Derby
City and Beyond

From student nights to green spaces, Derby has the best of both worlds.

Irongate in Derby City Centre looking towards the cathedral
13 yearsas a Purple Flag cityDerby's nightlife is officially safe and buzzing
3rdmost affordable UK city for studentsNatwest Student Living Index 2024
90 minutesor less to reach major citiesincluding London, Birmingham and Sheffield
Snow flakeDerby is ready for Winter. Here's our pick of Derbyshire's sights to see this season.Explore Winter in DerbyshireExplore Winter in Derbyshire

Food and drink

Bustler Market for bao, burgers and jerk chicken. BEAR for brunch. The Wonky Table and Vegan Junk for veggie and vegan eats. Rikshaw for modern Indian street food. Buka Xp for Nigerian jollof and stews. Factory Food Court and Normanton Road for halal, cheap eats and global flavours.

Student rec: BOA for bottomless wings Wednesdays

Vegetarian street food pictured

Nightlife

The Hairy Dog for indie and alternative gigs. Popworld for throwback anthems. Molly Malone’s for live music and weekend buzz. Vaillant Live for big-name acts. Electric Daisy hosts outdoor raves. Discotech takes over jails and warehouses. RnB Mania packs out The Chocolate Factory and MooMoo’s for chart, R&B and Hip-Hop.

Student rec: Iron Ram for cheap game nights and deals

Shopping and leisure

Derbion for 200+ shops, crazy golf, food court and bowling. Market Hall for indie stalls and street food. Threadz and Mardy Ducks for retro finds. The Oddities Store for sustainable fashion. Derby Arena and Tansley car boots for weekend bargains. ODEON Luxe for full-recline seats and off-peak Saver tickets.

Student rec: Fox Vintage Wholesale - a kilo of gems for £15

Spacious shopping centre interior of the Derbion with multiple levels. Shoppers browse well-lit stores

Sports and outdoors

The Climbing Unit and Alter Rock for indoor climbs, Moorways for swimming and UoD Sports Centre for a cheap, on-campus gym and facilities. Union-run sports clubs, including Rugby, Netball and social football for a casual kickabout. Pride Park Stadium to watch Derby FC at home. Derby Active gyms at Derby Arena and Springwood. And the famous Peak District for weekend hikes, cycling and climbing.

Student rec: We Are Padel - 50% off for students

A group of male university students surround each other in the Team Derby sports jerseys

Student blogs

Aerial view of Derby market place
Fill your spare time in Derby

Final Year BA (Hons) Journalism student, Johnathan Cowden, provides his advice on the best things to do in Derby.

student sitting in a field on a sunny day
Derby the perfect choice

From finding the right people to earning in spare time, Psychology student Cyrus Sheridan describes five features of university life that have made Derby the right place to study.

Students sitting in halls break out room
Affordable student living

Living costs are a standard part of life, but becoming a student might be your first experience of managing them. Second year Accounting and Finance student Kira shares her best advice on where you ca...