Italian Language Courses

If you are looking for an intellectually-stimulating holiday, want to get closer to Italian culture, or are looking for something a bit different, why not improve your Italian on a language course in Italy? Every Italian city offers a choice of language schools which cater for all levels.

At most schools you will encounter a healthy mixture of fellow-learners, including students, holidaymakers and foreigners who've just moved to Italy. A course can be a rewarding social experience as well as an opportunity to learn more about the language and culture. Teachers will be natives, usually locals, and will be able to give you excellent advice on the local culture, activities and restaurants. Schools often organise social or tourist activities for their pupils, such as guided tours or daytrips.

The most common teaching method is immersion, where teachers will only speak Italian. You can usually book any length of time from one week upwards, but many schools' courses spend two weeks on each level of Italian, and you will certainly benefit more from staying a fortnight or longer.

An extra advantage of taking a language course is that they are ideal for people travelling alone - cameraderie springs up between students, and you are rarely short of a new acquaintance to dine or explore with.

Learning Italian in Rome - a personal experience

When I attended an international language course in Rome, I found myself in small classes (up to 12 students) with a mixed and friendly bunch of people from all over the world - the greatest numbers were from Germany, Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom, but I also had classmates from Mexico, Croatia, Ireland, Holland and Brazil. Ages ranged from 18 to about 60 (my school, like many others, also ran special classes just for the over-50s), with civil servants, nuns and opera singers among the class. Students mixed and socialised before and after class, taking breaks in a nearby bar or gelateria, in shared apartments and on the trips organised by the school. You could sign up for extra activities - some free, some at additional expense - such as guided walks, evening meals, trips to Pompeii or Umbria, cookery classes. The social life was great, with many students getting together in groups to visit Roman restaurants or to host small parties, or exploring the city after class in pairs or groups. Courses each lasted a fortnight, with changeovers of students and much exchanging of email addresses.

The total immersion teaching style is a shock at first (teachers will only speak in Italian, even to beginners), but it soon seems a natural way to learn. Teachers were skilled at explaining and miming, and it doesn't take long for learners to forget their nervousness and stumble over new phrases. Learning is accelerated as students are encouraged to stretch themselves, talking Italian as much as possible, and you progress much faster than you could hope to do learning in your own country. In six weeks my Italian progressed from basic tourist phrases to a conversational level, and it only takes a week or two to make a significant difference to your ability.

Booking a language course online

Cactus are a UK-based company who offer a wide range of language courses internationally. In Italy they take bookings for courses in more than fifteen destinations, from large cities like Rome, Milan, Bologna and Florence to small and picturesque resorts like Taormina in Sicily. Courses are at all levels, from beginner to advanced, and you can book general, intensive, and individual courses, as well as special subjects like cookery, pizza-making and an 'Italian and Opera' course in Verona.

Going through a language school is a good way of finding affordable accommodation abroad, and Cactus offer different types of accommodation, ranging from host family to hotel. If you want to be independent but save money and socialise, the most attractive option is probably a shared student apartment. For accommodation and course you'll be looking at prices from £250 a week.