Erasmus Experience in Aveiro, Portugal by Iwona

Why did you choose to go to Aveiro, Portugal?

It was a rather spontaneous decision and I thought that Portugal is a nice country for Erasmus. I also read some experiences of students who have been here and they were all positive.

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

I'm staying here for 5 months. I receive 400€ of scholarship per month from my home university.

What is the student lifestyle like in Aveiro?

Aveiro is a small town with many Erasmus students so if you attend ESN events, you'll get to know most of them. It is highly probable that you will meet other Erasmus when you go out. What is more, everything you need is at a walking distance so you don't need to use public transportation unless you want to party in one of the clubs which are in the outer part of the city. Almost every Tuesday there is an ESN party in Maravilhas club with various themes, e. g. Oktoberfest, Polish Party, Candyland. And there are also other ESN events such as Pub Challenge (which was really awesome) or trips to Algarve, Lisboa. ESN is open to suggestions concerning organizing events. The amount of work you have to do for the university depends on you field of study. I don't have to do much whereas some of my friends have a lot of projects and group works to do.

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

Yes, definitely.

What is the food like?

As Aveiro is close to the Ocean (around 10 km from the beach) there is a lot of seafood. Grilled meat is also very popular. You can find here typical Portuguese meals like "bacalhau com natas", "caldo verde", "frango no churrasco", "francesinha" etc. What was surprising for me, in restaurants they usually serve meat with both rice and fries at the same time. The most popular restaurant among students is Ramona where hamburgers are served.

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Aveiro?

No, it was recommended to me by a friend who was here the previous semester.

How much does it cost to live in Aveiro?

Of course it depends on the lifestyle you lead. But I guess it is around 500€ a month.

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

The language is not really similar to my mother tongue but I really enjoy learning it. The University offers courses on all levels and they are free for Erasmus students and they are worth 6 ECTS points.

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

I travelled here using cheap airlines to get to Porto. Then you take metro from the airport and later you take a train to Aveiro.

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

Praça do Peixe is the place where people go out at night with many bars around. As I mentioned before, Maravilhas is a place where most of ESN parties take place. There are also some clubs which are quite far away from the city center so you will have to take a taxi to get there.

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

The favorite places of Erasmus students are Ramona and Convivio. Cais Madeirense is a restaurant recommended for organizing course dinners or birthday dinners. You can buy there meters of shots.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

There is a theatre, museum, cathedral. There are also some small concerts in Barba Rija and Mercado do Negro.

Is there any other advice that you could give to future students who are going to Aveiro?

The weather here is overall nice but take a raincoat, umbrella and rain boots as sometimes it rains heavily for a long time. Also, don't be surprised if people are coming late. They never seem to be in a hurry. Unfortunately, it is also true when it comes to dealing with the documents concerning your stay. In Aveiro you can also rent a BUGA bike for free. Altough you technically can't leave the city on it, it is a popular means of transport to the beach for Erasmus students.

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