Are you looking for the best article that can help you find the perfect city where you can spend your Erasmus period? You’re reading the right article! After listening to the experiences of several Erasmus students we’ve created the perfect article that will clear your mind and give you all the most important information you need to know about the best 10 European destinations. For each destination, we’ll talk about its most famous attractions and gastronomy but we’ll also talk about what Erasmus students really care about: parties and cost of living! You’ll find all you need to know right below 🙂
Madrid, Spain
Madrid is one of the best Erasmus destinations in South Europe.
Spain is an incredible country and its citizens are cheerful and friendly people who love to enjoy their lives. The Spanish vibe is so good, indeed, most of the year it is a sunny country with a great history and an impressive mixture of cultures.
Madrid is the capital of Spain and it’s very appealing for tourists and students from all over the world thanks to its food and traditions but also for its beautiful and charming language.
Madrid is the perfect place if you are into sports, culture, food, and parties!
The city has plenty of cultural events offered by museums, theaters, international festivals, and galleries but also sports events both indoors and outdoors. The most popular attractions in the city are the Museo National del Prado, the Puerta del Sol, the Ritiro Park, and the Plaza Mayor among others. The city also has a lot of artistic and lavish streets where you can go shopping. As for gastronomy, it’s full of traditional dishes such as callos a la madrileña, garlic soup, cocidos madrileños, and squid sandwiches.
What usually attracts more students to the city is the incredible nightlife that the city offers. Madrid’s streets are full of nightclubs and pubs which play a lot of different types of music and are open from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Moreover, in Madrid, it’s possible to find tons of restaurants and bars throughout the streets where you can try one of the most popular Spanish dishes called “tapas” always accompanied by a good local beer (cerveza). It’s funny though that in Spain people use the phrase “ir de tapas” (going for tapas) to express the hang out with friends where they move from bar to bar trying different tapas and beers.
As for the cost of living, Madrid is quite expensive compared to other Spanish cities. Nonetheless, it can vary depending on your lifestyle. House renting is usually the biggest expense that you will have, and it usually amounts to 400-600€ per month. Then, considering food and drinks, public transport, and parties, an Erasmus student can spend approximately 800-900€ per month.
Granada, Spain
Since we have been talking about Spain, it’s appropriate to talk about another famous Erasmus destination in the country: Granada! Some people say this is not a place for Erasmus students but it’s THE place. The University of Granada hosts every year the highest number of Erasmus students. For this reason, in 2007 and 2012 it won the Erasmus Gold Star and it also hosted the 25th Erasmus program anniversary.
People say that Granada is the best place to lose yourself and find yourself simultaneously. The city doesn’t only offer the largest Spanish culture, but it also allows students to explore the world without limits!
Granada is one of the most beautiful medieval cities, characterized by astonishing monuments and breathtaking landscapes, the city even holds a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Alhambra Palace.
As well as in the rest of the country, the city possesses a strong gastronomic tradition that allows foreigners to discover new flavors and have extraordinary food experiences.
If you are looking for the best Erasmus experience, you should know that Granada is mainly an international student city situated between the mountains and the sea, characterized by good weather. Every day in Granada there are parties and activities organized by bars and pubs from the afternoon with tapas and beers until the nighs with the sound of music while admiring the Alhambra castle from the viewpoints of San Nicolás.
As for the costs, you would be happy to know that living in Granada is very cheap; hence, a student may need approximately 280€ for renting and food.
Paris, France
Paris is known worldwide for being the city of love, but you didn’t probably know it’s also an incredible city for Erasmus students. Paris is even well-known for its high education level in universities as well as for its culture, architecture, and art. Everyone knows the Eiffel Tower, the Louver Museum, and the Champs-Élysées, but Paris is worth visiting for even more attractions such as the Saint Germain de Pres, the Bastille districts, the Arc de Triomphe, or the Seine River.
As for Parisian gastronomy, some of the main typical dishes are the escargots (snails), the quiche Lorraine, cheeses of different varieties, macarons, pain au chocolate and brioches, and crêpes.
