Erasmus Experience in Thessaloniki, Greece by Anja

Why did you choose to go to Thessaloniki, Greece?

I wanted to go somewhere where I have never been before.

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

About 5 months, I do not have enough money because the life / food is way more expensive than I thought.

What is the student lifestyle like in Thessaloniki?

The students are very open minded and like to hang out, go for a coffee and party a lot.

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

If you like to party, yes...

What is the food like?

Tavernas are really good but in my opinion it is too expensive to go eat at a taverna regularly. The food in supermarkets is really expensive... so I do not enjoy buying food here.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Thessaloniki?

No, finding an accommondation was easy. Still, I don't get enough scholarship to cover the costs.

How much does it cost to live in Thessaloniki?

Too much since I don't have the chance to work here.. (even Greek people don't find a job here). But I think that is more of a problem of whole Greece than only Thessaloniki.

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

Yes there are Greek language courses available. I had many organizational problems at the University because the lessons that were supposed to take part in English were in Greek...

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

By plain, Ryanair!

Source

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

There are many possibilities. But only if you don't mind people smoking inside bars / clubs....it gets smoky and nasty.

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

There are many good tavernas... too much. I can not try all.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The White Tower and the seaside is beautiful. Then there are some few museums.

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

I like Thessaloniki even though it has its bad sides. I love sitting, chilling and chatting at the seaside with my Erasmus friends, I like hiking, which is possible if you drive about half an hour outside the city with a bus and jogging at the seaside is also possible. In the city you find some really cheap pita/giros places to bus food, but in general it is expencive because food in grocery stores is not cheap at all. Many people, especially students here, go out to party. If you like partying I think you are in the right city. I personally don't like it because everyone smokes inside, it gets smoky, sticky and nasty.

Of course, Thessaloniki is a very sunny place and the beaches are not far. So it is a nice place to stay in the spring/summer time.