Erasmus experience in Bologna, Italy by Damiano

Why did you choose to go to Bologna, Italy?

I'm a guy from Trentino Alto Adige, and the closest cities to go to university were Verona and Trento, both very boring, small and full of Northerners, closed minded... Bologna on the other hand offers more opportunities to meet people from all over the world, it has a more open minded mentality, less restrictions and loads of parties, as well as more students from all over the world.

How is the student life in Bologna?

It offers one of the most excellent student atmospheres in Italy, with loads of students from all over Italy and the world. In fact, it hosts numerous Erasmus students. Thanks to its small centre, the university life is enclosed within the walls, dotted with cheap bars and vibrant people every night.

Would you recommend the University of Bologna to other students?

Certainly, it's definitely a brilliant city in which to go to university: it's cheap, rich in culture, cuisine and architecture; it's also excellent with regards to the standard of living.

How is the country's food?

The food is very good, like in the rest of Italy, but Bologna and Emilia Romagna in general are patrons of numerous delicious gastronomic products like tortellini, tigelle, crescentine, ham... The food in Bologna in particular, due to the huge number of students, is cheap. In fact, one can buy pizzas for 2 euro 50 - food is cheap and it is full of fried food and kebab shops.

Was it hard to find accommodation in Bologna?

Yes, very hard. It may be one of the biggest inconveniences of Bologna, due to the big number of students, there is little and expensive accommodation. I therefore recommend to start looking 2-3 months in advance; the ideal times to start looking are July-August and December-March.

What is the cheapest way to get to Bologna from your city?

From Trentino to Bologna, it takes 2 hours by train, but one can also use blablacar (taxi service), or 2 hours by car.

Which places do you recommend for going out at night in Bologna?

There are numerous cheap bars for drinking, like in Via Petroni and Via Irnerio. For dancing and partying there are a few places which play techno music and D'n'B until late; Laboratorio Crash plays music of all genres from reggae to D'n'b, Labas where you can have aperitivo with nice music. You can buy food at the bio-market in i Campi Bolognesi. There is also Lokomotiv, the Roveri area, rock, indie and folk music at il Covo, and the local Buco is full of people with different taste in music; latino, ska, trash... there's also il Matis for lovers of latino music.

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