Sandra Achim (Romania)

I’m Sandra Achim from Romania, studying a master’s in Events Management. Bournemouth is a tourist hotspot and a centre for leisure, entertainment, culture, and recreation. Being a student at Bournemouth University gives you the opportunity to live in a town rich with history and culture. It has a thriving youth culture due to the large university population and the many language school students. There are several clubs, bars, and restaurants located in the town centre, making it a popular nightlife destination for UK visitors and students.

Music for the masses

While you’re here in Bournemouth, you have the chance to explore the major venues for concerts including Bournemouth International Centre (BIC), Pavilion Theatre, and O2 Academy.  BIC is a popular place for political party conferences while the Pavilion Theatre hosts a range of events with everything from operas and ballets to West-End shows.

Tuning into orchestras

One of Bournemouth’s most noted cultural institutions is the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra which was formed in 1893 and became the first municipal orchestra. Originally playing three concerts a day during the summer season, the orchestra is now based in Poole and performs around 130 concerts a year across Southern England.

Scenic exploration

The lower, central, and upper gardens are public parks which stretch for several miles down the valley of the River Bourne through the centre of the town toward the sea. Bournemouth also has more than 200 listed buildings (primarily from the Victorian and Edwardian eras) including three churches – St. Peter’s, St. Clement’s, and St. Stephen’s.

Festivals of culture

Bournemouth is currently host to several festivals. The Bournemouth Food and Drink Festival is a ten-day event which combines a market with live cooking demonstrations. The Arts by the Sea Festival is a mix of dance, film, theatre, literature, and music which was launched in 2012 by the Bournemouth Arts University and is a spectacular annual event.

During your studies at BU, experience the Bourne Free Carnival which is held in town each year during the summer. Initially a gay pride festival, it has since become a celebration of diversity and inclusion.

Since 2008, Bournemouth has held its own air festival spanning four days in August. The festival has also seen appearances from modern aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and attracts up to a million people over the four-day event.

A journey into the past

Both a museum and an art gallery, the Russell-Cotes building is one of Bournemouth’s main attractions. The museum is simply jam-packed with fascinating objects, intriguing exhibits, and superb art from around the world. The building itself rivals the art of beauty and is a magnificent example of Victorian and Art Nouveau styles. The museum’s elegant interiors will transport you back in time to the world of the traditional English ladies and gentlemen.

It doesn’t matter which historic era or art movement captures your imagination, you can always find somewhere to go here in Bournemouth during your studies.

By Sandra Achim, Romania, MSc Events Management