Erasmus in Alicante

What is it like to live in Alicante? Would you recommend it? How is it?

Alicante is a perfect city for the students. The airport is very close by and there are connections to the centre every 30 minutes. The train station is in the centre of the city and there are high speed connections with Madrid and direct services to Murcia, Valencia and Barcelona. The city offers everything anyone could need: shopping centres, cinemas, both private and public hospitals, and the nocturnal life is rich in variety. The diversity of the beaches makes Alicante very popular with tourists. And for those who prefer other activities, there are several mountains a few minutes away from the centre by car where you can go hiking or spend the day connecting with nature.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Alicante?

Alicante has 2 big university campuses: the Miguel Hernandez University, and the University of Alicante where there are a lot of local and international students.

How much does it cost to live in Alicante?

Alicante is quite a cheap city. The flat rentals are very cheap, €200 per person on average. Whether it's more expensive or cheap will depend on the location. The price of food is low. Public transport is also very cheap in relation to the average price in Europe. A one way ticket costs less than €2 and there are discount cards with a special price for students.

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Was it difficult to find accommodation in Alicante? Do you have any advice?

It's relatively easy to find accommodation. Obviously the offer of the international office is limited and it tends to be cheaper but there are various places where you'll see accommodation offers.

What is the food like?

What are your favourite dishes?

The food is great. There's something for everyone. From places with vegan food, to places that do fillets of meat.

Personally, I like going for tapas :)

What places would you recommend visiting in Alicante?

The obligatory places are: Santa Barbara Castle, museums such as the University of Alicante, the bonfires and the famous Archaeology Museum Marq. There are also little towns near Alicante that you can visit such as Altea, Villa Joyosa, Benidorm and Elche which is a little bit bigger, with its park full of palm trees.

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Is it good to eat out in Madrid? Can you recommend some good restaurants?

Barrio and the street Calle Castaños. There's a lot for all types of tastes on offer.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Alicante?

Barrio, Golf and San Vicente near the university. There are a lot of pubs in these areas.

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What advice would you give future students heading to Alicante?

To have a good level of Spanish. In comparison with other European cities, the locals' level of English isn't great and they predominantly speak Spanish in the supermarkets and hospitals too.