Nightlife in Swansea

If you’re looking for an all-encompassing night out, then head to Wind Street. The 200-metre-long street has everything you could need from a night out, with more bars, pubs and clubs than you could shake a cocktail stick at. Halfway along the street, you’ll find Flickering Light, a 50s style speakeasy full of quirky detail, such as the Victorian-themed science fiction bar (yes, you did read that correctly). Hidden away in the basement are two bars, both offering top-of-the-range cocktails, and a cool RnB and hip-hop soundtrack at the weekend.

Just next door is No Sign Wine Bar, one of the oldest bars in Swansea, dating back to 1690 while its wine cellars were used as far back as the 1400s.

The Grade II-listed building has been immaculately preserved and offers five separate drinking spaces, including the terrace, the main bar and The Vault, a 250-capacity live music space. Food – a mix of tapas and pub classics – is served daily from midday, while they offer a dazzling range of real ales, wines and whiskies.

At the top end of Wind Street over the roundabout, you’ll find Copper, a cool bar and coffee shop. Stop for a speciality coffee during the day – their sweet hazelnut latte is a favourite – then come back in the evening to try one of their own range of beers from the on-site microbrewery. Their multi-course tapas-style food menu is served with matching beers, while even the bread is made using their own ale. With regular themed pub quizzes, live music and all the main sporting action, Copper is a busy, buzzy pub with some of the best beer in town.

With a laid-back, New Orleans-style atmosphere, great food and drink and live music most nights of the week, there’s a lot to love about Americano Jazz Café. Situated just over the River Tawe on the waterfront, the bar rightly puts its faith in four elements; good food, good music, good drinks and a relaxed, speakeasy-style atmosphere. And it hits all four, coming alive in the evenings with live music and offering a lively, friendly atmosphere during the day. The food isn’t as calorific as you might expect, with tapas, paella and platters leading the way, while the cocktails are many and varied. Our tip is to try the jam jar hot chocolates on a cold day though and slurp them right up. And the best bit? It’s just a two-minute stroll from our Swansea Waterfront hotel.

As one of the favourite pub crawls in Wales, you need only stagger a few yards down the Mumbles – the sea-facing stretch of coast at the far end of the bay – to find your next pub. At its 90s peak, there were 26 pubs packed in, but there are now a far more manageable nine in the so-called Mumbles Mile.

Make your first stop at the Pilot of Mumbles; a traditional pub that’s moved with the times and now has its own microbrewery on-site. Their focus is firmly on the ale with up to nine cask beers and guest ales on at any one time, but they don’t do food, they only take cash and there’s no TV or jukebox. As they say, ‘conversation is king’, and after you’ve had a few pints of Pilot Gold or Black Storm, we reckon they’re right.

Heading into the city, you’ll find The Westbourne, which is just 1.6 miles from our Swansea City Centre hotel. Found on Bryn Y Mor Road, it’s a popular pub that blends the best bits of pubs and restaurants. Their food is impressive, with their Sunday roasts normally fully booked, so plan ahead. And in a nod to mod cons, you can even order direct from your table and hire mobile chargers if you’re out of juice. But the best bit is that some tables are equipped with drinking pumps, meaning you can even pour your own beer.

Head a few blocks north and you’ll find yourself in the Uplands, a buzzing city suburb that’s become a hub for cool bars, restaurants, cafés and more. And it’s here you’ll find Noah’s Yard, one of the first bars and pubs to capitalise on the area’s appeal. Quirky to the core, their exterior signage changes daily from amusing, topical comments to wishing customers a happy birthday. Inside, you’ll find a bright yellow and wood interior and a great choice of drinks, ranging from craft ales to complex cocktails. Music fans should head down on Mondays for their renowned jazz night.

A few doors along, there’s Brewstone, a more traditional pub that mixes good food – tapas, sharing platters and pizza – with nearly 50 beers and ciders from around the world. The wine and cocktail lists are just as extensive, making this long, wood-lined bar and pub a popular drinking spot.

The nearest pub we’d recommend to the city centre is the Pitcher and Piano. A UK-wide chain, the Swansea branch is just off the famous Wind Street and serves up everything from dive-in breakfast platters to craft beers, wines from across the globe and lip-smacking cocktails. They also do a range of 2-for-1 deals, plus Sunday roasts and cocktails until 8pm on Saturdays.

Less than half a mile from our City Centre hotel, Bambu Beach Bar is a popular nightclub that has a fun Tiki feel which extends to its look, its cocktails and even its roof terrace. The music has a Latin edge to it, whether it’s the live bands or the DJ who takes over on the weekends, while the cocktails are strong and relatively cheap.


And if the cocktails and music have inspired you, there are several karaoke booths you can hire out to bust out your best Enrique Iglesias covers late into the night.

Popworld, as the name implies, is dedicated to all things pop. If you like everything from Abba to Justin Bieber, this is the place for you. The cocktails are also a big selling point. From salted caramel vodka shots to bottles of champagne, they have dozens on offer, as well as offering cocktail masterclass sessions.

Finally, Revolution doubles up as a popular cocktail bar, as well as a late-night dancing spot located just off Wind Street. Choose from cultured cocktails in the early evening and a fairly standard range of bar food, including pizzas and burgers, or turn up later in the night when the house and RnB music has been pumped up and the dancefloor is bumping. And handily, our City Centre hotel is just a short walk away.