Erasmus Experience in Athens, Greece by athensmus

Why did you choose to go to Athens, Greece?

I could say that Athens is a beautiful city with cool people! There are many things to do, many places to visit and the most important... the nightlife is amazing. Comparing to other cities of Europe, Athens maybe is not so clean and green but there are hills with outstanding view, beaches where u can chill with your friends and hundreds of beautiful islands just a few hours away. Also the weather is great, from April until late November the average temperature is 25 degrees.

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

The scholarship can be 6 months (1 semester) or 1 year (2 semesters). The average amount for Erasmus students that are coming in Athens is 400 euros/month by their university.

What is the student lifestyle like in Athens?

Erasmus life in Athens is crazy! There are about 2-3 erasmus parties every week with students from all the universities of Athens, many cultural trips and "party trips" to Mykonos and Santorini islands. Athens is a huge city but instead of this the Erasmus students are very close to each other, almost every day there are parties in flats or Erasmus residences so if u are thinking to come in Athens for Erasmus don't be afraid that u won't make friends. Most of the students from abroad are almost "dead" from parties in the first 2 months!

Would you recommend the city and the University of Athens to other students?

I definitely recommend Athens and University of Athens to other students, you will have a great time for sure!

What is the food like?

All the Erasmus students in Athens have 3 free meals every day in all the universities. In some universities the food is very good, in some others it's better to not give a try! Food in restaurants mostly is meat (pork or chicken) combined with salad or potatoes. The main food for erasmus students is the famous "souvlaki". Its meat garnished with sliced tomatoes and onions, sauced with tzatziki, and wrapped in a lightly grilled pita. Price is only 2 euros and 2 souvlaki are enough for all day (4 euros/day).

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Athens?

Finding accommodation in Athens is free and very easy once u join the latest Erasmus groups on Facebook. Almost none of the students pay to find a flat. Universities help a lot, also you can get a very cheap and nice flat by the Erasmus organisation called Athensmus.

How much does it cost to live in Athens?

The rent for a single room in the centre with everything included can be from 250 to 300 euros. A monthly card for metro and buses is about 40 euros (ticket costs 0.70 euros). Food is free in all the universities, in restaurants the average price is 7-10 euros, in fast foods 2-4 euros for the whole day. The drinks in bars and clubs are very expensive, drinks - 8-9 euros, beers - 5-6 euros. Because of this, most of the erasmus drink from the kiosks where beer is only 1.5 euros and then they enter the bar!

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

The greek language is very difficult but all the locals speak english. There are language courses available in the university which are optional.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Athens from your city?

The most easiest way is by plane. If u are citizen of Eastern European countries bus is an economical way.

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

The main party area of Athens is Gazi, full of bars, clubs and restaurants. Also Exarhia square and Kolonaki are worth to visit. On the summertime people are going out in the beachside area of Athens where u can find enormous clubs on the beach.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Athens?

I could recommend the restaurants "Pita tou pappou", "Everest", "Goodies" and "Grigoris". You can find them anywhere!

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Top cultural destination is Acropolis and the temple of Parthenon. Also in Athens you can visit the Acropolis museum, the national museum e. t. c. In the touristic centre all around Acropolis there are endless ancient stuff and temples so if you love history...Athens is the place to be!

Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Athens in the future?

My only advice is : Once you get the Erasmus and you know that in the future you will move to Athens, try to save a lot of money because there are many erasmus trips to archeological places or to the famous greek islands as Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, Zakynthos and it's a shame being in Athens and not be able to visit all these beautiful places that most of the people all around the world dream to visit just for a few days.