So, you've decided that Bologna is going to be your Home or Host University or maybe it was assigned to you, either way you are really looking forward to your Italian experience in the city of delicious lasagna, mouthwatering tagliatelle alla bolognese, lively piazzas, many towers and porticoes and red rooftops and...OH WAIT! What happened?
You suddenly realise that the Faculty of Psychology is actually 90 kms away from Bologna in some god forsaken place called Cesena. You feel betrayed and curse the gods for your terrible bad luck. You may even seize the opportunity to use some of those nasty Italian words and gestures that you've been practising in front of the mirror. We've all been there my friend. It is true, Cesena is not Bologna. The city is much smaller (about 90 thousand inhabitants), the options at night are less, even fewer are the activities during the day, people just roam the streets with an expression as dull as the palm of a hand and students are beaten with a stick when they don't study like they ought to.
DON'T PANIC! My job here will be to guide you through the darkness. And believe me, you'll find a light at the end of the tunnel and by the time you have to leave Cesena you may even realise that you've fallen in love with it. I'm proof of that :)
DON'T PANIC! My job here will be to guide you through the darkness. And believe me, you'll find a light at the end of the tunnel and by the time you have to leave Cesena you may even realise that you've fallen in love with it. I'm proof of that :)
Arriving to Cesena
Everything probably starts once your Ryanair flight lands in Aeroporto G. Marconi Bologna (BLQ). You need to take the navetta BLQ that after a half an hour ride will leave you at Bologna Centrale railway station (it costs 6 €). Then your best bet is to take a regional train (Regionale,or Regionale Veloce if you are lucky) to Cesena that takes a little over an hour and costs 7.10 €.
Now seat next to a window and enjoy the views while you are taken deeper and deeper into the heart of uncharted Romagna territory.
Once arrived talk to no one and head straight to your apartment. What? You don't have a place to stay yet? I'm hoping you are reading all of this well in advance and so I'll let you know that the best place to look for a room (stanza) is probably the facebook group. As of 2015/2016 the group's name is Affittasi Offro/Cerco Stanza Cesena. Bear in mind that stanza and posto letto are two different things. The former being a room for yourself while the latter implying a shared room with someone that will try to asphyxiate you with a pillow in the middle of the night. Prices for a single room should be between 200 and 350 € depending on whether expenses are included or not, location, size, how nuts your flatmates are, etc.
I would also recommend joining the Erasmus Plus Cesena facebook group. For some reason this year there are two parallel groups but the one I'm talking about is managed by a student organisation called Associazione Studentesca Cesena Underground. They'll post important information and give you a hand to find a place to stay. They can arrange for you to stay at someone else's house for the first days until you find accommodation, if you haven't booked anything in advance, (a coach-surfing kind of thing called "Adopt an Erasmus"), and they also offer discounts on hotels. However take notice that you'll probably be better off exchanging rooms with your fellow WOP-P companions.
Other options are the student residencies. There are two but to be honest I don't have a clue how you do to apply for a room.
You've probably already heard the following advice, but try to live with Italians to practise the language. And you may even learn a thing or two about cooking.
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| Group presentation |
One of the first things you'll probably have to do after your arrival is head to the Segreteria Studenti for enrolment. Check the following website for opening hours, address and contact information: http://www.unibo.it/it/campus-cesena/servizi-di-campus/segstu-ce
Mobility
One of the advantages of living in Cesena is its small size. You won't need to spend not even ten cents of a euro on public transport. Like back in the day, your feet will take you everywhere you need to go. If you happen to have a bike then you'll feel like a king/queen. In the aforementioned facebook group you'll find a guy that repairs and sells used bikes. Just say you are looking for one and he'll magically respond back.
Mangiare (eat)
Italian food doesn't need to be promoted but it's not just about pizza and pasta ragazzi. Every region in Italy has its specialities and Emilia-Romagna is no exception. Like the many dialects, sometimes dishes vary from town to town and places of origin are a matter of disputes. If you happen to be in Cesena during the first semester you'll have the opportunity of going to Il festivale del cibo di strada (Street food festival) which is simply an amazing opportunity to taste dishes from all over Italy (it takes place the first days of October). Regarding food from the Romagna the word for you to remember is crescione, which in my opinion is similar to a quesadilla (mexican food) but it can be filled with many different things: vegetables, tomatoe sauce, mozzarella, gorgonzola, salami, prosciutto, etc.. There are different varieties and you can get them all at the many kiosks you'll find scattered around the city. However the rumour is that the best crescione is that of Mascia, a very lovely lady whose kiosk is opposite of Dolce Amaro cafe. If you look it up as La piadina di Stefano e Mascia in google maps it'll show up.
