Erasmus Experience in Madrid, Spain by Lara

Why did you choose to go to Madrid, Spain?

I chose Madrid because I liked The Faculty of Marketing that is in Pozuelo.

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

I stayed in Madrid for 4 months. I received 230 € per month from my university. Not enough for living here only with that money.

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

Yes, of course. It's a very beautiful city, with a lot of fun stuff to do. The people are kind and the majority of them are helpful.

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What is the food like?

The food is good. You can find every type of food.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Madrid?

I spent a week in an hostel before finding a place to stay. At the end I was not satisfied with my apartment, there were too many people (7) and it cost too much (460 €/month). My problem was that I chose too fast and I signed immediately a contract, so I couldn't change it without losing the deposit (390€).

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How much does it cost to live in Madrid?

It depends on a lot of things. The first one is the house, if you look for an apartment very well you can spend 300 €/month. And about the food, there are very cheap places where you can eat well.

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

I am Italian, so I didn't have problems with Spanish because it's very similar. In my university there were available language courses, I took English class.

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

I took a plane.

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

There a lot of bars, pubs and discos in the city. So it depends on what you like to do at night.

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

I liked a lot going to 100 Montaditos, it's a local where they make little sandwiches and other stuff. On Wednesday and Sunday, all the sandwiches on the menu cost 1€.

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The city center is full of things to see (Sol, Plaza Mayor... ). There are a lot of museums. In the Gran Via there are a lot of beautiful palaces. There is the Retiro Park where there is the crystal palace which is absolutely amazing.

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

Study, have fun and know as many people as possible. I knew people and made friends from all over the world and it's absolutely wonderful. Enjoy this experience and travel a lot around Spain because it is worth it.

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