Moving to Bologna
 

Hi, I am a new member and hope someone can help. My daughter ( age 19) has just moved to Bologna and plans to be there until next summer. As yet, she/we don't speak much Italian and she is really struggling to find somewhere to live, despite being told that it would be easy once she arrived. Ideally, she needs something central, furnished and with a short term contract. She is looking with a friend, and maybe a couple of others in the same position. Her situation is a little unusual inasmuch as she isn't working but isn't a student either. She has looked at airbnb type places and is using one now but this is quite an expensive option. She has had no luck with agents and people who advertise on the accommodation websites are not even replying to her messages. She has been told that people prefer to rent to Italians, but I don't know if that is true or whether she has just been unlucky!
I know this is a long shot but if anyone has any suggestions that might help, I would be really grateful! Many thanks.

Re: Moving to Bologna
 

Have you looked on Subito?
https://www.subito.it/annunci-emilia...magna/bologna/

Re: Moving to Bologna
 

Try this. I don't think most people are likely to worry all that much whether she's a student or not -

Camere a Bologna, affitto stanze e affitti studenti a Bologna su Bakeca

Don't see the fact that it's in Italian as a problem. It's an opportunity. Tell her to go into any student bar near the facolta lingue (I see it's in Via Zamboni - she'll be able to recognise it as a student bar by all the students in it)), find someone she likes the look of and ask him/her to explain. That way she'll make friends too.

Expect rents to be higher than usual because it's short term. They won't be ruinous. Anyway, it'll be worth paying a bit extra for the convenience.

Re: Moving to Bologna
 

Thanks for the information. I hadn't seen that site so will take a look. She isn't the most sociable person but I will suggest that she goes to a couple of bars - it is such a good way of getting to know people.

Re: Moving to Bologna
 

I have looked at Subito and sadly, we have had no replies from the messages we have sent! I am guessing this is down to individual landlords and not the site itself so we will keep looking! Thanks for your help!

Re: Moving to Bologna
 

Great. She could also go (with her friends maybe, but definitely with a print-out of those pages of advertisements for flats and rooms, to get a conversation started) and have lunch or supper at the excellent Osteria dell'Orsa, down the Vicolo de Facchini, off the Via Zamboni, which does superb Bolognese food (as I'm sure you know, that means very, very good, even for Italy) which is popular with students and staff at the university. There'll be plenty from the language faculty, because it's so close, and with it being so popular and the table arrangements they have in there, and the natural friendliness, curiosity, kindness, intelligence and sociability of Italians, especially students, she may well get into conversation with other people at the same table.

Osteria dell'Orsa


Hint. Try the tagliatelle :)

Re: Moving to Bologna
 

Off topic but tell her not to miss the Compianto sul Cristo Morto in Chiesa di Santa Maria della Vita. Good luck with the accommodation. We have found most things work best here by personal contact...

Re: Moving to Bologna
 

Hi , the problema with Bologna is that is is a city with a huge student and non resident population and the demand for accomodation is quite high . You may have to look at something less central or be prepared to spend more . The university bars are a good idea as a place to start looking and meeting other yougn people .

Re: Moving to Bologna
 

My suggestion would be to check out the notice boards (bacheca) and the walls of streets like via Zamboni for posters advertising rooms for rent or looking for potential flat mates. When I was a student in Bologna (admittedly before most people had internet access) the walls were always full of such adverts. I suspect there are probably Facebook groups and online bulletin boards for such adverts, though a knowledge of Italian will probably be required in many cases to understand them....

Re: Moving to Bologna
 

Thank you. This is useful - I'll suggest that she has a wander in that area and keeps an eye out for adverts!