This is the big student area of Cardiff just outside the town centre. It begins immediately behind the Students’ Union, off Senghennydd Road, and encompasses the streets back to Crwys Road, approximately 10 minutes' walk away. The main advantages of Cathays are its proximity to the campus and the sheer quantity of rented accommodation – although Cardiff undergraduates are likely to have let a number of these houses by mid-late summer, due to the area’s popularity. Cathays is also close to all local amenities and regular buses run to the town centre, a journey of approximately 10 minutes.

In terms of atmosphere, Cathays is very ‘studenty’ and can be quite noisy as a result – in particular on Senghennydd Road since people are leaving the Union nightclub at 1am or 2am in this area. However, it is vibrant, fun place to live with all the essentials nearby: doctors' surgeries, supermarkets, numerous take-aways, pubs, sandwich bars and breakfast places such as Ramone’s on Salisbury Road. Main streets include Woodville Road, which has a Spar, some good sandwich shops and a Hypervalue for bargains. Crwys Road is the main road running through Cathays and again this has a number of good restaurants and cafes, as well as a Co-op.  There is also a Lidl supermarket just off Cathays terrace, close to the new Optometry and Vision Sciences building.

Cathays is particularly well-served by pubs, although many of these have now been taken over by chains. The Gower on Gwynneth Street is an example of a ‘real pub’; the Woody on Woodville Road, the Crwys on Crwys Road and the Pen and Wig behind Park Place behind the University are also very popular among the student population.

Overall, disadvantages of the area include occasional high noise-levels (although there are nearby all-night libraries), the fact that many second-year undergraduates snap up the accommodation quickly and, due to the location, the area can be a touch pricey despite the fact that houses do vary in quality. However, many undergraduate and postgraduate students feel these factors are outweighed by its lively atmosphere, plentiful amenities and proximity to the University.

Cathays – a student’s view

“Living in Cathays is lively. I live with people from around the world and it is a great opportunity to make friends. I live on Colum road, which is quite busy, being close to the City Centre, the beautiful Bute Park and all the main buildings of Cardiff University. It is very convenient and comfortable!”

Sandra Baltruka
MA International Journalism

Roath is beyond Cathays and the area is bound roughly by City Road on the West, Newport Road on the South, and goes right up to Roath Park in the North. Though quite a large area, a lot of it is fairly close to the main university campus.  While popular with students, Roath tends to house more third years and postgraduates and boasts a quieter, more residential atmosphere.

Roath is, however, equally supplied with shops, supermarkets and coffee-houses; the bohemian Shot in the Dark is great for a quiet afternoon’s read or fair trade wine and Tapas with friends in the evening – it has a famous clientele as well, apparently the Stereophonics are regulars.

Albany Road is particularly good for shops, with Iceland and Tesco towards the City Road end, as well as Boots, Peacocks, a Post Office and loads of restaurants and coffee-shops. The Co-op is on Crwys Road, again nearer the City Road end. There are lots of take-away shops of varying quality as well! The top tip for fish and chips is Albany Fish Bar on Albany Road. For local pubs, try the George on Crwys Road between Cathays and Roath, or the Albany on Dalcross Street. Both Albany Road and City Road are also likely to be on your route home from the University, thereby keeping shopping-bag carrying to a minimum.

The main disadvantage of Roath is the extra five or ten minutes walk on your journey into University and town, although this deters the keener, raucous Union goers, and simultaneously encourages landlords to keep their properties in good condition. On the plus side, the standard of accommodation is usually good and tenants often enjoy a pretty reasonable deal for their money as well as being close to the many local amenities. You can choose from the more standard terraced houses, similar to those in Cathays, larger old Victorian properties which can be that bit more expensive and various flats to let on the Ninian Road side.

The other major benefit of Roath is the park: beautifully kept with an enormous lake complete with ducks and peddle-boats, it is ideal for escaping, walking, running, or whatever takes your fancy. Meanwhile, at the other end, and for the outdoorsy, sporting types, there are tennis courts and a rugby field. Lakeside properties are generally more expensive, but it is quite possible to live nearby for a very reasonable rent.

Similar to Roath, Heath is that little bit further out, making it quieter and generally populated by third years and postgraduates. It has its own Co-op, a Doctor’s Surgery, several pharmacies and is especially good for those with cars or bikes and those doing medicine-based/healthcare courses since it is near to the Heath Park Campus, which Cardiff University shares with the University Hospital of Wales.

