Erasmus Experience in Castellón De la Plana, Spain by Stefano

Why did you choose to go to Castellón De la Plana, España?

Actually, at the beginning I didn't choose Castellón as my Erasmus destination. I chose other cities in Spain, but because of availability problems they sent me to Castellón. Anyway, time went by, and now I can say that this experience has been extremely important for me. Just imagine; I went back to Italy after my Erasmus period, I got my degree and now I work here in Castellón and live here with my girlfriend, whom I met during my Erasmus.

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

It depends on the agreements among universities. My stay lasted 7 months and my university in Italy was paying me about 220 euros per month, actually enough at least to be able to pay for a shared house in Castellón with other students, with your own bedroom.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Castellón De la Plana?

The Erasmus in Castellón is a great experience. In any country, in any city you have the opportunity to know lots of people coming from all over the world, that's true, but since Castellón is quite a small city it's very easy and fast to get to know people and new friends.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Castellón De la Plana to other students?

Yes, of course. The city is quite small, but very nice, near Valencia, another beautiful city and the University is new and very good, and so are the teachers. Besides, in the University campus, you will find a gym, two football fields, a swimming pool and many other things.

What is the food like?

Well, the best dish in Castellón is paella; this is actually a typical Spanish food, exactly coming from the Comunidad Valenciana, the region where Castellón is placed.

Was it hard to find your accommodation in Castellón De la Plana?

Not at all, you can find also some groups on Facebook which are managed by the Erasmus coordinators that will help you to find an accomodation.

How much does it cost to live in Castellón De la Plana?

For me it's very cheap. I'm accustomed to Italy which is for sure more expensive.

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

Actually, I would not know what to say. Each one of us is different and it depends on many aspects (your mother tongue is one of them for example). Personally, when I came here to Castellón, I already knew Spanish. Anyway, the University offers language courses for people who need some assistance and some help, regarding the language.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Castellón De la Plana from your city?

As I said before, now I'm living in Castellón, but actually the easiest way to go to Italy is by plane, from Valencia airport. You can reach Valencia by train from Castellón in one hour.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Castellón De la Plana?

In spite of being a small city, Castellón offers a lot of activities and choices if we are talking about night life. There are a lot of pubs if you want to go out and drink a beer enjoying a calmed atmosphere and four or five discos if you feel like dancing a little bit.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Castellón De la Plana?

Yes of course, for example there are many restaurants in the Avenida Rey don Jaime, in the center of the city that make paella every Thursday at a very cheap price. If you want to eat a good pizza, pasta or any Italian plate I recommend you the Italian restaurant L'Etrusco.

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

There is a very nice museum in the center of the city, in the Avenida Hermanos Bou which you should visit. There you will find contemporary and old paintings and a very nice ceramics exhibition.

Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Castellón De la Plana in the future?

I think we talked about every aspect of Erasmus life in Castellón. Just one more thing: it will be an unforgettable experience, so enjoy it! At last, who knows? Maybe one day Castellón will be the place where you will find your new house, just like what happened to me.