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INDEX ESN Welcome Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Message from the Director of the National Agency Erasmus+ Education and Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 The Erasmus+ Programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Education System and Higher Education: A Brief Description . . . . . . . . 7 Europass Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 What is ESN? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Buddy System / Mentoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 ESNcard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 ESN Portugal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Financial matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Health care in Portugal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Getting around in Portugal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Finding a place to stay - tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Why should I learn Portuguese? . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 ESN Aveiro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 ESN Coimbra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 ESN Covilhã . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 ESN Lisboa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 ESN Minho (Braga and Guimarães) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 ESN Porto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 ESN UÉvora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 ESN UTAD (Vila Real and Chaves) . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Useful Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
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WELCOME! Welcome! Are you an exchange student in Portugal or are you planning to come in Portugal? On behalf of Erasmus Student Network Portugal (ESN Portugal), we would like to introduce you to one of the best experiences of your life! This guide intends to give you some tips on how to survive in Portugal during your first days here, as well as showing you the best this country has to offer. On the 5th Edition of this booklet, we made an effort to edit its content to one that better meets your needs and we hope you will find it helpful during your stay. Enjoy your Erasmus experience and enjoy Portugal!
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MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL AGENCY ERASMUS+ EDUCATION AND TRAINING Dear student, It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to Portugal, wishing success in your international mobility. In the European context, the international mobility (Erasmus) in higher education began in 1987. In 27 years, more than 3 million young Europeans have embarked on the adventure of studying at a university or undertaking an internship at a company in another country. Annually, nearly 250,000 young people make their bags and decide to spend a part of their academic year in another country. Portugal participates in the international mobility of students in higher education since the beginning. The eagerness and the value of international mobility also captivated Portuguese students: during these 27 years, more than 80 thousand Portuguese students were in mobility during their academic career. Annually, the Portuguese higher education institutions send about 7000 students and receive nearly 9000 students.
To conclude, allow me to suggest two things: - Enjoy your mobility at the university or your internship in a company to apply your knowledge and to develop new skills. All knowledge and skills acquired will be successfully recognized and will be part of your academic curriculum. - Enjoy the people, the culture and the Portuguese language. International mobility should also be an opportunity to make a venture into the ways of being and living of others. During mobility, don’t be afraid to contact with different cultural forms: it is a particular way of seeing and being in the world. With international mobility enjoy learning to communicate in another language because linguistic communication brings people together, breaks down barriers and shows the richness of diversity.
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THE ERASMUS+ PROGRAMME
What is it?
The ERASMUS+ program is the EU program for the next 7 years (20142020), which will promote opportunities for mobility and cooperation in the fields of education, training, youth and sport.
How is it organized?
The program is structured in three actions: - Action 1: mobility of people for studies, internships, volunteering, teaching, trainings, etc. - Action 2: cooperation between organizations to build bridges between the different areas; - Action 3: political reform covering the areas of education, training and youth.
Who can participate?
In what concerns international mobility students, trainees, recentgraduates for training, volunteers, teachers, officials of organizations or businesses, trainers, trainees, adults, etc. may participate.
NATIONAL AGENCY ERASMUS+ EDUCATION AND TRAINING
What is it?
It is the organization in Portugal created by the Portuguese government to manage the implementation of the ERASMUS+ Programme in the fields of education and training. In each country participating in the ERASMUS+ Programme there is at least one national agency.
Where is it located in Portugal?
The headquarters of the National Agency ERASMUS+ Education and Training are in Lisbon, Praรงa de Alvalade n. 12.
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Contact details: Phone: +351210101900 Email: agencianacional@erasmusmais.pt
EDUCATION SYSTEM AND HIGHER EDUCATION: A BRIEF DESCRIPTION Briefly, the Portuguese education system is organized in four stages, as the image below illustrates.
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Pre-school education is optional for children from the age of 3 until they enter compulsory education and is provided by the state, private and cooperative bodies, private social solidarity institutions and non-profit institutions. Basic Education is a compulsory full-time education from 6 to 15 years of age organized in three cycles. To access upper secondary education, students must have successfully completed nine years of compulsory education. The upper secondary education curriculum lasts for three academic years and comprises scientific-humanistic, technological, specialized artistic and vocational courses. There are also post-secondary education which consists in specialized technological courses which combining qualification and professional skills and competences with the possibility of proceeding to higher education. Adult education and training is a sub-system designed to offer a second chance to individuals who left school early or are at risk of dropping out. The Portuguese Higher Education system is organized according to the binary model, of university and polytechnic education. The network of public higher education covers 15 universities, 24 polytechnic institutes and 5 institutions of military and police education. The network of private higher education covers 32 universities and 36 polytechnic institutes. Some universities, whether public or private, integrate polytechnic schools and faculties. Higher education provides the following academic qualifications: Firstdegree (licenciado), Master’s degree (mestre) and PhD (doutor). University and polytechnic institutions confer First-degrees and Master’s degrees, while universities also award PhD. In polytechnics, a licenciado degree normally involves six semesters, which corresponds to 180 credits. In universities a licenciado degree normally lasts from six to eight semesters, which corresponds to 180 or 240 credits. The study cycle that leads to a master degree lasts between three and four semesters, both in universities and polytechnics, corresponding to 90 or 120 credits. Fees are set by the different higher education institutions, being its amount defined between a minimum and a maximum, depending on the type of the course.
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EUROPASS MOBILITY
Europass is a set of documents where young people can register in a clear, effective and understandable way their qualifications and skills. These documents are now recognized in more than three dozen countries.
What is Europass Mobility? It is a document that formally allows you to register any period spent in another European country for the purpose of education or training: an internship; a period of study or a voluntary placement in an NGO.
Where to get the Europass Mobility? The home organization of the young must request the document to the National Europass Centre in their country.
Why do I need the Europass Mobility? The document notes the knowledge and skills acquired during mobility abroad; it conveys information about the experience in the European context; it facilitates job search and / or a learning opportunity in the countries of the European Union, giving greater visibility to the results achieved, and it is a personal document, and may be an attachment to the Europass CV. Portuguese National Europass Centre Praรงa de Alvalade 12 +351210101951 catarina.oliveira@erasmusmais.pt
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WHAT IS THE ESN? The Erasmus Student Association (ESN) is a non-profit international student organisation working in 37 European countries on a volunteer basis. Founded in 1989, ESN promotes student mobility and provides opportunities for cultural understanding and self-development under the concept Students Helping Students. It is the biggest student association in Europe and in Portugal it has 8 sections across the country. The local ESN sections offer help, guidance and other valuable information to the exchange students coming to their universities. Newcomers find their way in the new environment more easily and they can use their time in the best way to get as much out of their exchange as possible. Around 150 Portuguese volunteers are here to make your Erasmus a lifetime experience.
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Main Principles ESN works on behalf of exchange students. ESN is committed to improve the social and practical integration of exchange students. ESN represents the needs and expectations of exchange students on a local, national and international level. ESN provides relevant information about academic exchange programmes and ESN resources. ESN works with the reintegration of homecoming students. ESN provides relevant information on academic exchange programmes and student mobility.
PALLOMERI? PALLOMERI! PALLOMERI is Finnish and translates as a ball pool, which is the area filled with many coloured balls where kids can play, for instance in shopping centres. Within ESN, PALLOMERI means a mindset or a life-style that you can experience either as an ESN member or together with ESN. It is about being young, being surrounded by motivated and interested international students. It is about friendship, travelling, learning and having fun connected with an international exchange. Incidentially, in ESN, PALLOMERI is also an abbreviation for Paneuropean Association Leading Local Organisations Making Erasmus Richer Inside.
ESN Portugal‘s website - www.esnportugal.org ESN International‘s website - www.esn.org
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WHAT THE HECK IS... Buddy Programme / Mentoring? The Buddy Programme gives exchange students of the chance to “have a local student of their own”. Exchange students who apply to the Buddy Programme get a “Buddy” who shows his/her city to the foreigner, helps with problem solving and tries to be a good friend. The Buddy Programme is a great opportunity for exchange students to connect with locals. It’s not only popular amongst exchange students, as many Portuguese students like to care for a “foreign godchild”. You can get information about the ESN Buddy Programme of your host university on the homepage of the local section, or as always: simply ask the ESN guy/girl passing you in the corridor at university.
Tandem? Tandem is a system of learning foreign languages with another student during individual meetings. That way you can learn or improve a foreign language for free. Besides, you and your partner can choose where to meet and the frequency of your meetings based on your own preferences. It is also an easy way to gain first-hand knowledge about another country. Not from books, but through a person like you.
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ESNcard What is an ESNcard? The ESNcard is the membership card of the Erasmus Student Network. It is a proof of membership in an ESN section, as well as in the whole of the ESN network. It is a strictly personal card valid for 12 months from the issue date .
