Mobility specification

Country:Spain

Institution:University of Navarra

City:Pamplona

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Social Studies / Department of International Relations and European Studies

Study level abroad:Master

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?yes

Does the university offer enough courses in English?they have tons

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?The fact that it was a private Catholic university did not in actually translate into the teaching of my courses.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Yes, there are a lot of events on offer from both the university and the extra-curricular Erasmus societies, e.g. lots of trips, dance lessons, Spanish club, social events etc.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?I haven’t noticed

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:20000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?no

Do you have any tips on how to find private accommodation?Personally, I got my accommodation through the Idealista website, but there are a lot of private dorms that are more expensive, but the process of finding accommodation is easier.

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?No

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Instead of eating at the university canteen or cafeterias, it's cheaper to take your own food, the cheapest of the supermarkets is probably Mercadona. The intercity buses are quite expensive compared to the Czech Republic as they don't have a student discount system. So sometimes it's worth using BlaBlaCar, it's cheaper and faster than local public transport. Other than that, there's not many opportunities to save money here.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How does public transport work in the city?mostly fine

And what about transport outside the city?neutral

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?Pamplona has its own public transport app - "tu Villavesa" - where you can find bus stops, bus routes, current times etc. But the times are sometimes rather approximate, the buses certainly don't always run exactly as they should. For tickets, it's worth buying a TUC card at the newsagent, which you load up either at the newsagent or via the website, and then just tap it on the bus for half the fare. Without a TUC card, you otherwise have to pay directly to the driver, and that's more expensive.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?no

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Overall, the historic centre, Taconera Park, Ciudadela, Yamaguchi Park, the city walls, a walk along the riverbank...

What are the must-visit trip destinations?San Sebastian, Bilbao, Baztan valley (especially Elizondo), Bardenas Reales desert, Urredera waterfalls, Estella, Foz de Lumbier, Foz de Arbayun, Selva de Irati, Olite castle, Laguardia village, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe (the filming of The Birth of the Dragon took place here), Zaragoza, French part of the Basque Country - Saint Jean de Luz, Biarritz, Bayonne.

Share your best experience:Trip to Bardenas Reales and San Juan de Gaztelugatxe.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Plane
Train

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?If you're taking the train from Barcelona to Pamplona, pay extra for a seat - when I went, people had to stand in the aisle for over four hours the whole way as the train was full. It's better and more convenient to fly from Vienna to Bilbao and then take a bus to Pamplona than to fly to Barcelona and then take the train.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?Nothing special, just keep in mind that most of the apartments here are not built for cold weather, so they are awfully cold compared to ours. On top of that, it rains all the time in the Basque Country, especially in Pamplona and Bilbao, so be prepared for that.

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?It's not Spain, it's the Basque Country - a completely different culture, society and weather. And that's what makes it an unforgettable experience.