Learn Italian in Italy: 48 BEST Language Schools in Italy by Region

These days, learning Italian is easier than ever, with lots of options like enrolling in an online course, listening to Italian podcasts, or checking out the tons of free resources available on the web. But let’s face it, nothing beats diving headfirst into the country where Italian is spoken every day. That’s why signing up for an Italian course in Italy can turbocharge your language skills while giving you the adventure of a lifetime.

The exciting part? Planning your trip to Italy! The not-so-fun task? Sorting through countless language schools to find the right one for you. But fear not! I’ve done the legwork for you and handpicked a selection of 48 amazing language schools to learn Italian in Italy. So pack your bags and prepare for an unforgettable immersion into La Bella Italia!

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4 FAQs about learning Italian

1. Is Italian hard to learn?

The feeling of a language being hard is very subjective and depends a lot on your mother tongue, other foreign languages you may know, and what proficiency you want to achieve.

How long it takes to get fluent depends on several factors. According to the FSI (Foreign Service Institute), they have divided languages into four groups of difficulty for speakers of English and have calculated how long it takes them to reach minimum professional proficiency (ILR 3, CEFR C1). Italian falls into Group 1, which is essentially the ‘easiest’ group as you only need to spend 24-30 weeks (600-750 class hours) to reach such an advanced level.

2. Why should I learn Italian? Where is Italian spoken?

Learn Italian in Italy - Verona - Ponte Pietra Before embarking in the search for the perfect Italian course in Italy, let’s take a moment to explore why learning Italian is a journey worth taking. Because Italian might not be as widespread as other languages, but oh, does it have its charms!

Firstly, let’s dispel the notion that Italian is confined solely to Italy’s picturesque landscapes. It proudly holds official status in Switzerland, San Marino, and the Vatican City. It’s not just confined to those areas either – you can find Italian spoken in places like Argentina, home to the second-largest Italian-speaking community outside Italy, and even in Costa Rica, where a whole village was set up by Italian immigrants after World War II.

But it’s not just about where it’s spoken – Italian has a rich history too. Originating from vulgar Latin, it ascended to become the language of literature and culture (even Mozart wrote his operas in Italian instead of German!). And when Italy became a unified country in 1861, Italian became the language that brought everybody together, especially with the rise of television in the 1950s.

But, what truly sets Italian apart is its lyrical charm, considered the sexiest and most romantic accent, with an expressive power that’s unmatched. Elizabeth Gilbert beautifully captured this aspect of the language in “Eat, Pray, Love,” describing Italian as a language “perfectly ordained to express human emotions.” Just think about all those unique Italian words that just don’t translate, like the joy of a big spaghetti feast with friends (spaghettata) or that post-meal snooze feeling (abbiocco)!

3. Why should I study Italian in Italy?

Now, when you’re studying a new language, there’s nothing quite like soaking it up in its homeland. This is especially true for Italian, a language renowned for its rich tapestry of regional diversity. Italy’s various regions boast their own distinct dialects, accents, and cultural nuances, thus studying in Italy not only exposes you to standard Italian but also gives you the opportunity to engage with local variations such as Roman or Sicilian, enriching your understanding of the language in ways that textbooks alone cannot provide.

Moreover, studying Italian in Italy offers a structured and immersive learning journey that accelerates your language acquisition. Being surrounded by native speakers on a daily basis sharpens your Italian pronunciation, enhances your fluency, and deepens your comprehension skills. Whether you’re ordering food or buying souvenirs at a local market, every interaction becomes an opportunity to practice and refine your language skills in real-life situations.

Beyond language acquisition, studying Italian in Italy allows you to experience all those Italian cultural quirks that make the country so unique. From mastering the art of aperitivo to getting familiar with bidets in bathrooms, each experience immerses you deeper into the fabric of Italian society!

4. What kind of Italian courses in Italy are there?

Learn Italian in Italy - Best Italian courses in Italy When you decide to learn Italian in Italy, a wide range of options await in terms of courses and accommodations. This means there’s something out there that’s just right for you, depending on your priorities. Let’s break down your choices, starting with the type of courses typically available:

Individual classes: Tailored specifically to your needs, offering personalized attention and making it less intimidating to speak and make mistakes.

