ITALY | Accommodation | General information
Types of Accommodation
You have to take 4 things into account when choosing accommodation in Italy:
- the duration of stay;
- the location;
- the reasons for your trip;
- your financial resources.
There are several types of accommodation available in Italy. The most appropriate for students are described below.
Youth Hostels
This can be a good choice for temporary accomodation when the trainee first arrives.
These are the cheapest form of accommodation and are a very common choice for young people because of the possibility of meeting people from many different nations. In Italy there are more than 50 Youth Hostels. For admission to a youth hostel a card you can buy from the hostel is necessary. The stay can last for only a few days and you must observe the times set for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Religious residences known as Conventi
Among the temporary solutions, these houses have a peaceful and contemplative atmosphere that is not to be found in a hotel. You inevitably meet other guests from countries like Australia and England who discovered the charms of Italy's religious houses years ago.
What ever will be your choice among Italy's convents, monasteries, and religious houses, you can be sure your room will be clean, comfortable, and simple. Most have a private bath. Spacious lounge areas and secluded gardens and terraces are standard features.
Flats/ room sharing
Information about apartments can be found on the students' notice boards at the Universities and in the local newspapers.
You can also contact the Erasmus student network: https://palermo.esn.it/ (Palermo) or the International Relations Office: https://www.unipa.it/mobilita/en/useful-information/accomodation/ .(University of Palermo) that are located within the Italian Universities.
The price for a bed or a bedroom is very high: about Euro 250.00 - 350.00 per month including the use of the kitchen and laundry.
The price for renting a house can vary from about Euro 600 to about Euro 1000 per month, so it is more convenient to share a house with someone. The best period to find an accommodation is in May or June, when the students move away or change houses.
When you rent a room or an apartment, it is quite difficult to obtain a regular contract. In order to avoid problems, it is better to ask the landlord to write down all the conditions: costs, facilities, deposit, etc….
When you rent a flat or house, it is common to have to pay a deposit of perhaps one month's rent (it can be maximum of three month's rent), which will be returned to you when you leave except for the cost of any damage.