Teaser: Rome Guide!
No clichés, no Colosseum facts — just what actually matters when you're doing an exchange in the Eternal (and chaotic) City.
🏠 Housing (Preview)
Trastevere for the student nightlife. San Lorenzo if you want to walk to class. Prati if your parents are funding it.
We break down the safest, cheapest, and most social spots — plus insider hacks on avoiding sketchy landlords and split-level scams.
“We were 6 in an apartment above a wine bar. Dangerous combo.” — Léa, LUISS
📚 Uni Life
LUISS = private, polished, professors in suits. Sapienza = massive, messy, full of locals. We decoded both.
We’ll tell you where attendance is optional, which professors let you leave early, and how to finesse the Italian grading system.
“I had class once a week and still passed. Long live Erasmus.” — Max, LUISS
🍝 Going Out
Aperitivo at 7, techno by midnight. You’ll bounce between Campo, San Lorenzo, and secret villa parties with no address.
We’ve got the weekly go-to’s, drink prices, and where the actual Italians party.
“Bar San Calisto is where nights start. Testaccio is where you forget how they ended.” — Chiara, Sapienza
✈️ Travel + Weekends
Florence. Naples. Amalfi. Sicily. You’re in the center of it all — so don’t waste weekends.
We mapped the best trips (and wildest Ryanair routes), plus pro tips to skip tourist traps and book like a broke local.
Student Reviews
LUISS
🇮🇹 Exchange in Rome
🏠 Housing
I lived in a shared flat near Piazza Regina Margherita with 5 other exchange students. Paid around €750/month for a private room with a shared kitchen and two bathrooms. The area was perfect safe, close to bars, cafés, and super well connected. Found the flat through Gens de Confiance and booked it from France.
🚗 Getting to Campus
LUISS has multiple campuses but mine was in Parioli, so I took the tram or just walked 20 min through a park. No stress, and actually a really pretty route.
✈️ Travel Life
Weekends = Naples, Florence, and Sicily. Took trains everywhere. Cheap if you book early with Italo or Trenitalia. Also did a trip to Albania and Greece during the break flights from Rome are 🔥.
🎉 Social Life
Aperitivo every night is a thing. We’d start at Momart (must-try) and go out in Trastevere or Monti. Erasmus parties every Thursday, and random rooftop events pop up all the time.
📚 Classes
I took all my classes in English “Luxury Brand Management” and “International Marketing” were super interesting and pretty chill. Teachers were used to having internationals.
🦙 Other
Honestly? Rome is chaotic, but that’s part of the charm. Find a flat near a tram/metro, say “yes” to every plan, and you’ll live your best exchange.
🇮🇹 Exchange in Rome
🏠 Housing
Booked a room in San Lorenzo for €680/month through a Facebook Erasmus group. Flat was old but functional. What made it worth it? The vibes. San Lorenzo is loud, a bit messy, but full of life — cafés, bars, students everywhere.
🚗 Getting to Campus
Sapienza was a 10-minute walk from my place. No transport needed. That freedom was gold — especially for 9am classes.
✈️ Travel Life
Rome’s location is elite. Did weekends in Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, and even Barcelona. Took night buses for €20. Not luxury, but it worked.
🎉 Social Life
San Lorenzo = student central. Every night feels like a festival. I met my crew at an open mic night, and it just snowballed. Testaccio was great for clubs, and Erasmus events made it easy to meet people.
📚 Classes
Courses were huge (like 200+ people) and a bit all over the place. But profs were chill if you showed up. Took one Italian class that helped a ton with daily life.
🦙 Other
Download Moovit — Rome’s public transport is... unpredictable. And always carry coins for random metro machines that won’t take cards.