Erasmus Experience in Irakleio

Why did you choose to go to Irakleion, Greece?

I come from the western end of Europe, so I wanted to experience first-hand how the blend of Eastern and Western culture was.

As a bonus, the Summer here lasted until November.

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

I stayed for 4 months and received 1500 € to help cover the expenses.

What is the student lifestyle like in Irakleion?

To sum it up in one word, I think relaxed is the best one. From my experience and what I've heard from others, most of the inhabitants are very nice, informal and, even though many don't speak English, helpful and welcoming to foreigners.

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

Yes, even though the city itself can grow boring after the first month since you already know it all, it's location in the center of Crete allows you to visit the island from coast to coast.

What is the food like?

The food is good at most places and it is cheap as well, unless you go to overpriced restaurants in the most touristic areas. For a student on a budget, you can have lunch or dinner for less than 4€ by eating a Gyros, for example. Other elements of local cuisine include dolmades, souvlaki, Greek salad, Feta and other cheeses, Tiropita, Tzatziki sauce...

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Irakleion?

It depends how early you search for it. For me, it was not very hard to find a place, because I got to the island before most of the people arrived, then it gets more complicated, because there aren't many places.

There are also houses for rent that you can't easily find online, but are known by the locals. You can try to stay for a short period in one accommodation while you look for alternatives with the help of native Cretans or other students.

For students of TEI, not Panepistimio Kritis, there are also dormitories.

How much does it cost to live in Irakleion?

Accomodation ranges from around 200 - 330 per month, but prices can include electricity + water + internet or not depending on the place.

Public transport costs (public bus, 10 trips a week) 24€ or 32€ per month depending where you are living and studying in the city.

Groceries are around 30-40€ weekly.

So, in order to survive, you need from 344 to 522€ per month.

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

Greek is not an easy language, that's for sure. Part of it's dificulty lies in the fact that you have to learn a new alphabet if you don't already know it. The other major obstacle is that it doesn't belong to the main linguistic family groups most people in Europe speak.

Yes, there are free language courses twice a week.

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

The only sensible way to get here from Porto is by plane. During Summer there are more flights because of tourism in the island, so I could get here in just two flights: Porto - Barcelona; Barcelona - Irakleio. An alternative route is going through Italy instead of Barcelona, stopping in the airport of either Rome or Bergamo.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The city itself has some interesting, mainly Venetian, monuments. The Loggia (now city hall), Liondaria, city walls, Koules fortress (it is closed for reparation with no date to reopen right now) and the port are the main attractions. There is also a series of churches and an Orthodox Cathedral.

The writer Nikos Kazantzakis is buried in this city.

There is an Archeological Museum with a rich permanent exhibition of Minoic Art and artifacts from other periods. The original pieces found at Knossos are displayed in this museum. There is no entrance fee for EU students.

The ruins of Knossos lie to the south of Irakleio, you can get there by bus and is also free of charge for EU students.

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

Irakleio is a good place to plan your trips to the whole island, you have historical sites (Spinalonga, Rethymno's fortress), sunny beaches (Preveli, Balos, Vai, Ligaria, Elafonissi), towns (Rethymno, Chania, Agios Nikolaos), gorges (Richtis, Kourtaliotiko, Samaria) and mountains (Ida/Psiloritis) aplenty to explore and also surrounding islands and countries if you so wish.