A Student's Guide to Cardiff with Nata & Co

So you've just accepted your offer at a university in Cardiff – congratulations! Or maybe you've been studying in Cardiff for a few years already and just want to make the most of your time here. Whoever you are, you can follow this guide to get the low down on the best student tips in Cardiff.

Find your Café

After moving all of my belongings into my new home in Cardiff – the first thing I needed was coffee. I scouted out all of the best coffee shops in town and near my university for my daily caffeine fix. On my first week, I decided to do all of the tourist activities – after all, I was becoming more of a local every day. When I was exploring Cardiff Castle, I saw Nata & Co just across the road. The promise of a warm and freshly baked pastel de nata beckoned me. The baristas were so friendly and welcoming that Cardiff started to feel like home already.

I nestled into a comfy chair in the cosy atmosphere of the Portuguese bakery and knew it would become my café for the next three years whilst I studied in Cardiff.

Take Long Walks

Studying, revision, essays and lectures are hard work. Luckily, Cardiff has so many green spaces and nature walks to offer to help clear your head. After a particularly long study session at the library – I always make sure to have a long walk to decompress. I start my walk at Nata & Co, picking up an iced coffee and a pastel de nata for on my way. Then, I'm perfectly placed along the Castle Walls to start my stroll into Bute Park.

Treat Yourself

You've taken a huge step moving out of home and starting university – if that doesn't deserve a treat, we don't know what does. Sometimes my treat would come in the form of a greasy takeaway, and other times it was a small shopping spree in St David's Shopping Centre. More often than not, I would take myself to Nata & Co for a huge slice of cake and a milkshake – any thought of homesickness disappeared.

Be Savvy with your Student Finance

It might be your first time handling your own money, rent and bills which can seem intimidating and overwhelming at first, but you'll soon get the hang of it. A top tip is to separate your money into different saving pots. I have one for rent, one for bills and even one for my daily coffee shop visit to Nata & Co. This helps me to budget my student finance weekly and keep an eye on my spending.

At Nata & Co, we offer a 10% student discount to anyone studying in Cardiff. We know how expensive life gets, but we also know how important it is to treat yourself! If you can show the baristas a student ID, you can enjoy 10% off all of our coffees, milkshakes, smoothies, pastries, cakes and Portuguese meals.

Find a Community

Making friends can seem daunting but I believe Cardiff truly is the friendliest city. There are so many ways to find a community in Cardiff – these people will become your support system and hopefully your life-long friends. Think about joining societies at university – Cardiff Uni even has a café society which is perfect for a coffee shop enthusiast like me.

At Nata & Co we often hold events in the café to grow our community. We love getting to know all of our regulars! On the 27th September, we are having a pottery painting morning with Peggy's Pots which we are really excited for. You can come to these events alone and make friends or get to know your peers whilst doing something fun and creative for the morning – we'd love to see you there.

Welcome to Cardiff

Nata & Co, the Portuguese bakery opposite the castle would like to welcome you to Cardiff – we hope you love it here as much as we do. See you in the café.