Your stay in Turin
Finding accommodation in Turin may be less simple than in other countries. You have to begin an active search before coming and not to wait until the last minute. Remember that our exchange program is not a full-service package: we will support you, but at the end the responsibility of finding satisfactory accommodation is up to you.
Our school does not have an Accommodation Office, nor do we have our own residence halls. Nevertheless, we can assist you in two different ways. We can find you an apartment, rented from private landlords, that you can share with other exchange students, by using the contacts that are available at the moment (see below). If, instead, you have very high expectations (for example living in the centre with your friends), and you prefer to search for your accommodation by yourself, the following pages contain some up-to-date information on the housing options to help you to find the right place to live. If you choose this option, you should arrive some days before the beginning of the courses to ensure you’ll have enough time.
Please be aware that there are things we can not do for you. We have a limited staff, so, except for particular cases, we will not be able to pick you up at the airport, nor to act as a real estate agency, nor to drive you around looking for a permanent accommodation.
Find a room through SAA
Each semester we are in touch with private landlords who rent rooms in apartments (mostly in the area around SAA) to share with other students. The prices can range from a minimum of €300 (plus expenses) to a maximum of €450 per month per person. If you are interested in this, we can put you in contact with the landlord and we will also try to match you with one or more other exchange students whom we think could suit you (age, language etc.). This is probably the easiest solution.
Please take note that we just put landlords and guests in touch with each other, but flats are not regularly visited or inspected by us and that we recommend flats on the basis of the advice and positive experience of previous exchange students, but without any responsibility on our side. Be aware that we can not enter into any form of tenancy agreement with private landlords on a students behalf. We are only an intermediary for students and landlords but in no circumstances can SAA be considered accountable for any possible problems between these two parties.
Find an apartment by yourself
Even if all possible assistance is given, we cannot guarantee to find you the accommodation of your dreams. If you so wish, you may decide to search for it by yourself. You can request from us some landlords’ names in advance to contact them already from your country (consider that most landlords do not speak English).
You can also contact one of the agencies or residence halls listed below. However, we do not recommend you to contact ordinary estate agencies, as their commissions are usually very high (i.e. 2 months rent not refundable).
One option would be to come some days before the beginning of the courses, book a room in a hotel or hostel, and look for a permanent accommodation during the first days after your arrival. You can find advertisements of furnished flats, appartamenti ammobiliati in magazines such as Secondamano (published Mon/Wed/Friday) and La Stampa-Tutto Affari (Sunday).
If you are going to live in a flat, please take note of the following:
- We recommend you not to live in the same flat with your best friend, since you are here to experience something new and to learn Italian. Take the chance to live with other exchange or Italian students and to meet new people.
- For only five months it is much easier to find a room in a flat to share with other students than a big flat with many rooms for you and your friends.
- It may be incautious to rent any accommodation without seeing it and without discussing with the landlord the conditions of rent.
- According to law a landlord must provide a tenant with written information confirming the date of the commencement of the tenancy, the amount of the rent and when it is to be paid, and, if it is a fixed term contract, how long it runs for. You should read through any written agreement very carefully and be sure that you understand the terms before agreeing to anything.
- Usually, flats are fully furnished and built to provide a standard comfort. All accommodations include kitchens with oven, fridge-freezers and storage facilities.
- Linen and bath-towels are not usually provided by landlords. Mattresses, pillows and blankets are usually included.
- The typical rent agreement will include subject to deductions for any damage or outstanding expenses in terms of expenditure (a deposit), usually from one to three months of rental, refundable at the end of the Rental Agreement, and one month of rental in advance.
- Rents may vary according to the area, flat conditions, number of the rooms etc. You can expect to pay, on average, from around €300 to €450 per month per person.
- All expenses (heating, electricity, water, gas etc.) are sometimes included in the rent, in other cases the rent is cheaper but you are expected to pay monthly expenses in addition. Clarify this from the beginning with your landlord.
Contacts
Agencies providing shared flats
An accommodation service for bed and breakfast in town provides rooms in apartments with family assistance (temporarily, max. one month) and furnished apartments for a longer period.
Bed and Breakfast Service
Via dei Mille 23 -10123 Torino
tel.: + 39 011 812 3675
fax.: +39 011 812 3675 / 814 0861
e-mail: torinoservice@yahoo.it
Students’ Association Office provides contacts and addresses to rent and share a flat for Italian and exchange students.
Halls of Residence
Collegio Roberto Einaudi Student Hall is a university residence located down-town (20 minutes by bus from the school), and it provides double rooms (about €200 per person per month) with self-catering (each floor has a shared kitchen), free access to computer lab, gym, library and video room. For all inquiries and reservations contact Mrs. Furci (she speaks English) at least four months before your arrival.
Via Galliari 30
tel.: +39 011 812 6853
fax: +39 011 817 1008
e-mail: furci@collegioeinaudi.it
Temporary accommodation
If you decide to arrive some days before, to look by yourself for your accommodation yourself or just to find out something about Turin on your own during holidays the following contacts could be useful:
Ostello della Gioventù (Youth Hostel)
Via Alby 1
tel.: +39 011 660 2939
fax: +39 011 660 4445
www.comune.torino.it/infogio/vacanze/dove_dormire/ostelli.htm
Hotel Eden**
Via Donizetti 22
tel.: +39 011 669 9545
www.hoteledentorino.it/
Smeraldo**
P.zza Carducci 168/b
tel.: +39 011 663 4577
http://www.smeraldo.to.it/
Plaza Hotel***
Via Petitti 8
tel.: +39 011 663 2424
fax: +39 011 67 8351
www.hotelplazatorino.it/inglese/dove.html
Continental Hotel***
via Genova 2
tel.: +39 011 6964537/ 0116963206
www.continental.to.it/