Group courses: Ideal for sharing your language journey with fellow students, fostering camaraderie and mutual encouragement.

Intensive courses: Perfect if you need to learn quickly, they prioritize essential grammar concepts while honing practical language skills such as speaking, listening, and reading.

Family programs: A unique bonding experience where learning Italian becomes a fabulous adventure for the whole tribe.

Courses for Italian certifications: Many schools prepare you for exams that assess Italian proficiency, such as:

- CELI (Certificato Lingua Italiana – Certification of Italian Language), established by the University for Foreigners of Perugia; valuable for both academic and professional pursuits.
- CILS (Certificato di italiano come lingua straniera – Certificate of Italian as a foreign language), established by the University of Siena and useful for those seeking admission to Italian universities.
- PLIDA (Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri – Dante Alighieri Italian Language Project), created by the language academy Dante Alighieri Society, serving as a credential for university enrollment and long-term residency permits.
- DELI (Diploma elementare di Lingua Italiana – Elementary Diploma in Italian) and DALI (Diploma avanzato di Lingua Italiana – Advanced Diploma in Italian), assessments created by the association of language schools AIL (Italian Language Academy) to evaluate Italian proficiency levels.
- CERT.IT (Certificazione Italiano – Italian Certificate), developed by the Università degli Studi Roma Tre to evaluate the proficiency in Italian as a foreign language.

Culture courses: These combine language classes with insights into specific aspects of the local culture, from cuisine to artisanal practices.

In terms of accommodation, the main options are:

Homestay: A full immersion in the Italian way of life, providing ample opportunities for authentic language practice beyond the classroom.
Shared apartment: If you’re eager to meet new people and build connections, this type of accommodation gives you your own space while sharing common areas with roommates.
Single-use apartment: Perfect if you value privacy and independence, providing a tranquil retreat to recharge after the language classes.
Hotels: While typically not the most budget-friendly choice, especially for multi-week Italian courses, a good old hotel offers unparalleled comfort and convenience.

Best Italian courses in Italy

From prestigious academies in big cities to little schools in quiet towns off the beaten path present you with nearly limitless opportunities to learn Italian in Italy for adults. Imagine yourself learning Italian with the Colosseum in the background, or maybe while chilling in the beautiful hills of Montepulciano. And why not mix your studies with some beach time on the Italian Riviera?

Typically, school fees cover anything from an initial assessment to evaluate your Italian proficiency and recommend the perfect course for you, to all necessary teaching materials, a final certification of attendance, and an assortment of cultural and recreational activities designed to enrich your learning experience.

So, here’s a selection of some of the best language schools in Italy, sorted by region. Non ti resta che scegliere! (You just have to choose!).

Learn Italian in Abruzzo

Gentilmente School

Where: L’Aquila
When: year round

This school offers Italian language classes for groups and individuals emphasizing task-based activities, plus immersive week-long programs combining Italian lessons, outdoor activities, and cultural experiences for learners with some prior knowledge of the language.

Italian courses in Apulia

Scuola Mondo Italia

Where: Lecce
When: year round

Intensive mini-group courses, one-to-one classes, cooking lessons, and conversational walks in the city known as the “Florence of the South.” Homestay is available at Maria’s, the school founder, to fully enjoy the family atmosphere.

Trulli Italian School

Where: Alberobello
When: year round

Standard Italian courses, conversational walking and cycling sessions, and language lessons while cooking with nonna, all while staying in the UNESCO-listed town of Trulli (white buildings with cone-shaped roofs covered in grey tiles). Immersive summer programs for teens, adults, and seniors are also available.

Italian courses in Basilicata

La Piccola Scuola

Where: Matera
When: March to June and September to November

Offering 2-week intensive Italian courses for intermediate to advanced levels. The atmosphere is intimate and cozy, ensuring an immersive learning atmosphere.

Italian courses in Calabria

Piccola Università Italiana

Where: Tropea
When: from March to November

Standard Italian courses, conversation classes, CILS preparatory courses, sector-specific courses, and lessons for 60+ students in a former 18th-century monastery, alongside courses paired with sports, arts or cooking and sailing trips to the Aeolian islands.