Why should I get an ESNcard? The ESNcard is the magic key for many ESN activities. It gives you cheaper access to trips, parties and other activities organised by ESN sections. There are many special discounts for ESNcard holders across Europe. For further details take a look into http://esncard.org/ or go to your local or national section website to discover all the advantages.
Where can I get it? Being an exchange student, you have the opportunity to get an ESNcard from the ESN section of your host university for a small amount of money. Most of the Portuguese sections in Portugal work with the ESNcard.
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NATIONAL LEVEL National Board (NB)
The National Board is responsible for communication between sections, as well as communication with partners and external institutions. It also focuses on knowledge management, the organisation of National events, the development of National projects and gives general support to local sections.
National Representative (NR)
The National Representative is responsible for contact between sections in Portugal, other ESN sections and the International Board and its Committees.
National Platform
National Platforms are events where members from all sections in Portugal meet and discuss topics concerning ESN in Portugal. It’s the time for ESN Portugal members to connect and make new plans.
OUR NATIONAL EVENTS ESNOlympics Yes! We have our own National Sports Event for you to participate in or to cheer for your team! The aim is to integrate exchange students through different sports, making fair play the best and the healthiest way to meet other exchange students in Portugal. Ask your local section about it and run for the gold medal! The winning team will represent Portugal on the International ESNOlympics event.
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Erasmus in Schools (EiS) The flagship project of ESN in 2013. EiS aims to promote mobility at an early age. Our local sections organise visits to primary and secondary schools so that exchange students can do a wide range of activities which include country and culture presentations, language sessions and mobility promoting activities for the younger local students. To be part of this wave of promotion ask your section.Let Portuguese students know what it’s like to be an exchange student. You can be the motto for the creation of more exchange students in Europe!
Erasmus National Meeting (ENM) Our biggest and oldest national event! Can you imagine around 1000 exchange students just like you enjoying 4 crazy day in Algarve with cultural activities, sports, beach and parties? You can make this a reality if you join the event. They will be some of the best days you’ll ever experience in Portugal. Don’t miss it!
For more information about those events follow our facebook page (www.facebook.com/ESNPT), check our website (www.esnportugal. org) or ask your local ESN section.
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FINANCIAL MATTERS Currency Portugal belongs to the Eurozone, so if you come from a country that uses the Euro you won‘t have any problem. If you come from a country that doesn’t use the Euro you can convert your currency at the airport or at any bank branch.
Banks There are several banks in Portugal, including international ones, but they are all bound to the national bank system. As a student you can open a bank account for free in most banks, especially those with whom universities have special agreements. Withdrawing money might mean that you have to pay a high fee (depending on your home bank) when using your home country bank card, especially if it doesn’t come from within the Eurozone.
Payment All bills and payments are connected to the Portuguese ATM system. Gas, electricity,water, internet, insurances, car fines and even taxes: they are all payments that can be made on any ATM machine. However, in order to be able to do this you will need a Portuguese bank account. Mobile phones can also be topped up using an ATM.
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Should I open a bank account? That’s a tricky question! If you don’t pay any fees to withdraw money in Portugal using your home banking card, then you may skip this section. However, if you pay something or if there are currency conversions it may prove to be very beneficial for you.
Why should I open a bank account? • you can top up your mobile phone anywhere; • you get a debit card, valid everywhere, while •
international cards may not be accepted on some places; it is safer, since there is no need to withdraw big amounts of cash each time.
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HEALTH CARE IN PORTUGAL Europe - the EHIC card European citizens who travel within the European Economic Area for private or professional reasons are entitled to a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which simplifies the procedure when receiving medical assistance during their stay in a member state. The EHIC entitles the holder to the same treatment at the same cost as a national of that country. Be aware that dental care is not covered most of the time.
Health Centres and Hospitals To benefit from treatment go to the nearest Health Centre (Centro de SaĂşde) or Hospital, show them a passport or EHIC card and ask to be treated under the EU arrangements. Remember that although Hospital treatments have a small fee associated with them, any secondary examinations such as X-rays and laboratory examinations will be paid for. Nevertheless with your EHIC, all expenses are covered. Under the public health programme in Portugal, dental treatment is limited and it is most likely that a non-refundable fee will be charged. Prescriptions: Medication is paid in part by the patient (between 30 and 80 percent).
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Health Care 24h
Medical advice and guidance over the Phone/Internet 24 hours a day. 808 24 24 24 www.saude24.pt
Non-EU or Non-EEA students
Students from countries outside EU-EEA should ask for further information in their own countries before travelling to Portugal. If they fall outside the system mentioned on your right, students must get a health insurance policy, which will provide them with health care during their stay in Portugal. Without one of these, should they need medical assistance during their stay in Portugal, students will have to pay for the respective health treatment.
Personal Physical Accidents Insurance
This insurance is not compulsory, however, it is recommended. As well as covering personal physical accidents, this insurance often provides you with repatriation insurance, in case of sickness or accident (depending of course on the insurance policies).
Civil Liability Insurance
This cost effective insurance is not compulsory, but is recommended, since health insurance policies and the CESD (European Card of Insurance on Illness) do not cover civil liability (damage caused to third parties) of your daily activities (except University activities, which are covered by School Insurance).
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GETTING AROUND IN PORTUGAL Public Transportation in Portugal varies a lot from region to region. But it is more developed in big cities, like Lisboa and Porto. Trains generally run on time. Each city has its own ticket system. If you use the bus or subway daily, a monthly pass is recommended. There are also a lot of cheaper passes and ticket discounts for students or young people, so remember to ask your local ESN section or University. Daily/weekly and one way tickets are available as well.
Railways Most of the rail infrastructure is maintained and operated by the state-owned REFER. CP is the company that runs all regional and intercity trains.
Buses / Tramways Most cities offer bus routes inside the city managed by a state/municipal/private company. At a district level, each district has its own company. At a national level you can find Rede Expressos or Renex. Buses are usually cheaper and with more routes to every city; however, trains can offer a good price/ comfort option for popular destinations. Discounts are available for students.
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Railway www.cp.pt www.fertagus.pt Bus - (Intercity) www.rede-expressos.pt www.renex.pt Lisboa www.carris.pt www.metrolisboa.pt www.transtejo.pt Porto www.stcp.pt
Braga www.tub.pt Guimarães tug.com.pt Coimbra www.smtuc.pt Évora www.trevo.com.pt Car Sharing www.mobcarsharing.pt www.galpshare.pt www.blablacar.pt
Hitchhiking Hitchhiking can be quite hard in Portugal since it is not that common. It is not illegal, but most drivers are just not used to giving people a ride. If you choose this method, please be careful. Hitchhiking is not a public service, so it is not necessarily a safe person giving you a ride. Remember this if you choose to hitchhike.
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SERVICES Mobile Phones Before you choose a mobile phone or a subscription, check with your ESN section for special deals with phone operators - we offer free SIM Cards with special deals just for Erasmus students. With these you will have a fixed small monthly fee and you’ll be able to talk/text to all other people with the same type of card as much as you want for free! Portuguese’s largest mobile phone companies are MEO, NOS and VODAFONE. All three of them provide a nationwide coverage with their networks. There are other providers that use the networks of the operators mentioned above, offering mobile prepaid cards at good rates.
Postal Services Portugal has a state-owned postal service, called CTT. There are many postal offices throughout the country. They are usually located in the city centre. You also find many red mailboxes, where you can drop your letters off. The market for parcels is privatised; therefore you have a choice between different companies if you want to send a package.
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FINDING A PLACE TO STAY - TIPS Get some help Try to guarantee that you have a Portuguese student (ESN member or Buddy) that helps you – he/she will have a better knowledge of the city and will help with translations (a lot of landlords don’t speak English). Getting extra help from a local or an Erasmus student would help you find a house more easily. It shouldn’t be “mission impossible”. Does your university or ESN section have a buddy programme or Facebook page / group? Does your university have the record of students who did Erasmus the year before? If you don’t get help right away, don’t despair, you can also do it on your own! A good idea is to find temporary accommodation so you can find and compare different options before you make your choice.
Where to look for a room? • Asking your University is a good start (check its website, for instance) - some offer accomodation to all Erasmus students;
• Your ESN Section Website and Facebook page / group (check the Section pages further ahead);
• Student Association Website; • Websites like OLX, Custo Justo, BQuarto, Universia, Uniplaces etc. • Newspapers (Correio da Manhã, Ocasião).
Contract It is very hard to find accommodation with a contract. It would make the agreement legal and covered by law (which would lead to some responsibilities).
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Remember to check: The price - what does it include? Normally, all expenses are included in the monthly rent of your room, but in some cases expenses are paid separately. Ask about other expenses. The household appliances: The availability of many appliances (e.g. a dishwasher) has an influence on the price you may afford. The location: Is it near the University Campus? Is there transportation nearby? Remember it also influences the price. The flatmates: Avoid living with people from your own country, this will limit your Erasmus experience, but keep in touch with them. Having Portuguese flatmates can be interesting! The number of toilets/showers: How many toilets and rooms are there in the house? The internet: Can you live without internet? Does the room have a window? Renting a room that doesn’t have one is illegal! So try to avoid this, also for your own health! Can I bring a friend?: Some landlords/landladies are quite strict when letting visitors in. Check this with them before renting amhouse, especially if you are planning to have many visitors. About parties and noise: This will definitely be important when throwing a house party/dinner! Enjoying friendly relations with your neighbours will also allow you more time before someone calls the police.
