University housing in Italy

Sleeping in unused college dorms can be a great way to stay and save in Italy

From sometime in late May or early June, when students head home for the summer, through the end of August and even into September, universities across Italy open their dorms up to travelers. In some cases, you can get even rooms during school breaks and weekends as well—and, if enrollment is down, they'll rent empty dorms out year-round.

Rates vary, from around $20 per person in a dorm to $26 to $110 for a private double—but can also run as little as $150 per week. What's more, folks under 26 often pay even less (presumably because young 'uns will just blend in, so the administrators don't have to bother explaining what a bunch of old fogies are doing living on campus).

So brush up your partying skills, dust off those dim memories of the lyrics to Louie Louie, and get ready to share the bathrooms—it's time to go back to college.

How to find university dorms for travelers in Italy

Milan: Residenza Universitaria Bassini (en.milan.university-rooms.com) - Two-night minimum.
Rates: Single from €33.
Lake Como: Residenza Universitaria Santa Teresa (en.como.university-rooms.com) - Two-night minimum.
Rates: Doubles from €56.
Urbino: Collegio del Colle, Collegio Aquilone, and Collegio Serpentine (en.urbino.university-rooms.com)
Rates: Singles from €16.
Sadly, there's no official Website, buy you can get a list of student housing in dozens of Italian cities—including biggies like Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, and Palermo—by sending a letter asking for the "Guide for Foreign Students" to:
The Italian Ministry of Education
Viale Trastevere
00153 Rome, Italy

Tips & links

Lodging links & resources

Free options

Overnight trains:
Raileurope.com
Trenitalia.com

Work for your lodging:
Barattobb.it
Wwoof.org
Helpx.net

Crewing a boat
Floatplan.com
Findacrew.net

In airports:
Sleepinginairports.net

Useful Italian

Useful Italian phrases and terms for lodging

English *(Inglese)*	Italian (Italiano)	Pro-nun-cee-YAY-shun
Good day	Buon giorno	bwohn JOUR-noh
Good evening	Buona sera	BWOH-nah SAIR-rah
Good night	Buona notte	BWOH-nah NOTE-tay
Goodbye	Arrivederci	ah-ree-vah-DAIR-chee
Excuse me (to get attention)	Scusi	SKOO-zee
thank you	grazie	GRAT-tzee-yay
please	per favore	pair fa-VOHR-ray
yes	si	see
no	no	no
Do you speak English?	Parla Inglese?	PAR-la een-GLAY-zay
I don't understand	Non capisco	non ka-PEESK-koh
I'm sorry	Mi dispiace	mee dees-pee-YAT-chay

Where is?	Dov'é	doh-VAY
...a hotel	un albergo	oon al-BEAR-go
...a B&B	un bed-and-breakfast	oon bet hand BREK-fust
...a rental room	un'affittacamera	oon ah-feet-ah-CAH-mair-ra
...an apartment for rent	un appartamento	oon ah-part-tah-MENT-toh
...a farm stay	un agriturismo	oon ah-gree-tour-EES-moh
...a hostel	un ostello	oon oh-STEHL-loh

How much is...?	Quanto costa?	KWAN-toh COST-ah
a single room	una singola	OO-nah SEEN-go-la
double room for single use [will often be offered if singles are unavailable]	doppia uso singola	DOPE-pee-ya OO-so SEEN-go-la
a double room with two beds	una doppia con due letti	OO-nah DOPE-pee-ya cone DOO-way LET-tee
a double room with one big bed	una matrimoniale	OO-nah mat-tree-moan-nee-YAAL-lay
triple room	una tripla	OO-nah TREE-plah
with private bathroom	con bagno	cone BAHN-yoh
without private bathroom	senza bagno [they might say con bagno in comune—"with a communal bath"]	SEN-zah BAHN-yoh
for one night	per una notte	pair OO-nah NOH-tay
for two nights	per due notti	pair DOO-way NOH-tee
for three nights	per tre notti	pair tray NOH-tee
Is breakfast included?	É incluso la prima colazione?	ay in-CLOO-soh lah PREE-mah coal-laht-zee-YOAN-nay
Is there WiFi?	C'é WiFi?	chay WHY-fy?
May I see the room?	Posso vedere la camera?	POH-soh veh-DAIR-eh lah CAH-mair-rah
That's too much	É troppo	ay TROH-po
Is there a cheaper one?	C'é una più economica?	chay OO-nah pew eh-ko-NO-mee-kah