LIFE BEGINS AT THE END OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
– Neale Donald Walsch
Every year thousands of students from all over the world come to Italy for a wide range of courses offered by the universities. Though being a small city with a population of around only 95,000 (2019), Pisa definitely doesn’t stand out of the crowd, as almost 50% of the population is students.
So… like any other international student, you flew half-way across the world, leaving your country, family, friends and much more to embark on this splendid journey in Italy. Being an International student myself, I definitely know that this is unquestionably “NOT A WALK IN A PARK”. It can feel daunting, and adapting to life in a new country, university with hundreds of unfamiliar faces is a challenge. But then this is the reason why everyone of us is here: to have one of the most mesmerizing experience of our lifetime learning something new every single day, with a touch of new culture & people.
At first glance, Pisa might seem to be a normal-not-so-interesting city for the first few days of your arrival. But as you gradually start indulging with everyone & everything around, it will change your first thoughts about the city. It is surely small, which gives an advantage to explore the entire city by foot or bike. Also, believe me or not, Pisa is one of the cities in Italy where you’ll find people from almost every corner of the world. Now, without any further ado, let’s know what Pisa has to offer to an international student:
(We will be having sequels to these articles where we dig deeper into the city. Thus, we will be making a guide for International students during this entire series. For example, this time we will be discussing about food, maybe next time it will be on ‘FREE TIME’, ‘Places to visit’ and so on.)
FOOD
(P.S. – You were definitely living under a rock, if you didn’t know Italian cuisine stand among the best in the world!!)
Tuscany is famous for its wine of world renown. If you’re looking to have an aperitivo (aperitif) with your friends in authentic Italian style, doubtlessly visit
‘In Vino Veritas’ bar – won’t make you regret. Also, I would suggest ‘Vanilla Cafè Pasticceria’ – So much for so less (literally). For one head, you pay 6 euros from Monday to Wednesday & 8 euros from Thursday to Sunday because there is meat.
- Being a vegetarian, I wouldn’t avoid stopping over at Vegan Koala, near Piazza Dante. So, if you, once in a while have an urge to eat some vegan food, Vegan Koala is a must. Heads-up: It’s a bit expensive, though.
- If you can handle the touch of spices of the Indian sub-continent: INDIA is a place not to avoid. This Ristorante Indiano possibly give the closest feel when it comes to the authenticity & flavors of India.
Pizzeria which cannot be missed :
- La Cereria
- Le Scuderie
- La Taverna di Pulcinella
(P.S – This are my personal favorites and what some local people have recommended!! But please explore others as well.)
If you’re a sandwich eater, Gusto Giusto is a must go of all time. They have taken sandwiches to a whole next level & the menu can be considered for lunch & dinner both. Being a popular place, it may be hasty sometimes, but never let that stop you. Ask the owner for any recommendations & try something new which will doubtlessly present you with a surprise.
For example, Baguette which costs around 2.5 euros in stores in general but Eurospin has it for as low as 1 euros. They certainly don’t compromise with the quality. One 1.5l of coca-cola bottle costs only around 1.5 euros while 330ml of can costs 80 cents in general. The list goes on & on. So, don’t forget to visit them on Saturdays or Sundays as they may be somewhat far considering where you live.Some last devoir when you are in Italy:
Some last devoir when you are in Pisa:
“Focaccia – Oiled and dimpled” by grongar is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Arancini (Refers to a dish of stuffed rice balls. The rice balls are fried after being coated in a dusting of crunchy breadcrumbs.)
By Francesco Zaia – Flickr: Favignana – Arancine, CC BY 2.0, Link
Ribollita (Was created by servants who collected unfinished food, such as bread and vegetables, from their masters before boiling these items in water to make a meal. The origin of this dish gives rise to its name, which translates to mean ‘re-boiled’ in English.
Finally, some last vital tips – Please avoid McDonald’s, Subway and other fast food chains (which might seem tempting but aren’t) because once you get the hang of the local Italian food, burgers from such chains will taste ‘crap’.
See you next time 🙂
Till then stay Healthy & Happy!!! 😉
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Author Nikul Pandya
Student at University of Pisa, studying in Foundation Course in Sciences. Works as a blogger & speaker at RadioEco since 2019. Also, an Active member of AEGEE-Pisa.