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WHY SHOULD I LEARN PORTUGUESE? Did you know that Portuguese is the 6th most spoken language in the world? With 215 million native speakers, it is the third most spoken European language in the world. Would you have guessed that? Not only is it the official language in Portugal and Brazil, but also in several other African Countries. The Portuguese Language is also one of the fastest-growing European languages and it is, for example, the most spoken language in the Southern Hemisphere, so if you see yourself living outside of Europe, Portuguese is key!
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And if you still think “Naaah, that’s way too difficult for me”, Portugal will prove you wrong. From your first days here, if you have some knowledge of any Latin Language, you will see a lot of familiar words and discover that some information will be understandable. Even if you only know English… did you know that English words like banana, fetish,mosquito or potato have a Portuguese origin? But we also have words that have no translation. You will probably hear about “saudade” - a emotional state when someone feels nostalgic towards people and things that might never return. It is a word with much stronger tone than “missing someone”, unique and part of our culture. We cannot say it is going to be easy, but if you make an effort, we think you will end your Erasmus able to communicate in the Portuguese Language. Especially if you are French, Italian or Spanish, because then… let’s face it, you have it even easier!
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ESN AVEIRO ESN Aveiro is the local Aveiro section of the Erasmus Student Network. This association is formed by a group of volunteer students - many of them once participated in exchange programmes, such as the former Erasmus and Campus Europae. ESN Aveiro follows the principles of the Erasmus Student Network and, just like other ESN sections, it is a non-profit organisation, fully cooperating with the International Office of the University of Aveiro. ESN Aveiro was officially approved as an ESN Section on the 4th of July, 2010, and since then became one of the most active sections in Portugal, working towards benefitting more than 400 exchange students per semester. It organises many weekly activities which aim to promote the social integration of students. info@esnaveiro.org http://esnaveiro.org facebook.com/erasmusaveiro
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WHAT DO WE DO? • ESN Aveiro aims to promote the social and
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cultural integration and reintegration of exchange students coming to Aveiro, either to participate in a mobility programme, or Portuguese students returning from such an experience. Another goal of this organisation is to promote the mobility programs between the students, who haven’t yet participated in any exchange programs. ESN Aveiro achieves these objectives through a different set of projects: Buddy Programme – a project in which exchange students are assigned a local student from Aveiro’s University who, among other things, offers the newcomer direct help by providing useful tips about the city, welcoming the student during their first week, presenting the university and helping him/ her to find a place to live; Trips – the best way to get to know the country that you will be living in and to create or strengthen friendships with your Erasmus colleagues; Sports Events – every year ESN organises the Erasmus Aveiro Football Tournament, but other sport activities, like extreme sports or water sports may also take place; Parties – because we know that Erasmus students want to go out, make friends and relax, we usually organise several parties throughout the year; Cultural Days – events for you to get to know the culture and the traditions of Portugal;
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THE CITY TThe city of Aveiro dates back to the 10th Century (circa). Its name derives from the Latin ‘Aviarium’, which literally means “the gathering place of birds”. The Moors invaded and occupied it until the 11th century, after which it became a very popular city among Portuguese royalty. Aveiro is called “The Portuguese Venice”, because of its water canals and traditional boats (moliceiros) that resemble the Italian city Venice. The city is well known in Portugal for its traditional sweet, ovos moles, made of egg yok and sugar. Its convenient location near the Portuguese coast, just an hour away from Oporto and two hours from Lisbon (by train), makes it a very nice city to live in. Aveiro has a good nightlife with most of its bars and clubs situated in the main square, called Praça do Peixe (fish market/ square) but a couple of other nice spots spread around the city.
Some points of interest in or around the city may include: • Rossio (city centre) • Teatro Aveirense (city’s theatre) • Mosteiro de Jesus or Museu de Santa Joana (monastery/museum) • Fábrica Ciência Viva (dynamical science space, managed my UA) • Sé de Aveiro (Cathedral of Aveiro) • The old Train Station with the typical Portuguese art “azulejos” • Pateira de Fermentelos (biggest natural lagoon in the Iberian Peninsula) • Natural Reserve of São Jacinto • Beaches of Costa Nova and Barra • A ride in the typical boats of Ria, “moliceiros”
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WHERE CAN YOU FIND US? ESN Aveiro has weekly help desks, usually every Wednesday, where you can enroll to our activities. The help desks are always announced on our Erasmus Facebook group.
ESNcard IN THE CITY With the ESNcard, you can get discounts and promotions on: • Secret Surf School • Bodegas Bar - the official ESN Aveiro bar • Knock-Out Health Club - Gymnasium • Dancenter - Dance academy • SIM card for your mobile phone • Aveiro Rossio Hostel • Blabla Car - Hitchhiking company • Avis – To rent a car • Quiksilver Surfschool • BPI Bank • Mr. Pizza • KopyStation – printing center • OláRia – local bar • Internacional House Aveiro – language school The ESNcard is also a must-have in almost all ESN activities, granting you priority at registering as well as the best prices. Visit ESN Aveiro webpage to find out more information!
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MOVING AROUND Being a very popular city among tourists (especially during the summer), Aveiro has an endless number of touristic spots. These include tours by Moliceiro on Ria de Aveiro, or simply ride around the city using the already-famous free-use bicycles (BUGA – Bicicleta de Utilização Gratuita de Aveiro) that can be “rented” (for free) in specific spots in the city. Additionally, there are regular buses to the beaches of Costa Nova and Barra, from which you can reach other beaches by ferry (from Barra only). Reaching other Portuguese cities is easy and quite affordable by train. The trains to the main Portuguese cities (Lisboa, Porto, Coimbra, …) run regularly (usually at least one per hour, sometimes more). City Bus - http://www.moveaveiro.pt Train - http://www.cp.pt Taxis - 912677779
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FINDING A PLACE TO STAY At the student’s hall:
Rooms at the university student‘s halls are very limited and are assigned with priority to students with special needs. The rent is 150 euros per month (can be changed), including bills (electricity, gas, internet, and water). In order to try and get a place there, contact the International Office of the University of Aveiro.
Private sector:
If you intend to look for a place at a flat you may have to stay a couple of nights at a guest house/hostel once you arrive, while you look for a definitive place to stay. To help you during those first days, ESN Aveiro has a partnership with Aveiro Rossio Hostel where you can stay for a couple of nights for a cheaper price (check www.esnaveiro.org/partners for more information). About the place you will live in during the semester, in Aveiro it’s quite common to find flats without living rooms (because it was transformed into a bedroom to lower the price per person in the apartment). Common student neighbourhoods are Bairro do Liceu, Vila Jovem and Alboi. Landlords may tell you that places such as Forca, São Bernardo, Esgueira and Verdemilho are at walking distance from the University, but in our opinion they are too far from the University and the downtown area. We advise you to avoid Bairro de Santiago, the less secure neighborhood in Aveiro. The prices can range from 100 euros to 180 euros (average ~ 160 euros), without bills (electricity, gas, internet, and water will total, on average, 25 euros per month). An average Portuguese student spends around 400-500 euros per month. Buddies will offer assistance particularly on this subject. As you are new to this country and culture, you may face a situation where landlords try to take advantage of your lack of knowledge about the renting procedures in Aveiro. Also, most of them don’t speak English, so the Portuguese from your buddy will be extremely useful.
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For these reasons, we strongly recommend you not to lose contact with your Erasmus Buddy and to follow his/her advices However, as the Erasmus Buddy Programme is based on volunteer service, we cannot guarantee that every Portuguese volunteer will provide you with all the help that you may need, especially on the first days. If you feel you need more help, send an email to vicepresident@esnaveiro.org and ask for a new buddy. But remember: you’ll always have the ESN team as a last resource!
NIGHTLIFE The highpoint of Aveiro nightlife is Praça do Peixe (fish market square). Fish is put for sale during some days of the week, while during the night it closes and all the bars around it open to receive the students! There you will find dozens of bars with different music and cheap drinks. You should also try Bar do Estudante (BE) on a Thursday night, it’s the best way to party as a student! Estação da Luz is probably one of the most popular discos in northern Portugal and it’s just 5 minutes by bus from Aveiro! But of course, the best parties of your life will be the ones organized by ESN Aveiro, just stay tuned!
SPORTS If you want to stay fit during your stay in Aveiro you may want to try the range of facilities that UA has to offer for a very affordable price, from gymnastic classes to riding. You should also take advantage of the special prices that Knock-Out gym has for Erasmus Students! But if you’re more into water sports we suggest you go swimming at Clube dos Galitos Pool, near Bairro do Liceu, or enjoy the best surfing waves at our fabulous beaches!
