City of Madison

It’s hard to imagine a better location for a major university than Madison, Wisconsin. Our students benefit from both the campus community and Madison’s urban presence, since both are right at their doorsteps. With a population of over 220,000, Madison offers the ideal combination of natural beauty, stimulating cultural offerings, outdoor recreation, distinctive restaurants, unique shops, and vibrant nightlife. It tops many “best” lists: best place to live and work, best college sports town, one of America’s safest cities, a top American dream town, and a top green city.

State Street

This Madison student favorite is a renowned mile-long pedestrian mall that links campus with the State Capitol. Along the way you’ll find more than 35 restaurants, including Italian, Japanese, Nepalese, and Vietnamese food; a dozen or so nightspots; 6 coffee shops; 5 bookstores; 3 museums; the Orpheum Theater; the Overture Center; and more than 60 specialty shops and boutiques.

Farmers’ Market

Every summer Saturday, Madison hosts the Dane County Farmers’ Market, currently rated the number one market in the nation. It’s held on the Capitol Square and features 150 vendors selling everything from fresh produce to baked goods to meat and cheese to flowers.

Great Outdoors

No matter the season, you’ll find people making use of Madison’s green space and five area lakes. There are 6,000 acres of parkland in the city, including 260 parks and 14 conservation parks, in addition to more than 150 miles of bike trails in the county.

The Wisconsin State Capitol

Madison is Wisconsin’s capitol city, and rising between the picturesque waters of Lake Monona and Lake Mendota, the granite structure of Wisconsin’s Capitol building glows like a beacon, accenting the Madison skyline. The best way to experience the beauty and grandeur of the Capitol building is to see it for yourself.