Ana's Experience in Bari, Italy

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What did you think of living in Bari? Would you recommend it? What’s it like?

Living in Bari was a great experience. I recommend it to everyone. The Italians have some similar traditions to us Spaniards so it’s very easy to adapt. The majority of people are delighted to meet a Spaniard, they’ll tell you about all the cities they've visited (almost always Barcelona) and they’ll help you out if needed.

How is the student life in Bari?

There were around 300 Erasmus students, between 100 and 150 of which were Spanish. The Italians organized a university party every Thursday and there were events throughout the week for the Erasmus students.

What is the cost of living in Bari?

A single room could be between €180 and €300, depending on the area, whether it’s modern or old and whether they try to rip you off for being a foreigner.

You’ll note the difference in price in the supermarkets, it’s more expensive than here in Spain.

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

Within two days, a week maximum, you’ll find something to your liking. The best thing to do is get in contact with the Erasmus Associations Bari White and Red (W&R), ESN (Erasmus Student Network) and look for the groups they have on Facebook.

How was the food? What were your favourite dishes?

There’s a lot of traditional, cheap food, e. g. big pizzas for €3, panzerotti, focaccia…they eat pasta every day but it comes in a thousand different variations. The fish you can get from the market stalls is also very good, over there they eat it raw.

Where would you recommend visiting in Bari?

Besides the cittá vecchia (old town) and the lungomare (seafront), Bari has a lot of nearby towns and cities that you must see, for example Polignano, Alberobello, Trani, Matera, Ostuni, Lecce....

Where would you recommend for a night out in Bari?

There aren't any clubs in the centre of Bari, or at least bars with music. Normally the clubs are in the outskirts of the city or the nearby towns, the parties are organized ahead of time and you need to pay for the bus and entry. Never lose your exit ticket, they’ll normally ask you for it when you're leaving, if you don’t have it you have to buy a new one.