Entertainment in South Wales
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A
Bar Creation & Club Eden
One of the biggest gay venues in Wales, this bar and club combo stages a packed programme of club nights, drag acts, film screenings and cabaret shows.
reviewed
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B
Park Inn
The famous Mumbles Mile - a pub crawl through the bars between Newton Rd and Bracelet Bay - is not what it once was; most of the old pubs have succumbed to pumping house music and boisterous crowds of alcopop-fuelled teens. One place worth seeking out is the Park Inn, set a block inland from the promenade and away from the crowds. It's a friendly local serving real ale, where any music you hear will be knocked out on the pub piano.
reviewed
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C
Dylan Thomas Theatre
Home to Swansea Little Theatre, an amateur dramatic group of which DT was once a member, the company stages a wide repertoire of plays, including regular performances of your man's Under Milk Wood.
reviewed
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D
No Sign Bar
Once frequented by Dylan Thomas (it appears as the Wine Vaults in his story The Followers), the No Sign stands out as the only vaguely traditional bar left on Wind St. On weekends there's live music downstairs in the Vault. The window seats, looking out over the acres of goose-bumped flesh on the street outside, offer a frisson of schadenfreude.
reviewed
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E
Monkey Bar
An organic-vegetarian café-bar by day, with chunky tables, big sofas, modern art and cool tunes, this funky little venue transforms after dark into Swansea's best alternative club, with weekend DJs playing drum and bass, hip hop, dub, reggae, salsa and world music.
reviewed
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F
Uplands Tavern
Yet another Thomas hang-out, Uplands still serves a quiet daytime pint in the Dylan Thomas snug. Come nightfall and it turns into a different beast altogether as the hub of the city's live music scene.
reviewed
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G
Wind Street
Swansea's main boozing strip is Wind Street (pronounced to rhyme with 'blind', as in drunk), and on Friday and Saturday nights it can be a bit of a zoo. However, there are one or two bars where you can have a conversation that doesn't require shouting.
reviewed
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H
Ship Inn
This is a lovely little pub with an open fire in winter and lots of memorabilia on the walls, including photos of Richard Burton filming Under Milk Wood outside (the street and nearby quay have not changed a bit).
reviewed
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Tudor Square
There are around two dozen pubs crammed into the area around Tudor Sq and the place can get pretty riotous on Friday and Saturday nights, with big groups of lads and lasses on pub crawls from one karaoke bar to the next.
reviewed
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I
Old Nag's Head
The Old Nag's Head is an old-fashioned, no-frills, neighbourhood pub with friendly staff and a selection of real ales on tap. There's live Irish music on Thursday nights, and karaoke on Saturdays.
reviewed
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Savoy Theatre
This gorgeously decorated auditorium, built in 1928 on the oldest theatre site in Wales (its predecessor, the Bell Inn, opened in 1794), hosts modern drama, music gigs, live comedy and cinema.
reviewed
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K
Farmer's Arms
One of the most popular pubs in the town, the Farmers has real ale and Guinness on tap and a good beer garden out back. It's a pleasant place to watch the sun go down on a summer's evening.
reviewed
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L
Theatr Mwldan
Located in the former slaughterhouse, Theatr Mwldan stages comedy, drama, dance, music and film, and has an art gallery and a good café. In the summer there are open-air productions.
reviewed
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M
Lifeboat Tavern
Another appealing old pub set in a Georgian house, the Lifeboat has outdoor tables on the footpath, a beer garden at the back, and has live folk and blues music at weekends.
reviewed
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N
Queen's Hotel
An old-fashioned corner pub with polished mahogany and brass bar, old tiles and a range of cask-conditioned beers on tap, including Theakston's Old Peculier.
reviewed
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O
Bryn-y-Mor
Another friendly local that's popular with students, the Bryn-y-Mor has cheap beer, pool tables, large-screen TV, a decent jukebox and service with a smile.
reviewed
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P
Mambo
A Latin American-themed cocktail bar, serving margaritas (made with Patron tequila) by the glass or the pitcher, amid a swirl of mosaics and Latino music.
reviewed
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Q
Buccaneer Inn
The Buccaneer is a rugby pub, with a loud, up-for-it crowd on match weekends, but also has the best beer garden in town, and serves excellent pub grub.
reviewed
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R
Tenby House
Tenby House is a lively hotel bar with cool tunes on Friday and Saturday nights, and a sunny, flower-bedecked courtyard for summer afternoon sessions.
reviewed
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S
Taliesin Arts Centre
Part of the University of Wales, Swansea, this vibrant arts centre features live music, theatre, dance and film.
reviewed
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T
Brangwyn Hall
This handsome Art Deco hall, decorated with colourful painted panels by 1930s artist Frank Brangwyn, hosts choral and orchestral performances.
reviewed
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Ferry Inn
This is a snug old-fashioned pub overlooking the river on the road to Poppit Sands, with real ale, good food and a great deck for sunny days.
reviewed
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U
Robin Hood Inn
The most family-friendly pub in town, the Robin Hood has a warm atmosphere, good food, and a big beer garden with children's play area.
reviewed
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V
Escape
This is Swansea's mainstream house club, with touring DJs pumping it up every Saturday. The venue occasionally stages live bands too.
reviewed
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W
Swansea Grand Theatre
The city's largest theatre stages a mixed line-up of ballet, opera, musicals, theatre, pantomimes and a regular comedy club.
reviewed
