Erasmus Experience in Florence, Italy. By Tahsin

Why did you choose to go to Florence, Italy?

It’s such a good option.

I loved Florence for its architecture, food and art. It also felt like a good size for a city, big enough that there are lots of things to see, but small enough not to be overwhelming.

And after I came, I realized that it’s really great that you can go to many places by walking, as transportation is terrible. Also, the city has a good location; it's easy to visit great cities from Florence, either with bus or train, such as Roma, Milan, Venice, Siena...

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

It lasts 5 months and I get 500 € per month.

You may think the scholarship is such a small support. Well, it’s not possible to just get by with that amount of money, but it’s enough to have a good time in Florence, visit its surroundings and taste Italian foods in a restaurant.

What is the student lifestyle like in Florence?

Dreams...

Especially if you come in fall semester you will have the chance to see how Florence looks like during Christmas period. There are great number of restaurants which have incredible delicious food, however, most of them are so expensive.

Sometimes, you can hear great music when you just walk through the streets to have some fresh air, especially near Duomo, Piazza della Republica, Santa Croce and Piazzale Michelangelo, because there are many street musicians, which is amazing.

Duomo de Firenze

For some degrees it’s not obligatory to attend the lectures, and if you want to study by your own there are some good libraries, which open till midnight, such as Biblioteca delle Oblate, 'red library' and other Florence university libraries.

Moreover, there are good places outside for training or hiking, such as Cascine Park and Fiesole forest, or around the Arno river.

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

Of course, yes, the city is very cool. Florence will be fabulous to stay in with an Erasmus. You can live the best part of your life in Florence.

What is the food like?

People like it, I don’t...

The Italian cuisine is very wide-ranging. You can find many foods which satisfy to your own taste. However, for me is not working out. I’m a bit obsessive with the food. I couldn’t get used to it, even though some food is delicious. I’m from Istanbul, Turkey, and we have a good cuisine too, which is worldwide famous, and because it's my first time abroad, I had to try different kinds of food.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Florence?

It’s taken so much time. But it depends on how lucky you are. You may find a place to stay the same day you arrive. You can find a room in global websites such as Housing Anywhere, Uniplaces or national websites; Subito is good. There are also many groups on Facebook in which you will find many opportunities that may appeal to you. I found mine on Facebook, and it suits me. Although my roommate is Italian, I can speak little Italian; it’s better to be with at least one person you can speak to in your native language, to feel better. However, this doesn’t matter if you like to live alone or if you find socializing not that important.

How much does it cost to live in Florence?

An average cost may be 900 € per month. But it actually depends on your lifestyle, on what you spend your money and how much you like to spend.

To give a simple example; you can live in a double room which is not exactly in the centre, paying 200-250 € for the rent, cooking at home or eating at school for 150-200 € per month, paying a student ticket for transportation (23 €) monthly, and spending a minimum of 150-200 € for other expenditures. The total amount of money you will spend is 550-700 €/month.

On the other side, you can live in the centre of Florence, in a room or studio which is far better than the first example room (or you may have your own apartment). In this case, you will have to pay a 400-1500 €/month rent. You can eat the best food in restaurants, not caring about cooking or eating at school, which will cost you 700-2000 €/month. For transportation you could use taxis or have your own car and drive to other cities, countries... Add 500-1500 €/month, and 800€ or more for other expenditures. It gets up to a total of 2400+ €/month.

To sum up, don’t worry, you can get by with just 600 € per month, is not too expensive. It depends on what you are looking for. Anyway, you will have good experiences.

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

It’s not easy for me. Because it's similar to Spanish, it is not so complicated for them. But Italian movies and series are very good: Italian can be easier to understand through them. Moreover, you will have the opportunity to practice anything you learn, look around you, everything is Italian.

Yes, there are language courses at university: basic level is free, and the ones above cost 50 €/month.

Anyway, if you really want to speak and have enough time to stay (minimum 5-6 months, I think), you will understand and speak Italian when you leave Florence.

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

I come from Istanbul, Turkey. You can take a flight from Istanbul to Bologna or Pisa, and afterwards reach Florence by train in just 30 minutes.

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

My favourite places are Arno river, Piazzale Michelangelo, Piazza della Republica, Duomo, and the city centre.

Arno river

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

I would recommend Master Pizza, SandwiChic, or Osteria di Novoli.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

There are lots of museums, every part of the city is art.

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

• Spring semester is better, in my opinion.
• Walking is better than buses.
• Morning walking by Arno river
• Esselunga and Lidl, compared to Coop and Conad markets, are cheaper.
• You can visit the museum the first Sunday from every month for free.
• Most parks are closed at night. It’s a bit weird to me, because it’s not the case in Istanbul.
• Try to find the mystery in Florence.