Kaplan City Guide: Bournemouth
Bournemouth’s seven miles of sandy beaches and average of eight hours of summertime sunshine daily make it one of the most popular coastal towns in the UK. Bournemouth offers many natural beauty spots, wonderful beaches, chalky cliffs and some of the best traditional pubs in the country. Find out the best things to do and see in Bournemouth, straight from other Kaplan students!
Get your flip flops on – Visit the beach!
“Bournemouth is a lovely town with friendly people and beautiful gardens, but I really like visiting the nice beaches."
Tip provided by
Bader Alshahrani, Saudi Arabia
Make the most of the coast, with some of the warmest sea temperatures in the UK. The beautiful sandy terrain stretches from the stylish Sandbanks peninsula in the west all the way to the less developed yet still naturally beautiful Hengistbury Head in the east. Distinctive from most coastal cities in the UK, Bournemouth stays open and makes sure the coastline is full of action all year round, giving you the opportunity to try different types of sports such as watersports or rock-climbing. Even if you’re not an adrenaline junkie, there is always a wide range of events to enjoy.
Oh my cod – Fish and chips!
“You must enjoy every minute in Bournemouth, as the time passes by very quickly, but you have to eat the delicious fish and chips at Chez Fred.”
Tip provided by
Céline Mivière, France
John Lennon covered his in tomato ketchup, Winston Churchill titled them "the good companions" and Michael Jackson enjoyed them with a healthy serving of yummy mushy peas. Fish and chips celebrated their 150th birthday back in 2009 and have been a proud British delicacy ever since the 17th century. When you think of the British seaside, you immediately envision a stripy deck chair with a matching beach hut, sunshine, and delicious fish and chips, served out of yesterday’s newspaper as you fight off a seagull trying to steal a chip out of your hand! Make the most of this leading beachy location and indulge in Britain’s famous fish dish. As the saying goes, ‘never eat fish and chips when you can't see the sea’.
Getting around the town – Public transport!
“The best part about living in Bournemouth is the great public transport, but the size of the city is small so it’s easy to find the city center, supermarkets and Kaplan!”
Tip provided by
Bernardo Laffranchini, Switzerland
Bournemouth is definitely a place that has its public transport in good working order, with its own airport, ferry port to let you visit nearby cities by water, three train stations and plenty of buses. You definitely will not have any problems exploring the town and other nearby cities. With Bournemouth being a warm, small, picturesque Victorian beach town, many opt out of public transport and choose to get around by bicycle or walking, as this is the finest way to see everything.
If this quirky coastal town appeals to you, find out more about our schools in the UK and consider studying at our Kaplan school in Bournemouth. Contact one of our student advisors for more information.
