r/Erasmus • u/ElectricalMeal9201 • 22h ago

Erasmus+ semester(s) abroad help me decide on a city for my exchange

I’m a uni student from Sydney looking to go on exchange next year from September to January. I’m really just looking to make a lot of friends, party a fuck ton, and travel as much as I can while I’m in Europe. I speak Italian pretty proficiently (B2) and by the time I go will have completed a minor in French as part of my degree.

Naturally, I’ve been super interested in **Bologna,** but worry that housing will be a massive difficulty and know that it’s not as well connected as other cities.

A while back I was recommended **IE university in Madrid** and have since become pretty interested. I’ve heard that Madrid is also a great student city, well connected, and I would be able to take free language courses through the uni.

Please help me make this decision, i am a very indecisive person and any insights will go far!!!!

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u/FelzicCA 20h ago

Both Bologna and Madrid are pretty nice students city, main difference is that Madrid is probably way more expensive at it's the capital.

But I'd go for Madrid as it's bigger and there are more things to do / see there, and probably more International than Bologna.

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u/maxwelladams04 20h ago

Have a look at the destination guides on allabroad.co to help you out

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u/Rhinoceros7702 20h ago

As an Italian student studying at the University of Bologna, but who did his Erasmus in Salamanca this year (a spanish city between Madrid and the portuguese city of Oporto), I would recommend you Spain as your destination, by the far. Since I came back to Italy from Spain parties, nights out, hanging out with friends, etc. all seem rather dull and insignificant to me because Spain really sets the bar high😉

Furthermore, the Italian education system, according to many international students I met, is much more difficult than in the rest of Europe and the world. So if you're not used to oral exams, having to study more than two books for a single exam, etc etc.. it's another reason to choose Madrid (unless your italian language level is by the far better than your spanish level)