Before you book your hostel for Bologna (and certainly before you arrive in town!), it's best to understand how the city is organized and how the hostels are situated. Here's a quick look...


City layout
The city's geographical and social center is Piazza Maggiore, which is surrounded by the city's major buildings, including the medieval Palazzo di Rei Enzo, the Palazzo del Podesta, and the Palazzo Comunale. The square also holds the relatively new and demanding bronze statue of Neptune and the Fontana del Nettuno. Head just south of Piazza Maggiore, just behind the Duomo at Piazza Galvani, and you'll find the Palazzo di Archiginnasio. Otherwise, head east from Piazza Maggiore, along Via Rizzoli and then northeast along Via Zamboni, and check out Bologna's university, the oldest in Europe.


Hostel overview
The best fed and best read Italians come from Bologna, with its deliciously famous sauce and Europe's oldest university. It only boasts one official hostel however, although this large HI building does a pretty good job. 6km northeast of the center, it's distant but peaceful and a frequent bus service makes it easy to get around. Always consider the more central hostels and cheap hotels, even if they're not "official."