My Experience in Naples, Italy - by Patricia

What's it like living in Naples? Would you recommend it?

It's a city full of students, very chaotic and unorganised, but it has a lot of charm. There's lots to see within the city itself and in the surrounding areas.

What´s the student life like in Naples?

Very vibrant, and there are lots of Spaniards, since lots of students choose Naples as their Erasmus destination.

It's worth taking a course in Italian, because you can learn quite a lot in a short space of time.

How expensive is living in Naples?

Most people choose to live in the city centre in shared flats. There are cheap hostels in the city centre which cost about 15 euros per night, in case you arrive without having found somewhere to live yet.

There are normally lots of accommodation adverts in the faculty buildings and in the streets in the city centre, which makes it easy to find a place to live. The universities will also help you if you ask. It's normal to pay around 250 euros a month for your accommodation.

Did you find it hard to find somewhere to live in Naples? Do you have any advice for flat-hunting?

I found my accommodation before I arrived and I really regret having stayed there: the house was fantastic, but my housemates weren't...

I recommend examining the flat carefully, and if possible, going to look at it in Naples before making a decision.

In the city centre, the buildings tend to be quite old and most don't have a lift.

What´s the food like in Naples?

The food there is incredible: above all, there's lots of cheap pasta and pizza. Meat and fish also don't cost very much.

If you want pizza, I recommend you go to the Via dei Tribunali (in the city centre), since there are several good, cheap pizzerias there. The cheapest (and the best! ) is Marinara pizza (dough, garlic, tomato and basil) or Margherita (the same, but with mozzarella too), which cost 3-3. 50 euros.

The pizzas they serve there are large and have thin bases.

The Mensa (the student cafeteria and restaurants) usually costs about 3-3. 50 euros to eat in.

Supermarket prices are similar to in Spain.

The ice cream, slushies and sweets are amazing too. Traditional Napolitano desserts are babá al ron (small cakes with rum) and sfogliatella (similar to a millefeuille).

Coffee is good everywhere. In winter I drank capuccinos (which are also very easy to make at home too), and in the summer I liked caffè del nonno (similar to slushies).

Which places do you recommend visiting in Naples?

• Pompeii
• Herculano
• Vesuvius
• Islands: Capi, Ischia, Procida
• The Costa Amalfitana and Sorrentina
• Rome (an hour away by train)
• The volcanic craters
• In the city centre: Piazza Plebiscito, the Royal Palace, Umberto I Gallery, Naples Cathedral
• Castel dell'Ovo, Castel Nuovo, Via San Gregorio Armeno (famous for its nativity scene and comical little figurines of famous people)
• Underground Naples (the catacombs and underground galleries)
• National Archaeological Museum, above all the Pompeii and Herculano collection
• Paestum (Ancient Greek temples)

What about eating out in Naples? What are your favourite places?

• Pizzeria Gino Sorbillo
• Pizzeria Da Michele (only the Marinara and Margherita pizzas)
• Pizzeria del Presidente
• Bradi (where the Margherita was invented)
• Trattoria da Nennella (for an authentic Italian experience, best for dining out at)

What are the best places for partying in Naples?

Clubs (ESN will show you them):

• In the wintertime, Duel
• In the summertime, Voga (next to the beach)

The best way to get drunk is to buy Peroni de litrona in Natale, and drink on Piazza San Domenico or Piazza Orientale.

The bars around Piazza Orientale are also nice.

The drinks in bars and clubs are small (party-cup size) and they don't give you ice...

Do you have any advice for future students coming to Naples?

Look beyond the city's dirty and chaotic appearance and discover its architecture, the culture of its people, and its unique atmosphere.

The Napolitano dialect is hard to understand, but it's worth at least trying to learn a little bit!

The Quartiere Spagnoli has a bad reputation, but is actually a very authentic part of the city.

Visit the market near Piazza Garibaldi.

Be careful on the metro (especially on the new line) as there are usually ticket inspectors (especially in the university areas) who will fine you if you don't have a valid ticket... if you're staying in Naples for the whole year, it's worth getting yourself a semester or yearly ticket.

It's true that there's a lot of pick-pocketing, but you don't have to be paranoid about it. Be careful of motorbikes, grabbing bags is the most common thing that happens.

The traffic is 100% chaos: motorbikes drive through any gap and no-one pays any attention to zebra crossings... you'll end up doing just the same!