Bangor

,p>Bangor, found in the north-west tip of Wales, is one of the smallest cities that exists in the UK, with a relatively tiny residential population of just 13,725. Aside from the residents, a further 10,000 people study within the town. The town is situated next to the Menai Strait, the river dividing Wales and its island, Anglesey, which is accessible due to the Menai Bridge connecting the two locations. As the town is notably distant from the English border, there is a much greater amount of Welsh speakers in Bangor, estimated to be just less than half the population. With the amount of students in Bangor coming from non-Welsh speaking homes, this means that Welsh culture and language is embodied very well into the student city.

The town was established in the 6th Century, when a cathedral was built on the edge of a country, allowing the population to build gradually over the years. Since then it has become a place of deep Welsh culture, which is noticeable to any visitors and students in Bangor. One particularly well-known part of Bangor's culture is its contribution and home to much classical music. In addition, the annual Welsh Arts performances, Eisteddfod, has been hosted in Bangor on many occasions and will continue to do so in the future. Visitors can also have a look at plenty of artwork significant in Bangor's history at the Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery. In addition, plans are under way for a new arts centre within the city.

The University is well-remembered by anybody who studies or even visits, as its location memorably neighbours Snowdonia and Anglesey, providing beautiful and stark contrasts with the town. The University prides itself on specialising in Marine Biology courses, due to the convenient and appropriate location of the campus. The University has many sites across the city to cater to the different types of courses available, as well as separate buildings for its many student halls of residence, or its Students' Union.

All of the necessary facilities, services and activities are available to students, too: there is plenty of opportunity for indoor and outdoor sports, health care is provided to its students in addition to advice and counselling, and the Students' Union is large enough to accommodate many, many students and offers several bars, shops, societies and events.

It also has a significant volunteer LGBT community, known as Unity Bangor, which works with businesses and other organisations around the UK supporting the cause. The group also organises a monthly club night at the Union to promote understanding and comfort to all.

For getting out and about the town, there are a great number of restaurants, pubs and bars to try out in the evenings, giving you a chance to sample the great local ales of Gwynedd. Later on in the night, you can check out one of the numerous nightclubs, giving you enough choice to dance along to whatever music or atmosphere suits you.

While Bangor may not exactly be as accessible as a town near London, it is still very much worth the journey, which is manageable by train. If you are coming from the Midlands or the north of England, you can travel by train or by car parallel to the north coast of Wales, while those coming from the south may need to travel up the west coast, or alternatively through the Midlands and once again across the north coast.