Erasmus Experience in Rome, Italy by Stella

Why did you choose to go to Rome, Italy?

I have always loved Italy for its culture, landscapes and great food. It was easy to arrange because of a partnership with my home university.

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

It was 10 months long and they gave me around 6000 €.

What is the student lifestyle like in Rome?

It's great! There are lots of universities and many activities organised by different associations.

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

Absolutely. Rome is a very diverse city, not just for students. Although there is a great party lifestyle and nice student neighborhoods to have a drink, there are many other aspects of the city too. Rome is, of course, known for its culture, History, food, beautiful sights... There's something for anyone.

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What is the food like?

It's amazing! You can find the best pasta and pizza anywhere. It's also relatively cheap.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Rome?

Not really.

How much does it cost to live in Rome?

• Room: anywhere from 400 € (outside the city), to 500 € (closer to the city center), 600 € (close to my university, LUISS, a more expensive neighbourhood) for shared apartments and 600+ € for single apartments.
• Food: groceries prices are similar to other western countries, it's also cheap to eat out.
• Partying: drinks from supermarkets and student neighbourhoods like San Lorenzo are cheap (3/4 € for a bottle of wine; 2 € for a beer), clubs tend to be expensive (10 € for a drink).

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

The language can be quite difficult, as Italians speak fast and there are lots of different accents/dialects. Language courses were available at the university, but I would not recommend them.

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

From Utrecht to Rome there are lots of cheap flights tickets available. Check out Ryanair (flights from Ciampino to Eindhoven), Transavia (Fiumicino to Rotterdam), Vueling...

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

For a night out in Rome, there are different places depending on your liking.

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• For drinks: San Lorenzo (cheap drinks/cocktails), Campo de'Fiori (city center, more expensive but still for students), Pigneto (aperitivo/drinks), Piazza Bologna.
• For clubbing, some of the best clubs are: Goa, Vibe.

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

There are lots of great restaurants in Rome. You'll have to explore yourself!

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Of course, all the "standard" tourist sites, like the Vatican/Colosseum/Trevi fountain, etc. Some other nice places to go are: Via Appia Antica, Villa Borghese, Giardino degli Aranci, Tivoli (an hour outside Rome).

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

Take into account how long you are willing to spend on travelling from/to university and city center when finding a place. Public transport can be hell, and what's supposed to take 20 minutes can take more than an hour.