Erasmus Experience in Padova, Italy by Laura

Why did you choose to go to Padua, Italy?

I always wanted to do my exchange in Latin-America or South Europe. As I met my boyfriend (Italian), I chose Italy. I had to choose from four cities and I chose it, cause I was able to continue my hobbies in this city.

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

As Finnish government pays for studying, I received 496e/month + 900e scholarship for total 5 months. I also worked from home so I got a salary of 100e/month.

What is the student lifestyle like in Padua?

There are a lot of parties, especially for the first two weeks. Erasmus association also arranged guided travels to nearby cities. I personally didn't attend in so many events after the two first weeks. I found my social circles elsewhere. There are anyhow a lot of students in Padova, the city practically lives because of students. Every Wednesday is a party day for students.

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

City is beautiful, easy to get around and as northern Italian cities usually are, more secure and clean than the southern ones. As a city I'd recommend it. The quality of university depends on varies among the faculties a lot. Depends also on your specialization. For me, unfortunately, it wasn't the best choice as my field of interest was elsewhere - but on the other hand it was eye-opening to study something out of my "comfort zone". The quality of courses depended A LOT on teacher. From the Finnish approach, the university wasn't really well organized though.

What is the food like?

As a student I didn't eat out so often. However the bakeries are world famous here. There are a lot of kebabberias and pizzerias. Anyway Italian food is always wonderful.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Padua?

I started searching actively accommodation 3 months before my exchange. There are groups on Facebook and several forums in internet, like Bakeca.it. The shorter time you need the apartment, the harder it is to find one. Most people want to rent the apartment at least for one year.

How much does it cost to live in Padua?

Comparing to Firenze or Milano, Padova is supercheap. For me it wasn't too expensive as it was about the same as in Finland (which means quite expensive for the rest of Europe). University offers some apartments (but only for few thousands). Most common way to live is to live in shared apartment, single or double rooms. The prize depends on the zone you live etc. I'd say the prize range for single room is around 280-380e/month.

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

University offers one language course for free, after that the courses are 100e/each. I started studying Italian 9 months before I arrived here, and my level was around A2-B1. I studied all my courses in Italian, and thus learned very quickly. How fast you learn the language, depends on your motivation, your background and how much you use it etc. But for A2/B1-leveller the studies in Italian means A LOT of work, but it's not impossible.

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

As I live around 2000 km from Padova, airplane was definitely my choice. With all the time in the world it would be also possible to arrive by train or bus.

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

For a beer or two, there are a lot of places in the center, like nearby Via Roma or Piazza Signora. For dancing, there are discos like Fishmarket and Factory.

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

Not really, cause I really ate mostly at home.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Padova itself is full of culture and history. Like Basilica di S. Antonio, L'orto botanico, museums, riverside etc. Nearby cities like Verona (superbeautiful) and Venezia are also recommendable.

Basilica di S. Antonio:

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

About the weather I'd say that the city is really humid. Summers are really hot (+30 - +35 with humidity feels really hot). Also winters feel cold because of the same reason.

I've heard many saying that Padova is a really nice city for studying and I can confirm that. The city is not too big (like Roma, Milano) and not too small (Verona would be boring for studying I guess). There are a lot to see and experience (mountains are close, the beach is close, beautiful and historical cities are close).

There is a big market for stolen bikes, so don't buy the new and shiny one, as it probably will get stolen.

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