Cardigan is still host to a number of important cultural events, including its own Gwyl Fawr Aberteifi each year in the first week of July. The town has its own theatre, the Mwldan, which provides a broad range of live entertainment, exhibitions and the latest films.

The ancient ruins of Cardigan Castle - now in public ownership - dominate the riverside near the 17th century five-arch stone bridge that spans the Teifi. It is in this area of the river that visitors can still see evidence of the town's maritime history.

Cardigan has a wide range of privately owned and highly individual shops as well as a number of High Street chain stores and supermarkets. There is a weekly agricultural mart just outside the town and a general market in the vast basement of the town centre Guildhall. This impressive building also houses a food market. Each Saturday the visitor can find a rich variety of crafts and produce from the Teifi Valley in the Cardigan Country Market in the upper Guildhall.

Cardigan also has many pubs, restaurants, hotels and guest houses to suit all tastes, many of them serving local produce.

There is a public swimming pool and leisure centre open to all, with extra activities for children during school holidays.

The Welsh Wildlife Centre, just two miles south of Cardigan offers walks, bird watching, a visitor centre and cafe and special events for all the family during holiday times.