Erasmus Experience in Bari, Italy by Sofia

Why did you choose to go to Bari, Italy?

I wanted to have my Erasmus experience somewhere with good weather and good food and Bari is the perfect place for that!

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

My scholarship is for 4 months, 300 per month.

What is the student lifestyle like in Bari?

It's good, even when you don't have classes there is always something cool to do. This city is great for students because everything is near by and after classes you can walk for 20 minutes and you'll be at the beach or 10 minutes and you can go to the city center to get a beer.

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

Of course, it's a small city but it's beautiful and safe. The weather is good, the food is just amazing and the people are super nice! Even though there can be some problems with the University organization the teachers but the other students are always there to help us. The E. S. N team are super nice and they make really good parties. I'm very happy with my choice!

What is the food like?

The food is just amazing! The pizza is super cheap and is like heaven in your mouth! They have so many kinds of good food that everytime I go out I have serious problems choosing what i'm going to eat. And the is cheap, for example for less than 5 euros we can get a entire pizza and a beer. Other info is the price and quality of the ice cream and other deserts. For 2 euros we can get a ice cream or a piece of cake and it's just perfect!

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Bari?

Not really, the ESN team were super helpful and helped me finding a good place with the best price. In 2 days I found the perfect place!

How much does it cost to live in Bari?

Around 400/500 per month (with place to live, bills and food). The beer and the food are super cheap. But it depends of the lifestyle of the person. If you want to live like a queen and go to restaurants everyday it might get more expensive.

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

I know about two languages courses which are affordable and the teacher are very nice.

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

I'm from Lisbon, Portugal and the easiest way I found was to go by plane from Lisbon to Rome and then get a train from Rome to Bari. You can also come by plane from Rome to Bari, it's faster and easier but keep in mind of the luggage costs. It might get too expensive.

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

You can go to Tropicana if you want to go dance (every Wednesday is Eramus night at Tropicana) or Piazza Mercantile for a beer or even Chiringuito.

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

I recommend the best pizzeria in Bari: Lo Squalo. People are nice, food is cheap and the pizzas are amazing! But there are also some cool places to eat like Mastro Ciccio, Cibo and Martinucci (best ice cream).

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

You can visit all the cities near Bari, they are very beautiful and worth to visit.

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

It can be hard in the beginning with the University organization and all that kind of bureaucracy but don't let it ruin your first weeks. Go out everyday, enjoy the city, eat as much good food as you can, drink Peroni or Nastro Azzurro, try the Limoncello and have a lot of fun!