As you already know, Rome is the capital of Italy and is one of the best destinations for Erasmus. If this is your Erasmus destination (or you are considering it), in this post we bring you the definitive guide for Erasmus in Rome. Let's dig in!

Student housing in Rome

One of the first tasks you will have to carry out is to find accommodation. In this section, we explain which are the main accommodation options in Rome and, on the other hand, which are the best areas to live as an Erasmus student.

Student flat or residence?

In Rome, in general, in Italy, the most common thing is for students to choose to live in a shared apartment since in the Italian capital there are very few residences for Erasmus students. Those that do exist, are more expensive than flats. shared and are far from the city centre.

Best areas to live in Rome

If you are going to study in Sapienza, the San Lorenzo neighbourhood and the area of Piazza Bologna are exceptional options. In the neighbourhood of San Lorenzo is located the Sapienza University of Rome, so it is an area full of students. In addition, at night there is always good nightlife, both in San Lorenzo and in Piazza Bologna.

Another area full of students and well-communicated with the rest of the city is the San Giovanni and Re di Roma area. There you will find metro stops for line A and line C, so you can move around the city easily. In addition, since the University of Tor Vergata is so far from the city centre, many students of this university choose these areas to live.

Trastevere is the most bohemian neighbourhood in Rome: the modern and tourist sites are concentrated here. If you are looking for a more local atmosphere, but without straying too far from the city centre, this neighbourhood is a good option. In addition, here you will find many restaurants, pizzerias, places to have an aperitif, etc.

On the other hand, if you are going to study at Roma Tre University, we recommend that you consider the neighbourhood of Garbatella and Ostiense, since they are very close to the university and have several metro stops on line B.

These would be the most popular areas and where you will find the most students. However, Rome is a remarkably large city with various universities and campuses spread throughout the city, so you will probably find many students no matter which area you choose to live in.

Gastronomy in Rome

Obviously, roman gastronomy is incredible, so during your Erasmus en Roma, you can fully immerse yourself in Italian cuisine. Some typical dishes you cannot leave without trying are:

• Spaghetti alla carbonara. It is the most international dish although, on many occasions, the recipe has been distorted and has little to do with the original. Its ingredients are: beaten and raw eggs, guanciale (cured pork cheek), pepper and pecorino romano (sheep cheese).
• Pizza al Taglio. It is the street dish par excellence. During your Erasmus in Rome, you will see that the city is full of pizzerias al taglio. These are small places, where pizza is baked in large rectangular trays and then sold in pieces.
• Lamb Alla Romana. It is a lamb stew with roast potatoes sautéed in oil, garlic and diced ham.
• Bucatini Amatriciana. It is a traditional pasta dish made with a sauce made of guanciale, pecorino cheese, tomato and onion.
• Porchetta d'Ariccia.This dish originates from Ariccia, a town located on the outskirts of Rome, and it is baked pork with aromatic herbs, salt and pepper.

These are just some typical Roman dishes nonetheless, there are many more. As for places and areas where you can taste Italian cuisine, we recommend that you go to Trastevere. Also in the San Lorenzo neighbourhood, you will find many places to eat or have a drink, being less touristy and therefore cheaper than Trastevere. Some restaurants recommended by Erasmus students are: Carlo Menta, Spaghetteria l'Archetto (specialized in spaghetti) or the San Calisto bar (for an apéritif).

Leisure and party for Erasmus in Rome

Of course, the party is another of the points that could not be missing in our guide for students in Rome. In this city, you can party practically every day of the week. You will find numerous pubs and discos in various areas of the city, such as San Lorenzo or Trastevere.

Many days, Erasmus students usually meet to drink in a square in the city, since in Italy it is not as frowned upon as in Spain and other countries to have a bottle.

It is also important that you know that many of the parties are organized by student associations and that, being a member of these, you can get discounts at the clubs. Some discos and clubs where Erasmus student parties are organized are: Qube (a disco with three rooms, where they usually play different musical styles in each of them), Materia Club (a disco located in Tiburtino) or Teatro Centrale (a disco with two rooms located in the heart of Rome).

