Bologna at a crossroads: accessible student hub or tourist city?

Once a vibrant student hub, Bologna now faces rising costs, a housing crisis, and overtourism, raising doubts about its future as a student-friendly city.

Pubblicato il 23 giugno 2025

Di Claudia Cavagnuolo, Rita Miriam Ferru, Lara Gianfrancesco e Stella Xhakaj .

The occupation in October 2023 of Casa Vacante by the student collective Luna connected to Labas - Michele Lapini

Bologna’s changing identity 

For much of the 20th and early 21st centuries, Bologna has been regarded as a model of urban, cultural and economic opportunity. Known for its prestigious university and historically progressive political climate, the city has long attracted students and workers from across Italy and beyond. However, recent trends suggest a significant transformation in the socioeconomic fabric of the city, one that risks undermining its reputation in terms of accessibility and social mobility. 

A key factor in this shift is the dramatic rise in the cost of living: as reported by Il Sole 24 Ore, Bologna has witnessed a disproportionate increase in rent. While the national average for rent as a percentage of income in other Italian cities has risen to 35.2%, Bologna now exceeds 40.2%, making it one of the least affordable cities in Italy for renters. This affects transient populations such as students and early-career workers, who often lack financial resources or institutional support to cope with such pressures. The housing market inflation is further exacerbated by post-pandemic demand and the exponential growth of short-term rentals aimed at tourists.  

Another significant shift concerns urban mobility: public transport in Bologna has seen a marked increase in cost, with the price of a single bus ride rising from €1.50 to €2.30 in a short span of time. According to some studies, Bologna now ranks among the most expensive cities in Europe for public transport, surpassing even larger capitals such as Rome, Paris, and London. Although discount schemes and subsidies have been introduced—for instance, through partnerships between Tper , the public transport company operating in Bologna, and local health institutions—this escalation in transportation costs adds an additional economic barrier to participation in city life. 

The garrison in front of the Amazon company - CGIL's Facebook page

Parallel to housing and transport challenges, Bologna’s labor market has become increasingly precarious. Despite its reputation as a city of employment opportunities, current conditions reveal systemic issues. For example, trade unions such as “Nursind” have reported that insufficient wages, workplace hostility, and unaffordable living conditions are contributing to the attrition of medical professionals. This situation regards even the private sector, and one of the examples is the strike on March 24th by workers at Esseti Spa—an Amazon subcontractor—protesting unpaid wages and exploitative contracts.  

Tourism boom exposes social and economic fragilities of the city 

At the same time, Bologna is experiencing a tourism boom that is reshaping the city’s social and economic landscape in ways that both reflect and intensify these challenges.  

Over the past twelve months, Bologna Airport handled 10.8 million travellers: a number twelve times larger than the population of the metropolitan area and twenty-seven times that of the city of Bologna itself.  International traffic has seen the most notable rise: the number of passengers arriving from abroad has more than doubled in the past decade, climbing from 1.4 million in 2014 to 3.3 million in 2024. This rise mirrors the exponential growth of tourism in the region, according to figures from Bologna Welcome. 

Across the wider Metropolitan City of Bologna, tourist arrivals jumped by 59% over the same period, growing from 1.6 million to over 2.6 million. Overnight stays saw an even steeper rise, up 78% to nearly 5.8 million. The trend is even more striking within Bologna city limits, where arrivals climbed by 66% and overnight stays nearly doubled, soaring by 90% to over 4 million. 

The most visible impact of Bologna’s tourism boom has been on the housing market. In just a few years, tourists have occupied over nearly 5,000 homes listed on Airbnb, squeezing the availability of residential housing for locals. Nevertheless, the short-term rental market is controlled by a small group of players. Estimates suggest that just 4% of property owners collect nearly one-third of all rental income. Other researches highlight why renting to tourists is so appealing: according to HousingBo, in 2022, the average annual income from a traditional long-term rental in Bologna was around €13,000. By contrast, renting the same property as a short-term stay could generate €16,650 a year. 

To better understand how short-term rental platforms are interacting with Bologna’s social dynamics, a team of researchers from the Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering (DICAM) at the University of Bologna conducted an in-depth study. Their findings reveal a strong correlation between the concentration of Airbnb listings and economic fragility in certain neighborhoods. One key reason is the competition of short-term rentals with traditional housing markets, driving up rental prices for workers and students. Airbnb has filled a gap in the market: many tourists nowadays prefer the flexibility of renting apartments rather than being tied to hotel schedules, opting for accommodation that offers greater autonomy. However, the solution to the challenges posed by contemporary tourism requires a more nuanced approach. 

Three potential regulatory approaches are emerging: limiting the number of rental days, restricting the number of short-term rental licences, enforcing minimum rental durations. Yet, Bologna cannot ignore the role tourism plays: with 2 million stays driven by platforms like Airbnb, the city must find alternatives. Without such changes, Bologna risks losing both its economic vitality and the cultural energy tourism brings, a loss that could have lasting social and economic consequences. Especially for students and workers. 

