Overall Exeter is a nice place to live in
On 29th February 20
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Overall Exeter is a nice place to live in
On 29th February 20
Living in Exeter
The campus for the University of Exeter is only 20 minutes walk from most of the important things. Despite being one of the UK's most visited holiday areas, Exeter remains pleasantly tourist-light.
Being the centrepoint of life in Devon, Exeter has all the entertainment and facilities you’d expect to find in a small city, but it hasn’t lost it’s charm either.
The city is compact enough to make walking around easy for students. Heading to the Quayside area by the river, which is famous for it’s slightly eclectic range of shops, will take you past a lot of the city’s attractions including the High Street and several shopping centre. The Princesshay Shopping Centre, a big complex of brand name and designer shops, is also in the city centre.
There’s a good music scene in the area, with venues like The Cavern and The Phoenix proving consistently popular. The Phoenix also supports drama, art exhibitions and shows films and animations (some more bizarre than others) so check out their website to see the upcoming schedule. There are also three cinemas of different sizes so you can watch your movie of choice in whatever style of comfort you like, from classy chairs down to schlumpy sofas (schlumpy’s a real word, right?). There’s also the Bike Shed, which covers a wide range of theatre from the classic and artsy down to the outright weird. Nightlife here is pretty good. Clubs like are a bit thinner on the ground than pubs are, with Arena being the standard student haunt. However with a little searching you should be able to unearth some real gems.
Last but not least, we have to mention the sea - after all, it’s right there! The River Exe runs through the city and out into the English Channel, making it ridiculously easy to get involved with some water sports. There’s an annual regatta and rowing competitions, and you can get to the coast in around 40mins for the more high speed sports. If you’re not a natural sailor, the Great West Run takes place here, giving students a chance to really get involved with the life of the city.
What should I do today?
- History: The narrow streets and older buildings like the castle ruins and old Butts Ferry give the Exeter its character, so go hunt them out! If you’re stuck for a starting point, try the Royal Albert Memorial Museum. It has a large range of collections from the local area, wider Britain, and abroad. And it’s free!
- Sports: There are half a dozen sports centres within a brisk walk of the campus, including a climbing wall down at the Quay. The local football team are Exeter City and their great rivals are Plymouth Argyle.
- Outdoors: Just to the west of Exeter is the Dartmoor National Park. To the north is the Exmoor National Park. To the south is the Channel coastline. Are you running out of reasons to stay inside? We are!
Good to know
- Taxi: Gemini Taxis
- Bus: Stagecoach is the local bus company. They offer a UniRider ticket to give frequent travellers a discount, so do your sums (or bribe a Maths student) and see if it’s worthwhile for you.
- Train: There are two Rail stations here; Exeter Central and Exeter St Davids. The St David’s line takes you off to the rest of Devon, while the Central line can have you in London Paddington in about 2hrs 30mins.
Read Exeter Reviews
Overall Exeter is a nice place to live in
Overall Exeter is a nice place to live in
Pubs are great, some are a bit too "locally". Not many clubs, but still a good night out. Lots of shops, a full range. Train tickets are super cheap here compared to the south east. Rents are a bit pricey, but it depends where you go. Some a cheap and good value for money. Lots of good restaurants and cafes.
Expensive to live I'm Exeter but it's a wonderful city - so much to do
The perfect uni city
Everything you need is in walkable distance. The surrounding areas are what sold it to me- Dartmoor, beaches, the river. Great location to go to university.
everything is good apart from nights out as closing time is too early.
Exeter is a lovely small City but living costs are extortionate
While it is a small city, Exeter has a lot of charm and caters to students well. The nightlife might be a bit limited in choice but the venues that do exist are all a fun experience which can fully satisfy the students. There are also a lot of variety in restaurants and shops which make 'town' a good alternative to campus life.
Expensive city but so worth it. Near the beach, near Bristol. Great for real ale
Buses are rare, only one indie club - the Cavern.
It's a city so you can expect city prices. However the experience you get is top notch.
In reality the nights out are shoddy but if you go out to have a good time you'll have the best night of your life.
As a Northern girl the expense of Exeter (Exetah) was a shock to the system. However, this city, though small, has everything old and new. Such a pretty city with so much history but all the shops you could ever need on your doorstep. Lots of cute independent shops. A million and one places to eat out, everywhere has a pretty view especially around cathedral green and down by the quay. Nights out are of a lower key than I was used to, you have to go out quite early and there's not a lot of choice, but I've grown to like the casual nights out at cheesies on a Tuesday or magic hatstand at cavern.
Transport not needed but great station for traveling home
For a small countryside town Exeter has a huge amount to offer. This is the perfect destination for student's who want the cleaner air and pleasant surroundings that a more rural location provides without sacrificing on amenities. The Princesshay shopping district and Guildhall Shopping Centre in the centre of town offer a huge array of outlets and restaurants. The council offers licenses to local buskers who provide entertainment and there is an outdoor food market every day with a farmer's market once a week. In terms of nights out there are a good selection of clubs and bars to suit anyone's taste from Arena playing popular and chart music to the more indie playlist at Timepiece or Cavern. There's also a small but thriving gay club.
Its very expensive to live in Exeter as a student. However, I love Exeter and I wouldn't want to go to University anywhere else!
Exeter is an awesome university town, with low crime rates, an awesome vibe and lovely views in the surrounding area. Houses off campus are usually good quality but are on the expensive side p/w cost. Plethora of shopping available and because of the tourists to the area there is always lots to do around town including ghost tours, farmers markets etc. The university has tons to offer, as it is one of the biggest and best student guilds in the country!
This is a review for students: Student housing isn't cheap, but is affordable. Night life is exactly what you expect it to be! It's a small city but no matter what night you go out you'll see dozens of people you know. It's a very safe city compared to some and everything is pretty much a maximum of a 15 minute walk away, whether that's from uni, halls or in the student housing area.
I love living here, there is always so much to do and places to see! There is also so much in driving distance in the surrounding areas.
Exeter is a fantastic city to live in. There is a lot going on, its quite picturesque and beautiful countryside and coasts are right on the doorstep.