Swansea

Living in Swansea

Swansea is a great location for beach bums and watersports fans alike. Swansea University gives you the perfect place to start discovering all that Wales has to offer while getting your degree.

It may officially be Britain’s wettest city, but every cloud has a silver lining and in this case the lining is actually gold. Gold and sandy. The natural harbour formed by the Swansea Bay has given the area some great beaches that stretch all the way along Swansea’s coastline. They make the most of it (wouldn’t you?) and pretty much every watersport under the sun is available here for you to try; waterskiing, kitesurfing, scuba diving, the list goes on. Surfing is possible all round the area, and there are surf schools and shops at Caswell and Langland, and at Mumbles, which may be the cutest name for a village ever - if you’ve heard a better one, let us know!

With all this on tap it’s practically a degree requirement for students at Swansea University to take to the water in some form or another, but if the waves are looking a bit choppy there’s still the rest of the town to get stuck into.  Most of the clubs and bars you’ll be interested in are located around The Kingsway and Wind Street, and many offer student nights or drinks deals. There’s a good amount of shopping including all the regular high street brands, two large cinemas, and the cost of living is relatively low so you’ll be getting a lot for your money.

Oystermouth Castle sits on the hill above Swansea, overlooking the bay, and is a great place to go exploring. Local events take place here all through the year, including carol singing and ghost walks, and there are quite a few geocaches in the area. There’s also several museums covering maritime history, Swansea itself, and the poet Dylan Thomas who was born here. Oh, and the Chocolate Factory.

Yes you heard us correctly: Chocolate. Factory. It does tours. If you fancy trying some more local food, we recommend getting hold of some cockles or fried laverbread cakes, which are made from seaweed! Not the usual contents of a student cupboard, we admit, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

What’s outdoors that isn’t a beach?

• There are parks scattered all over Swansea, and the biggest one close to the student village is Singleton Park. It’s large enough that city-wide music events are held here, so keep an eye on their schedule..
• Swansea has strong sports teams in football and rugby, both based at Liberty Stadium. Their natural rivals are Cardiff and Llanelli, so expect a lot of noise on match days.
• Clyne Valley Country Park: This lies to the west of Swansea, and the trails on its woody hillsides are perfect for walkers and bikers alike.

Good to know

• Taxi: Data Cabs
• Car?: There’s not much in Swansea that isn’t within easy walking distance, so if you’re planning to stay mostly in the city, you probably won’t need one.
• Bike: Cycle routes in the city are fairly good, and there are four dedicated routes spanning Swansea that you can explore at your leisure.

13 Swansea Reviews