Experience in Urbino, Italy by Georgina

What is it like to live in Urbino? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

The city is absolutely stunning. It is up a small mountain, so it's often quite foggy during the winter months, and you are often even above the cloud line, which makes for some gorgeous views. It's a very small town, it's possible to walk from one side to the other in about 15/20 minutes. But this also means that it's quite easy to make friends, as you see the same people very frequently in the main piazza, where everyone hangs out most of the time. I would recommend it, but only for one term, and only if you have enough money to go and visit other places as and when you fancy. As it's such a small place, I find I have to get out to other places quite often. I would recommend living here for a single semester, as I think it would get tiresome for a whole academic year.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Urbino?

The student lifestyle mostly consists of a Thursday night out drinking in the piazza. Sadly there are no societies or clubs to join, and there is no student union to speak of, so you have to improvise a little bit to mix things up.

How much does it cost to live in Urbino?

The student accommodation is fairly costly. The room I am in at the moment, which is a single room in a shared block of flats with a communal bathroom and kitchen, is €240 per month. The supermarkets are a fairly reasonable price, there are little independent grocery/veg shops which are quite cheap, and alcohol is pretty cheap too. I would recommend renting a shared house rather than Uni accommodation as you get much more for your money.

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Is it difficult to find accommodation in Urbino? Is there any advice you can give?

The good thing is that Erasmus students are virtually guaranteed a spot in accommodation. As the centre of Urbino is comprised virtually entirely of students, I get the impression that most of the property is let out to students and that there is quite a lot available, though I have not experienced the search myself.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

I have to say, it is very difficult to come across exciting ingredients or spices etc to make anything more than home cooked Italian or stir fries or soups, as the supermarkets are quite small, but you can eat well.

What places would you recommend visiting in Urbino?

Urbino has a lot of cultural spots, as it is the birthplace of Rafaello. There are a few museums and art galleries, and there is a beautiful park called the Fortezza, from which you can see right across Urbino. The views are incredible - it is a renaissance town with stunning architecture and countryside, and lovely cobbled streets.

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Is it good to eat out in Urbino? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

There are quite a few restaurants, most of which are Italian of varying degrees of quality. The only non Italian restaurants are one Greek and three kebab shops, but the Italian restaurants do their food well. There are some lovely cafés, with one I particularly like which makes delicious cakes. It's at the top of a steep hill, so you burn off the calories before you eat them.

Is the nightlife good in Urbino? Where is good to go?

The nightlife is fairly repetitive. There are a few bars, and one small nightclub, and the big night out is Thursday. As I said before, the piazza is the main meeting place, and generally people wander around from bar to bar. Rimini is relatively close by, (a bus and a train away) so if you want a big night out, that's the place to go.

What advice would you give future students heading to Urbino?

I would tell them to save a lot of money for travelling, as the public transport is minimal, and so it can be quite costly to go anywhere.