Swansea the city by the sea (Swansea in General)

Member Name: lazytowner

Product:	Swansea in General
Date:	13/09/09 (70 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots of pubs, restaurants, parks,beaches

Disadvantages: Rain, Rain and more Rain!

I have lived in Swansea all my life, if you are thinking of visiting the city you will find lots of things here such as wine bars, restaurants, ten pin bowling, parks, cinemas and beaches.

Here are a few places to visit in Swansea.

*Town Centre*

I love shopping in town as there as so many different shops, I do not recommend the High Street as it is very run down and unfortunately a lot of homeless people seem to hang around there. Not that there is anything wrong with homeless people BUT quite often they will be drunk and will annoy passers by.
The council is at the moment doing a lot of work to change how Swansea looks, the bus station is at present being demolished to make way for a new one which everyone in Swansea has wanted for a long time. The problem of course is now the bus stops are all over the city so you can have quite a trek to catch a bus.

*Swansea Market*

Whenever we go into town one of the places we always go to is the market, there are so many stalls to visit! I like the crafting stalls so tend to have a wander round while my husband and son go off to find the sweet stall.In the market you will find fruit & veg, childrenswear, cardshops, bookstalls, electrical, bakerys, butchers and so much more.
The market is so full of character, you will find everyone who works in the market to be very friendly and chatty.

If you do visit the market don`t forget to try the lavabread and cockelshells!

*Castle Gardens*

In the middle of town are the gardens which have changed a lot over the years, there is plenty of seating and from the gardens you can see the remains of Swansea castle. Years ago Castle Gardens was a garden which was beautiful with lots of trees, grass and flowers but for some reason the council decided to dig it up and put paving stones down instead, yes there is a water feature which would look nice if the kids did not vandalise it.

*Cinemas*

There are 2 cinemas in the city, Vue which is located in York street which is near St Davids carpark and the Odeon which is located in Parc Tawe.
There is a huge free carpark which you can use for the Odeon though it can get very full during busy periods as there are a few shops in Parc Tawe.

*Marina*

Swansea has a really nice Marina which we used to like to walk around, you will find pubs, an amusement aracade and restaurants. Unfortunately the area seems to be going downhill due to teenagers and the police not doing anything about it.

*Singleton Park*

Is located next to Swansea University, this is a great park for children, there are swings, slide, climbing frames which are all inside an enclosed area to keep the little ones safe.
You will also find the boating lake where you can hire a little boat, I have never been on one but my son loves them. Lots of ducks and swans live in the lake and they are always looking for food!

There is also a putting range.

Next to the park is the Pub on the Pond and I really want to recommed them as their food is really good and you get served very quickly.

*BlackPill*

This is located on Mumbles road halfway between the university and the Mumbles. If you have children they will love Blackpill as there are climbing frames, swings, a beach, paddling pool and a cycle route.

*Mumbles*

Mumbles is a seaside village with tons of character, you will find shops, lots of pubs, restaurants and a park. If you do visit the Mumbles don`t forget to try Joe`s ice cream which sells gorgeous creamy ice cream!
In the Mumbles you will also find the amusement arcade and pier which seems very popular with visitors.

*Oystermouth Castle*

Is located on the outskirts of the Mumbles, it is a beautiful ruined castle and back in June we took my son to have a look at it inside which cost us £1 for the 3 of us! We were able to have a good look round the castle and climb the steps to the top of the walls, when we did get to the top we could see the whole of swansea bay which looked amazing!


*Gower*

My son loves to visit the beach and so over the summer we have been going to different beaches around the Gower. You will need a car to get around this beautiful countryside because although there are some buses they are not very frequent and when they do turn up they are often full.

One of our favourite beaches is Port Eynon, there is plenty of car parking which will cost a couple of £`s depending on how long you stay. You will find a couple of cafes and chip shops and a post office. Port Eynon offers a really nice beach, a camping and caravan site, and lots of walks.
The last time we visited we had a look at a ruined salt house which was quite interesting, my son wanted to know why it didn`t have a roof!

*To End*

Do I recommend you visit Swansea? Yes I do but don`t forget to bring an umbrella as it rains quite a lot here!

Summary: There is so much more to do in Swansea so why not take a visit!