Cost of living in Rome

As for the cost of living, we are not going to fool ourselves: Rome is not the cheapest city in the whole country. But do not worry! In this city, you will find a wide variety of entertainment venues at affordable prices. In addition, you can save some money thanks to many discounts for students in Rome.

The average cost of a student will depend on four variables: accommodation, shopping cart, transport and leisure. You have to keep in mind that one of the biggest expenses will be the rental of your accommodation. Although it depends on many factors, in general, a room in a shared apartment costs around €400-550 per month. In any case, we recommend that you look for accommodation in advance, so you can find more options available and access cheaper accommodation.

Regarding transportation, there are monthly and annual passes. The monthly subscription cost 35 euros, and the annual one of 250 euros. Both can be used on the bus lines and the three metro lines in Rome.

Places to visit in Rome

Rome is a beautiful city, being one of the most visited in the world. There are plenty of places to discover here almost every day, as architecture, art and culture are everywhere. Some places you cannot miss during your Erasmus in Rome are:

• Trevi Fountain. It is probably one of the most beautiful fountains in the world. The fountain was completed in 1762 and it represents Neptune, who guides his chariot drawn by sea horses and tritons.
• Roman Coliseum. It is the most visited monument in the city. Impossible to miss it!
• Pantheon. Currently, it is one of the best-preserved buildings and one of the most influential in ancient Rome.
• Forum of Rome. In this large space, full of ruins of temples and buildings, the social, cultural and economic life of Rome took place more than 2,000 years ago.
• Piazza Spagna. It is a very busy square and is characterised by its monumental staircase.
• Vatican City. Don't miss San Pedro Square and Basilica or the Vatican Museum.

Trips from Rome

A significant aspect of Erasmus in Rome is the proficiency it provides to travel to other places in Europe. From Rome, you can easily travel both within Italy and to other parts of Europe.

The best way to move from Rome to other parts of Italy is by bus or train. For example, one of the main railway companies in Italy is Trenitalia, which operates nationally and also has some international lines. If you want to travel to other European countries, you can do so by plane, the Italian capital has two airports: the Rome-Fiumicino airport and the Rome Ciampino airport. Another cheap option is Flixbus, a bus company that operates throughout Europe at very affordable prices.

Also, in this guide for Erasmus students in Rome, we have also included nearby cities to travel to, to get to know other places and cities with great tourist attractions.

• Naples. Just an hour from Rome by train is Naples, one of the largest cities in Italy. It is a somewhat chaotic city but, like most Italian cities, it holds an important architectural heritage with unending monuments.
• Amalfi coast. It is one of the fashionable destinations and once you go you will understand why. The Amalfi coast is about three hours away by train or bus and some places you cannot miss are Positano, Amalfi or Vietri Sul Mare.
• Pompeii. This city buried under the ashes of the Vesuvius volcano is one of the best examples of Roman cities from the 1st century.
• Florence. Florence is probably one of the most beautiful cities in the whole country. Here you will find numerous internationally recognized buildings, monuments and works, such as the statue of David or the painting of the Birth of Venus.
• Siena. This Tuscan city has great tourist gems such as the Duomo di Siena or Piazza del Campo, and it is about three hours by bus from Rome.

Tips for students in Rome

• Don't forget to obtain the Codice Fiscale, an essential document for many Italian procedures.
• Become a member of the student associations in Rome, since you can benefit from discounts in a lot of places. In addition, the associations themselves organize events, parties and even trips with international students, so it will also be a perfect opportunity to meet other students. The primary student associations are Erasmus Student Network (ESN) and Erasmus Roma Association (ERA).
• Apply for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) well in advance.

This is our guide for students on Erasmus in Roma. We hope this series of tips help you to enjoy your Erasmus+ experience in Rome, one of the best destinations for Erasmus.