Experience in Bologna, Italy by Carole

What is it like to live in Bologna? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Bologna is a tipical italian city. You can go everywhere in 20min, it's really usefull when you have a party until 3am and lessons at 10am or to see your friends in their appartment. With Bologna you can know all the italian culture : venezia is at 2hours in train for 20 euros and it's the same with florence, turino... The architecture of Bologna is amazing, lot of church, lot of old italian building, it's a really beautiful city. Also Bologna is an universitary city, student from all around italy came to study there. It's the perfect city for an erasmus student who wants to practice italian, english, meet poeple from all around the world in a small and very nice city.

What is the student lifestyle like in Bologna?

A tipical day from a student life in Bologna is tipically the 'dolce vita': often, you start the day at 12am, you eat something, take your time. And you have one class per day or two at university. When you don't have class, you can take a drink with erasmus or italian poeple, there is a place for meet poeple where all student sit there and read book or share a pizza... Also the night you often have parties : in bar or in nightclub. You are never at home or just to sleep sometime, take a shower or eat something. Often you are in the city or in a friend's appartment. Lot of erasmus poeple organise diner at home with poeple or parties.

How much does it cost to live in Bologna?

A room in a colocation is between 250 euros and 400 euros.

You can eat for 200euros per month

The budget for parties and other is around 150 euros (a drink is between 3 and 5 euros, a supermarket for a week is around 50 euros)

You can also take monney to visit Italy (venezia, milano, firenze) : i advice to take around 500 euros just to travel in italy (each city can be visit in one day, sometime you have erasmus trip for a weekend for 150 euros)

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Bologna? Is there any advice you can give?

I advice to don't take the residence San vitale because it's really far from the center. (20 min in bus and after midnight there is no bus so it's not good when you have parties) I adivce to take an hostel or something for a week to find an accomodation. There is a street where free accomodation are exposed (you will find it easely). Also, it's better to know some poeple (with facebook for example) before to come in the city. With relation its easier to find something.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

The food is : pizza, pasta, pasta, pizza.... Every time! You are in Italy! Tomatoes, mozarella, wine, pizza.. My favorite dishes are pizza and pasta because you are in Italy and there are sooo good! You will like it for sur and you will learn to cook pasta like a real italian

What places would you recommend visiting in Bologna?

All bologna is interesting to visit: you will discover something every day. Bologna has a lot of secret and you will see that by yourself.

Is it good to eat out in Bologna? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

In bologna you have aperitivo every day at 6 pm. You take a drink for 5 euros and you can eat what you want (there is a buffet). Osteria del orsa is a good place to eat tipical italian food too (like the lasagne of bologna because they have the real sauce bolognese).

Is the nightlife good in Bologna? Where is good to go?

The nightlife is really good : the esn erasmus association organise lot of parties and in bologna you have lot of dj and nightclub. You will find something to do every day. Also, bologna has lot of exposition, museum, concert in the street... It's a cultural city.

What advice would you give future students heading to Bologna?

If you like the dolce vita, pasta, pizza, sunshine, beautiful poeple, take good time, take your time, study in the oldest universitary city of europe, learn from italian lifestyle, meet awesome poeple from all around the world... Just go to bologna! You will not regret your choice! It was the best experience of my life .