From GoAragón we wanted to see the Aragonese capital from the eyes of outsiders who visit or enjoy the city of Zaragoza for a while. Therefore, we have conducted interviews with students from different mobility programs in Zaragoza (BeInternational, Eramus+ and SICUE) to tell us about how is their life in the city, their favorite places, where they enjoy eating, if they would recommend the city to come to live and what other places in Aragon and getaways they know.
Michela Pulsinelli (Cassano Magnago, Italy)
Michela Pulsinelli was an Erasmus+ mobility student at San Jorge University in Zaragoza. She is from Cassano Magnago, a town near Milan, studies Linguistic Mediation at the University Carolina Albasio and lived in Zaragoza during the academic year 2021 – 2022.
When did you do your Erasmus in the city?
I did my Erasmus from September 2021 to June 2022. At first, I had to stay from September to January, but as I really liked Zaragoza, I loved everything about life here, I asked my university to let me stay here longer and I extended the mobility until June.
Why did you choose Zaragoza as your destination?
I chose Zaragoza because I think it is a very beautiful city. I was between Malaga and Zaragoza and at my university I had to take a test to choose the destination. Finally, I chose Zaragoza and I was very lucky, because it was an unbeatable destination and I would repeat it many more times.
What was your impression of the city during the first few days?
From the first moment, I loved Zaragoza. I arrived with my sister and my father who accompanied me and we took a walk through the center and El Tubo. I loved the whole area and Plaza del Pilar. I didn’t expect it to be so big and when I saw it for the first time, I was really surprised, I liked it a lot.
When friends and family come to visit you, what are the three must-see places in the city?
When my friends have come to see me in Zaragoza, we have gone to Parque Grande because I think it is a super nice place and I love it. In addition, we also went to El Tubo to eat ‘papas’ and because I love it, it’s a place where there are a lot of people and I think it’s super typical. The third place I have taken you to is Plaza del Pilar. It is one of the most important places in Zaragoza and you have to see it.
If you had to choose a café, bar or restaurant in Zaragoza, what would it be?
If I had to choose a cafe, for sure it would be Café Botánico because I always went there with my friends. I think it’s a super nice place and I love the cheesecake there. Whenever my friends come to see me or I go back to Zaragoza to visit friends I made there, I always go to Café Botánico for cheesecake.
What is your favorite thing to do in the city?
My favorite thing to do in the city of Zaragoza is simply to go for a walk downtown or alone with music. I love walking around this area of Zaragoza, there are many people and many places to visit, corners to discover and most of the streets are very nice and have a lot of charm. Also, many of my favorite cafes and bars in the city are in the center and I love to visit them for a drink or a meal.
What cultural event did you find most interesting?
Although it is not a cultural event as such, the event that I found most interesting was the feminism conference and the March 8 demonstration. I could see that in Zaragoza they really give a lot of importance, as it should be, to the 8th of March, and in Italy I have never been to a demonstration on this day. I really liked the atmosphere of that day and that there were many people demonstrating in the streets.
How is your life in general in Zaragoza?
I liked my life in Zaragoza very much. In the morning I would go to class and in the afternoon I would stay at home if I had to do a lot of things at the university, otherwise I would meet my friends downtown for a coffee. In the first term, I had Friday off, and in the second term, Thursday and Friday, so I had a lot of free time to enjoy the city. On weekends, I would go out with my friends downtown or we would take a walk in Parque Grande or visit museums. At night, we would go out in El Casco and I loved it.
What surprised you most about the Aragonese?
What surprised me most about Zaragoza is the people because they are very nice. Everyone is very friendly, sincere and open to meet new people or make new plans. This made my erasmus much easier and I have fallen in love with the city. Whenever I can I go back to visit the city and its people, I feel like I’m at home.
Why would you recommend it as a destination to study?
I would recommend Zaragoza as a place to study because it is a city that has everything and it is not very big, it is perfect in size. Besides, you can do anything because it is very well organized and there are many places to visit and plans to do, for sure a student will feel very well here.
And finally, what is your favorite place in Zaragoza?
My favorite place in Zaragoza is the Puente de Piedra. I like to go there to watch the sunset because I love the view of El Pilar from there. I think it’s something very beautiful and special.
Interview with Macarena Millán mobility student in Zaragoza: «I would highly recommend it as a destination».
Interview with Alejandra Ledesma, BeInternational Mobility student at San Jorge University in Zaragoza.