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THE UNIVERSITY OF AVEIRO The University of Aveiro, created in 1973, is considered one of the most dynamic and innovative universities of Portugal. It is consistently ranked as one of the best in Portugal, mainly in science, engineering and hightech, according to recent national and international rankings. In 2009, it was ranked as the 38th in Europe and 137th in the world in the area of Engineering. SAPO, a top national search engine, was created in this university in 1994. UA has eighteen Academic Departments working together in an interdisciplinary manner according to their academic and research affinities – based on an American university style, uncommon in Portugal. The main campus is a “small town” in the city of Aveiro with facilities ranging from canteens, a sports hall, a post office, a bank branch, library, pharmacy, travel agency, and some other important infrastructures. The University of Aveiro currently participates in various mobility programmes, becoming the hosting institution for students all over the world, from more than seventy different nationalities. Additionally there are several bilateral agreements with Universities from countries such as Brazil, Canada, Angola, Mozambique, China and India. International office of the University of Aveiro: http://www.ua.pt/gri/ University of Aveiro‘s website: http://www.ua.pt Student association: www.aauav.pt
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ESN COIMBRA Welcome to one of the oldest universities in the world, where tradition is kept alive by the young spirit of students since 1290! The local department of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN Coimbra, also known as Associação Socrates-Erasmus da Universidade de Coimbra [ASE-UC]) was founded by volunteers (newly graduates, university students and former Erasmus students). Their aim was to help the increasing number of foreign students as well as promote their integration in the academic life of Coimbra throughout activities such as sports, cultural events, sightseeing trips and international parties. We are a non-profit organization and we are here to make your stay better, easier and provide you with a pleasant experience in Coimbra, the city of knowledge, the city of students.
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WHERE CAN YOU FIND US? The ESN office is located in the International Relations Unit, at the following address: Casa da Lusofonia/International Student Lounge Rua do Arco da Traição 3000-056 – Coimbra, Portugal Email: esncoimbra@gmail.com Site: www.esncoimbra.org Facebook: Page - facebook.com/ESNCOIMBRA Groups - Erasmus Coimbra 2014/2015 by ESN Coimbra
WHAT DO WE DO? • Weekend / Day trips: visiting historic cities in
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Portugal, snow and summer trips as well as some meetings with other Erasmus students studying either in Portugal or in Spain. Sports events: we organize an Erasmus Football Champions League once per semester, paintball tournaments and other radical activities too. Cultural events: tour guides to historic places focusing on the most traditional culture of Portugal and Coimbra’s academic life; wine tastings; tandems, where you can learn new languages; Fado and cinema nights; Eurodinnner. Parties: being part of the Erasmus life, we organize some parties with themes based on different countries and cultures (and drinks!) and sometimes involving other Erasmus students; pubcrawls where you can meet new people and the best bars in town.
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THE CITY Coimbra, known as the city of students, is located in the centre of Portugal, about 2 hours from Lisbon and 1 hour from Porto. The city has a good transport facility that provides easy access to airports and beaches, for instance Figueira da Foz and Aveiro. The city has a lot to offer, including several important archaeological remains, fado sung by students, stories about forbidden love affairs and a very exciting nightlife.
Coimbra is divided into two main areas: • Alta (upper town): is the older part of that consists of steep narrow cobbled streets, where the Repúblicas (typical communal student hostels) are found, as well as some of the city’s most important monuments: Sé Velha, Sé Nova and the University of Coimbra. • Baixa (lower town): where most of the city’s commercial activity is concentrated. By the Mondego River, the Monastery of Santa Cruz and several medieval churches can easily be found.
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TOP 5 COIMBRA ATTRACTIONS 1. University of Coimbra It was founded in 1290 and also holds the famous University library, which is richly decorated with exotic wood in green, red and gold. The library now operates as a museum with an amazing collection of about 300,000 volumes. It was recently named as a UNESCO World Heritage site. 2. Botanical Gardens They were created by the Marquis of Pombal and are generally regarded as one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in Portugal, covering an area of up to 13 acres. 3. Machado de Castro Museum One of the most important art museums in Portugal, containing Roman material from excavations, medieval sarcophaguses, Romanesque and Gothic sculpture in stone and wood, goldsmith’s work, furniture, tapestries, porcelain and paintings. 4. Sé Velha (Coimbra Old Cathedral) The Cathedral dates back from the reign of King Afonso Henriques and is based on Romanesque style, which was popular at that period in Coimbra. It is one of the most important Romanesque buildings in Portugal. 5. Convento de Santa Clara a Velha Located on the left bank of the Mondego River, it’s a beautiful representation of the Gothic style in Portugal.
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UNIVERSITY OF COIMBRA Coimbra University is a public university and its origins date back to the 13th century (as it was already founded in 1290 by Portuguese King Dinis I). Nowadays, it has students from 70 different nationalities; almost 10% of the students are foreigners, which makes it the most international university in Portugal. The University of Coimbra holds a great historical meaning in the Portuguese speaking world as well as in Europe’s higher education system, being part of UNESCO World Heritage. The University of Coimbra is an indisputable reference in higher education and research in Portugal, due to the quality of the courses and to the advances achieved in pure and applied research in various areas of knowledge. The University of Coimbra consists of 3 campuses, called “Polos”. Besides the University of Coimbra, there are private universities such as Miguel Torga and Vasco da Gama, and the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, formed by 6 schools.
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TRADITIONS Queima das Fitas The “Queima das Fitas” of Coimbra is classified as the largest and oldest academic festival in Portugal. It involves not only the entire student community of Coimbra, but also countless people around the country who join in this extraordinary party. It has many attractions and people come for either the concerts, sports and cultural activities surrounding the event, or for all the traditional and mystique parades it proudly holds.
Festa das Latas The “Festa das Latas” began in the nineteenth century when the students loudly expressed their joy for their end of the academic year in May by using any object available that would produce noise, especially cans. They wear outfits according to their personal fantasies or with the “batina” reversed, carrying banners withsatirical messages and depicting the life which surrounds the school and/or the national perspective, without excluding international issues as well.The newcomers should follow in two parallel rows, with their academic godparents (doctors from the praxis) in the middle of what should be a performance worthy of a student of Coimbra, setting an example to the newcomers who are starting their Academic Praxe.
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NIGHTLIFE The city’s large student population guarantees an active, sometimes raucous nightlife. You will find the pubs around the Largo da Sé Velha, packed with students, professors and locals. Your favourite experience will be hopping randomly from pub to pub.
TRANSPORTATION To get to Coimbra from Oporto, Lisbon or Faro catch a train to Coimbra B Station or to the bus station in Avenida Fernão Magalhães. From there you can easily take a bus to any point in the city. Also, tere is an urban bus connection (in town) and it is easy to catch a bus to go to different parts of town. You can also use a bicycle but there are no designated cycle tracks, Coimbra is a city with a few steep roads which may make cycling complicated. The city bus is the only way to travel within the city; they run every 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the bus you take (except at weekends and bank holidays). Each one-way ticket costs 1,60€. You can check the monthly students pass prices in www.smtuc.pt. More info: Bus in Portugal: www.rede-expressos.pt Trains: www.cp.pt
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ESN COVILHÃ Esn Covilhã was created in July of 2012. We are highly integrated in the University of Beira Interior and we work with up to 100 students per semester. ESN Covilhã, is a non-profit organization supported by the solid work of volunteers – many of them once participated in Exchange programs, such as Erasmus and CAMPUS EUROPAE.
WHAT DO WE DO? • Trips – Trips around the most famous places • • •
of Portugal with lots of fun and adventure and outsider. Recreational Activities – Football competitions, pub-crawl, peddy papers and other games Parties – being an important part of Erasmus life we organize parties with diferent themes and cultures Tandem Program – providing you easier access to learn Portuguese and other languages.
WHERE ARE WE? ESN Covilhã office: Rua Senhor da Paciência, n.39 6200-158 Covilhã Facebook: facebook.com/esncovilhaofficial
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WHAT WE HAVE IN UBI, FOR YOU Social • “Latada” • Academic Week • Freshman reception • Theme and cultural parties • Bands contests • Carnival Sports • Futsal • Handball • Tennis • Rugby • Volleyball • Badminton • Basketball • Yoga • Kickboxing
NIGHTLIFE Covilhã is also known for its enthusiastic academic environment. You will find pubs in the centre of the city. There you will see lots of people outside just drinking and chilling. Friday nights are one of the best Erasmus evenings at Kompanhia Club, where the entrance is free for ESNcard holders.
