Erasmus Experience in Lisbon, Portugal by Franja Iva

Why did you choose to go to Lisbon, Portugal?

I love portuguese language, their culture, weather and it's something I could afford.

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

Formally I got 300€/month (one semester, 5 months) . I got 80% of it in one round soon after arriving to Lisbon and other 20% after coming back home and confirming I got at least 20 ECTS.

What is the student lifestyle like in Lisbon?

There are a lot of students which, in my opinon, love studying. They work hard and enjoy it. Of course there's also partying involved. And traditionally they voluntarily wear somekind of uniforms (Harry Potter - like) that shows how far with the studying you are. And than there were different rites to accept you in the faculty and so on.

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

I studied at ISCTE-IUL. The professors were really cool.

What is the food like?

I am a vegetarian, so there wasn't much of the traditional cooked food for me to try out. Most of the time I cooked for myself, but otherwise there are a LOT of "Pastelaria" places where you can get pastry. And good falafell places.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Lisbon?

I was lucky enough to get it before my arrival and I just paid around 20€ for the reservation. My sister knew the guy I made my reservation at so it was trustworthy.

How much does it cost to live in Lisbon?

Altogether I spent around 300€/month but I was quite careful with my money and I shared my room with a friend.

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

If you already studied any other Romance language, you shouldn't have a lot of problems. You just have to get use to pronunciation. Yes, University offers language courses.

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

I travelled by plane from Venice (Easyjet). I got to venice with a van Vamotamo.

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

The well known Bairro Alto, Chiado, Bachaloeiro, LX Factory.

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

Go to Alfama. There are evenings with homemade traditional food and live Fado singers. It a unique experience and inexpensive. You just musn't sit in a first "tasca" (restaurant) you find. Go to the more hidden ones.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Go see Gulbenkian, Berardo museum, on Sundays there's open door to LX-factory with a lot of second hand clothes, cool caffes.. Then there are a lot of known sites like Belem.

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

Don't be affraid to speak portuguese, don't hang out only with foreign students, feel comfortable but still beware.