Travel to Europe to Learn Italian
Language Schools Provide Unique Ways To See Tuscany and its Cities
Saturated with tourists, Florence is Tuscany's most popular city and the Duomo alone is a literal hive of tourist activity, attracting picture-snappers like a big dome covered in honey. Going as a tourist then, it's easy to feel like part of a very big, camera wielding crowd. So, if you want to feel like you're actually experiencing a stay in Italy, not simply following the tour group (who are in turn following the bobbing umbrella of a guide) then enrolling in a language school is a good way to start.
There are plenty to choose from, and it’s always worth checking them out online to find the one that suits your needs. The Istituto Italiano however, is by far one of the best. The Istituto is situated just off the Duomo in Via Martelli and is run by a Dr Stefano Burbi, an all around enthusiast and caricature of everything Italian. Though clichéd, the platitude that Italy’s triumph is its people certainly does ring true, and Dr Burbi is just one of many bizarre examples.
For the courses themselves you can choose from Semi-intensive (2 hours of tuition a day), "Classico" (4 hours a day), or for the intensely studious among you, the Super-Intensive (6 hours a day-which means you won't have much time to explore Florence during daylight). Weekends are free and the Istituto usually organizes a trip for students, sometimes to nearby Tuscan staples such as San Gimignano or Siena, and sometimes further afield to Venice or even Verona to see an Opera.
As well as language courses you can enroll in classes on Italian cuisine (where each lesson you'll cook a complete Italian meal), Italian Wines, Literature, Art History; basically any aspect of Italian culture that takes your fancy. Prices range from €330 ($520) for a 2 week "Classico" course to €880 ($1400) for a month of Super-Intensive.
The teachers are generally a vivacious bunch and will always be willing to give you advice on where to find cheap places to eat good food so you can avoid the countless money-grabbing pizzerias who'll throw a frozen pizza in the oven and charge you extortionately for it.
You can of course find your own accommodation, but the Istituto is more than happy to find you an apartment or even better, set you up with an Italian family for as little as €145 ($230) a week. If you really want to get a genuine feel for Italian life, staying with a family really is a must and is strongly recommend. Not only do you get to sample the famous Italian home-cooking (which will result in you turning into a walking dish of pasta by the end of your stay – they really do eat little else) but you get to experience the wonderful eccentricities of the modern Italian family. The bohemian Jazz man Padre, the old hunchbacked Mamma, the dysfunctional teenage daughter with an obsession for English pop music and the disorientated twentysomething son add unforgettable color to your visit.
If the rigors of Florence prove too much, worthy alternatives can be found in nearby Lucca (about 1 1/2 hours away by train) and Pisa. Lucca - a petit gem surrounded by Roman walls and characterized by its Piazza Politics - is home to the Koine Center. With prices similar to the Insituto Italiano, the standard Italian Language and Culture course includes art, food and culture lessons in the afternoon. While Pisa's Istituto Linguistico Mediterraneo allows easy access to some of Italy's coastal marvels. The stunning Cinque Terre are a meager train journey away; places with little English, a perfect setting and plenty of Italians to chat to.
