Cardiff Student Nightlife Guide

One of the UK’s largest and most affordable student cities, Cardiff is the official gateway to Wales and everything the country has to offer. 

A place of renowned cultural vibrancy, steeped in history and folklore, the capital boasts a number of advantages over other British university cities and towns - from its fantastic location, surrounded by miles of epic landscapes and areas of outstanding natural beauty the likes of Snowdonia, to its unbeatable transport links, including routes to other major UK cities, and its thriving social and nightlife scene.

When it comes to music venues and bars in Wales, students have plenty of options. The huge Motorpoint Arena hosts everything from rock concerts to world-class dance events, whilst the smaller, more independent clubs and venues, such as Gwdihw and Clwb Ifor Bach, give way to introducing new acts, defying musical categories.

If it’s food you’re interested in, you’re also in luck! Cardiff is considered something of a gastronomic epicentre in Britain, offering some of the most innovative and exciting culinary delights found anywhere in Europe. 

Whatever it is you’re looking for from your student experience - be it the ability to disappear for a weekend into the wilderness or party through day and night at a club or music venue - Cardiff can most certainly deliver.

View Freshers Events in Cardiff Here >>

Cardiff Freshers Week

Experiencing university for the first time can be both at once exciting and stressful. Being away from the comfort of your own home and old friends - it's daunting! But it's also the perfect opportunity to try new things and meet new people who are in exactly the same boat as you! 

Freshers week is a great way to get involved in your student community and make lifelong friends, and what’s more, Cardiff promotes plenty of freshers events and opportunities each and every year. 

Below, you'll find our comprehensive guide to Cardiff and student nightlife in the city, taking in student-friendly bars and places to eat, the best places to catch live music and the best places to get involved with freshers events throughout freshers week.

You’ll also find an FAQ section giving answers to some of those niggling questions you might have about your new home and Freshers Week in the city.

The best student nights in Cardiff

When you and your newfound Uni pals have finished up with freshers' week, and want to know what a normal week of Student nights out looks like in Cardiff. On Mondays, the first stop on your list should be Pounded Mondays at Revolution. The night has £1 entry and drinks starting at £1, with 2 floors, 3 rooms of music, and 2000 partygoers every single Monday it’s the perfect cheap night on the town. However,  Madri Mondays at The Taf is also a great option if you want a tamer one. A madri and burger for just £8, and £3 Maris for the rest of the night, a solid option. 

When Tuesdays come around, look no further than AU Tuesday at Revolution, it’s one of Cardiff's premium student nights out, and has few competitors price-wise on a Tuesday night. £3 AU Vodka mixers all night, with Hip-Hop and RnB blasting all night, it’s a great night out and a classic for students in the city.

On Wednesdays, the student population will mostly be heading straight to YOLO at Y Plas, the student union night-club. With thousands of students, 2 floors, 3 rooms of music, and everything from cheesy hits to big club bangers, it’s a Cardiff student classic. However, if you’re feeling more alternative than the cheese on show at YOLO, then Weird Wednesdays at Metros, Cardiffs cheap and cheerful night out for the Alt crowd with pop-punk, metal and rock classics blasting all night, if it’s your scene there nowhere else to be.

The penultimate party before the weekend, Thursday night Drop Out Party at Tiger Tiger is the palace to be, a late-night party until 3 am, with loads of student drink deals, including 2 for a fiver bombs, and cheap mixers; it's THE place to be on a Thursday night.

When the weekend begins and Friday night is upon you, we’re afraid to say the student offerings dwindle a bit, yet, the student union bar does have great deals on their Dirty Fridays at The Taf, with cheap dirty fries and even cheaper drinks, its a great cheap start to a big night out, or just a good place for a chilled and cheap one. However, if you do make it out, Filthy/Gorgeous at Clwb Ifor Bach is one of our all-time favourite nights out in Cardiff. With mixers under £4, and a multi-room club night with a variety of genres occupying each, it's the ultimate night for a group with mixed tastes, and we can't recommend it enough. 

When the weekend comes around, we hate to break it to you, but the main clubs don't usually have amenities for students. However (if you are Uni of Cardiff anyway) don't fear, as Juice at Y Plas is here for all your Saturday night hedonism. Its a legendary night and the ONLY student night on a Saturday. SO where els eyou gonna go?

Best areas for student life in Cardiff

Cardiff Bay

A relatively new and cosmopolitan district of the city, Cardiff Bay offers a vibrant waterside setting for boutique shopping, fine dining and entertainment, and is home to a variety of themed venues, bars, clubs and more. Buzzing from dusk until dawn, it’s a premier location amongst students. Visit the cosy club for some lush cocktails, head to the impressive Millennium Centre for live music and sporting events or, for a more luxurious experience, head to the VIP Lounge.

Roath

Just a short walk west from the city centre is Roath, an increasingly popular area to visit thanks to its close proximity to Roath Park. There’s a great sense of community in this district, as seen in the annual Made in Roath Festival, held each October, modelled on Texas’ South by Southwest Festival or SXSW – celebrating local art, music and literature. For places to eat, we recommend the Juno Lounge, a bohemian coffee shop where you can get a hearty English breakfast on a budget, or the Scaramantica Pizzeria. For the best cocktails, we highly recommend Cameo.