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Cultural • Tunas • Ubi’s Fado group • Free movies • Wool museum • Photography contests
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ESN LISBOA ESN Lisboa is the Lisbon section of the Erasmus Student Network. It is a non-profit organisation born in September 2008 by a small handful of Portuguese Erasmus students that had just come back from their Erasmus exchanges. We started as an informal student group and organized activities in the first semester of 2008/2009 with no more than 150 IST exchange students. Since then, ESN Lisboa took a crucial leap and started offering its support and activities to all exchange students in Lisbon. More than 50 different activities were organized throughout each year, targeting almost 2000 exchange students.
Nowadays, various Portuguese volunteers and international students from various universities in Lisbon form ESN Lisboa. It is considered the biggest section in Portugal in number of organised activities and exchange students.
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WHAT DO WE DO? The main goal of ESN Lisboa is the integration of international exchange students in Lisbon and in the Portuguese Culture. ESN achieves this objective through a different set of projects: • Buddy Program – Voluntary Portuguese students helping international students; • Portuguese Events – Portuguese Movie Nights, Museum Days, Tandem Nights and Fado dinners; • Cultural Events – Outdoor Barbecues and Euronights; • Weekend Trips – Porto, Alentejo & Sevilla, Algarve and Gerês; • One Day Trips – Lisbon (welcome tours), Sintra, Évora, Óbidos, Coimbra, Tomar and we also do the Carnival Trip to Torres Vedras; • National Events – Erasmus National Meeting at Algarve; • Sport Events – Surf Day, Radical Day, Sailing Day and the ESNOlympics; • Night Life – Erasmus Corner, weekly parties, Hard Rock Café concerts, Pub Crawls and private parties; • SocialErasmus Events – Free Hugs, Beach cleaning, visits to primary and high schools and support to the homeless
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Where to find us?
WHERE CAN YOU FIND US? ESN Office Our Office is located in the heart of the city centre in the bustling quarter called Bairro Alto - address: Rua da Atalaia, 157. Office hours: Mon-Friday from 15h to 18h30
How to get to the ESN Office?
• Catch a Metro until Baixa/Chiado (blue and green line), get out towards Chiado;
• Keep on following the tram tracks going up the hill, after crossing the square Largo de Camões;
• Take the first upleading street on your right (Rua da Atalaia); • After 5 min climbing you will find our office on the left side of the street, located inside a building owned by the city’s town hall (Câmara Municipal).
ESN Lisboa’s Website - www.esn-lisboa.org
The ESN Lisboa website gathers all information regarding the activities, parties and projects.
Check out our page on facebook: www.facebook.com/ ErasmusStudentNetworkLisboa Join our group on facebook: Erasmus Lisboa 2014/2015 ESN Lisboa
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ESNcard IN LISBOA The ESNcard is the membership card of ESN. With it you get: • European valid ESNcard • Discounts in all ESN Trips and activities • Access to our Parties • Drink discounts in our partner bars • Car rental discounts • Discounts with all ESN Lisboa partners (check www.esn-lisboa.org/partners for more details) • Promotions at other ESN sections
ESNcard partners The ESNcard gives you special discounts in:
Accommodation
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Uniplaces Lisbon Central Hostel Lisb’on Hostel BA Hostel Lisbon Destination Hostels Lisbon Poets Hostel This is Lisbon Hostel Hostel Nice Way Sintra Palace
Education and Culture
• Language Craft Language School
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Sports and activities
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69 Slam Surf School SPICA Sailing Experiences Get Fit Gym Ginásio Clube Português Skydive Europe Yoga Sámkhya Rent-a-fun
Bars/Restaurants
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Apolo XIII Bar Meu Eu Bar Hard Rock Cafe Papo Cheio Espaço Académico Jardim da Estrela Quiosque o Melhor Bolo de Chocolate do Mundo
THE CITY The History
Lisbon was founded in the mists of antiquity being at least a thousand years old when first ruled by the Romans. It has been the capital of Portugal since it was taken from the Moors in 1147, becoming the capital of the kingdom in 1255. In the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, Lisbon was the starting point for the discoveries made by Portuguese navigators, which rapidly changed the city into an international trading centre for the merchandise that came from the newly discovered colonies. Over the centuries Lisbon naturally grew and changed. However, in 1755, Europe’s most devastating earthquake destroyed about twothirds of Lisbon and killed more than 90,000 people. The ruling minister, Marquês de Pombal, rebuilt Lisbon’s city centre, what is presently known as Baixa Pombalina (downtown). This was Lisbon’s darkest moment in history. Nowadays, Lisbon is one of the most beautiful capitals of Europe and a popular destination for travellers and students, while stil maintaining the marks of its early glorious history.
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WHERE TO GO? WHAT TO VISIT? Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, with evidence of human settlements dating back to 1200 BC. Several Germanic tribes, the Romans, then the Moors and finally the Portuguese, ruled it but it was nearly destroyed by an earthquake in 1755, where only 15 % of the buildings survived. The old Lisbon Alfama - is one of the oldest surviving parts of the city where it is still possible to see Roman and Moorish influences. It is a place dominated by narrow streets, a result of Moorish influence. Saint Jorge’s Castle - sits in one of the highest points in the city. It was originally owned by the Moors, but was taken in 1147. Its towers, walls and beautiful gardens sport a wonderful collection of views over Lisbon, which makes it a must see. Chiado - A commercial zone for noble goods. On the 25th of August 1988 this area was struck by a huge fire that engulfed 17 buildings. Restored several years later it is now a good place to find book stores, fashion houses, hotels, theatres, museums and restaurants. Praça do Comércio – or “Terreiro do Paço” is one of the most majestic squares in Lisbon. It is the site of an old palace that was almost completely destroyed in the 1755 earthquake. The Square has two main features: a great 19th century triumphal arch leading to Augusta Street (an important pedestrian shopping area), and in the centre an equestrian statue of King José I.
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Belém Torre de Belém – Classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO (1983), this fortress was originally built (1514-1520) for the defence of the Tejo river entrance. This fortress is riddled with beautiful Manuelline decoration, with ropes and knots carved in stone, armillary spheres and crosses of The Order of Christ.
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos – is a monumental testimony to the wealth of the Portuguese Discoveries period. It is located relatively close to Torre de Belém; this monastery is considered to be the epitome of Manuelline architecture. In 1983 it was classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
The New Lisbon Parque das Nações – is a new area of Lisbon built from scratch for the World Expo of 1998. The area it rests on was originally occupied by storage container parks, slaughter houses, and other pollutant industries, which is now home to a wonderful system of seaside leisure parks and commerce area. Visitors can still visit several pavilions that are still open to the public. Oceanário – It is the second greatest marine biology museum in the world. It is located in “Parque das Nações”, and houses an impressive array of live species including corals, fish and other sea dwellers, birds and mammals. One of its major attractions is the 4 million litre central tank, which can be seen throughout the visit.
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NIGHTLIFE The neighbourhood of Bairro Alto (upper district) is situated at one of the hills in Lisbon’s historical centre. Nowadays, it functions as a residential, shopping and entertainment district, and at night it is the place to be! It is one of the oldest districts of the city. Dozens of fado singing clubs animate the area along with nearly fifty bars and restaurants. Bairro Alto’s popularity emerges from the density of bars (about 200), as well as the unique way of going out: Having a pre-drink (or as the Spanish would say Botellón) before going to one of the clubs in the surrounding area. Typical cheap prices include: 1l beers for just 2€, 1/2l Caipirinha for 4€, and shots starting from 1€.
THE BEACH On sunny weekends there is always a wide variety of students, travellers and jumble sellers gathering at the closest beaches around. You can either get a train to the west at the station Cais do Sodré (direction: Cascais) and get out at one of the stops (e.g. Carcavelos, Estoril) or go by bus (from Praça de Espanha) to Costa da Caparica on the other side of the Tagus river, where the most beautiful and less crowded beaches are.
SHOPPING Lisbon remains Western Europe’s least expensive capital and it’s a true shoppers’ paradise! In the centre of downtown you can find traditional and specialised shops, many of them are even worth going into just for their distinctive decoration. Portuguese designers are based in Bairro Alto and Chiado. Bairro Alto is also popular because of its alternative fashion set, with club and street wear shops. Most of those only open in
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the mid-afternoon and remain open all the night. In the Chiado quarter you will also find luxurious international brands from Hermés to Cartier along with popular modern retailers like Zara, H&M, United Colors of Benetton, Foot Locker, and some quaint traditional old shops and bookstores. For high fashion head to Avenida da Liberdade, home to well-known international names such as Emporio Armani, Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Burberry, or Escada.
SPORTS Since your exchange can’t only be based on tourism, try to enjoy some sport activities! For a gym, check the agreement that we have for you with the ESN Card, you probably won’t find a better price: quality ratio. For group sports, most universities have their own team, so it should not be very hard to find a club or team willing to accept you. You can also take a look at the big sports complexes like Estádio Universitário de Lisboa, Ginásio Clube Português and Fitness Hut.
