Tips for students spending the summer in Cardiff

Students might opt to stay in Cardiff over the summer for many reasons, like working or completing an internship. No matter the reason, staying in Cardiff when the majority of students return to their hometowns can be a lonely experience. Therefore, this blog aims to give you the best trips for things to do, how to meet new people and make the very best of your summer in the Welsh capital.

Fit in a daily walk to different areas of the city

Spending the summer in Cardiff means you can make the most of your summer downtime without assignments to tick off some items on your Cardiff bucket list. This is a great opportunity to explore the best of Cardiff. For history lovers, you can explore some of the numerous castles in and around Cardiff. However, if you prefer a more light-hearted day out, you could go to one of the best breakfast spots in Cardiff or try out one of my favourite wine bars (they’re a treat).

Try some day trips 

Summer is arguably the most beautiful time of the year so, if you don’t manage to travel to a far-off destination this year, why not make the most of the sun to visit some of Wales’ own destinations?  You can easily visit some of the well-known beaches from Cardiff, like Barry Island or Rhossili Bay, and spend a day in Wales’ second largest city, Swansea. If you have extra time and a taste for historic English cities, you could also visit Bath or Worcester.

Attend events 

Staying in your university city over holidays when most people go home can be lonely. Whether you’re staying for work or because it’s your only option, it’s important to make the most of the opportunity to meet new people. A great way to do this is by attending different events around the city. A particularly friendly event is pride, which happens once a year around the summer and is great for meeting new people. I also recommend wine tasting or checking out Cardiff Young Professionals which offers monthly networking events among young people in the city in different locations. You can read here about my experience at Cardiff Pride 2023.

Take a trip abroad 

If you can, a trip abroad can highlight your summer and help you get out of your comfort zone to get a totally new experience. Check out the best weekend trips from Cardiff. In the summer between my first and second year, I spent a month solo backpacking around Europe before returning to Cardiff to spend August and September working before my second year began. You can see my budget backpacking hacks for university students here.

There is an endless list of things that students can do during the long summer break from university, the most important is to make the most of the summer and your free time while you have it!