Erasmus Experience in Bragança, Portugal by Paulina

Why did you choose to go to Bragança, Portugal?

When I saw a list of 27 places I could go and do my Erasmus in, I picked Bragança immediately. I can't really explain why. Partly because I've heard a lot about a nightlife there, partly because it sounded a little bit exotic to me and partly because my first association with Portugal was that the weather there is great. Anyway, somehow I picked this city and I really do not regret it.

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

My scholarship lasted from September till February (5 months) and it was really too short for me.

I received 400 euro per month and I think it's quite ok.

What is the student lifestyle like in Bragança?

I really like the student lifestyle in Bragança. Classes don't start so early, so you do have some time to sleep, even if you were partying a lot the previous night.

It's rather a small city so students seem to know each other very well. I had classes in an Education School and I can tell you that the level of education there is not so high but it doesn't matter when you're an Erasmus student.

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

Of course I would recommend the city and IPB to other students. Bragança is a typical academic city with thousands of students. The campus is great and it contains everything that a student needs. There is a gym there, every building has it's own library and a coffee shop. On the campus there is also a huge canteen where you can eat a cheap lunch. Unfortunately, I did not fell in love with Portuguese cuisine so I didn't eat in the canteen a lot, but a lot of Erasmus students did.

What is the food like?

Food in Portugal is really fat and I rather tried to avoid it. However, I really like bacalhau (a cod) and pastel de nata (typical Portuguese desert).

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Bragança?

I had no problems with finding accommodation in Braganca. Riskivector (a company which cooperates with the university) did it for me. They wrote to me by themeselves and I just had to fill in some document. That was all.

How much does it cost to live in Bragança?

400 euro is enough for Bragança, even if you party a lot. If you want to travel you need a little bit more money though.

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

I didn't have a lot of problems with Portuguese, because I've learned Spanish before. Everything I know in Portuguese is thanks to an EILC course. It takes place two weeks before the real classes start and it's really intensive. Unfortunately A2 course during the semester wasn't that great and actually, I didn't learn anything there.

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

Flights from Poland to Portugal are rather expensive. Be prepared, you have to spend more or less 100 euros one way.

The easiest way to travel to Braganca is to fly to Porto. Than you have to go to the metro station (which is not underground) and take the purple line (the only line from the airport) to Estadio do Dragao. Your stop is called Bolhao (the journey should take more or less 30 minutes). Than you have to go down St. Catharina street (the main street in Porto), turn left at the end, cross the square and there should be a bus station. Rede Expressos and Rodonorte are the only bus companies that go to Braganca. The ticket costs more or less 12 euro.

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

I really recommend "Momentos" and "Barnabe" where you have to drink Xarabanada (an alcoholic drink typical for Bragança). I used to go to GLUP too but it doesn't exist anymore.

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

Be prepared that there's no central heating in Portugal and winter in Bragança is rather cold so take some winter clothes. They won't be really helpful outside the house, but you will definitely need them inside.