SURFING IN LISBON Surfing is definitely a “not to miss experience” among exchange students during their stay in Portugal. Some of the best beaches to surf in the region of Lisbon are “Costa da Caparica”, “Carcavelos”, “Praia do Guincho” and “Praia Grande”. ESN Lisboa developed its own surf course with 69 Slam Surf Schoo. They offer special conditions where you can practice at the amazing beach of Carcavelos. Check out the ESNcard conditions for this surf school. ESN Lisboa organises frequently free surf try-outs.
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GETTING AROUND LISBON Lisbon has a subway, bus and train network to help you get around most of the city. You can get the public transportation card, Lisboa Viva, and charge it with the monthly pass, Navegante, which includes subway, bus and train (until BelĂŠm). The subway works from 6:30 am to 1:00 am of the following day in most stations. For your convenience here are some locations where you can ask for the Lisboa Viva card: MarquĂŞs de Pombal and Campo Grande subway stations; Mob shops at Arco do Cedo and Alcantara. You can buy the monthly pass in any subway station.
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ESN LISBOA’S BUCKET LIST Here are the things you really can’t miss when you are doing your Erasmus in Lisbon:
x Fall in love with Lisbon
Eat a pastel de Belém Go to santos populares and buy a manjerico Surf in caparica... Or at least try to! Sing pimba music Visit Sintra and eat a Travesseiro at Piriquita Go to chapitô Drink a Ginjinha at Rossio Eat Caldo Verde and Pão com Chouriço after a late night out Ride the 4 elevators of Lisbon (Stª Justa, Bica, Glória e Lavra) Visit all the 7 Miradouros of Lisbon Go on the 3 weekend trips of ESN Lisboa: Porto, Algarve Sail in the Tejo river Go for a drink in Pavilhão Chinês Eat some grilled sardines Visit casa Fernando Pessoa and Fundação Saramago Watch a Sporting-Benfica game at the stadium Run the mini marathon of Lisbon to get to walk on Ponte 25 de Abril Go to feira da ladra Answer a question of a tourist without him/her realizing you’re not a local Eat a bifana Drink a Beer and eat Tremoços at Apolo with ESN Members Eat an ice cream at Santini Kiss a stranger at Bairro Alto Visit the Oceanarium Go to a “tasca” and listen to some Fado Vadio Visit Castelo de São Jorge Visit the Roman Catacombs of Princípe Real Eat a croissant at Careca, in Restelo Find this tile panel and take a picture with it on your last day of Erasmus
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ESN MINHO ESN Minho is a non-profit organization composed by voluntary members that started its activities in September 2011. In July 2012, we joined the Erasmus Student Network. ESN Minho is present in both campuses of the University of Minho: Braga and GuimarĂŁes, wich welcomes around 600 international students each year! We work with and for international students with the purpose of welcoming, integrating and guiding foreign students in our University. You can count on us!
WHAT DO WE DO? Besides helping on the search for accommodation and giving access to useful information, we organize several activities. Each year we become more innovative! The main activities are: Trips - They’re an excellent way to get to know not only our beautiful country but also great new friends and share some unforgettable experiences with them. We get the lowest fares possible, so you can visit as many places around Portugal as you can. Usually the price includes transportation, accommodation, (guided) visits, dinner and parties. Dinners - We promote typically Portuguese, thematic (as the Brazilian Barbecue) and welcome dinners. It’s a great opportunity to get to know the tastes from Portugal and from other places around the world. Besides that, you are going to be introduced to the great traditions of the Uminho academic dinners, with its songs and games! You can share your country culture, show your culinary skills, sing and have lots of fun! Parties - We organize parties in a lot of different places such as bars, clubs, beaches, and parks. They are one of the best opportunities to experience the international environment, to make new friends and to have an amazing time!
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Erasmus band - It was born during our Jam Sessions and Karaoke nights and it is one of our most dear projects. Last last year it was composed of vocal, guitar, violin, trumpet and drums. As some members had to return to their home country, we are waiting for new candidates. Do you know how to play an instrument or would you like to? Do you like to sing? This is the perfect group for you! Cultural activities - We promote visits to the local museums and monuments, we also participate in movie nights and the academic festival during the month of May, among other events. We have activities for all tastes! Sport Activities - We promote sport matches and tournaments as well as entire sports days. They are a great opportunity to develop healthy habits and hang out with your friends.
UNIVERSITY OF MINHO University of Minho, Uminho or simply UM is a Portuguese institution of higher education, founded in 1973. It lies in the Minho region, in the north of the country, and has two campuses in the cities of Braga and Guimar達es. It was considered in 2013 by the Times Higher Education to be one of the top 400 universities in the world, for the second year in a row. The institution invests in internationalisation, with over 400 agreements with foreign universities. In the academic year of 2013/2014 we welcomed 610 international students from different countries. The department responsible for student mobility is the International Relations Office (SRI). Besides the ESN MINHO, SRI is available for questions by contacting sri@sri.uminho.pt.
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Main University Traditions The Reception week and Euphoria week They open the first and the second academic semesters respectively. They are moments for the students to chill out and to interact, before they begin their academic activities. The Enterro da Gata (Cat Burial) - ( ± 13 May) It is nothing like a funeral it’s actually a week of festivities organized by the Academic Association of the University of Minho (Students’ Union) to celebrate the graduations.
THE CITIES The City of Braga Braga, formerly the Roman “Bracara Avgvsta”, is the oldest Portuguese city. It’s considered the third biggest city of Portugal and one of the youngest cities in Europe (Braga was the European Youth Capital of 2012). It has around 182 000 inhabitants and more than 2000 years of history. Although it is a city full of culture and traditions, it is in constant development, growth and expansion. Here history, religion and technology live side by side. It is located in northern Portugal in the centre of the Minho region, and only 57 kilometres from Oporto. Guimarães was selected to be the European Sports City in 2013.
The City of Guimarães Guimarães is located in the district of Braga, sub region Ave (one of the more industrialized sub regions of the country) with a population of 158 000 inhabitants.
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It is a historic city, known as the “Cradle City” of Portugal. That’s because it had an important role in the formation of Portugal being the birthplace of “D. Afonso Henriques”, the first King of the country. The historic Battle of San Mamede was actually fought very near the current campus of Minho University of Azurém, in Guimarães! Guimarães was selected to be the European Sports City in 2013.
HOW TO GET AROUND Both cities have walking distances between the University and the city centre, especially Guimarães witch has a quite small urban perimeter. But in case you find it necessary, the cities have a bus system with big discounts for students. There’s no underground system. The bus enterprise website is http://www.tub.pt/ To transport you between the two cities, the University of Minho has a bus system that works during the weekdays for the students. Also the company Transdev does it for student prices. You can see the timetable in their website www.transdev.pt.
Reaching Braga and Guimarães From Oporto The nearest airport from both cities is Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport located in Oporto. If you arrive at this airport, the best option may be the Getbus transfer (www.getbus.eu). A cheaper option is to take the subway to Central Train station or Bus station. The companies that make the trips are: Comboios Porto (Train) - www.cp.pt Transdev ( Buses ) - www.transdev.pt/ From Lisbon From Lisbon to Oporto there are daily flights. But there is also the option by train or bus that goes directly to Braga and Guimarães with the same companies mentioned above.
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Popular Main Parties Guimarães Pinheiro - November 29 It is the first and largest celebration of the “Nicolinas” holidays, organized by the students from secondary schools of Guimarães. This is a parade with the purpose of burying the Pine tree and watching thousands of drums with a special touch! Braga S. João- June 24 It is a popular festival in honour of Saint John. The city centre is fully decorated with traditional ornaments and the dinner is served with grilled sardines braised with white wine. After dinner, following the tradition, people go to the streets with toy hammers and branches of leek! Feira Afonsina - Guimarães ( ± 15 September) and the Feira Romana Braga ( ± 25 May). They are events organized by the two cities to experience historic moments that were so important to them. During one week they revive history, by using decorations, actors and activities that recreate the medieval ages (in Guimarães) and the domination of the Roman Empire (in Braga).
NIGHTLIFE Because a great part of Guimarães and Braga population is students, you can find several options when it comes to nightlife. Several bars and nightclubs have prices and promotions for university students and others exclusive only to Erasmus students. The students also have access to the Academic Bars (BA) of the two cities. Besides that, the ESN Minho organizes a lot of events and festivals aiming integration among students of international mobility.
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ESN PORTO ESN Porto is a group of volunteer students that aim to help and welcome exchange students. Most of us have already studied abroad, and we know how important it is to have someone helping out the exchange students upon their arrival. That is why we are part of ESN, so we can make your stay in our city memorable! ESN Porto is the oldest ESN Section in Portugal, created in 1991, and we receive around 3000 exchange students per year.
