Swansea University - Explore Swansea
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Explore Swansea
A guide to going out in and around Swansea
Out and About
Swansea is famed for its stunning beaches and parks, most of which are easily accessible by bus. There are many companies running organised activities in surfing, horse riding, kite surfing, wind surfing and sailing. There are also opportunities for hiking and cycling in Swansea and the Gower
You can also visit the Mumbles for shopping and a day out with its boutiques, delis, pubs and surf shops. Mumbles is renowned for the ‘Mumbles Mile’, the mile-long pub-crawl that runs along the sweep of the bay.
For more information see http://www.enjoygower.com/ or take a look at our picture gallery.
For more stunning images of the nearby Gower Peninsula, visit www.gowerscapes.com
Nightlife
Swansea has a large and varied selection of pubs, bars and clubs, with something to suit all tastes. Wind Street has become the main area for drinking and socialising with many well-known chain-bars such as Walkabout and Yates bar. There is also a selection of cocktail bars (Revolution, Que Pasa) and upmarket wine bars (No Sign Wine bar and La Prensa).
There are plenty of clubs mainly situated on the Kingsway that usually provide dance, pop and chart music every night of the week. The Monkey Bar situated near Castle Square is a smaller venue with a more alternative line-up including drum and bass, hip hop, salsa and reggae, they also host one-off events such as breakdancing and graffiti competitions and have live bands (see Live Music below).
There is also a UCI cinema, a bowling alley and a tropical greenhouse, Plantasia, which is open all year round.
Shopping and Socialising
Swansea has all the main supermarkets; Tesco (next to the Bus Station), Lidls (Parc Tawe) and Sainsburys (Quay Parade) are closest to the University in the centre of the town. Swansea Market also has a range of local and fresh produce at very reasonable prices and located in the heart of the main shopping area.
Oxford Street is the main shopping thoroughfare and has most of the high street stores including TopShop, Peacocks, Shoe Zone and HMV (Quadrant Centre) where students can use their NUS card to have a 10% discount. See www.nusonline.co.uk for full details.
For electrical goods the shopping centre at Fforestfach is excellent, as is Swansea’s enterprise park which houses all the main electrical retailers, plus Halfords and PC world, in one area. It is a fairly large park and ideally would require a car but you can travel there on the number 159 bus from the Central Bus station.
Live Music
Swansea has a thriving live music scene and there are lots of events arranged on campus at the student union bars, Divas and Idols. There is a regular live blues night at The Salisbury organised by the Tawe Delta Blues Club and The Uplands Tavern, The Chattery and The Brunswick are known for having live music almost every night of the week. The Uplands Tavern runs an Open Mic night and a new bands night for musicians to try out their material. Also in Uplands, The Inferno regularly feature live bands and caters for many different styles of music.
In the centre of town the Monkey Bar and The Office cater for more alternative tastes. The Monkey Bar, known for its innovative hip-hop and drum ‘n’ bass nights, often have guest DJ’s and live acts from all over the country. The Office is renowned for live rock bands on the weekends.
For jazz lovers, the Grand Theatre runs a jazz night every Thursday in the arts wing and also The Chattery in Uplands often have jazz, folk and blues performers.
The Patti Pavilion and Escape also organise concerts and live performances see http://www.escapegroup.com/ for listings.
Museums and Galleries
Swansea has a thriving arts community encompassing the visual arts, theatre, live music and dance. There are also several museums and the Dylan Thomas centre offering a varied programme of events and exhibitions.
Mission Gallery
Gloucester Place, Maritime Quarter, Swansea
Housed in the former Seaman's Interdenominational Chapel, this gallery displays and sells work from artists chiefly inspired by Swansea's spectacular coastal scenery. Admission free.
Sport
For full sporting information see Sports Swansea or Swansea County Council.
Swansea City Football Club
Ospreys RFC
Gay Venues
The Students’ Union runs a Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (LGB) society that organises social events for students. There are also a number of gay venues in Swansea. Just off Wind Street is The Exchange, which is a relaxed friendly pub. On the High Street you will find Champers, The King’s Arms, which features local celebrity drag queen CC Swan every Saturday, and a joint bar and club called Creation and Eden. There is a varied programme of music and events and there are often special guest appearances by celebrities and singers.
For more information see the website http://www.gaywales.co.uk/swansea/index.html
Bus Routes
There is a comprehensive bus service that will allow you to travel all over the city, to the Gower, Cardiff and the surrounding areas. There are special rates for students purchasing termly or annual tickets. See http://www.firstcymru.co.uk or visit the Travel Shop in Fulton House.
Train Times
Trains run from Swansea to London Paddington and across Wales.