Another good place is Pizzeria Tre Papi (Piazza del Popolo) which is perfect to go with a big group of people like the one in the photo :)
Another good place is Pizzeria Tre Papi (Piazza del Popolo) which is perfect to go with a big group of people like the one in the photo :)
If you want to buy food in the supermarket and cook yourself I recommend the Coop which is in Centro Commerciale Lungo Savio (Via A.C. Jemolo, 110). Some people would argue that the Coop is a little bit more expensive than other supermarkets such as Tuodi (Via Cavalcavia 213) or Economy. The products I found expensive in the Coop, e.g. fruit, I would buy them at Tuodi which is not far from it.
The University has two mensas. The most popular one is La Frico which is located in the same building as the Faculty of Psychology. However prices may not be as cheap as you are used to if coming from Coimbra or Paris. It's 5.5 euro for a meal including primo, contorno, a piece of bread or piadina and a bottle of water. The least known mensa located on Via Vescovado 7 has even better quality food so it's totally worth the walk.
The University has two mensas. The most popular one is La Frico which is located in the same building as the Faculty of Psychology. However prices may not be as cheap as you are used to if coming from Coimbra or Paris. It's 5.5 euro for a meal including primo, contorno, a piece of bread or piadina and a bottle of water. The least known mensa located on Via Vescovado 7 has even better quality food so it's totally worth the walk.
Buy
Every Saturday morning (until 1 or 2 pm) there is a market in Piazza del Popolo. It's mostly about clothing but there's also food: fruits and vegetables, fish and porchetta sold by an old man from Le Marche that won't remember where you come from no matter how many times you tell him.
There are more food stands that sell mainly cheese, prosciutto and salami in Viale IV Novembre between ponte vechio (old bridge) and ponte nuovo (new bridge).
There is also a "shopping center", to which I've never been, called Centro Commerciale Montefiore.
If you can't find what you are looking for there you can check Centro Commerciale Puntadiferro in Forlì (a city about 10 minutes by train from Cesena).
Sports
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| Erasmus Team |
You can rent a football pitch (5vs5) at the ippodromo or play in the park. There is a football pitch free for anyone to use in Parco di Serravalle (6vs6 or 7vs7) and one in Parco per Fabbio (11vs11 in via G. Belletti)
If you like to jog a nice area is lungo il Savio (along the Savio river).
Bank account
If you need to open a bank account a good option may be to obtain Unicredit's Genius Card: https://www.unicredit.it/it/privati/minisiti/universitadibolognaalmamaterstudiorumegeniuscard.html (in Italian). You don't need to have residency in Italy to obtain it and it has no fees if you are under 30 (one euro monthly fee otherwise).
If you have residency in Italy I found that Deutsche Bank's prepaid card may be a very interesting option.
So to the important stuff now: what is there to do for fun in Cesena? A very strong Italian tradition is that of the aperitivo. During 18.00 and 21.00/22.00 if you get a drink then you are entitled to help yourselves food from the buffet. You can get a beer or wine, but if you really want to do it with style ask for a spritz. The food varies in quality and this affects the price of drinks. For example, the best aperitivo I've gone too is that of El brasiliano. I'm not sure if that's the actual name of the place but we've always called it that way. The owner is not even brasilian but the cooks make a delicious feijoada. However you'll be spending 6 or 7 euros for a medium beer. El Brasiliano is in Corso Gastone Sozzi between Via Uberti and Via Albertini.
Another famous aperitivo is that of Margò (Viale Bovio 294). The quality of the food is not as good but a beer costs only 3.50 euro. The day to go there is Tuesdays. Later that evening the boldest of you may want to head to Bar Roma (Corso Garibaldi 6).for one euro shots.
On Wednesday night the place to be is L'ex Macello which literally means "the ex butchery" because that's what it was back in the day. The place is nice but bring a coat in winter because there's not much place inside and everyone hangs out outside (which can be a problem if it is raining). The price of the beer is 3.50 euro.
On Thursday night you should head to La Vigna di Porta Santi (Sobborgo Eugenio Valzania, 41) where you can show what a beautiful voice you have singing karoaoke. The quality of the beer is pretty good and they have a foosball table and other board games that you can borrow. You make a one time payment of 10 euro and for one year you can go whenever you want (only applies for thursdays though).
Friday night you go clubbing to Teatro Verdi (Via Luigi Sostegni, 13). You usually arrive at 1.00 and it finishes at 5. I recommend buying the tickets in advance, you'll be informed how in the Erasmus Plus facebook group. You'll spend 10 euro for the entrance and it includes two drinks. However the best part of these nights are probably the preserata or botellón (in spanish) which is basically getting together in someone's house or a park, if weather allows, to drink something before going out to the club.
Another famous aperitivo is that of Margò (Viale Bovio 294). The quality of the food is not as good but a beer costs only 3.50 euro. The day to go there is Tuesdays. Later that evening the boldest of you may want to head to Bar Roma (Corso Garibaldi 6).for one euro shots.
On Wednesday night the place to be is L'ex Macello which literally means "the ex butchery" because that's what it was back in the day. The place is nice but bring a coat in winter because there's not much place inside and everyone hangs out outside (which can be a problem if it is raining). The price of the beer is 3.50 euro.
