Uplands is the hillside neighbourhood just west of the city centre — leafy, steeply terraced, and full of independent bars, cafes and bookshops. It is most famous as Dylan Thomas country: he was born and raised at 5 Cwmdonkin Drive and the park of his poems is at the top of the hill.
The Uplands also has the best student and independent nightlife in Swansea. Uplands Crescent has half a dozen good cafes by day and turns into a pub crawl on weekend evenings.