Esperienza Erasmus a Vilnius, Lituania di Martina

Why did you choose to go to Vilnius, Lithuania?

I chose Vilnius because i'm studying Russian and it was one of the destination that provided Russian courses.

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

My scholarship was enough to cover the costs here, since I lived in the university dormitory.

What is the student lifestyle like in Vilnius?

Vilnius is a very vibrant city and full of opportunities if you want to spend time with friends. The university is the one of the oldest in Europe and has different locations. There is the cantine with affordable prices.

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

yes I would suggest the city, i'm in love with it. While in the university almost all of its studies are divided in mid-term tests and essay to write during the semester, you have to get use to it.

What is the food like?

The food is good and cheap. They eat a lot of potatoes, meat and soup and they offer a lot of special dishes from them. The beer, particularly, is very cheap.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Vilnius?

I lived in the university dormitory so I'm not informed about the flat situation. I was in Olandu g. 51, this is the closest to the old campus (20 minutes by feet) and consequently to the old town. Talking about the conditions, it was the best in the city but still not very good. I paid almost 60 euros per month in a triple room and I had to share the bathroom with a double room and the kitchen with 12 other rooms. There are 2 laundry machines and 2 drying machines for the whole building and receptionist 24/7. If you want to leave there you must have good adaptability and a lot of sharing spirit. At the end I would suggest to stay there in order to save money to travel and stuff!

How much does it cost to live in Vilnius?

Not that much. The monthly bus subscription, for student, is 5 euros. Rent,as I said, 60 euros. Dinner out 15 euros.

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

At the beginning we were always at Salento's disco but I prefer disco pubs so I'd suggest La Birra, my favourite, or Uncle Sam American Pub.. in that part of the city there are a lot of nice pubs and bars, most of the nightlife is there.

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

As italian i tried to find out which was the best pizzeria in town and I decided a winner.. Pronto pizza. It is in Uzupis, my favourite crazy neighborhood, it's very small but cozy and you can taste a very good pizza. then if you want to taste lithuanian food you can go in pilies street to Etno Dvaras: it's a little bit turistic but the food is good and cheap. I can suggest other places like Meat lovers pub, cozy, the kitchen, le travi and so on..

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Evrything in the city, don't be afraid to be curious. I suggest also, outside Vilnius, Trakai, Kaunas, Klaipeda and Nida (on the seaside) and so on.

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

Enjoy this Erasmus experience that will reveal itself as the best one, or one of the best in your life (and birng warm clothes)!