Erasmus Experience in Verona, Italy by Aisling

Why did you choose to go to Verona, Italy?

I wanted to go somewhere manageable to get around and that had a good transport system for travelling the north of Italy.

What is the student lifestyle like in Verona?

The student lifestyle in Verona is quite poor. Most students go home on the weekends which leaves the city being quite quiet except for plenty of tourists. There is not much to do for students apart from travelling around. Every Thursday night the university Erasmus group organizes a night for Erasmus students which can be fun but other than that there is not a lot to do for students like groups or societies.

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

The city is beautiful and definitely has charm and culture. It is a quiet place for students so I would not recommend it to students looking for the party atmosphere. However, if you're looking for Italian culture in spades, cute cafes and beautiful buildings with a quiet and very safe atmosphere, Verona is for you.

What is the food like?

There are plenty of restaurants offering typical Italian cuisine in the city: plenty of pizzerias and "trattorias" which are not expensive at all and have really delicious food.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Verona?

I joined the university Erasmus group page and was able to find my accommodation through that. The university was very helpful in securing accommodation.

How much does it cost to live in Verona?

It is not an expensive city to live in. Public transport is cheap and rent is not expensive, averaging between 200-300€ a month including bills. Supermarkets are limited so it can be difficult to get cheaper groceries. However it is not over priced.

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

Most people speak Italian and don't have great English so you are definitely thrown in at the deep end, which is good for language learning in my opinion.

There are intensive language courses for Italian available at the university which I would recommend using.

What is the easiest or most economical way to travel to Verona from your city?

By plane.

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

There are no night clubs in the city so you have to travel about 15 minutes by taxi to get to one. Dorian Gray and Berfi's are some of the most popular ones.

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

The pizzeria Leon D'Oro does great pizzas in a gorgeous setting. Leone da Ciro is also very good for pizza. Nastro Azzuro in Piazza Bra is also reasonably priced and has good Italian dishes.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The Arena is beautiful as is the number of churches around the city. Castel San Pietro and Torre dei Lamberti are two beautiful viewing points of the city. Castelvecchio is worth a visit for the gorgeous structure and the art gallery inside. The Roman theater has an interesting lapidarium inside and Ponte Pietra is a beautiful pedestrian bridge for a great photo!

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

The university is quite unorganized so do your research prior to arrival on things like exam dates, course availability, etc.