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 University of Wales, Bangor, Main Arts building Bangor is a small city in Gwynedd.
[edit] Understand
Bangor is a small coastal city in North Wales, and although it does not have an abundance of attractions, it is a picturesque place offering views over the Menai Strait (especially attractive at sun-set), and also serves as a convenient base for visiting the nearby Snowdonia National Park. The city is also a popular place to spend the night for travellers leaving for Ireland on the Holyhead to Dublin ferry.
With a population of only around 14,000, Bangor is one of the UK's smallest cities. However, as a bustling university town, the city is not lacking in cafes and restaurants and enjoys a vibrant night life.
Around half of the people in the city can speak Welsh, but if you took away all of the students in the University, this figure would be much higher.
[edit] Get in
[edit] By train
Bangor lies on the North Wales Coastal Line, and can be reached from either the direction of Holyhead, for those travelling from Dublin, or from Chester, for those traveling from the mainland. Bangor is on the Holyhead → Chester track, and can be reached from either with trains running roughly every hour.
Bangor can also be reached the following ways:
- Liverpool Lime Street → Chester → Bangor - about 2 hours travelling time. £18.10 for standard day ticket.
- Manchester Picadilly → Chester → Bangor
- Cardiff → Bangor
- London Euston → Crewe → Bangor - roughly every hour, taking about four hours. £96.50 for a standard open single, £62.90 for a saver single (available most days). Booking in advance may get you a ticket for £51.
- London Euston → Bangor direct - three times a day. Takes just over 3 hours, but same price as above.
[edit] By car
Bangor is just off the intersection of A5 and A55 between Conwy and Holyhead.
Bangor is directly on the A5, which runs directly from London to Holyhead making it easily accessible from the capital city. This 250 mile journey takes roughly four and half hours.
From the north west of England, Bangor can easily be reached on the coastal road A55, which provides a nice safe journey on a road which serves all of the North coast of Wales. The journey takes as little as an hour and is about 65 miles (105 km).
Bangor is also served by the A487 from the west coast of Wales, from Haverfordwest via Aberystwyth.
[edit] By bus
Students visiting or moving to Bangor with a lot of luggage may find it safest to travel by coach.
- <listing name="National Express" address="" phone="+44 8705 808080" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="http://www.nationalexpress.com">Advance booking is essential to guarantee a seat. Disabled Persons Travel Helpline: +44 121 423 8479, textphone: +44 121 455 0086.</listing>
[edit] Get around
- <see name="Bangor Pier" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="+44 1248 352421" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">The quaint fishing harbour and Victorian Pier.</see>
- <see name="Penrhyn Castle" address="" phone="+44 1248 35308" email="penrhyncastle@nationaltrust.org.uk" fax="" hours="" price="£9 (£4 for children)" url="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-penrhyncastle.htm">A neo-Norman Victorian Castle that contains a collection of "Norman" style furniture and old masters' paintings. Has a National Trust shop, a doll museum, two galleries and an industrial railway museum.</see>
- <see name="Bangor Cathedral" address="" phone="+44 1248 354999" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="">A 6th Century cathedral with attractive architecture. The focal point of the city.</see>
</see>
- <see name="Bangor City FC" address="The Stadium, Farrar Road" phone="+44 1248 725745" email="info@bangorcityfc.com" fax="+44 1248 724182" hours="" price="Adults £6, Concessions £4, Kids £2" url="http://www.bangorcityfc.com">Bangor City Football Club's home ground, located near the City center. A good place to go on match days to soak the atmosphere and to meet real Bangor locals.</see>
- <see name="Bangor Tourist Information Center" address="Town Hall, Ffordd Deiniol" phone="+44 1248 352786" email="bangor.tic@gwynedd.gov.uk" fax="" hours="" price="" url="">Information for the entire north of Wales, tips and directions for the best days out.</see>
- <listing name="Bangor University" address="Gwynedd" phone="+44 1248 351151" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="http://www.bangor.ac.uk"></listing>
Welsh lamb and beef feature prominently as does freshly caught fish such as salmon, brown trout, white crab and lobster. Vegetarian preferences are also well catered for with organic fruit and vegetable producers in the area.