Cathays

The Cathays' student experience is utterly unique. On one hand, you’ve got the serenity of Cathays Park, providing open green spaces with stunning architecture. On the other, there’s an area buzzing with a selection of shops, bars and nightclubs, many of which make up ‘The Strip’ along Salisbury Road. One of the most populated student areas in the city, with over 12,000 student residents, the Cathays area offers so much entertainment and excitement.

We challenge you not to have a great time in one of Wales' most vibrant neighbourhoods.

Canton

The Canton district lies to the west of the city centre. Brimming with bars, clubs and restaurants, it’s a bustling and characterful hotspot for students and Cardiffians alike. By day, it's a haven for independent shops, quirky cafes, trendy art spaces and budget fashion outlets. By night, it comes alive with many of Cardiff's best night spots and Indian restaurants found here. Consider yourself a bit of a curry connoisseur. This is the place to visit.

Womanby Street

Womanby Street is the nerve centre of Cardiff's alternative nightlife. Running from Mill Lane and Westgate Street in the east to Cardiff Central Railway Station in the west, it's a popular haunt for students seeking a great night or day out, featuring a tonne of bars and clubs. The street is home to a smattering of progressive nightlife venues, overloaded with talented performers from across the world, as well as trendy bars serving some of the best-imported beers and cocktails in Cardiff. A very popular haunt for students who live in the area.

The best student clubs in Cardiff

Y Plas

The home of all the student union Club Nights, Y Plas is a place that pretty much every University of Cardiff student will be spending many a night in, from freshers week and beyond. With weekly raves happening over the weekend, Y Plas gives students a sanctuary of cheap booze and entry, when elsewhere in the city, the clubs welcome all the weekend crew. 

Revolution

One of Caridff's best clubs for students, with a range of nightlife options dedicated just for them, Revolution may be part of a chain, but the nights out it puts on in Cardiff are one of a kind. The vibes are always top-notch, and it's never not busy, and should always be on the cards when looking for things to do in the Welsh capital.

Metros

A Uni experience in Cardiff wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Metros. With three floors and two bars, there’s an atmosphere here for everyone. The perfect place to come and party with friends or with classmates. Outrageously cheap drinks and a crowd aged largely between 18 and 21 make this bar a great and very student-friendly night out. Let off some steam on the huge dance floor to a soundtrack covering everything from rock and indie to metal and more. Dancing not your thang? Check out the arcade room, packed with game consoles and pool tables.

Tiger Tiger 

Committed to providing students with a great night out without burning too big a hole in their pocket, Cardiff’s Tiger Tiger is a go-to destination for those of you looking for a first-rate nighttime experience at a low price. A playground for the young and the young-at-heart, the always busy bar provides revellers with a unique nightlife experience – it’s a place to have fun, take photos and get a little bit messy! Just a short taxi ride from the bustling streets of the city centre, it’s the perfect spot to begin or end a heavy night out in the city. 

For more go to www.skiddle.com/clubs/Cardiff

The best student bars in Cardiff

Clwb Ifor Bach

Clwb Ifor Bach has been the heart of Cardiff’s thriving music scene for over a quarter of a century, and its residency at the heart of the city means it's welcomed a number of huge music stars throughout its past - the likes of Biffy Clyro, The Killers, Super Furry Animals, LCD Soundsystem, Metronomy, Floating Points, Skrillex, Cate Le Bon, Akala, DJ Shadow, Rag’n’Bone Man and many more. From international artists to local musicians, if it’s got a beat and a bassline, you can expect to see it at Clwb Ifor Bach. To find this popular venue, head to Womanby Street in the centre of the city.

Tramshed

Cardiff’s Tramshed is an amazing space for art and music enthusiasts. The venue, housed in a former tram depot, captures the essence of urban regeneration and is a great example of how to transform a building into a unique experience. Now one of the best places for live music and arts events in the city, it’s little wonder why so many students gather here on any given night of the week. This is the definitive place to see your favourite artists as well as emerging talent from around the world whilst studying in Cardiff.

The Moon

Inspired by the DIY venues of New York's East Village, The Moon, situated in the Canton district of Cardiff, is accessible to anyone and everyone for gigs and events; from students, local artists, musicians, labels, promoters and musicians, to those without a place to go. Frequently hosting gigs from a broad and diverse range of acts (original music only) performers from across Wales, as well as the rest of the UK and beyond, to play this non-conformist and highly-rated live music venue. 

For more go to www.skiddle.com/gigs/Cardiff

Freshers FAQ's

When does Freshers Week Take place in Cardiff?

Freshers Week 2023 in Cardiff is set to run from Sunday 24th September to Sunday 1st October  

Do I need to provide ID at events?

Yes, as a requirement of law all bars, pubs, clubs and venues will require some form of valid ID which proves you are at least 18 years of age. Accepted forms of ID include a driver’s license or passport.