My Erasmus Experience in Aveiro, Portugal. By Javier

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

It is a calm city with little life for its population compared with any other Spanish city. Better in the months with better weather, after April until October.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Aveiro?

Despite there being a large student community, there is not a lot of a student environment, just enough to find your friends in a bar and have a beer. During the course you will find veterans dressed as "Harry Potters" humiliating the "caloiros" (1st years) around any corner of the city. Apparently, its an ancestral custom among Portuguese university students.

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How much does it cost to live in Aveiro?

In comparison to Spain, it's more or less the same. Rent between €150-200, shopping basket practically the same, or for some products they are more expensive... In terms of restaurants it is a question of going a bit away from the most central ones that are made for tourists. That's where they stick. Then what is cheap is the coffee in the cafés, and the bottles of beer, called 'finos', which are usually to euro, or less.

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Aveiro?

Do you have any advice?

To look for an entire flat to share, as was my case, I recommend going during the month of July or early August to look. I found when I went a couple of days at the end of August, a more than decent flat at 150 euros, although there was not much left. If you are looking for a room, there is no problem going even in September.

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What is the food like?

What are your favourite dishes?

Portuguese gastronomy is not my favourite. In spite of being stuck to Spain, for my taste, they are light years away, as they do not enjoy either Spanish omelette or Serrano ham, to give the most typical examples, despite having practically the same products as in Spain. Of course, tapas doesn't exist. But if you cook yourself at home, you can eat the same as if you were in Spain. In the university dining room you will get tired of seeing Portuguese soup every day, and eating anything with rice. If you are not very picky, for two and a half euros that are worth, go there to fill your stomach.

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What places would you recommend visiting in Aveiro?

Aveiro is not a very big city, so in an afternoon walk, it's all done. You can walk along the canal or, if you don't mind a few euros, go in a "moliceiro", which are the typical boats (like Venetian gondolas but larger) that navigate the canals. If the weather is good, you can go to the beaches of Barra and Costa Nova and see the brightly coloured houses in Costa Nova.

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Is it good to eat out in Aveiro? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

In the Praça do Peixe and i the surroundings there are more or less expensive places where you can eat mainly very fresh grilled fish. If you want something cheaper and junk food there are two places that are usually filled with students: the Ramona and Mesa7. Then there is, also next door, a good pizzeria, which is nice and quite cheap.

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

Aveiro doesn't have much in the way of partying. It comes down to a handful of bars/pub in Praça do Peixe, and a couple of discos: NB and Bar do Estudante, which is quite far from Praça do Peixe. Forget about ordering rum and coke in Portugal. Get used to the idea that in Portugal, with a few exceptions, people drink beer and some disgusting shots. There is no dark rum in the supermarkets, something unthinkable in Spain.

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

Each person is different and has different aspirations, and in the case of going to study in a city abroad, I think the most important thing is to interact with many people and to be able to be with many nationalities, travel around the country as much as your budget allows, and try to return having passed everything. Definitely make the most of it, because it will be something that goes past quickly and we have to try to get a good taste in our mouths.

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