Some of the local eateries include:
There are more, and they're small private places with varied food and menus. It's worth asking a local!
Bangor's waterholes vary from the traditional to the student popular venues, to somewhere for a quiet drink. Students who have money to spend can also find a great night out. Go to The Nelson Pub Friday nights for live traditional music. Good draught beer selection.
[edit] Traditional
- <drink name="The Harp Inn" alt="" address="80 High Street" directions="Towards the station on the high street" phone="+44 1248 361817" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">A friendly, cosy traditional pub. Great menu, all cooked from scratch, no microwaving here! Reasonable drink prices, and offers on house vodka, whiskey. Round of Jaegerbombs only £10 (for 6 shots and red bull) The best in Bangor!!</drink>
- <drink name="Belle Vue" alt="" address="Holyhead Road" directions="" phone="+44 1248 364439" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">A traditional, ideally situated pub in the busy student sector, offering lunchtime snacks and main meals. Selection of local and established real ales, themed evenings and weekly quiz on Sundays.</drink>
[edit] Student
- <drink name="The Old Glan" address="Glanrafon" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="http://www.screampubs.com">Typically known as "Yellow Pub" because of it's unusual yellow colored facade, this pub provides a great atmosphere for students to lie about, eat, drink, play pool, watch silly programs on TV, sing on the karaoke, or just take advantage of cheap beer. Great music and great food. Wifi hotspot.</drink>
- <drink name="Rascal's Bar" address="6a Holyhead Rd, Upper Bangor" phone="+44 1248 353511" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="">Increasingly popular Student Bar.</drink>
- <drink name="The Globe" address="Albert Street, Upper Bangor" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="">Traditional Welsh pub where the staff are friendly, but sometimes the atmosphere might not be very welcoming towards the English (I - being VERY English DO NOT agree with this comment - they are VERY friendly towards the English!). Current and former Welsh-speaking student favorite, as well as being very popular with Bangor locals.</drink>
[edit] The rest
- <drink name="Patrick's Bar" address="57-59 Holyhead Road" phone="+44 1248 372530" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="http://www.patricksbar.com">Affectionately known as "Paddy's Bar", this small Irish-themed bar is popular with all and makes such a stamp on visitors that they make sure to return whenever nearby. Popular among Bangor Uni's rugby team. </drink>
[edit] Night out
- <drink name="Amser (Time Nightclub)" address="University of Wales Bangor, Deiniol" phone="+44 1248 388026" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="">The place to be for young clubbers on a night out. Time is a very safe place to go for a dance and a drink, and is supported by the University. Welcome to everyone, but just because it's a student spot, don't expect the drinks to be cheap.</drink>
- <drink name="Academi" address="Student's Union, Deiniol Road" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" </u>Students Only</u> - formerly Main Bar, with nights including fancy dress, comedy night, and the LGBT-focused "Fruit Salad" - but everyone is welcome! Varying types of music on each night from the funk, reggae, soul, afrobeat and hip-hop at "Racubah", to the traditional pop happy Saturday night out. But, by far, their best night out is Wednesday night's "Trash", where the main room plays the best in indie rock and emo, while the cocktail bar focuses more on metal. </drink>
- <drink name="Octagon" alt="" address="Dean Street" directions="" phone="" url="http://www.octagonclub.co.uk/website" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">The Octagon, and its attached club Bliss are a lively night out occasionally supported by some of the top DJs in the UK. On the weekends many customers wearing their Ben Sherman shirts and polished shoes can be found here enjoying lots of drink and lots of dancing. The student night here is a great laugh and appears on every Wednesday during term time. Be safe here on weekends though, this is outside student territory and locals frequent this club often. However, this provides a good mix of people and can still be a great night out. More recently there are some good rock/metal nights here in the week and also the occasional band night.</drink>
[edit] Budget
[edit] Mid range
[edit] Get out
- Anglesey particularly the Anglesey Sea Zoo, Pili Palas (a butterfly palace) and the 13th Century Beaumaris Castle
- Caernarfon to see the majestic 13th Century castle.
- You can buy ferry tickets to Dublin (departing from Holyhead) at any of the travel agents on the town's one main road (the High Street).
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