Where are we? Our office is located in the rectory of the Universidade do Porto. Address: Praca Gomes Teixeira, 5th floor, room 500. We are open from Monday to Friday. Website: www.esnporto.org Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ErasmusStudentNetworkPorto
What do we do? ESN Porto is known for it’s many different activities each week. We believe it is important to experience a little of everything. That is why per week we usually have cultural events, social events, surf lessons, parties and trips. This way all of our exchange students have the possibility to feel and experience our city in different ways. Since we are all volunteers and ESN is a non-profit student organization, all our events/activities have a price.
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Trips:
Usually every weekend we organize a trip to a different city in Portugal, this way you get to see some of the most beautiful places in our country. This is also a great way to meet different people from other countries and create friendships that will last forever! Here are some of the cities we usually visit: • Algarve • Lisboa • Sintra • Coimbra & Aveiro • Braga & Guimarães • Serra da Estrela • Gerês • Fátima & Tomar • Santiago e Compostela & Vigo (Spain) • Óbidos & Nazaré • Barcelos & Viana do Castelo
OUR ACTIVITIES Besides the trips and parties during the week, ESN Porto organizes different activities every week in order for you to try a little of everything there is to try in Porto: food and drinks, music and dance, or even costumes and culture. We have a special welcome week at the beginning of each semester, 10 days full of events, where you will visit some of the most iconic places in Porto and have the opportunity to meet all of the other exchange students. Here is a little list of the main activities organized by us: • Eurodinner: cook typical dishes from your country and share them with everyone; • Pubcrawl: 1 night, 6 different bars, lots of drinking, challenges and fun games.
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• CinESN: An exclusive cinema session or you. Where we show some • • • • • • •
of the best Portuguese movies, and you will have get the change to share the best of your country too; Portuguese Night: Come and taste traditional flavours of Portugal and watch the beautiful Fado; Tandem: If you either want to learn a language or teach it to someone, this is the event for you; Sports tournaments: We organize futsal, basketball or volleyball tournaments, an opportunity to exercise and show your skills; Surf Class: you will be living close to the sea, so no excuse for not learning how to surf. ESN Porto provides very affordable prices on surf classes; Latin Dance Courses: Put on your dancing shoes and come learn some Salsa, Bachata, Merengue or Cha Cha Cha; Social Events: this is an opportunity to give back a little to the city of Porto, by feeding the homeless, attending solidary concerts and dinners to raise money for the needy or clean the city/beach; Portuguese Food Workshop: Here you will get to learn how to cook some of the most traditional and tasty Portuguese dishes.
ESNcard IN PORTO With our ESNcard, you will be allowed to participate in all of our activities. We have two kinds of activities: free events, where all you need is to show your ESNcard (e.g. parties, social and cultural events), and then we also have the priced events, such as the trips and sports tournaments. Besides being allowed to participate in our events, with our ESNcard, you will get discounts for your laundry, gyms, hostels, car renting, transfer services, cafes and coffee-shops. To learn more about our discounts visit our website: http://esnporto.org/discounts
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Portuguese Mobile SIM Card Most of the Porto Universities seek help from ESN Porto, to welcome the exchange students and provide them with the best experiences. That is why you will receive a printed version of this guide together with a free Portuguese SIM Card with special call/text/internet conditions upon
EVENTS YOU SHOULDN’T MISS IN PORTO Queima das Fitas
First week of May: Its the biggest student party in Portugal! Every year all students gather at Queimodromo to celebrate the end of the year and their graduation. One week of pure madness, concerts, party and lots and lots of drinks, with around 80,000 people each day. ESN has its own drink stand so you can celebrate with all your Erasmus friends.
Cortejo Queima das Fitas
Tuesday: In the student promenade, over 30,000 students invade Porto’s downtown during this event.
Serenata
Sunday: It’s one of the most symbolic and important moments of the academic life, where freshman’s are allowed to wear their black suit (like in Harry Potter) for the first time. This serenade opens the party week at 00:01 of the first week of May and it happens in front of Cadeia da Relacao on Cordoaria (near Reitoria).
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São João’s Fest
June 23rd: This is the biggest festival on Porto’s calendar, and one of Europe’s liveliest street parties. It’s the night where Porto comes to the streets. Loud music pumps out of huge amplifiers set up on the main squares, the smell of sardines being grilled on makeshift barbecues fills the streets, lit up balloons eerily go up in the summer evening sky, and boats ply the river with their loads of merry locals and tourists keen to get the best spot for the main event - the spectacular fireworks!
THE CITY Overlooking the Douro River, Porto is one of the most ancient European cities. It was born and developed on the northern bank of this river during the Middle Ages. One of the most significant aspects of Porto and its historical centre is its landscape, combining harmony with the urban structure and presenting a frame of rare beauty. The city was classified as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1996. When discovering Porto, you will find many surprises. Besides its welcoming and conservative environment, Porto is also contemporary and artistic. This is shown not only in the streets, architecture, monuments and museums but also in the terraces, restaurants, leisure and shopping areas. Nightlife Porto is a city with an intense nightlife. Nights usually start late and last until dawn. A typical meeting point for Portuguese students is Piolho, close to reitoria. There you’ll see lots of people outside just chilling and drinking, also a meeting point for Erasmus.
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You can also check Rua Galerias Paris where you’ll have the same exquisite atmosphere, but with slightly older people. After that, you can try one ofthe Bar/discos downtown. Monday’s night is one of the best evenings, at Ribeira(close to the riverside), famous for offering two drinks for the price of one. If you’re more into big warehouse clubs there’s an industrial zone where you can find lots of clubs to enjoy. You’ll also be able to get to know some of the best clubs in town by attending to ESN parties, where the entrance is free for ESN card holders.
MOVING AROUND In order to ride Porto’s public transportation system you will need to buy an “andante”, which is the general ticket requested in all public transports (metro, train and buses). The price depends only on the itinerary you choose. So if you want to go from a place to another, you pay the same whether you catch 3 different buses or only one. A one-way ticket costs 1,20€, and you can buy it at any subway station. If you already have an andante you only have to recharge it, you don’t need to buy a new one. Make sure you validate your andante before you get on the vehicle, and every time you switch lines you need to validate it again. For a monthly ticket you have 25% discount if you’re aged under 25 years old. You can get your monthly ticket at Trindade station. The subway is open from 6.00 am till 1.00 am. Buses, depending on the line, can run only during the daytime or all night long.
Bus: www.stcp.pt Trains: www.cp.pt Metro: www.metrodoporto.pt General Info: www.itinerarium.net
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FINDING A PLACE TO STAY Finding a place to live in Porto is generally the first concern of Erasmus students, but this doesn’t mean it’s the easiest thing to do. There are two options for you regarding this matter: you can either apply for one of the residences destined for mobility students or try to find an apartment/ room in private houses.
Private Housing Porto’s real estate market is a little bit different from most European cities, as most Portuguese don’t live in the centre. This is good news for Erasmus students because the houses in the centre become a little bit cheaper. Prices vary depending on the place and conditions of the house: 150€250€ are the “normal” prices for a room in Porto. Usually, rent prices don’t include gas, electricity or Internet. We understand that your knowledge of the Portuguese language is probably not the best at the time of your arrival and, on top of that, some landlords do not speak English. You are always more than welcome to drop by the ESN office and we will do our best to help you out. Additionally, if you already found a place but you need someone to share it with, you can leave your contact at our office and we’ll help you find someone.
Buddy Program We strongly recommend that you join ESN Porto’s Buddy Program. Your Portuguese Buddy can be a great help in finding a nice place to stay or show you around the city.
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THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTO The University of Porto is one of the largest higher education and research institutions of Portugal and one of the top 200 European universities. With its origins dating back to the 18th century, it’s one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Portugal. Today, about 28,000 students (11,000 postgraduate) attend the courses provided by the one of U.Porto’s fifteen schools (13 faculties, a biomedical sciences institute and a business school, each one with a considerable degree of autonomy). The University buildings are grouped in three main sites (called ‘poles’). In the city centre lies Pole 1; Pole 2 (Asprela) is a campus in the northern end of Porto; Pole 3 (Campo Alegre) is located in the western part of the city, over the river Douro bank.
Residences There are residences available for exchange students from the University. The rent per month is 105.00 EUR (for undergraduate students) and 155.00 EUR (for post-graduate students). Cleaning, internet access, and linen are included in this price.
Canteens With your UP student card you can eat in every canteen of the University of Porto. At night there are only three canteens open FEP, FLUP and FBAUP.
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ESN UÉVORA ESN UÉvora was created in March 2009 and is highly integrated in Evora University Students’ Union. The major task is to give all the support needed for the integration of foreign students in the University of Évora: we help in finding accommodation, learning the languages and having fun! We organizes events like parties, meetings, trips, system tandem meetings, cultural and sport events. Our email: esn.uevora@gmail.com Our website: http://esn.aaue.pt/
THE CITY Évora is the city in the municipality of the same name. As of 2004, it has 41,159 inhabitants. It includes the parishes of Santo Antão, São Mamede, and Sé e São Pedro in the historical centre and the urban parishes of Bacelo, Horta das Figueiras, Malagueira, and Senhora da Saúde outside the great city walls. Évora is ranked number two in the Portuguese most livable cities survey of living conditions published yearly by Expresso. It was ranked first in a study concerning competitiveness of the 18 Portuguese district capitals, according to a 2006 study made by Minho University economic researchers. Due to its well-preserved old town centre, still partially enclosed by medieval walls, and a large number of monuments dating from various historical periods, including a Roman Temple, Évora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. What else to see in Évora: Karting, Aerodrome, Escoural cave, Dams (e.g. Alqueva dam), check also: www.goalentejo.pt.
