Erasmus experience in Napes, Italy by Lucía

Why did you choose to go to Naples, Italy?

I could choose between Parma and Naples and in the end I decided on Naples because I knew a friend going there for her Erasmus, because initially I liked both options.

How long was the placement? How much grant did you receive as help?

I was there for 9 months and I got 1500€ from my grant (I also had to pay my enrolment fee for my university in Spain with this money so I was left with 1000€ of my grant, so you have to be prepared to fund your own Erasmus stay a lot of the time).

What is the student atmosphere like in Naples?

The student life is great in Naples since it has a population of around one million people.

In the mornings, it is full of students and lots of Erasmus students too. There are lots of university buildings spread out across the city. Naples changes from day to day but it is always full of life.

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

I go to the university Suor Orsola Benincasa, it is a private university and it is very pretty. The only problem is is that it isn't located in the centre of the city unlike most of the other universities.

It is located in Corso Vittorio Emanuele and you can either get there on foot or by taking the cable car (1 euro for a one way ticket and you can buy them from kiosks close to the starting point). If you take the cable car, it takes 20 minutes to walk from the city centre to the starting point (via Toledo) and it takes you directly to the university. It is the first stop and the journey takes 5 minutes. It is very punctual, it opens its doors 5 minutes before it leaves and then it closes them as soon as it is leaving. They come every 10 minutes.

I recommend those who are also planning to go to my university, to live in the old town or close to it in the centre. Because if you live near the university in either Chiaia, Vomero or Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the public transport does not run at night and you will have to walk home after a night out in the centre. It is better to walk further in the morning to university, than having to walk further home in the dark at night.

What is the food like there?

If you like pasta and pizza, this is your paradise. The streets are full with shops that sell really cheap food but not always the best quality, but for 2 euros you can eat well.

On Via Tribunalli (in the old town), there are two restaurants that are really popular, "Di Mateo" where there is always a queue of people waiting to buy their famous 'fritatinas' for 1 euro and then there is 'Sorbillo' where they serve delicious pizzas from just 3 euros. (advice: there is always a queue if you want to eat in, but you can get a pizza in 5 minutes if you take away).

The problem with Naples is that there are no large supermarkets (I have only seen a few Carrrefour Express shops and they are more expensive) so I have to go to the smaller corner shops which are more expensive and don't always have what I'm looking for. They also don't stock the better quality products and this is the same for all shops across the city.

Pasta is very cheap, from 30 cent for 500g, but everything else is generally cheaper than in Spain.

My advice is to do a big shop for basic products in the MD supermarket which is the cheapest (but also the weirdest, they play reggaeton whilst you're shopping), buy your meat from a butcher's, fish from a fish monger's (careful buying fish at the market that is close to Garibaldi because they don't follow any regulations and it isn't fresh a lot of the time), you can buy frozen fish in MD, buy fruit and vegetables from any of the stalls in the city. Then, you have everything you need without wasting money buying things in Carrefour express or Conad, since they are the most expensive. They do sometimes have offers (for example the cheese in Carrefour) which is worth buying, but most of the time it is best buying your food like I said.

Did you struggle finding accommodation in Naples?

My problem was that I arrived in Naples at the end of September and classes started in October so most of the other Erasmus students had already found their accommodation.

My advice is to start looking for a flat as soon as you arrive because you can't always trust the internet. Sometimes, the apartment is in a different location than where it was supposed to be, the shower or other facilities might not work etc.

I found my flat one week before arriving (the first week I stayed in a hostel called "Pizza Hostel" where I met some lovely people that helped me look for a flat and spoke on the phone in Italian with me, although that said, it was the worst week of my life. Not stopping from 9 in the morning to 8 at night calling advert after advert, trekking the streets of Naples and calling all the adverts in the street, calling the adverts at the universities... (I called more than 100 numbers and they were all either full or in an unsuitable location, or they were falling apart). If you're looking for a shared apartment it's easy, but an individual one is much more difficult.

The problem with Naples is that it is a really big city but the best areas to live in are limited, if you go with enough time to find somewhere and you're patient, in the end you will find somewhere.

