Erasmus Experience in Milano, Italy by Cloé

Why did you choose to go to Milan, Italy?

Firstly, I wanted to go in Englans but it was only possible for one semestre which was not enough for me. As I wanted also a country near France, I thought about Italy. Then, I had the choice between Roma and Milano. I choose Milano because it was a new partnership with my university.

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

The scholarship was one year.

What is the student lifestyle like in Milan?

I think that my lifestyle is a little bit different from the casual one. I do not have a lot of courses and a lot of hours, so I've visited some famous cities such as Firenze, Verona, Bologna, Como. And also I am playing volley ball so twice a week, I have training and once a week I have the game.
During the weekend, I try to go out and go in the center of Milan to walk, to see some things, to visit or other stuff.

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

I do because the Statale is a really good university. The teachers are very close to students. We can ask them anything even by mail, they are always available.
More generally, Milan is a really good city to live in. There are always things to do, to see. The famous aperitivo are amazing and you can easily party and go in clubs.

What is the food like?

As I am a student, I don't really go in restaurants but I take aperitivo sometimes which is really a fantastic concept ! This is the first thing to do when you come in Milan and in Italy.
Of course, the pasta and pizzas are really good as everybody knows !

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Milan?

No because I found it thanks to CiDiS that is in charge of the hall of residence. I just contact them and I had a room in a hall of residence.

How much does it cost to live in Milan?

For the rent, I pay 300€ per month. Then I think that 200€ is enough.
I pay 22€ for the transport, 10€.

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

Concerning the language, if you don't speak Italian, at the beginning it is a little bit hard because not everybody speaks English in Milan even if it is the economic capital of the country.. It was hard for me during 3 weeks or a month and then with the language course it was ok.
The language courses are absolutely available in the university. I took Italian course during the first semester and it was really useful. But if you really want to learn the language, you need to speak with natives. I have almost exclusively italian friends and I speak with them in Italian. That is the best way to learn the language.

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

From Paris, the cheapest is the train I think. There is a train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Milano Porta Garibaldi at 29€ if you take the ticket 1 month or more in advance. You can find every information in the website SNCF.com. The only thing is that it takes 7h10.
You can also take the plane from Paris-Beauvais to Bergamo Orio al Serio and apparently it is not so expensive but I never took it.

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

In The Club.

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

I don't know the name of the restaurants but in Navigli, there are many good places.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

There are many places to see : the Duomo, the Castello Sforzesco and other places. There are things to see in every part of Milan.

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

Just live this experince as much as you can because one year is really fast and you're going to live things that you won't forget. This is an amazing experience. It is easy to say but don't be afraid because it is only good things out there !! (: