Erasmus Experience in Trieste, Italy by Nancy

Why did you choose to go to Trieste, Italy?

I chose Trieste because my boyfriend is from this city and because I had the opportunity to do an Erasmus Placement.

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

Well because it was for a short period about 4 months I didn't receive a great scholarship. Was about 800 euros I'm not sure, it was 2009.

What is the student lifestyle like in Trieste?

If I compare with Portugal very different. I arrived in the middle of May and for that reason I didn't make so many Erasmus friends but with good company you can go everywhere :D Trieste has a nice university, and is near to other European countries, they have a lot of partys in the summer, and some in the beginning of the 1st semester.

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

Yes in my case it was very nice and I learned so much! Not only Italian but I made new friends. I was in 2009 and now we are in 2013 and I still live here.

Source

What is the food like?

The food is great, I mean - we are in Italy. Normally the students don't know where the good restaurants are, but is part of the discovery of the city. Because this was a city with a lot of history you can find influences from Austria, Slovenia, North Italy, Astrian cuisine. You can go to aperitivo, or osmizza, or little places to drink wine, pizzeria, osteria.... so many things to try and eat.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Trieste?

Yes, a lot. I had luck because I got a room in the student dorm. It wasn't very nice but I was short on money, and I was staying for a short period of time and I didn't care. For three years I helped Erasmus students to find accommodation in Trieste if you stay for a short period of time is difficult, usually the renter wants someone that stays more than 6 months. Some advertising in paper ask for no Erasmus, or no Spanish students because of some problems in the past with noise at night or because some escape without paying the rent.

How much does it cost to live in Trieste?

The costs of living are ok for the most part of students because it is an affordable city comparing with other Italian cities is very cheap. I'm talking by experience, for the students from Portugal and Spain can be a little bit expensive, extras like eating in restaurants or drinking in bars is not affordable if you have a little scholarship. Accommodation can be cheap if you share your room with another person, buses have a nice price 1, 25 for 2h or 32 euros for a month, beer cost between 2, 50 to 7 euros depending on the bar, pizza very cheap from 5 to 15 euros, eating in restaurant not cheap between 12 to 35 euros with one drink in a cheap place for example.

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

For Erasmus students they have Italian courses. The most part of the university only speaks in Italian so be prepared. I was so lucky to find teachers and tutors that spoke a good English, but for many students it's a nightmare, because the exams are oral not written and you must speak in Italian.

Source

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

Easyjet from Lisbon to Venice and then take the train until Trieste. A lot of students came by car or airplane depending where are they from.

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

Portizza, Rex for aperitivo, da Marino to drink wine and eat prosciutto, discover the enoteca and learn to appreciate wine, go to osmizza to eat and drink for a cheap price, piadineria for awesome piadinas, Ausonia/ ETNOBLOG/ Rossetti/ La diga/ Mandracchio/Tetris/ Round midnight/ Juice/ the castle of san giusto and my favorite Grip for dancing and drink something with friends.

If you don't like this you can go to the cinema in Viale XX Settembre, Torri d'Europa or if you think that movies are better in original language you can go to Ariston. You can go to classical music events, opera or theatre at Rossetti or Verdi. They have some nice festivals Trieste science fiction, jazz festival at summer, balcanic partys, etc.

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

L'Excalibur is near of Valmaura the best burger I ate in my life and I was a McDonald's lover, pizzeria number one / Vecchia Napoli/ La Torre/ la Pizzeria Del Nonno are the best from the city but usually pizza is good almost everywhere. TNT for good chips and sandwiches, il Baffo for fish and gnocchi, Siora Rosa for meals of the day, da Marino you can also eat at lunch, da Pepi to try the sandwich with porchetta or prosciutto in crosta di pane. In Osmizza they are different places you drink wine and eat cheeses, bread and ham, prosciutto similar to tapas, is rare to get bad food around. uuuu and icecream from da Marco.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Miramare castle, San Giusto catedral and castle, Castle of Duino but if you want to do the walk instead and see the old trincheras from the ww1. See with attention the monuments from the city, the most part of them are related with ww2, you can see the massacre place Foiba di Bazzovizza or the concentration camp near Valmaura, synagoghe, the church from serb orthodox, you can see bunkers from the war, museum of Revoltella, oriental museum, La piazza Unità d'Italia, the hebraic ghetto, the old part of the city that you can admire and do some shopping at antique shops, old roman monument, do some walk in the nature at Napoleonica, Carso, go to Val Rosandra go until Slovenia by foot or bike.

Source

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

My advice is to get some friends and explore the city, don't stay in common places, get an adventure and explore! And get the time to understand the people that live here :D They are strange in their own way but when you meet them you fall in love.