Erasmus Experience in Porto, Portugal by Kateřina

Why did you choose to go to Porto, Portugal?

Main reason why I chose Porto was that I really like summer time, weather and all activities you can do in summer. I heart before that Porto is place with long tradition for student life and different activities. Second one was a interesting university with many different classes.

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

I was in porto from september till july (10 months) and I got 355 euro each month from my university (it means 3550 euros at all) You can live in Porto with this scholarship, accomodation around 200 euro if you don´t have a dorm, lunch or dinner around 5 - 8 euro.

What is the student lifestyle like in Porto?

Porto is city full of students, there so many traditions and celebrate for student that you have feeling they are never taking off their costumes and never stopping celebrate. Almost every day in the evening you can find students sitting and hanging out infront of the retoria or in Ribeira, later in clubs.

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

I studied in ISMAI (Institute Superior da Maia), If you compare it to Uni Porto, it´s really small school, but with a great support for international students, I just had a problem with some teachers because they didn´t speak english.

What is the food like?

Sweet and fat...but soo good. Once you try all these sweets cakes in some coffe or you will eat Francesinha. Also you can find a lot of fish food there, most famous Bacalhau (cold fish) with so many ways how to prepare it. It will take a long time to try all varieties of this dish.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Porto?

I found my accomodation before I came to Porto on a web sites with room offers. Most people just came to Porto, stay for a while in hostel and than start to looking for a room and I guess they were successfull in all cases.

How much does it cost to live in Porto?

For accomodation aroun 150 - 250 per room in average,
lunch or dinner in a average restaurant 5 - 8 euros,
coffe not more than 1,50 euro,
ticket for transport from 1,50 till 3 euros,

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

Portuguesse is not really easy language, but it´s not that hard to learn basics of it. In my school we had a portuguesse and english classes, there were also possibilities to study spanish and french.

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

Prague - Porto
Fly with Ryanair or Wizz air to Milan, Madrid, Barcelona and than with Ryanair to Porto.

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

Monday - Ribeira :)
Other days everything starting at "Pilhio" infront of Retoria, there are small bars, everybody sitting outside and hanging out, talking with friends and later one of the clubs.