Erasmus Experience in Firenze, Italy by Iva

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Why did you choose to go to Firenze, Italy?

I had long dreamed of visiting Italy and especially Florence because of the inspiring architecture, arts, culture. I also expected a milder winter due to the Mediterranean climate and I wanted to improve my Italian and gain international experience. I also chose the University of Florence as it was supposed to have some courses in English.

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

I got an Erasmus grant of 303 euro, which was enough to pay for my rent - I got a single bed in a shared room with an Italian girl, as well as to cover some basic needs. I usually needed about 200 euro more to be able to cover my food, transport, university and entertainment expenses.

What is the student lifestyle like in Firenze?

I was studying with Masters students, as in my country the Bachelors degree is gained after 4 years, and in Italy the Laurea triennale only takes 3 years. Most of the students were over 25 but had never worked in their life and was all about having fun, so there were many opportunities for such experiences. A great part of the students were smoking marijuana which was a bit disturbing.

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

I would recommend it to anyone, who would like to learn Italian, as there were actually only 2 courses in English in the entire Social, Political and Legal Sciences campus.

What is the food like?

As you may assume, there is plenty of pasta in all colours and shapes! The "mensas" are an affordable way to have lunch or dinner close to the university buildings. A meal of 3 courses was 3. 50 euro and was enough for me almost for an entire day.

Restaurants and pizzerias are quite expensive. In the supermarkets you can find find all types of pasta starting from 35 euro cents per package at Esselunga - if you are going there often it is a good idea to have a discount card. There are very good wines at affordable prices. Meat, fish and vegetables are expensive.

What I would definitely suggest is trying: limoncello, cantuccine, gnochhi di patate, gelato... There is a festival of gelato each summer, which you should definitely not miss if you are a gelato fan. You would get the chance to taste all types of gelato, including the beer gelato and for some reason fish gelato. In case you are not staying for the summer, there are still many gelaterias where you can taste great gelatos. Some of the best have the title: gelateria Artisanale and are selling home-made ice-cream.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Firenze?

It was extremely hard for me to find accommodation, as I was staying for less than 6 months and the university did not offer accommodation on such short term. In case you are going to the Novoli campus, you may find many "avisi" in he buiding right across the Library. The usual cost for accomodation is around 250 euro for a "posto letto' - single bed in a shared room and over 300 euro for a single room.

In case you would be living with Italians, have in mind that girls are usually not very well accustomed to cleaning and keeping basic hygiene in the kitchen, bathroom, etc. My personal experience was petrifying. For some reason, boys are keeping their apartments much cleaner!

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How much does it cost to live in Firenze?

You would need at least 450 euro monthly to make ends meet. In case you would like to travel around and to go to bars, restaurants, gelaterias, etc., then you would need at least 600 euro monthly.

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

The language is not that hard, however, there are many dialects, including the one spoken in Toscana. The university provides a free language course which is a great way to meet students from all over the world. I met most of my friends in that course and besides from learning Italian, I was also able to communicate with great people!

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

I live in Sofia and the easiest way would be to take a plane from Sofia directly to Florence. Such flights however are not available. There are filghts with a stay in Rome. They cost about 300 euros and this way you can get to visit the capital of Italy.

The most economical way is actually using Wizzair to Forli, which is about a 100 km from Florence. In that case the tickets may cost about 20 euro if bought earlier. After that you would need to take the bus - 3. 5 euro or a taxi - 11 euro to the train station in Forli. Unfortunately, there is no direct train from Forli to Florence, neither there is a direct bus.

So you would need to either take the train to Faenza and then get on another train to Florence - about 11 euro total or take the train to Bologna and then to Florence. Depending on the type of train you choose, the price for this route is from 15 to 40 euro. In case you travel by train, it is very, very important to check if there are any strikes as the trains may leave you at any station in case of a strike.

I had to take a taxi from a village where the train left me, as countrary to the information in the website of the railroad company, there were no buses during the strikes. I paid 150 euro to get from this village to Forli in time for my flight. So always, always check if there are strikes.

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

If the weather is fine, it is great to go out for a walk in the historical center of the town. There are many bars in the center and you can always get a glass of good wine. There are many bars around the university as well, where you can find young people, as the bars in the smaller neighbourhoods are often full of people over 50. There also different festivals in the center, concerts, performances, etc.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Firenze?

Check out the trattorias, they are smaller restaurants where the waiters would be able to tell you all about each meal in the menu and you help you choose!

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The historical centre has plenty of cultural sites to visit. You can start with the Duomo, of course, get to the Uffizzi, Santa Croce, Palazzo Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti, the museums in Palazzo Pitti, the house where Dante was born, there are also many different types of temporary expositions, as well as festivals, such as the Notte bianca, etc.

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

Try your best to have fun! Have in mind that the traffic rules are never respected here, so watch out and pay attention, as drivers, motorbikes and bikes are also moving on the sidewalks. Avoid Simone - a professor in the Economy department as he dislikes foreign students...

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