Erasmus Experience in Kraków, Poland by Ana

Why did you choose to go to Kraków, Poland?

It was somewhere that taught classes in English and for a change of country to somewhere completely different to Spain.

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

It depends on what kind of scholarship you get and on your country. In my case, the scholarship from the European Union lasted 5 months and I got €200 a month, so I got €1, 000 altogether. I also got a grant from the Andalusian government which lasted 9 months and I got €100 a month, €900 in total, from them. For the whole time I was going to be there out of the year, I got €1, 900 in total.

What is the student lifestyle like in Kraków?

It's great. Kraków practically lives off of students and tourism. There are a lot of universities here and there's a really big student atmosphere.

Would you recommend the city and the university of Kraków to other students?

Yes, I would recommend it, because, like I said before, it's full of students and here are lots of classes given in English. Maybe the worst thing is the weather, but I'd definitely recommend it nonetheless.

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What is the food like there?

Well, it's totally different to the food in Spain, but it's good. Maybe one downside is that they don't sell much fish and they serve it hardly anywhere, but everything else is really good.

Was it difficult to find accommodation in Kraków?

Yes, I got here at the end of September and stayed in a hostel (Pink Panther's) (I'd really recommend it) while I was looking for a flat. In the beginning, it's pretty overwhelming, but you'll end up finding something. The problem here is that they often try to take advantage of the Erasmus students by asking for twice as much for a deposit, plus commission and other things, like they use living rooms as bedrooms... In the end, it's all really different, but everyone ends up finding something.

How much does it cost to live in Kraków?

Well, it depends. You can find a room from €180 to €300 a month with bills included. Food is very cheap in the restaurants as well as in the supermarkets. If you're coming and you're going to live in a residence, they are some from €70 a month. Travelling from Kraków is really cheap as well.

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

The language is totally hopeless if we're talking about Polish and yes, the universities do offer it, but I've never been to any courses and I don't think I will. As for English, you really improve especially with regards to pronunciation and from listening to classes given in English.

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

For me, there is a flight directly from Madrid to Kraków, which, if you buy your tickets in advance, can cost as little as €40 and takes three and a half hours.

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Where would you recommend for a night out in Kraków?

Well, there are loads of places in the city centre (Goradcka, Lokal, shakers, baccarat, coco, afera, the point... ), they usually end up being Erasmus places, but there are some that only Polish people go to. The Kazimierz area is really good for going out, too.

And to eat in Kraków? What are some of your favourite places to go?

There are an infinite amount of places to go out to eat. Pod wawelem, bordo, coco, wesele, U Babci Maliny are affordable and really good, too.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

It's a really good place in terms of cultural visits. There are daily freetours around the old part of town and around the Jewish quarter, which I'd 100% recommend. It's also very common to visit Auschwitz when you come to Kraków, as it's close to the city.

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

Come here with a lot of enthusiasm, because it's going to be an unforgettable experience.