Erasmus Experience in Cardiff, United Kingdom by Astrid

Why did you choose to go to Cardiff, United Kingdom?

Because I wanted to go to an English-speaking city.

Cardiff is situated in Wales

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How long was your scholarship? How much was your grant?

My scholarship is a year long and at the moment I do not know how much money I will be receiving in total, as it is yet to be published on the BOE website.

Cardiff city centre

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What's student life like in Cardiff?

Bearing in mind that students make up one-third of Cardiff's population, I would say it's incredible. Everything is aimed at students: parties, libraries, everything.

Cardiff public library

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Students in Cardiff

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

Absolutely, yes.

The University of Cardiff

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What's the country's food like?

Well, if you want to eat good food the bottom line is that it's more expensive than in Spain. But it all depends on your preferences. When it comes to restaurants there are numerous pubs which serve reasonably-priced food

Was it hard to find accommodation in Cardiff?

Not at all, the city is full of letting agencies and houses to rent for the large student population.

How much does it cost to live in Cardiff?

You can rent a place for about 300 pounds a month and the cost of living depends on your lifestyle; I would say about 500 pounds a month.

What's the language like? Did you attend a language course offered by your university?

The language is good. Also they speak Welsh too, which is nice, although it's only spoken there to give the city an air of 'je ne sais quoi'. The university offers very cheap language courses.

The people of Cardiff speak English and Welsh

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What is the cheapest way of getting to Cardiff from your city?

Take a plane to Bristol and from there a (Greyhound) bus up to Cardiff.

What places do you recommend for a night out in Cardiff?

It depends on what you like. If you are looking for discos with live music performances, Glam and Oceana are the most iconic places. If you fancy more rock and roll bars or concerts, The Welsh Pub, The Moon and The Full Moon, (the latter which you don't have to pay for entry) are the best places to go. Then there are thousands of bars and pubs.

The Full Moon bar

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What about eating out in Cardiff? What are your favourite places?

Owain Glyndwr (two meals for 8 pounds), Bill's, Wetherspoons (there are 4 or 5 in the city).

Owain Glyndwr

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Bill's restaurant

The food in Bill's

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A steak in Wetherspoons

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What about for a cultural visit?

• The castle
• Caerphilly
• Mumbles
• Museums (they're all free)
• Bristol
• And even London which is only two hours away by train

The castle

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Caerphilly is a town 12km away from Cardiff, which has its own castle

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The coastal town of Mumbles is not far from Cardiff

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Bristol

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Do you have any advice for students coming to Cardiff?

Don't live in the student halls, they're expensive and a pain in the ass. Go for shared flats.