Erasmus Experience in Cluj-Napoca, Romania by Hadriam

Why did you choose to go to Cluj-Napoca, Romania?

It was a culture I didn't know anything about. I went out of pure curiosity.

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

5 months. I got €1, 000 in total by the end of the stay.

What is the student lifestyle like in Cluj-Napoca?

It's amazing. The city has 3 big universities with a total of 100, 000 students (making up a third of the population). There are loads of bars, pubs and clubs. The city's atmosphere is very youthful.

Would you recommend the city and the university of Cluj-Napoca to other students?

Yes.

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What is the food like there?

It's not bad. It's based on soups and vegetable dishes with meats. But it's no where near as good as Spanish food.

Was it difficult to find accommodation in Cluj-Napoca?

No. There are some good, well-priced hostels (€10 a night) if you only want to stay for a few nights. The university residences are also very cheap (from €38 to €130 a month) and they're pretty comfortable. The only expensive option is renting a flat in the city centre (€200-250 a month on average), but there are a lot of flats available to rent.

How much does it cost to live in Cluj-Napoca?

Not very much. It costs on average €2. 50 to eat well at the university canteen. The residence costs €40-50 a month and the public transport is super cheap.

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

As it's a romance language, it's much easier to learn than a lot of other European languages. Even so, it's harder to learn than Italian or Portuguese, for example. I studied for two months before I went on my Erasmus and I could get by pretty well in very normal situations (going shopping or going out to eat). At any rate, Romanian people are polyglots, and apart from the older generations, they can all speak English and a small percentage of them even speak Spanish (like the ladies who watch telenovelas).

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Cluj-Napoca from your home city?

By plane. With WizzAir.

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Where would you recommend for a night out in Cluj-Napoca?

Euphoria, Janis, Flying Circus, Revolution, Caro, Phi18, Noa... Aside from those, there are loads of super cool places to go for drinks before the clubs.

And to eat in Cluj-Napoca? What are some of your favourite places to go?

Buenavista, it's next to the Technical University residence), Doner Maxx, it's open 24 hours and the traditional restaurant Roata.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The city centre is very pretty, it has architectural influences from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, two cathedrals: one Orthodox and one Protestant, the central park, the piata Muzeului, the Belvedere lookout point and the Cluj Arena stadium and the surrounding areas. You can have a look at my blog. There's a lot more information there.

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Do you have any advice for students coming to Cluj-Napoca in the future?

Don't worry if you have courses in Romanian, because the professors, in general, are super nice (not like in Spain) and they give you a lot of help. There's a lot of partying and it's cheap, so you can go out partying every day. And finally, don't worry about crime: it's one of the safest city in Europe.