Who has never dreamed about studying abroad and seizing well their student life? Getting to know new places, new friends, new habits, new opportunities… You will experience your first student parties, new love relationships, new experiences you could have never imagined. And what better way to do that than getting out of your comfort zone and move to another city?
Europe is a good option since it offers some of the best student cities and not to mention all that variety. Different languages, weather, methods of teaching and think of all that food! Starting from Spanish paella, followed by some Belgian fries and ending in finger-licking-good Italian ice cream. We are bringing you some of the best student cities to try all this out!
1. How about some polish student life? Bringing Krakow, Poland
The city that students say to be the owner of 3 Cs: Cheap accommodation, Cheap food, cheap alcohol. What else could you ask for? But its millstones do not stop there, the city also counts with high quality of universities, plenty of international students, beautiful parks and a huge number of bars and pubs.
It is definitely the city to enjoy!! If you don´t care about the cold of course… Temperatures get even to -20º degrees in some regions, however, this leaves a good opportunity for snow lovers. Banialuka or Teatro Cubano are some suggestions if you want to go to bars crowded with Erasmus people. Otherwise, each day of the week there are events and parties in bars around Krakow, you just have to ask around which bars are worth visiting and when to go there!
2. Remember that Spanish paella? Bringing Madrid, Spain
Spain has always attracted a lot of tourists and students into the country, due to good weather and gastronomy. Besides, there are plenty of options regarding student cities. The most known ones are Granada, Valencia, Salamanca and, of course, MADRID. A beautiful big city with a lot of opportunities to offer. The high-quality education in universities such as Universidad Carlos III de Madrid or Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and the huge range of different accommodations to choose from, prove that it is a city full of students.
The area called “Ciudad Universitaria” is full of student residences where you can fin students having a blast on the street every weekend (starting on Thursday). However, you can not expect to save a lot of money in Madrid - it’s one of the most expensive cities in Spain. But back to the fun part, regarding clubs, there is a place for everyone! It does not matter if you like rock, reggaeton or techno, you will find your place in Madrid! Our suggestions are Los Bajos de Moncloa for cheap clubbing, Frabrik for techno lovers, Teatro Barceló and Kapital for a fancier style.
When it comes to food Madrid is also a paradise of variety, nevertheless, trying the typical bocata de calamares (a sandwich of squid) is a must. In the center, next to Puerta del Sol, you will find lots of places to try this specialty and bars to eat some of the best tapas. If any of this sounds good to you, here comes the best part, soon we will publish a real-life experience from a student from this city where you can read many more tips!
3. Time for Brussels student life
Belgium is an expensive country; you can even notice this in the supermarket. So, student budgets often get a bit tight. But students have always found the solution to this problem in beer! In case if all you need is a cheap and delicious Belgian beer this is a place for you. Have you ever imagined a whole section of the supermarket full of dozens of different kinds of beer? You won´t even have time to try them all during your stay in Belgium!
Brussels is a city defined by its multiculturality; you will have the chance to meet people from all over the world. So, prepare your dictionaries because here people speak different languages and mix them all the time, these including Dutch, French, German, Arabic, English…
The city counts with more than 15 parks where there are always young people playing sports, drinking beer, eating or playing cards with their friends. Bois de la Cambre is a huge green space that counts with a lake, a circuit for bikes, and several places to eat, Parc du Cinquantenaire offers also the option of visiting museums if you like. If you enjoy being outdoors and nature, Brussels will meet your needs.
In terms of parties and festivals, Brussels is not left behind. Beer festivals and crowded bars are all over the city. The 3 most popular places for students are Ixelles (role model student district), Flagey (where you can also eat one of the best French fries), and the center of Brussels which, however, is a bit more expensive. You can now read our NEW BLOG which gives you more tips and recommendations for Brussels from a student point of view.
4. Last but not least - Bologna, Italy
Bologna is a wonderful student city. It has the largest community of international students in Europe and the University of Bologna is the most ancient in the western world. Studying in Bologna is absolutely worth it! Also, the University is located right in the heart of the historical center which means that being a student in Bologna forces you to discover and explore the city. How often do you crave Italian food? It does not matter where you are from, I´m sure that you love at least one feature of Italian food. To try it out in Bologna here are some recommendations:
- Marsalino, in Via Marsala to get a good aperitivo at a cheap price;
- Osteria dell'Orsa to have some tagliatelle with ragù at a good price;
- Mercato delle Erbe to try the Bolognese cuisine.
Nightlife is fun and particular. The most happen in students' houses and in the streets (Via del Pratello, Via Zamboni, Via Petroni). Clubs maybe are not so popular in this student cities but still here are some: Numa, Locomotiv, Kindergarten, Millennium.
Student life - conclusion
All these cities will be good choices if you are spinning around the matter of where to study next year. As we mention Europe is full of different options and it is almost impossible to mention all great student cities cause there are plenty! What we provided is just a preview of what we will bring you in the next several blogs, so check our page now and then!
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Best way to travel to the best student cities in Europe
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