My Erasmus Experience in Vilnius - by Guillem

Why did you choose to go to Vilnius, Lithuania?

Before I went on my Erasmus exchange, I’d already been to Vilnius a few times already to visit my brother who also did his Erasmus there, and I fell in love with the city, with its people and with its culture. It’s an ideal city for Erasmus students: cheap and with a great student atmosphere.

Lots of people just choose the typical destinations, but I preferred to do something a bit different and expand my horizons. With Vilnius as your base, you can also do a lot of cheap travelling.

How long did your scholarship last? How much were you paid?

I spent six months there, from August to February. In my case, I received 290 euros per month from my university and another sum from the EU.

What’s the student life like in Vilnius?

What I loved the most about Vilnius was definitely its student atmosphere. It’s a city full of students, and you’ll see young people about both by day and by night, especially Erasmus students. It’s becoming an increasingly popular destination!

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

Yes, definitely! In terms of the city, the Old Town forms part of a historical area declared a World Heritage Site. Full of museums, monuments, cafés ideal for meeting up in, clothes shops and restaurants, it’s a city that never sleeps. Gediminio Avenue stands out as the city’s main street.

In terms of the university, I wasn’t at Vilnius University (Vilniaus Universitetas). Instead I studied at one called Vilniaus Kolegija (VIKO), and this was also a great place to be. I studied Tourism and my faculty was the Business and Management Faculty (versio vadybos fakultetas). Vilniaus Kolegija (VIKO) is the largest applied sciences university in Lithuania, with eight faculties and around 8, 000 students. Although its buildings are quite old, the teaching staff are good (though of course like everywhere there are some good ones, and some bad ones). There were lots of Erasmus students doing my course, but we were also taught together with Lithuanians who had opted for the English version of the course. Whether it’s easy to pass the exams or not? This really depends on your working style. If you go to your classes everyday and do the homework they set, you’ll pass the final exams (it depends on the course obviously what form your final exams take). I studied quite a lot for my final exams, but I passed them easily although this was my main worry before I came here.

I’d recommend Vilnius to all students. You won’t regret coming here.

What’s the food like in Lithuania?

It’s not bad - in fact, on the contrary, it’s pretty good. The most typical dish is Cepelinai, considered a national Lithuanian dish. It’s a kind of potato puree filled with meat. Lithuanian food is very Santander style, ideal for surviving the low winter temperatures when we arrived. They also have lots of typical soups and other kinds of food, such as black bread.

This country also has over two hundred kinds of beer, the main kind being ‘Svyturys’ which has fifteen different varieties.

Did you find it hard to find somewhere to live in Vilnius?

Not at all - I was given a room in a student hall of residence owned by my university (VIKO) called Bendrabutis No. 6, at 81 Giedriaciu Street.

How expensive is living in Vilnius?

I had an individual room, which cost around 430 litas per month (which is around 124 euros). You can find some rooms for 104 euros a month, however.

How are you finding the language? Have you signed up to a language class at the university?

The language is hard, but not impossible. My opinion is that if you’re going to be spending time in a foreign country, the best way to integrate well is to learn the language and traditions. I signed up to a Lithuanian course organised by my university which lasted for three and a half months, and I learned about the history and culture of Lithuania, plus basic language skills. I recommend doing a course like this, as it means you can then at least communicate in Lithuanian in taxis, restaurants etc.

What’s the cheapest way of getting to Vilnius from your home city?

Flying either with Wizzair or with Ryanair, whichever is the cheapest at the time of booking. I’m from Valencia, so I travelled to Barcelona on the AVE (high speed train) and then got a direct flight to Vilnius.

What are the best places for partying in Vilnius?

Salento, definitely. :) I had a lot of good nights out at this club. It’s ideal for getting to know more Erasmus people. I would also recommend EXIT, which is a bit more high level. In terms of pubs and bars, the La Birra pub on Vilnius Street is always full of Erasmus students. There are many other pubs on this street like Berlin Pub, Gringo Pub, Piano Bar, and a very popular club called Buda. There’s another interesting pub near Salento called Brodvejus which hosts karaoke nights on Tuesdays and Sundays. I’d also recommend Mysteria, which is a pub where they serve ‘Chuck Norris’ shots - try one, and tell me what you think. :)

What about eating out in Vilnius? What are your favourite places?

It depends on what you’re after. If you’re looking for international food, there is of course Burger King, McDonalds, Hesburguer (the Finnish hamburger chain), CanCan Pizza and Cili Pizza. These are all of course cheap places to eat, but if you’re looking for something slightly different and better quality, I recommend a pizzeria called ‘Basilico’, which serves beautifully made pizzas cooked in a traditional oven, which are nothing like Baltic pizza chains. Another restaurant I’d recommend is one called ‘Forest’, where they serve a variety of hamburgers, other meat dishes and traditional food. On Pilies Street next to the cathedral, there are lots of restaurants which serve traditional Lithuanian food. If you really want to go all out, there’s a slightly more expensive restaurant called ‘Lokis’, located in an atmospheric underground room decorated in medieval style, where they serve meat dishes and much more. It’s not even that expensive here when you convert the cost into euros. Together with starters and a drink, the dish I ordered came to 100 litas, so 25 euros. Ideal for your final celebratory meal in Vilnius.

What does Vilnius have to offer in terms of culture?

As I mentioned above, the Old Town is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can visit the cathedral there for free and go up the tower for just three euros. You can also go up the Gediminas Tower (named after the Grand Duke of Gediminas, who founded the city of Vilnius in 1323). I recommend visiting Uzupis district, an independent republic in Vilnius (symbolically) which has its own constitution, government and army. It’s similar to the Montmartre in Paris, and is the bohemian district of Vilnius. Near the former town hall, you’ll find what used to be the Jewish ghetto, decorated with plaques explaining what happened here during the Second World War. on Gediminas Avenue there are plenty of museums, among them the KGB, which tells the story of the horrors Communism brought to the country. This is a real must-see. I’d also recommend the amber museums, Lithuania’s national product, and there’s also the National Lithuanian Museum, which deals with the history of the Lithuanian people and their traditions.

Do you have any advice for future students coming to Vilnius?

You’re going to get cold, above all between November and the start of March (between December and February, temperatures can drop to -30). This wasn’t a problem for me however, and I was still able to enjoy the city, its atmosphere and parties every day of the week. Don’t be put off by the cold temperatures, or by the lack of knowledge you have about the country, as most people do. In my opinion, you’ve done very well if you get the opportunity to come here, and I’d definitely do it all over again were I given the opportunity. Don’t be swayed by the opinions of people who haven’t been there - instead, listen to people who have.