How much does it cost to live in Naples?

The rent is usually around 200 euros a month if you have your own room, if you're sharing a room it is even cheaper. All in all, you can expect to pay around 300 euros a month for accommodation including your money for food, the light and water bill which is cheap (in two months, you can spend around 20 euros on water and 40 on light).

Going out is cheap (1-3 euros for a beer, 3 for 5 euros... ).

You can get a mobile contract for 12 euros a month (Vodafone is the best, a lot of people have Wind but the coverage is rubbish).

There are lots of organised tours and discount cards that make travelling cheaper (2x1 Saturdays with Trenitalia).

So 600 euros a month will cover all your living and travelling costs.

What is the language like? Did you take any language classes?

I understand Italian quite well and it is not too difficult to understand, but you have to hang out with Italians not Spanish because you won't learn the language. But be careful because a lot of them will want to practice their Spanish with you when they hear you speaking it. Tell them that you have to practice your Italian with them.

There is a university course before classes start but they are not really worth going to. The course that is worth doing is the international relations course. It is quite popular but they have all the necessary information and documents online so you can do it from home.

What is the cheapest way to get to Naples from your city?

The cheapest route is flying from Madrid to Rome, then taking the train from Rome to Naples. A return flight can be as cheap as 40 euros and the train costs 21 euros and takes 1 hour. There is a slower train for 9 euros but it takes 2 hours.

But if you can afford it, it is much easier flying directly from Madrid to Naples.

My advice is that the first time you go, take a direct flight.

What places would you recommend to go out in Naples?

The Erasmus organisations (erasmusland, erasmuspoint... ) organise all sorts of parties (which I don't like, personally) and they all take place in the old town.

You can go and get some cheap shots at Greenwich (the famous ones are rum and pear), go to some of the squares for a beer, go and enjoy some live music at Keste (close to Mezzocannone) or a good party in the outskirts of the city (but you will needa car) for example in Hipodromo.

You only have to wander around the old town and you will easily stumble upon somewhere with a good atmosphere.

I hate the reggaeton music (you will hear it a lot here), but if you want some cheap drinks your best bet is Krella (3 for 5 euros or a bottle of 9% Tennant's beer for 1. 50€, then take it outside to avoid the music.

And what about eating in Naples, can you tell us some of your favourite places?

Sorbillo!

What is there to do culturally there?

Naples is beautiful and there are lots of tourist places you can visit online. However, the best view of Naples is definitely from the ferry (you can go to the numerous islands that surround the city by ferry for just 10 euros, at a number of different times). It is a very smooth ride and the views are just spectacular.

Any advice you want to give to future students going to Naples?

The best places to live are Corso Umberto, Via Mezzocannone, Via Nilo, Piazza del Gesu, Piazza Dante, Via Duomo or Via Toledo. Chiaia is a very good area but the buildings are quite old and run down, and it is quite expensive.

Everyone will always tell you that Naples can be dangerous and you have to be careful. What I want to tell you is to enjoy the city, but always being aware of where you are, you just have to be in control and not get too drunk on nights out. You have to know where you can go and where you can't, what time you go to certain places and at what times not to. You just have to have some common sense.

Neapolitans are very kind and they try and help you as much as possible. You have to make the most of Naples and you will learn and grow as a person. Life is harder there than in other Italian cities people are always willing to help you when you are in need.

Don't be scared to see three people on a motorbike at the same time (without a helmet), seven people in a car not wearing their seatbelts, people crossing the road on a red light, to see things being transported down a balcony attached to a piece of string, to see rubbish all over the streets, people haggling prices in shops, to pay your rent in cash, that your mop is a makeshift pole with a cloth on the end, that there isn't a microwave, that there is no ice, that your landlady can only talk Neapolitan...

It is an authentic, rich and wild experience that will make you grow as a person because you will have to deal with everything on your own.

It is a crazy city but it is really beautiful, you know what they say: "You cry twice when you move to a new city, once when you arrive and once when you leave" and that is absolutely true. The first night was scary because it was a completely new experience, but after that, I never looked back.