Erasmus Experience in Vigo, Spain by Bea

Why did you choose to go to Vigo, Spain?

It was the best option for me to choose from all the universities my uni has within the Erasmus+ programme, namely because of the similar courses I would be taking in Vigo.

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

Mine was for 4, 5 months. It depends for each country, it was about 400 Euro per month.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Vigo?

Very lively. You have many options of how to fill in your free time, be it provided by the University of Vigo, ESN Vigo or simply doing stuff on your own, like going hiking, surfing or joining a local language practice group.

The city on its own is not that big and the architecture might be a big ugly, but it has a lot of beautiful beaches where you can play anything you like, it also has a lot of taperías (typical Spanish bars) with outside terraces, it is a cosmopolitan city with various nationalities living in there... and mainly, it is one of the Spain´s most important port cities, that means you can catch a ferry every 30 mins to go to nearby Moaña, Cangas, the incredibly beautiful Cíes Islands... Or - like I did - go the big fish market at 5am and see a different face of the city.

And the city also guards some interesting history, visit to O Castro park is a must, where you can have a beautiful overview of the whole port.

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

I definitely would. If you are going to study languages and translation, the University of Vigo is a great option.

As I said, the city might be looking a bit ugly, but it is the Erasmus people and spirit that will make it awesome for you.

The unpleasant aspect of the campus is that it´s 40mins away from the city (depending on the faculty), but it is great and very student friendly.

Just one important thing - it rains. Many times a week. A lot. Did I say there is a lot of water? Yes, it rains. You can´t do anything with it, but you will see the gallegos are experts in finding a way around it. It rains? So what?

What is the food like?

Are you asking me for real? The food is beyond amazing! If you love seafood, you are gonna be in heaven. The most typical dish is "Pulpo a la gallega", that is "Octopus the galician way" and you cannot leave the city without trying it. You just can´t.

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Then, of course, you will find some delicious pastries like empanadas (stuffed with fish or meat), croquetas, cocido gallego, all kinds of fresh fish, very good bakeries with some lovely selection of breads... And the other typical Spanish delicacies like jamón, olives etc. The best way to try a bit of this and that is simply going for tapas.

And while you are there, try some Latin American dishes as well - you will find the best arepas in Pastelería Canela (say Bea sent you hehe). Oh, yeah, and try grelos too...

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Vigo?

At first yes, but only because I was going to be with other three friends and finding a 4 bedroom flat was not so easy. If you are looking for a place just for yourself, it´s very easy. You can join many groups on FB or get in touch with other students to find your place.

Do one thing - definitely get to know your neighbours, they might be amazing people.

How much does it cost to live in Vigo?

To live comfortably for a student it might be about 500 Euro per month, so make sure to have a bit of savings apart from your monthly grant.

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

If you speak Spanish, you are going to be fine, the accent is very similar to the standard castellano one.

In Galicia you will find that the predominant language is Gallego, which sounds like a mixture of Spanish and Portuguese (but it´s not) and that it´s used as an official language mainly in institutions.

When it comes to Vigo and Ferrol, the people speak more Spanish than Gallego, in other cities and especially smaller towns around it might not be case. For me it was not hard to understand.

The University provides several language courses, so understandably, Spanish (various levels) and Gallego (with culture trips within the course classes) are on their offer as well. And you are going to practice a lot of Spanish with the Erasmus people anyway, so don´t worry.

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

From where I live, the most economical way was to take a flight to Madrid and then take a train directly to Vigo. You can also fly to Barcelona and then take another flight to Vigo.

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

The most bars you will find in the Zona del Arenal - Barrocco, Zero cubico, Tokyo, Oh la la, to name a few better ones.

If you are looking for something more hipster, go to Mondo club, if you are into jazz concerts, try El Contrabajo.

If you just want to eat and have a good chat, go to Isla del Paquetá or La Leyenda.

Aaaaaaand, if you want to get drunk fast and cheap, Churruca 20 is the place to be. Everything either starts or ends there anyway.

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

The ones in Casco vello, though they are on the pricier side.

For good and really cheap pizza try Interpizza that´s close to the Balaídos stadium and for pulpo - well, you can go anywhere, but I had some good one at Pintan tapas. Don´t forget to accompany with your Estrella Galicia!

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

In Vigo - Parque de Castrelos (with beautiful gardens and manor house), Museo do Mar, O Castro, Casco vello, Monte da guia, Museo Marco (contemporary art), Museo Verbum (museum of languages).

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For other ones, you have to get out of the city and go to Baiona, Cambados, Combarro, Pontevedra, Santiago de Compostela...

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

Enjoy every single minute (and drop of rain) of it, because at the end you will find that you are completely in love with Galicia and you will forever have a longing to go back to this not-so-typical Spain.