{"id":18064,"date":"2025-02-12T14:33:23","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T14:33:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/?p=18064"},"modified":"2025-02-12T14:33:23","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T14:33:23","slug":"student-friendly-valentines-day-ideas-for-cardiff-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/student-friendly-valentines-day-ideas-for-cardiff-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Student-Friendly Valentine’s Day Ideas for Cardiff Students!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Valentine\u2019s Day is right around the corner, and as a Cardiff Uni student living in Cathays, I know that spending loads of money isn\u2019t always an option. But that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t have an amazing time! Whether you\u2019re celebrating with your partner, having fun with your housemates, or just enjoying some well-deserved self-care, here are some fun and affordable ways to make the most of Valentine’s Day in Cardiff.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Take a Cozy Walk in Bute Park<\/b><\/h3>\n

One of the best things about living in Cardiff is having <\/span>Bute Park<\/b> right on your doorstep. A walk through the park, especially in the evening when the city lights start to glow, is the perfect way to enjoy a laid-back Valentine\u2019s Day. Stop by <\/span>Summerhouse Cafe<\/b> or <\/span>Pettigrew Tea Rooms<\/b> for a hot chocolate and make it extra cozy!<\/span><\/p>\n

Budget Tip:<\/b> Bring a blanket and some snacks for a cute, low-cost picnic in the park.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/h3>\n

2. Movie Night at Home<\/b><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s be honest, the student budget doesn\u2019t always stretch to a cinema trip. Instead, set up a <\/span>DIY movie night<\/b> in your flat or halls. Grab some blankets, pop some popcorn (Tesco\u2019s own-brand is super-cheap!), and binge classic rom-coms or your favorite comfort films.<\/span><\/p>\n

Budget Tip:<\/b> If you’re sharing the night with friends or a date, each person can bring a snack so no one has to spend too much.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Coffee Date at a Cute Caf\u00e9<\/b><\/h3>\n

Skip the expensive dinner reservations and opt for a <\/span>coffee date<\/b> instead. Cardiff has plenty of affordable and cozy caf\u00e9s like <\/span>Little Man Coffee<\/b>, <\/span>200 Degrees<\/b>, or <\/span>Quarters Coffee<\/b> where you can enjoy a relaxed chat over a warm drink.<\/span><\/p>\n

Budget Tip:<\/b> Share a cake or pastry if you\u2019re looking to save some cash.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. DIY Pizza Night<\/b><\/h3>\n

Why spend \u00a315+ on a takeaway when you can make your own pizza at home? Get some cheap bases or make your own dough (it\u2019s just flour, water, and yeast!), add your favorite toppings, and have a <\/span>pizza night with your date or housemates<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Budget Tip:<\/b> Aldi and Tesco offer cheap meal deals for pizza ingredients under \u00a310.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Late-Night Churros & Walk<\/b><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re craving something sweet, grab some <\/span>churros from Heavenly Desserts Cardiff<\/b> and take a nighttime walk through Cardiff city center. It\u2019s a simple but cute way to spend the evening, plus Cardiff\u2019s streets always have a lively buzz at night.<\/span><\/p>\n

Budget Tip:<\/b> Get a big bite and share it to cut the cost in half and make it romantic!<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Explore Cardiff Market Together<\/b><\/h3>\n

Take a wander through <\/span>Cardiff Market<\/b> and pick out a fun snack or a quirky gift for each other. Whether it\u2019s fresh Welsh cakes, a vintage book, or a random novelty item, it\u2019s a fun and relaxed way to spend time together.<\/span><\/p>\n

Budget Tip:<\/b> Set a challenge to find the best gift under \u00a310!<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Games Night with Mates<\/b><\/h3>\n

Valentine\u2019s Day isn\u2019t just for couples! Get your housemates together for a <\/span>games night<\/b>\u2014whether it\u2019s a competitive Mario Kart session, card games, or a trip to <\/span>Chance & Counters<\/b> (Cardiff\u2019s board game caf\u00e9) for some fun over coffee.<\/span><\/p>\n

Budget Tip:<\/b> If you\u2019re playing at home, ask everyone to bring a snack to share!<\/span><\/p>\n

8. Visit a Bookshop & Grab a Bargain<\/b><\/h3>\n

Head to <\/span>Troutmark Books in the Castle Arcade<\/b>, a hidden gem for book lovers, where you can find loads of second-hand books at bargain prices. Pick a book for each other and spend time browsing together.<\/span><\/p>\n

Budget Tip:<\/b> Many books cost under \u00a35\u2014perfect for a budget-friendly gift!<\/span><\/p>\n

9. Cook Dinner Together<\/b><\/h3>\n

Instead of an expensive meal out, why not <\/span>cook dinner together at home<\/b>? Choose a simple but delicious meal like pasta, tacos, or stir-fry and enjoy a cozy night in.<\/span><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udca1 <\/span>Budget Tip:<\/b> Check your fridge first and plan your meal around ingredients you already have!<\/span><\/p>\n

Final Thoughts<\/b><\/h3>\n

Living in <\/span>Cardiff<\/b> means you\u2019re never far from something fun to do, and Valentine\u2019s Day doesn\u2019t have to be fancy to be special. Whether you\u2019re spending it with a partner, your housemates, or just having a self-care day, there are plenty of ways to enjoy it without spending loads.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s gonna be your favorite way to celebrate Valentine\u2019s Day in Cardiff?<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Valentine\u2019s Day is right around the corner, and as a Cardiff Uni student living in Cathays, I know that spending loads of money isn\u2019t always an option. But that doesn\u2019t […]","protected":false},"author":6946,"featured_media":18067,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4956,3,4,7,10,1016,17,694,756,4959],"tags":[21,575,151,904,566],"class_list":["post-18064","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-christmas","category-cooking","category-going-out","category-housemates","category-living-away-from-home","category-medic-tips","category-staying-in","category-student-life","category-things-to-do-in-cardiff","category-vlogs","tag-cardiffuniversity","tag-cardiff-student-advice","tag-student-life","tag-things-to-do","tag-things-to-do-at-cardiff"],"meta_box":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18064","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6946"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18064"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18064\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18068,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18064\/revisions\/18068"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18067"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18064"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18064"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}