STUDYING IN OLTEN
CITY
Located in the German part of Switzerland, Olten is a relatively small city on the major river Aare. The city is situated in the canton of Solothurn and is the capital of the district of the same name. Around 17’200 people are living in Olten.
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Even if the city is small, it is not lost in the middle of nowhere. Indeed, Olten is one of the node of the Swiss railways: the cities of Zurich, Bern, Basel and Lucerne are all within half an hour's train journey and connections are frequent.
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The Aare splits the city in two different parts. On one side you have the modern part of the city with the train station, the university and the new buildings, and on the other side there is the old town with its narrow streets, its medieval wall and its German influence on architecture.
Olten is a dynamic city thanks to its central location in the German part of Switzerland, the town is a popular venue for conventions and meetings. A lot of people are working in the city. Consequently, when you combine all the workers, plus all the students of FHNW, the train station is very crowded during rush hour.
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Olten’s Old Town is small and lovely. With the wooden bridge over the River Aare you have some popular spot around to take great pictures. This place is really nice to sunbathe and enjoy sunny weather after classes.
The old town is also really nice to have a drink and eat. With Swiss people we used to go to Rathskeller where we always order a good cheeseburgers and French fries in a pleasant and traditional atmosphere.
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The unspoiled nature of the nearby Jura heights, however also makes the area an attractive leisure region.
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NIGHTLIFE
Concerning the nightlife, there is a club in Olten called Terminus where the ESN organizes “Study Party”. You can also decide to go partying in Zurich, Basel or Bern (at only 30 minutes from Olten).