Whitchurch Road is the main street running through Heath and this has a multitude of take-aways, shops, and the Heath Pub on the corner, a regular for medical and dental students. Maindy Pool is also close by, with its various swimming, aqua aerobics and other classes.

Compared to Cathays, Heath is a quieter area and although there are an increasing number of students, many of the houses are also privately owned. Heath also boasts a large number of older Victorian houses, where 6 or 7 people can share. Its main disadvantage is that it is a fifteen-twenty minute walk to the university and an extra ten minutes walk to town.

Heath – a student’s view

“Living just off Whitchurch Road is great: it is a quiet side street but close to everything you could need. Maindy Swimming Pool provides student discount for all its activities, there is always something entertaining at the Heath pub, or you can walk a bit further and feed the ducks on Roath Park Lake!”

Laura Boyles
MA Literature in European Cultures

Walking towards town, over the River Taff with the Millennium Stadium on your left, you reach Canton. Canton is 10-15 minutes walk from the city centre and about 25 minutes walk from the university. There are regular buses to the city centre as well, only a 5-7 minute ride away.  Canton is very much a community-based area – not studenty in the least – and is therefore often popular with postgraduates in particular. Further north is the more expensive Pontcanna area, where many lecturers live.

Canton has all the essentials; Riverside Health Centre, a Boots chemist, supermarkets such as Somerfield and Tesco, banks, numerous restaurants and take-aways, and with the City Centre on your doorstep, nothing is really that far away. It also has some other notable features such as the Chapter Arts Centre, which screens independent films, shows art exhibitions and runs classes such as yoga, theatre workshops or photography.

Canton is a more lively area than Roath, but also has plenty of green space. Bute Park is on the doorstep with the river Taff running through - ideal for running, walking, or simply enjoying the outdoors. The smaller Victoria Park is also in Canton. The main difference is that Canton is the opposite end of town to the union and the typically studenty haunts - although postgraduates often find this appealing!

There are a limited amount of flats available in the centre but more are being built and they benefit from modern living spaces. Most flats can be shared between two or three people and are quite ideal for couples. Some current postgraduates share small flats in Altolusso and the Aspect buildings or around Westgate Street and Brewery Quarter in the heart of the city within minutes’ walk to the Millennium Stadium, shops and bars. However, these flats are more expensive than average student accommodation, around £600 per month for a two-bed flat.

This is another option – it is an exciting, developing part of Cardiff and has some plush apartments and flats up for grabs. Most of these tend to be privately-owned, mainly by young professionals and, due to their situation and contemporary style, are more expensive. However, there are some flats for rent and, if you are willing to pay that bit extra, it is a really nice place to be.

The Bay covers a large area but the vast majority of it has modern, comfortable accommodation (although the Butetown area can be quite rough) and much of the Bay is within walking distance of the town and the University. From the town end, in particular, near the Novotel, it is only a 20 minute walk to the main University building.

Mermaid Quay is the main shopping area and is lined with trendy bars and restaurants (Tapas, Italian and Oriental cuisine, Seafood etc). The Wharf pub is very popular and quirky Bar Cwtch has a great atmosphere with its fireplace and cosy bar area. The Point holds different kinds of gigs every week and if you are up for a boogie, Salt has a resident DJ playing everything from classics to R&B during weekends.

These two areas are adjacent, to the east of the city centre, and south of Newport Road. Housing can be cheaper here and there are plenty of local shops. The northern edge of Adamsdown is particularly convenient for the Trevithick building (Schools of Engineering, Physics, Computer Science). Houses are generally tightly-knit terraces with 3 or 4 rooms in each, although there are also some flats. Splott is near Cardiff Bay and particularly well-known for its Saturday market.

Both Adamsdown and Splott are within walking distance of the University campus, although neither is half as popular as Cathays or Roath. A number of students do live in each area, but they could not be described as ‘studenty’. Most houses are privately-owned. The main advantage of these areas is probably cost as you may well be able to find cheaper houses; the disadvantage is that both are a bit further away and some parts of the neighbourhood can be a bit less pleasant to live in.

Further away from the University and City Centre are the leafy suburbs of Llandaff, Whitchurch, Rhiwbina and Cyncoed and the ex-council housing estates in Llanedeyrn and Llanrumney. 

If you are feeling adventurous there is a lot more to explore. These areas aren't full of students, but you may turn up the occasional rented property and if you chose the right location you may be able to make use of the local train connections if you don't have your own transport.