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THE UNIVERSITY The University of Évora, the second oldest in Portugal, was founded in the 16th century (1559) by Cardinal Infante Dom Henrique (the future king of Portugal), and by the Pope Paul IV, and it was delivered to the Society of Jesus. The Jesuit college (Colégio do Espírito Santo) in Évora operated between 1559 and 1759. In this year and as a consequence of the Jesuit expulsion promoted by the Minister of the Kingdom Marquis of Pombal, it was closed. The Colégio do Espírito Santo became famed as a centre of learning and rivalled the University of Coimbra. Among its eminent theologians and philosophers were Luis de Molina (1535-1600), Pedro de Fonseca (1528-1599), St. Francisco de Borja, St. João de Brito, Manuel Álvares. Several prelates of the Portuguese Empire were trained at this university: D. Afonso Mendes, Patriarch of Abyssinia, and D. Pedro Martins, first bishop of Japan. The University of Évora resumed work in 1973 as a state-run university. Nowadays, the University of Évora’s organic structure divides into schools: • Art School • School of Sciences and Technology • School of Social Sciences • São João de Deus Higher School of Nursing University‘s website: www.uevora.pt
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ESN UTAD ESN UTAD is the section of Erasmus Student Network for Vila Real and Chaves, in the Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. Our section was created in 2009, and since then, works with about 700 international students per year. As the other ESN sections, we have the principle of ‘students helping students’, so ESN UTAD is formed by students from our university, and mainly of them are ex- Erasmus.
Where are we? Our office is in the same building as the office for international relationships and mobility of the university. Address: Quinta de Prados, apartado 1013, 5001 – 801, Vila Real Contacts: grim@utad.pt www.esnutad.org
What do we do? We organize many weekly activities in order to promote the social integration of students, as well as participation in internationals events. You can choose which one (or more) interests you the most!
• Weekend trips – We are not professionals, but we give our best to
organize our trips, as cheap as possible, in order to let you know the most famous cities in the country. Some of these trips might happen
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in partnership with other ESN sections, for you to know people that are having the same experience as you do, but in other cities. Some of the cities we want you to visit are Porto, Lisboa, Braga, Guimarães, Coimbra and Aveiro; Sport Activities – Some recreational games between Erasmus, and with some participations of ESN members; Cultural Events – In order to meet our culture and your friends’, we will prepare an event with presentations about each nationality, show you some Portugal important days/festivities, visits to museums, theatres and palaces, wine tasting, among others; International Dinner – In this dinner you’ll have the opportunity to show the Chef that lives inside of you and cook typical dishes from your country to share with your Erasmus friends; International Conversations – If you and to learn or teach a new language you’ll love this event; Parties – As one of the most important and funny parts of the Erasmus experience, we organize theme parties every week, for you to meet all your Erasmus mates and to improve fellowship between exchange students. We promise that we’ll do our best to make it unforgettable.
ESNcard IN VILA REAL With our membership card you’ll get: - Access to our parties; - Discounts in bars, restaurants, coffees, all ESN trips and activities, gyms, car rental, events at the city theatre, pharmacies, laundry service, and also in hairstylists; - Promotions in events of other ESN sections. Portuguese Mobile SIM Card – At your arrival at ESN office, we’ll give you a free SIM Card, which allows you to call and send unlimited text messages to all you Erasmus friends for a good price.
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THE CITY Vila Real is an enriched historical city with a lot of interesting characteristics within and outside its boundaries. Is located in a 450m height plateau, by the side of Corgo River, an affluent of Douro, and surrounded by the mountains of Alvão and Marão. The city and the circle area shows unquestionable signs of having been inhabited since Paleolithic, but the city that we know nowadays was created by the king of Portugal D.Dinis in the year of 1289. Vila Real holds now approximately fifty thousand people. Only a few kilometers away from the city you must visit: - Parque Natural do Alvão and his typical and ancient small villages like Ermelo or Lamas de Olo; - Fisgas de Ermelo, such beautiful waterfalls; - Palácio de Mateus; - Miradouro da Galafura; - Douro River; - Panóias.
MOVING AROUND In Vila Real there’s only a bus company called CorgoBus that allows you to go around the city, for just one euro for each trip, but only between 8.00 am and 11.30 pm. You can also choose the monthly subscription. To go outside Vila Real there’s two main companies, called Rodonorte and RedeExpressos. On your first visit to our office we’ll give you all the schedules to all destiny’s of both companies.
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NIGHTLIFE Vila Real is also known for its enthusiastic student environment. The life of any student, and also exchange students, in this city comes to complete change when the sun goes down. A place certainly not to be missed is the main square, called Pioledo where you can either have a normal coffee or taste the excellent Portuguese beer. Here you can take your time with friends, meet new people and have fun. The university and the students traditions promote lots of amazing parties like “Barraquinhas” and “Caloirada aos Montes” to welcome the freshman students, and “Semana Académica” to say goodbye to the seniors. You can’t also miss the “Serenata” that is the first day of the previous events, when all students of UTAD wear their traditional black suit and make a ceremony at midnight, as well as the “Cortejo”, a students promenade that lasts all day.
THE UNIVERSITY The Vila Real Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1973, was transformed in 1979 into the Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro University Institute and, in 1986 became a fully-fledged university. Despite its relatively short history, the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD) has already developed considerable national and international prestige. Today, after over 28 years of commitment to high quality teaching, research and community extension, UTAD has earned its rightful place among the new generation of Portuguese universities, and is striving to make its name at both national and international levels as a centre of academic excellence and innovation. The campus is 10 minutes walk from the city center and has a bus connection to any city corner. There are also one academic unit closer
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to the center – the CIFOP that is the department of Education and also of Arts and Crafts. UTAD has also installations in another city, Chaves. Residences There are residences available for exchange students from the University. The rent per month is €121 in bloc B,C and D, the bloc A is €154 per month because they are single rooms. Cleaning, internet access and linen are included in this price. Canteens With your Student or ESN card you can eat in every canteen of the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro. The price is €2.45 and includes soup and dessert. At night there are only two canteens open, that is the canteen of Residence Além Rio and the canteen of residence of Codessais.
University Sports You can join the sports club of the University, and maybe represent us in the national championship! Here you can practice: Handball, Volleyball, Rugby, Footbal 11, Futsal, Swimming, Athletics and Tennis. The students association promotes also an entire week of sports and parties in Algarve, UTAD em Maré Alta, that you can participate. www.utad.pt Phone :+351 259 350439 Fax: +351 259 350 629 E-mail: info@esnutad.org
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Socrates/Erasmus Address: Quinta de Prados, Apartado 1013, 5001-801, Vila Real
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USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS Pan European Emergency 112 Police 115 Fire Service 117 Fire Brigade 118 Toxicological centre 145 Police 117 Medical Emergency 112
USEFUL LINKS Tourism: www.turismodeportugal.pt Government: www.portugal.gov.pt Public Transportation: Trains: www.cp.pt Buses: www.rede-expressos.pt and www.renex.pt Portuguese Airports: www.ana.pt Portals: www.sapo.pt www.clix.pt www.aeiou.pt
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EDITORIAL ESN PORTUGAL/ESN LISBOA www.esnportugal.org board@esnportugal.org Editors: ESN Portugal Copyright: ESN Lisboa/ ESN Portugal /ESN Switzerland. 2014 production: 6000 copies Design: Pedro Ribeiro (D3S design) Content reviewers: Ana Moura, André Novais, António Martins, Débora Luis, Diana Pereira, Gonçalo Silva, Inês Moreira, Luís Soares, Maria Pinto, Telma Paiva. Photos are either owned by ESN local sections or from wikipedia commons, under respective copyright license. Special thanks to Bruno Mateus for his contribution. Photos that were used according to the Creative Commons. Attribution Licence belong to the following authors: - Raphaël Fauveau (photo of Goa, India); - Lusitana (photo of Castelo dos Mouros, Sintra); - Klaus with K (photo of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil); - Dantadd (photo of Guimarães); - Pranav Bhatt (photo of the ATM); - David Sim (photo of the Oriente Station, Lisbon); - Duncan Rawlinson (surf photo); - Skistar Trysil (snowboard photo); - Pedro Moura Pinheiro (photo of the Oceanarium, Lisbon); - Alvesgaspar (photo of Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Lisbon); - Lacobrigo (photo of Dona Ana beach, Algarve).
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