Learn Italian in Bologna

Bologna is a well kept secret. A fascinating and beautiful town where you get a strong feel for the "real" Italy. It is home to the oldest university in Europe where Umberto Eco lectures.

The Bolognesi are passionate about food and the town is famed for excellent cuisine. It’s famous for its local wine and regional dishes such as meat-filled tortellini, mortadella and crescentine.

City Highlights

“Basilica of San Petronio”
The Basilica of San Petronio is the Bologna’s main church. It dominates the Piazza Maggiore and is the fifth largest church in the world, stretching for 132 meters in length and 60 in width. 

“Piazza Maggiore”

Piazza Maggiore is considered the heart of Bologna. It is lined with majestic buildings in the Romanesque and Gothic styles including a number of palazzos, a basilica and an art gallery. One of the most beautiful landmarks of this square is the Fontana del Nettuno (Neptune’s Fountain).

“Torre degli Asinelli”

The Two Towers, both of them leaning, are the symbol of the city. They are located at the intersection of the streets that lead to the five gates of the old ringed wall (mura dei torresotti). The taller one is called the Asinelli, while the smaller, but more leaning tower is called the Garisenda. Their names derive from the families traditionally credited for their construction between 1109 and 1119.

Sanctuary “Madonna Di San Luca Bologna”

The Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca is a basilica is located on the top of the Colle or Monte della Guardia, a forested hill some 300 meters above the plain, just south-west of the historical centre of the city.

Night life in Bologna

Bologna is home to some of the best pubs and orchestras in the world. With the University, which has over 100,000 students, Bologna offers exciting places to enjoy good music, student life and family entertainment.

Mercato di Mezzo, Piazza Maggiore and Via del Prattelo

Mercato di Mezzo and Piazza Maggiore both offer wonderful beverages and tasty appetizers. Via del Prattelo is the centre point of night life in Bologna. The bars and pubs in this area stay open all night, so you can sip drinks and watch the sun rise. The Osteria del Sole is open practically all day, and stays open until late into the evening.

University area

The University area is another wonderful place to taste Bologna’s night life. Its pubs and bars are open late into the night, giving you a chance to mingle with students from around the world.

Comedy clubs

Comedy clubs are a wonderful place to sit back and laugh until your sides split. The Ruvido Club presents some of the very best Italian comedians. Stand-up comedy is good for the soul, and Italian comedians know how to deliver, with some of the funniest acts in clubs that stay open late into the evening. If you love stand-up, and love having a really good laugh, then the Ruvido Club is a must.

Theatres

The Bologna dei Teatri offers performances, musicals, dance, opera, and symphony music. This is a wonderful way to sample some of Italy’s best performers and musical talent.

Music

Cantina Bentivoglio and Chet Baker are two of the most popular hangouts for jazz enthusiasts. At the Chet Baker Club, you can enjoy such wonders of jazz as Tommy Flanagan and James Moody. If you prefer a more authentic sound, the Osteria de`Poeti, established in the 1400s, plays many original features from that period.

Your Italian language school in Bologna

Our Italian language school in Bologna was founded in 1999 with the goal of providing students with a comprehensive educational and cultural experience within a friendly environment. Each year we welcome students from all over the world and our wide range of Italian courses is designed to meet their every need.

The school team works constantly to guarantee this and to maintain the quality on which the school’s reputation is built. By studying Italian in Italy, you will learn the language far more effectively and quickly than you could at home. You will also have the chance to experience the Italian lifestyle, make new friends from around the world, and develop your understanding of our increasingly inter-cultural world. Our Italian language school in Bologna brings all of these experiences together in educational programmes that have been proven to be effective and stimulating.

The school is a traditional institution where you will be treated as an individual, not as a number, and where the teachers and the staff respect your commitment to your education and take pride in your achievements.

The Teachers

All the teachers are native speakers and language study graduates. This way, we can guarantee a high standard of teaching. The teachers are used to different learning styles and are well aware of the need for flexible teaching methods, especially with classes of mixed age, nationality and motivation. Improving a student's communication skills involves working on linguistic goals and socio-cultural adaptation, developing learning and communication strategies, emphasising sentence coherence and cohesion, and focusing on meaning first, and only then structure. We encourage our students to avoid simply imitating structures and to express themselves through their own linguistic creativity.

All the teachers regularly attend teaching appraisal programmes, organised by the school’s Director of Studies, who also supervises the tests used to chart the students’ progress during their stay.

Cultural Activities

The social programme is directly organised by the school's Director, assisted by the Activities Coordinator and the teachers. Most of the activities are included in the course fee and are completely FREE. The cultural and social activities arranged by the school on a regular basis include:

 

• Italian Cinema (maxi screen in Sala Dante at school)
• Guided walking tours of Bologna (different and various itineraries):

Student Services

At the beginning of a language course, students are issued with a Student Card, which they receive on the first day of their course on receipt of 1 passport-sized photo. The Student Card serves as a membership card (valid for one year), which entitles the holders to use all the school facilities:

• Computer room and Wi-fi connection
• Bicycle hire
• Book, CD and DVD rental
• Mobile phone rental
• Fax, printing and photocopying services
• Health insurance
• Translation service

Bilbo House Students Residence

This student residence belongs to our language school in Bologna. It’s a modern house located in a quiet residential part of the city, about 10 minutes walk from the school. We found out that our students enjoy its friendly atmosphere: they live independently but at the same time belong to the 'family' of international students (Italians included). You can choose between single and shared bedrooms. The bathrooms, showers and well-equipped kitchen are all shared.

• Free Wi-fi internet
• Shared living room with a TV and a DVD player
• Shared showers and bathroom
• International environment

The Bilbo Students Residence consists of two separate flats with (4 and 3 bedrooms). Bedding is provided. Washing machine is available. Bilbo House is a non-smoking accommodation.

Home Stay with a Host Family

All of our host families in Bologna are carefully selected and checked on regular basis. This option includes half-board (breakfast and lunch or dinner) or self-catering. Students opting for half-board eat a main meal with the family and are therefore brought naturally into contact with everyday Italian life. Cleaning and laundry services are included.

Shared apartment

Most of the apartments are located in the centre of Bologna, allowing you to reach the school within 10 - 15 minutes by public transport. The rooms are simply furnished and are either single or double (only if you book with a friend). Students share the communal areas. This option allows you to live independently but also to have contact with Italians. Cleaning services are not included.

Private flats

We can organise the rental of one-bedroom or two-bedroom flats located in the city centre, 400 metres from the school. They are available for a minimum of 2 weeks. 

Bed & breakfast

Well-known in Northern Europe, this form of accommodation has now become very popular also in Italy, thanks to recent legislation.

Hotel

The classic solution to your accommodation needs at a slightly higher price. A high standard of cleanliness and comfort is guaranteed. We have an agreement with a quality hotel within walking distance from the school.

Bologna Airport: direct international connections!

There are many new flights available directly to/from Bologna G. Marconi International Airport, including low cost connections with:

• London Stansted and Gatwick (UK)
• Barcellona - Girona, Granada, Malaga, Madrid, Valencia, Saragoza (Spain)
• Dublin (Ireland)
• Frankfurt - Hahn, Dusseldorf (Germany)
• Katowice and Wroclaw (Poland)
• Oslo-Torp (Norway)
• Brusselles (Belgium)
• Paris (France)
• Edinburgh (Scotland)

More connections are available from Rome, which is 2h away by fast train.

Airport Transfers

We can arrange for you to be met at the Bologna Airport or at the main train station and taken by car to your accommodation.