Why
learn Italian on your next trip to Italy?
Besides
being one of the most passionate and beautiful languages
on the planet, there is no greater joy than in participating
in Italian life - in Italian!
Whether
it's haggling at the local market, reading the latest edition
of il Tempo
or listening to Italian opera, visitors who study the language
fully immersed also report a far deeper understanding of
the country's culture and history.
However,
most travelers who take a language study course report a
far better reason for learning Italian - that is, getting
closer to everyday life in Italy and the opportunity to
form warm and lasting freindships with its people.
Practical
travel tips
First,
you'll have to choose among a variety of courses which are
available in Rome, Naples, Florence, Venice, Milan or any
other major tourist hub within Italy.
Classes
can be as informal or intensive as you please. For company
travelers, there are special courses that concentrate on
business etiquette, dining and getting around. For students,
there are fully intensive college credit programs.
But
for the vast majority of visitors, language schools also
offer easy learning experiences for beginners that take
into account that bonjourno may be the only word
in Italian familiar to you.
Easier
still, many courses also include the complete travel package
with airport transfers, accommodations and guided tours.
Also look for history seminars, film evenings, cooking classes
or nights on the town included with the course. These experiences
not only increase your understanding of the culture, but
make it far more easier to learn.
Remember,
inhibitions can be be quickly overcome by relaxing and just
having fun.
As
one returning visitor recently admitted, "There's nothing
like a glass of Italian wine to loosen the tongue and help
you practice Italian!"
More
about Italian language tours On the Web:
Italian
Language School/Florence
Italian Language Schools/Italy
Cultura
Italiana
Bread,
Wine & Language
also
see feature story -> Italian
Travel Phrases
