Erasmus Experience in Catania, Italy

Why did you choose to go to Catania, Italy?

Catania is near to the beach, with a completely different culture to that in the north of France, and a different climate too.

Catania University

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The city of Catania

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How long did you stay there? How much was your grant?

From February until the end of July, so 6 months, and I received about 500 euros per month.

The centre of Catania

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What is the student life like in Catania?

Excellent, especially with Erasmus, there aren't many French people so it's easy to meet students from various countries, in particular from Spain and Poland.

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

Yes, I recommend it to those in particular who want to take advantage of the sun, the parties, the beach and cheap nightlife.

What's the food like in these countries?

If you like pasta, pizza, meals cooked in olive oil in general, you'll like it.

How did you find your accomodation?

I found my accomodation thanks to the organisation ESN.

Catania volcano

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What's the cost of rent like? And the general cost of living?

Accomodation costs between 150 and 250 euros per person, I personally paid 200 euros for a shared flat of 70-80m², an old building, but a good location in a low-crime neighbourhood.

What's the language learning like? Did the University offer a language course?

Italian is very easy to learn, I didn't take a course and didn't speak Italian before arriving in the country; it was enough to communicate with people and if you make yourself speak Italian, it comes naturally.

What's the cheapest way of getting to Catania from your city?

From Lille, I think that the best way is to go to Paris by train and then take a direct flight from Paris to Catania with EasyJet - if you buy the ticket in advance it shouldn't be too expensive.

What places would you recommend for a night out in Catania?

Throughout winter, the majority of people go to Teatro Massimo square, then on to Boh, Faro, Barbara Discolab, Quatro Venti...In summer, the square is quieter as most people go to the beaches (Barbara Beach, Le Capannie, Moon Beach, Maeva Beach, Le Palme... ).

An event at Barbara Beach

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

With regards to food, I rarely ate out, there's a restaurant at the University which does food for €1, 80 but is quite far from the centre so I didn't really go there. I recommend the Golden Star where you can eat the specialities for €1, 70, 24/7, so it's always great after a night out.

What places of interest would you recommend?

In Catania, there are numerous things to see; the Bellini garden, the Sant'Agata Cathedral, not to mention the towns Taormina, Syracusa, Agrigento, the natural reserves of Cava Grande, dello Zingaro, Vendicari - excursions are organised by companies.

Bellini garden

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The cathedral

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Do you have any advice for future Catania students?

Don't be afraid to send loads of emails to your faculty's administration, they often don't reply, but above all try to intergrate with the Erasmus groups, you will have the best experiences with them. Don't stick with the other French people.