Appreciation post: couchsurfing in bologna actually saved me $200 last fall

I was super skeptical about couchsurfing at first. My friend kept pushing it but I thought it was just for 20 year olds who want to party. Then I had a trip to Bologna last October and my hotel budget ran out after 3 nights. I had maybe $100 left for 4 more days. I gave it a shot and stayed with a retired teacher who showed me the best cheap trattorias in town. She even lent me her bike to get around. No horror story at all, just a nice lady who liked meeting travelers. Has anyone else had a surprisingly good experience with couchsurfing or did I just get lucky?

2 comments

2 Comments

williamb291mo ago

oh man i feel that skepticism. i tried couchsurfing once in rome and ended up staying with a guy who had like 50 houseplants and gave me a 2 hour lecture on composting. but honestly the free bed was worth it and his pasta was legit. sounds like you hit the jackpot with that teacher though, bike access alone is a steal in italy.

verawhite1mo ago

Wait @williamb29, wasn't that 50 plants, not houseplants?