Erasmus experience in Venice

Why did you choose Venice, Italy?

I study languages (English and French) and I chose Italian as a third foreign language, so that is why I thought I should come to Italy. As well as this, Venice is a spectacular city for culture and architecture, and getting lost in the streets and discovering new places every day (literally) is wonderful.

How long is your placement? How much grant did you receive?

The maximum length of the stay is 8 months, and I stayed here for the whole academic year (from September to June/July). The subject of Erasmus grants is a little bit delicate so I am not sure exactly how much I will receive yet, I think the minimum is around 100 euros a month (so in total that is 800 euros).

What is the student life like in Venice?

The student life is not as bad as it seems. The Erasmus students association are always organising lots of different events, and Italian people are very pleasant so you meet new people all the time.

So, Venice might not be as much of a 'party city' as other places (especially in the winter) but there is always something to do: the famous 'aperitivo' with spritz and "cicchetti" (a type of Venetian tapas), special events that are advertised on posters all over the streets etc. And of course people are always throwing parties in their apartments or you can go to Mestre/Marghera/Noghera/etc.

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

Definitely, if you study architecture, fine art, history of art... or even environmental sciences, this is your city. And if you like culture in general and wandering old streets then you have found your perfect place. Venice is one of a kind and everyone finds it marvellous.

What is the food like in the country?

It is true that Italian food is mostly pizza, pasta, ice cream... but of course that isn't the only option, far from it... (although this kind of food is relatively cheap on the stands in the street).

In the supermarkets, the variety of food is similar to Spain, and the Italian products are good quality. Vegetables, leafy vegetables, fish... Dare to try the Italian delicacies!

Was it difficult to find accommodation?

It was one of the hardest things I had to do there. The first month, I stayed in the university residence in Giudecca (one of the islands), but I definitely think the best option is an apartment, and if you don't have to take the 'vaporetto' (public transport), even better...

Try and find somewhere before you arrive by looking on Bakeca, EasyStanza and there are various Facebook groups available. After this, arrange to visit the flats in person, because a lot of them are old. There are lots of options even though it doesn't seem like there is!

How much does it cost to live in Venice?

It isn't the cheapest city in Italy (especially because it is sooo touristic, so in many areas the prices are very high) but if you save money on food (don't eat out all the time) and on the transport, because you can walk to most places, you can keep a budget, more or less...

With your accommodation and living costs, your monthly spends will be around 700/800 euros.

What is the language like? Did you take a class in the university?

You can get by perfectly fine speaking Castellan, but some Venetians will only speak to you in Italian (some only know their own dialect... ). Personally, I think that learning the language of the country forms part of the experience...

There are lots of different language courses for foreign students in the University linguistic centre and they aren't that expensive; I would totally recommend them.

What is the cheapest way to get to Venice from your home-town?

From Barcelona, you can get there by train, but the cheapest way, and the most practical way in my opinion is by plane. Vueling flies to Marco Polo (the airport in Venice) and RyanAir goes to Treviso airport, which you can get to by bus from Venice.

What places do you recommend to go out in Venice?

Like I said, Venice doesn't have a massive party scene, but there are options to go out if you find them... On the island, you can do a bar and club crawl, the best places are in the Rialto area. There are other options in Castello, and of course Campo Santa Margherita (the university zone but in winter there aren't many people). On Lido (the other island) there is a club, but again, it is better in the summer.

And if you take a train or bus, you can go to Mestre/Marghera/Noghera and Padova, which isn't that far.

And what about eating in Venice? Can you tell us some of your favourite places?

The cheapest option is to eat at home, but you have to try the Venetian tapas (cicchetti), and they sell it for 1 euro in the less touristic areas. The pizza that you can buy in the streets is really good (in Campo Santa Margherita they make it non-stop), and you can ice-cream right up until winter.

What is the city like culturally?

The best, it is a city that surprises you every day; as well as the obvious tourist sites, it is worth wandering around San Polo, the Ghetto, the Venice Giardini... the options are endless. And there are so many different museum expositions, there is always something interesting to see.

Any advice to future students going to Italy?

Do not be put off because you have heard it is expensive and there isn't much night-life. If you know how to look, you will always find options. It is an incredible city and you will fall hopelessly in love with her!