How to romanticise the beauties of Cathays as a Cardiff student this Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s day is not just about roses, overpriced chocolate, and awkwardly long queues at Starbucks, it is about finding love in unexpected places, and what better place than Cathays ?

Yes, the same streets where bins overflow like cupid’s confused arrows, and rats casually stroll by like they are on a first-date picnic.

Cute walks

Take a romantic walk down Salisbury Road, “The Strip”. Forget the smelly alleys and mysterious stains on the pavement, they add character, just like your love life. Hold hands over a particularly dramatic pile of bins.

Nothing says “I am serious about you” like the sour smell of bins and scary crows watching you like its a movie. Colum Road and parts of Maindy Road might make your heart race faster than your Valentine’s date, whether that is from romance or sheer terror.

And if you happen to see a rat couple doing their own valentine’s dance across the pavement, consider it a sign of enduring love that you may also have a romantic dance with someone one day.

2. Go to Lidl Bakery

Pop over to Lidl bakery, maybe after 7pm for 20 per cent off the baked goods. Whether you want sweet or savoury there are so many options for you try from all under £2.

You can buy a cheap croissant to share or maybe a chocolate cronut to be more adventurous. True love is arguing over whether a donut is better with chocolate or custard and whether to go for a pizza or baguette with dips for dinner.

3. Go sightseeing

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Cathays is full of hidden gems. Quaint murals, secret courtyards and surprisingly cosy cafes like Rhostio or Hoffi Coffi, are perfect for a low-budget date. Just watch out for the sofa graveyards on City Road; think of them as “urban art installation”. Your date will definitely buy it.

Of course, no Cathays date would be complete without The Woodville, aka The Woody. Step inside for student-night nostalgia, cheap drinks and awkward dancing that screams “I am willing to embarrass myself for you”. If Shakespeare were alive, he would have probably set Much Ado About Nothing right here, in glow-stick lighting.

At the end of the day, Cathays is messy, chaotic, and occasionally terrifying, just like love. Grab your crush, your flatmate, or even your dissertation, and explore the hilariously imperfect beauty of Cathays this Valentine’s Day. Love may be messy, but so is Cathays and somehow, that is epic.

4. Go bird spotting

Granted the main birds you will spot will most probably be seagulls and crows but there is nothing more romantic than finding a new bird out in Cathays. The best spots to go are definitely Woodville Road and Colum Road where you’ll not only find the most birds, but the most amount of rubbish spread across the street. Love at its greatest.

Try these things out. If it works, I am a genius and if it not there is always next year, with newer rats and newer furniture to spot around.

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