Erasmus Experience in Madrid, Spain by Anna

Why did you choose to go to Madrid, Spain?

I have been to the city once before and still remembered how much i liked it. The city is perfect for young people, there s always something going on on the streets.

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

5 months, each month 150 €

What is the student lifestyle like in Madrid?

The nightlife is good, the Erasmus Organization at my university organized a lot of activities and trips and parties, which were all very good and perfect to meet new people. You can go out any night of the week. But you can also see a lot and visit a lot of beautiful places.

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

Yes, I would totally recommend the city, and my university ( UC3M) although the Campus in Getafe is really far away from the city center, was fine, too. I recommend to do a language class and maybe some extracurricular activities that they offer

What is the food like?

The tapas are good, there are really cheap places to get some , f.e. el tigre- a must for every poor college student, and really good. I also like Paella very much. As a vegetarian it´s sometimes annoying because you have a much smaller variety of food to choose from and the spanish people are very much into their jamón, but it´s ok.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Madrid?

No because I had connections to the flat members.

How much does it cost to live in Madrid?

It ´s cheaper than f.e. in Munich, I would say average in most places is 400 €,
if you live directly in the centre maybe a little bit more, but you can also live much cheaper if you´re fine with a small room and having to walk 20 min to the city centre. I wouldn´t choose a flat in Getafe, it´s annoying to always have to go to Madrid by Cercanias (local train).

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

You don´t have to many opportunities to practice because you´ ll get to know a lot of foreigners and people from your own country studying there, so you re mostly going to talk english. that´s why you should maybe choose to live with spanish people or find a Tandem Partner to practice. There are very good language courses offered in the uni.

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

It´s by airplane, maybe 150 € roundtrip between Munich and Madrid. You should book in advance.

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

many places, you won´t have difficulties to find them:
clubs: Kapital, Joy, Independance club on Mondays
bars are everywhere, I recommend the Malasanas or Chueca part of the city.
Spanish people go out very late, they maybe arrive at the club just at 4 am

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

el tigre

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Palacio Real, Catedral la Almudena, Opera, Plaza Mayor, Plaza de la Villa, Parque del Retiro, Plaza de Espana, Templo de Debod
and outside of Madrid: Aranjuez, Alcala de Henares, El Escorial - Valley of the Falle, Toledo, Avila...

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

Live close to the center so you can walk or at least close to a metro station
buses aren´t going that well
don´t live in Getafe, especially not in the students residence ( extremly expensive), but live directly in Madrid