Paris is a city that every year hosts thousands of students from all over the world. For this reason, you will go out, have fun, and meet new people daily! Even though, once you go out for a drink you’ll notice that drinks and tickets for places are not very affordable. Don’t worry about it, students always find a lot of other ways to save money so that they can enjoy the incredible nightlife, full of pubs where artists play all kinds of music.
Finally, an Erasmus student needs to know that the cost of living in Paris is not cheap and renting a house can be very expensive (400-700€ per month).
Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is a very nice city where students can experience their Erasmus year since it’s big enough to offer students everything they might need without ever feeling overwhelmed. If you are going to spend your Erasmus year in Budapest you’ll be delighted to enjoy the color of its streets and the politeness and kindness of people.
The city offers hundreds of museums, galleries, and colors. If you’re an Erasmus student be sure that you’ll enjoy its traditional celebrations and festivity! One of the most popular days is Independence Day and it’s celebrated all over Hungary on the 15th of March; whereas, an important festival that gathers together all Budapest citizens is the Budapest Spring Festival.
As for Hungarian gastronomy, one of the most typical meals that you will find everywhere is the goulash, which is a Hungarian soup perfect for warming up during cold days.
Let’s talk now about parties in Budapest! You’ll always find the party that suits you more! Every week in the city there’s a high number of parties. The city is divided into two parts from the Danube river: Buda and Pest. The chaotic area of the city is Pest, where all Erasmus students and local students are used to meeting due to the great variety of pubs and bars that the area offers.
As for the cost of living, Budapest is not very expensive. A student can pay the house rent, food, and drinks with almost 500€ per month on average.
Bologna, Italy
Bologna is the Italian university city par excellence! Even if it’s a very small city, it’s full of buildings, monuments, picturesque churches, cultural activities, and large squares. The city was founded in 189 a.c. by the Roman Empire and now there are a lot of legends about the city itself and its history. If you are into art and architecture, Bologna is the best place to go for living your Erasmus experience. The “seven secrets” of Bologna are one of the major attractions. These include the three arrows, the whispering arch, la Finestrella or Canale di Reno, the broken vase in the Asinelli Tower, the finger of Neptune, and the Devil’s face.
As for gastronomy, you can already imagine that by being an Italian city, the food is super tasty and high quality! The city is full of restaurants where you can find all the best typical Italian dishes as well as the main ones from Bologna itself such as Lasagne alla Bolognese, the Crescentine, tortellini in brodo, and the Passatelli among others.
In the city, the nightlife is amazing! There are a lot of clubs where people organize parties for Erasmus students but there are also a lot of parties in students’ dormitories or apartments.
The cost of living in Bologna depends on you, most Erasmus students like to travel to other cities near Bologna, and it means spending some extra money. You can visit astonishing cities such as Florence, Modena, Milan, and Ferrara only by driving for a few hours. Yet, even here, the big part of your budget will be addressed to house renting (350-500€).
Warsaw, Poland
Warsaw is Poland’s capital city and, thanks to its wonderful atmosphere, the city offers young students a lot of opportunities, from cultural events to incredible nightlife.
The city abounds in culture. For this reason, there are some places that you must visit if you decide to spend your Erasmus year in Warsaw. In the city, you can find the Warsaw Uprising Museum where you can see how, back in 1944, Polish people rose against Nazis. Then, there are the Palace of Culture and Science, the Copernicus Science Center, and the Royal Castle.
As for the gastronomy, the typical Polish dishes are pierogi, zurek, kotlet mielony, kotlet schabowy, bigos and much more. In general, take into account that Polish people love onion, garlic, and bacon!
When it comes to parties, be sure that Polish people know how to have fun! In Warsaw, you can find very cheap clubs or bars where you can buy alcohol. The city is full of students and even if the city is very cold in winter, Erasmus students always find a way to party! It can be in dormitories and apartments but also in pubs, which are usually big enough to give a seat to everyone, and the heating system there works very well!As opposed to a lot of European capital cities, Warsaw’s cost of living is quite cheap! The rent for a shared apartment can cost approximately 200-350€ per month and also public transport and taxis are very cheap! This will allow you to visit other polish cities during your stay in Warsaw!
Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon is Portugal’s capital city and it’s one of the most visited cities in Europe. It’s full cultural and historical references, with ancient, modern, and contemporary museums. The main attractions in the city are for example the Protas do Sol, the Alfama Quarter, the San Jorge Castle, and all the breathtaking viewpoints from where you can admire the beauty of the city. Lisbon also offers amazing beaches that surround the city.
As for gastronomy, it is very varied in Lisbon. Some of the main traditional dishes are the bacalhau à Brás, the bitoque de nata, the frango de churrasco, and Cozido a portuguesa.
Moreover, there are always parties in Lisbon. One very crowded area in Lisbon is called Barrio Alto and there you can find a lot of bars and some popular nightclubs.
Finally, the cost of living in Lisbon is always beneficial to all students since it’s not too expensive. As in every city, the main expense during the Erasmus year is house renting. Nonetheless, if you start looking for the apartments months before you could also find some great offers (300€ per month). Other kinds of expenses are food and beverage and restaurants can be very cheap in the city (almost 5-10€ per meal).
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam is a dynamic city, which gives students a great number of initiatives and opportunities. Everywhere you turn in Amsterdam is a combination of colors, art, and cultures. The city boasts the beauty of 50 museums and a lot of exhibitions, live music, festivals, and theaters. Some of the most famous museums in the city are the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, the Hermitage Museum, and the Hanna Frank House. A great option to visit the city can be going around by bike or even by boat through its famous canals.
The city also has a strong culinary tradition; hence, some of the most popular dishes of Dutch cuisine are the bitterballen, the broodje haring, the poffertjes, and the stroopwafel.
Now, if you’re looking for some area where you can party you cannot know about the Red Light District, a very popular area in Amsterdam where you can find pubs and bars but also coffee shops. Moreover, the best areas where you can party are the Leidseplein or the Rembrandtplein. In Amsterdam, nightclubs are very expensive, for this reason, it’s advisable to drink before the entrance.
Lastly, let’s talk about costs. The average cost of living for a student is usually very expensive in Amsterdam, but still, it’s not the most expensive one in Europe. A student can spend around 600-700€ per month, rent, parties, and food and drinks included. Something that will easily help you save money is renting a bicycle as soon as you get in the city.
Berlin, Germany
Berlin is the German capital city and it is home to one of the most tragic events of human history, that’s why you will find reminders of it everywhere in the city. Berlin is an international city for students coming from all over the world. Berlin’s culture is incredible and there are thousands of ways to get to know the city. Some of its main attractions are the Museum Island, Berlin Cathedral, the DDR Museum, and the German Historical Museum.
As for Berline gastronomy, the main ingredients are meat and potatoes, and the most popular typical dishes are the Boulette, the currywurst, the Schnitzels, and the Frikadellen.
On the other hand, Erasmus parties in the city are organized every week. The city is completely dynamic and you can easily find a place where to have fun every day, without ever getting bored. Berlin is famous for its techno music clubs, especially in areas such as the Wasrchauerstrabe’s. Everywhere you go you’ll find students coming from all over the world that want to enjoy their experience as much as you.
Surprisingly, Berlin’s cost of living is not as expensive as someone may believe. House renting can go from 200€ to 400€ in the worst scenario. For eating, a student can spend approximately 10-15€ in a cheap restaurant or 25-30€ in an expensive one. Public transports are quite expensive: 2,90€ for a single ticket or approximately 720€ per year. Anyway, that’s probably the reason why they are so efficient and well-connected.
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague is Czech Republic’s capital city and it’s wonderful, characterized by its culture and diversity. There are some must-stop places if you decide to live your Erasmus experiences in the city, such as the Powder Tower, the Old Town Square, and the Charles Bridge. The city also offers great traditional gastronomy, influenced by Austrian and German cuisine. The main dishes are the goulash, the kulajda, and the steak tartare.
In Prague, you will find a huge variety of places to go out, like bars, pubs, or nightclubs. Usually, Erasmus students love to go for a beer or to a party, and you will be surprised about how cheap and good beers are in the city.On the other hand, the cost of living is affordable. Students usually opt for a shared apartment, which can be good if you consider that you can share the rent and the bills with other students.