The rental market: challenges for students and workers 

 Once seen as a long-term goal for young professionals, homeownership in Bologna has become virtually unattainable for most. According to ISTAT, the Italian National Institute of Statistics, purchasing a home in the city now requires the equivalent of 107 monthly salaries—approximately nine years of full income. However, this figure does not consider day-to-day expenses, making the actual timeline far longer, potentially exceeding 30 years. For the younger generations, this economic reality signals not just delayed independence but structural exclusion from long-term settlement.  

 According to a survey conducted by Immobiliare.it, Bologna tops the list of cities where rental prices for single rooms have seen the steepest rise. Over the past four years, the average rent for a single room in Bologna has surged by an astonishing 73%, reaching €651 per month between 2021 and 2025. In some cases, renting a room now costs more than renting an entire apartment. These increases—especially affecting single rooms—reflect a long-standing trend that is making it increasingly difficult for students to find affordable housing. One clear indicator of this is the declining number of domestic students from central and southern Italy choosing to study in Bologna. At the same time, the number of international students continues to grow, suggesting a shift in the city’s student demographics. 

In a March 15, 2025 article in Il Resto del Carlino, Bologna-based lawyer Davide Bicocchi highlighted one of the underlying causes: the proliferation of short-term rentals, such as B&Bs, particularly in the city centre. These rentals are squeezing students and workers out of the traditional housing market, driving prices up and availability down. But as Bicocchi emphasizes, this is just one facet of a broader problem—namely, a rental market increasingly shaped by speculative practices. 

While some propose capping rental prices as a solution, critics argue that such a measure could backfire, making it even harder to find housing legally and potentially pushing more students into the black-market rental sector. An alternative approach, as noted by Paolo Sticcotti in the same article, may lie in learning from models used elsewhere in Europe—particularly student housing cooperatives. 

One such example is Zurich’s Woko cooperative, detailed on its website, woko.ch. Founded in 1972, Woko rents furnished rooms to students enrolled at the University of Zurich. The monthly rent includes all utilities and grants access to communal facilities such as music rooms, bars, workshops, and other shared spaces. It represents just one of many cooperative housing models across Europe that have succeeded in making major cities more accessible and affordable for students. 

Protest against AirBnB, 2019 - Mattia Fiore

Back in Bologna, Italian students continue to voice their frustration over the difficulty of finding well-maintained, reasonably priced apartments. They consistently call for an increase in public student housing, improved services in university residences, and stronger cooperation between the municipality and the university to secure subsidized housing options. The now-familiar images of students camping out in tents—not only in Bologna but also in cities across Italy—have become a powerful symbol of the housing crisis facing non-resident students.  

Despite the frequent promises and initiatives aimed at changing course—as Bologna's student activists often put it—the path toward meaningful reform remains long and complex. Introducing legislation to limit short-term tourist rentals could be a good first step, but broader, systemic changes are urgently needed. These include increasing financial support for non-resident students, expanding public housing capacity, and investing in the renovation and reuse of vacant properties.  

 

Grassroots solutions: supporting students through solidarity 

One standout programme is Grandparents Adopt Students, a creative response to the financial challenges faced by university students. This initiative pairs elderly residents—often individuals or couples living alone—with students in need of housing. In exchange for companionship and light help with daily tasks such as grocery shopping or running errands, students receive a private, fully furnished room at no cost. The programme has seen considerable success in recent years, not only easing housing shortages but also helping to counteract the city’s black-market rental practices, particularly in central and adjacent neighborhoods.  

 Another major effort is the HousINgBO project, launched in 2019 in response to shifting housing dynamics and the growing demand for affordable student accommodation. The initiative focuses on increasing the availability of student housing and ensuring that access to higher education remains within reach—especially for those from low-income families. A core element of HousINgBO is the promotion of agreed-rent contracts through a collaborative process involving stakeholders across the housing market, with the aim of making rent more affordable and stable.  

Additionally, the University of Bologna provides financial assistance in the form of scholarships for students facing economic hardship. These are awarded based on a low ISEE (Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator) and solid academic performance, reinforcing the city’s commitment to equity in education. 

While tourism continues to shape Bologna’s economy and urban landscape, the city’s policies indicate a clear desire to preserve its identity as a university town. The ongoing challenge lies in striking a sustainable balance—one that supports student life while embracing the benefits of increased tourism. Bologna’s future will depend on its ability to harmonize these two forces, ensuring that both can coexist and contribute to the city's vitality. Bologna stands at a crossroads. The tension between preserving its identity as a welcoming, student-focused city and embracing its role as a global tourist destination defines its current challenges. Meaningful change will require collaborative efforts from institutions, residents, and policymakers to ensure that the city remains livable, equitable, and accessible. Not just for visitors, but for locals, for the very people who keep its cultural and academic legacy alive. 

 

References 

  • Nalin, A., Cameli, L., Pazzini, M., Simone, A., Vignali, V., & Lantieri, C. (2023). Unveiling the Socio-Economic Fragility of a Major Urban Touristic Destination through Open Data and Airbnb Data: The Case Study of Bologna, Italy. Smart Cities, 6(6), 3138-3160. 

  • Student Housing Cooperative Zurich. Available at: www.woko.ch (accessed on 22 April 2025). 

  • Portale Flashgiovani, informagiovani multitasking Comune di Bologna. “Nonni adottano studenti”, available at  https://www.flashgiovani.it/node/548 (accessed on 22 April 2025)