On Thursday night you should head to La Vigna di Porta Santi (Sobborgo Eugenio Valzania, 41) where you can show what a beautiful voice you have singing karoaoke. The quality of the beer is pretty good and they have a foosball table and other board games that you can borrow. You make a one time payment of 10 euro and for one year you can go whenever you want (only applies for thursdays though).
Friday night you go clubbing to Teatro Verdi (Via Luigi Sostegni, 13). You usually arrive at 1.00 and it finishes at 5. I recommend buying the tickets in advance, you'll be informed how in the Erasmus Plus facebook group. You'll spend 10 euro for the entrance and it includes two drinks. However the best part of these nights are probably the preserata or botellón (in spanish) which is basically getting together in someone's house or a park, if weather allows, to drink something before going out to the club.
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| Going crazy at Teatro Verdi |
There seems to be nothing specific for Saturday night. Usually people have a hangover from the night before and don't feel like drinking. Still there are places to go which I haven't mentioned yet like Mastrobirraio (Via Boccaquattro, 2) or Brasserie Arnage (Viale Guglielmo Oberdan, 618). Both of them have very good craft beer, particularly the last one (best beer I tried in Cesena).
A very interesting option may be the bar at La Rocca Malatestiana which is the fortress that overlooks all of Cesena. To arrive there go up from the fountain at Piazza del Popolo (you'll know what I mean by "up" when you get there).
Other bars to go (also for aperitivo) are Mad Cafè, Caffeina, Caffè Zampano. I've mentioned the places where I'd usually go but there are still some I haven't mentioned and are for you to discover. If you do find a cool place please leave a comment below for future thirstier generations.
If you want to practice languages while having a drink to loose the tongue check the Cesena Language & Social Exchange facebook page. They organize events in different bars.
However not everything is partying and alcohol. Those few other nights you may want to see an italian film at Cinema Eliseo or go to Teatro Bonci to see a play.
Another option is to dress yourself in black and white and sing with the Ultras while Cesena Football Club kicks some ass at calcio. Cesena F.C. is currently in serie B but it has been in serie A and it is supposed to be back again for the 2016/2017 season (fingers crossed). The entrance is usually pretty cheap, 15 Euro, and you can buy beer there which may not be anything worth mentioning for Europeans but it is a novelty for latinoamericans like myself.
A very interesting option may be the bar at La Rocca Malatestiana which is the fortress that overlooks all of Cesena. To arrive there go up from the fountain at Piazza del Popolo (you'll know what I mean by "up" when you get there).
Other bars to go (also for aperitivo) are Mad Cafè, Caffeina, Caffè Zampano. I've mentioned the places where I'd usually go but there are still some I haven't mentioned and are for you to discover. If you do find a cool place please leave a comment below for future thirstier generations.
If you want to practice languages while having a drink to loose the tongue check the Cesena Language & Social Exchange facebook page. They organize events in different bars.
However not everything is partying and alcohol. Those few other nights you may want to see an italian film at Cinema Eliseo or go to Teatro Bonci to see a play.
Another option is to dress yourself in black and white and sing with the Ultras while Cesena Football Club kicks some ass at calcio. Cesena F.C. is currently in serie B but it has been in serie A and it is supposed to be back again for the 2016/2017 season (fingers crossed). The entrance is usually pretty cheap, 15 Euro, and you can buy beer there which may not be anything worth mentioning for Europeans but it is a novelty for latinoamericans like myself.
All of this is very well but what will make a difference on how much fun you'll have is the people you make friends with. There will probably be a lot of Erasmus students from Spain and Portugal who are always very active to organise activities. Not only parties, but also weekend trips to Florence, Venice, Milano, Rome or shorter escapades to Rimini and San Marino. Not to mention football games, dinners and poker nights. If you are even half as lucky as me you'll meet amazing Italian students which are always very receptive to different cultures, interested in other languages and in teaching you Italian. They'll make your day everyday and everynight ;)
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| Halloween |
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| View from San Marino |
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| Beautiful people in San Marino |
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| Rimini dal Molo di Levante Capitan Giulietti |
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| Rimini (spiaggia libera) |
If you want nice views of Cesena and the hills I recommend going to Abbazia Maria del Monte. To arrive the best way in my opinion is through Via delle Scallette.
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| First steps into mysterious Via delle Scallette |
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| View when going up to Abbazia Maria del Monte |
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| Sunset from the same spot |
Another option is to visit the protected area of Parco Naturale del Fiume Savio (http://www.parcodelsavio.it/home.htm).
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| Ponte Vecchio. Nice spot for a picnic! |
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| On top of the hill you can see La Rocca |
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| You'll find this if you venture deep enough into the wilderness of Parco Naturale del Fiume Savio |
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| Piazza del Popolo |
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| One step after the other, going up the ramp of smooth and old pebble stones with a wall at the end and a door open to the sky and over there the world... |
NOTE: This post will probably be continually updated to include more and/or updated information.
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