Learn new skills and enjoy the countryside life near Bologna, Italy

Details

• 

  Description

  Hello! We are Elisa and Marco, and we’ve recently moved into an ancient house on the hills just outside Bologna. Our home is in a scenic location, surrounded by farmland, woods, and small villages. The property was once a farm, built between the 1200s—when it was a small hermitage—and the 1900s, and was recently owned by an Italian family for over two centuries. It has plenty of Italian charm, a garden with large trees, and ample space for both relaxation and fun.
  
  The area is well-known for its picturesque lanscapes, villages, local wineries (one is just up the road), cherries, mushrooms, truffles, and authentic farm produce. There are many family-owned traditional trattorias filled with locals and people from Bologna, as well as foreign tourists who visit for the world-famous Bolognese cuisine, particularly the homemade pasta.
  
  A Bit About Us:
  Marco and I both work from home. Marco is a researcher at a university, and I’m a designer. We’ve been working on making improvements to our new home since we moved in a little over a year ago, and we’re really enjoying the process! In our free time, we love exploring the surrounding towns, taking walks, gardening, and cooking fresh homemade food. We enjoy both socializing and quiet moments—striking a balance between the two. I’m half Italian and half English, and I also speak fluent Spanish. Marco is Italian and also speaks fluent English and Portuguese. We’re not 100% vegetarian, but we enjoy a vegetable-based diet with plenty of fresh ingredients. We also live with three cats.
  
  We look forward to hearing from you and hope you’ll join us in this beautiful place!

• 

  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Gardening

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house
• 

  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  During your stay, you'll have the opportunity to learn about Italian lifestyle, language, and culture, as well as explore the surrounding area, great for walks, hikes and mountainbiking (with your own bikes). It offers horseriding, there is an observatory in the area and the food is great too! Bologna is a wonderful and very lively city to visit and from there jump on a train to Florence, Venice, and more for the weekend!
  
  We can help you learn some new skills like gardening, setting up a veggie garden, making your own natural herb oils. I’m a vertical garden designer and I can teach you how it works. We can help you speak some Italian and you can learn the basics of Italian cooking and some recipes. We can visit Bologna together, as we sometimes go into town for work or to see our friends. We sometimes throw a garden get together with our friends, with nice food, wine and music.

• 

  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

• 

  Help

  What We Need Help With:
  • Organizing and unpacking: Help us tidy up and rearrange some of the furniture and boxes we’ve stored since moving in.
  • Cellar cleaning and clearing: Help us empty and clean the cellars, as well as load unwanted items into the car to take to the nearby recycling station.
  • Help with cleaning and improving.
  • Garden: help with weeding, mowing the lawn, planting and clearing the small woods near the house.
  • Vegetable garden setup: Assist with setting up our new vegetable garden.
  • Cleaning and general maintenance: Helping with ongoing upkeep and cleanliness of the house and grounds.

• 

  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent
  Italian: Fluent
  Portuguese: Fluent

• 

  Accommodation

  We welcome single travelers or couples, with a maximum of two Workawayers at a time. You’ll have your own room with a bathroom, which may be shared with another Workawayer or a family guest. Breakfast will be typically Italian (uncooked) we’ll prepare lunch/dinner, with plenty of opportunities for you to join in and learn some authentic Italian recipes. We appreciate some help with food prepping and clearing up after meals ;)

• 

  What else ...

  We are a 30-minute drive or 50-minute bus ride from Bologna city center, with the nearest bus stop located at the bottom of the hill, 2 km from the house. When possible we will gladly drive you to the bus stop or sometimes elsewhere. Local cafes, small grocery stores, a post office, a gas station, and farmers' stalls selling fresh produce are within a few Ks. The nearest town with more shops and supermarkets is just a 10-15 minute drive or bus ride away. We can accommodate your car or camper if needed as long as it’s not too large.
  
  We don't have many house rules, just a few simple guidelines based on common sense: respect for each other, respect for personal space and time, cleanliness, flexibility, punctuality, and a serious positive attitude towards the work when you're helping us. However, we ask that there is no smoking indoors, moderate alcohol consumption, and no guests. We're looking for Workawayers who do not need residency or plan to extend their stay beyond the agreed time.

• 

  A little more information

  • 

    Internet access

  • 

    Limited internet access

  • 

    We have pets

  • 

    We are smokers

  • 

    Can host families

• 

  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

Website Safety