Scuola Conte Ruggiero

Where: Santa Domenica
When: April to September

In a charming seaside village near Tropea, classes here are mainly held outside under the shade of lush Mediterranean trees. The “Tutto Mare” package includes a shuttle service to the most beautiful beaches in the area after classes.

Italian courses in Campania

Italianopoli

Where: Naples
When: year round

Small group classes of maximum 6 students in the historic center. For intermediate learners, there’s also an interesting 2-week thematic course on Neapolitan art and culture.

Accademia Italiana Salerno

Where: Salerno
When: year round

A seafront school providing standard, intensive and super intensive Italian courses for all levels, CILS and CELI exams. Internships are also available to practice Italian in real-life working situations.

Sant’Anna Institute

Where: Sorrento
When: year round

Welcoming students for academic years, semesters, or summer terms, this school provides Italian language and literature courses paired with a range of topics including art, business, and social sciences. Internships and mentoring programs are also available.

Italian courses in Emilia Romagna

Learn Italian in Italy - Bologna

Arca School

Where: Bologna
When: year round

A choice of short-term courses and multi-week packages to study Italian in Italy’s food capital. CELI exams are available, alongside themed courses on topics like cinema, opera, cuisine, and more.

Tiberius International

Where: Rimini
When: year round

Standard and specialized courses for all ages and interests in one of Italy’s most famous seaside holiday destinations. Special classes available for school groups, singers, musicians and teachers (including practice internship).

Scuola Palazzo Malmisi

Where: Bagni di Romagna
When: year round

An authorized centre for DELI, DILI, DALI and DALC exams set in a delightful thermal town, offering standard Italian courses and special classes for families, over 50s, school groups, and tourism or business professionals.

Italian courses in Friuli Venezia Giulia

Piccola Università Italiana

Where: Trieste
When: year round

An authorized center for the CILS and CELI exams, offering classic Italian courses alongside a wide range of sector-specific courses and special programs tailored to kids, senior students, and opera singers.

Udine University

Where: Udine
When: year round

Standard courses from October to January and from February to May, with intensive courses offered in September and February, all reserved primarily for students of the University of Udine but also open to non-students.

Italian courses in Rome and Lazio

Learn Italian in Italy - Rome Colosseum

Dilit

Where: Rome
When: year round

Near Termini station, one of the first language schools in Italy to teach Italian as a foreign language, offering standard Italian courses, academic semesters/years, and preparatory courses for Italian universities. CELI and CILS exams available.

Kappa Language School

Where: Rome
When: year round

Based in the charming Monti neighborhood, the offering range from 1-week courses to long-term learning experience, including specialized classes to obtain the say visa and the possibility of taking the PLIDA and CELI exam.

The Italian Language Institute

Where: Viterbo
When: June to mid October

In a medieval town 90 minutes north of Rome, there are 1 or 2-week courses for all levels that focus on real communication in authentic settings like markets and shops, as well as preparation for the CELI and CILS exams.

Scuola del Centro

Where: Contigliano
When: Year round

This school offers 100-hour courses in a charming small town a couple of hours drive from Rome. Traditional textbooks are complemented by tablets and other technologies. Courses for CELI exam preparation are also available.

Italian courses in Le Marche

Learn Italian in Italy - Bar Pasticceria in Naples

Scuola Dante Alighieri

Where: Recanati
When: year round

This school offers 4-week study holidays with intensive Italian courses in the hometown of Giacomo Leopardi, who penned some of the most famous Italian poems. CELI exams available and accommodation provided in apartments within the cloister of an ancient monastery.

Scuola Italiano Mondavio

Where: Mondavio
When: year round

Individual lessons and group courses, up to 4 weeks long, blend language instruction with Italian culture and current affairs in a charming Renaissance town near Urbino. Specialized programs for schools include theater or photography, and tailored courses for opera singers are also available.

Centro Culturale Conero

Where: Camerano
When: year round

This school offers individual tutoring and small-group sessions near the Conero Riviera’s pristine beaches. Tailored courses merging Italian language with subjects like art, cinema, and theatre as well as convenient one-day or weekend intensive courses for those with busy schedules are also offered.

Italian courses in Liguria

A Door to Italy

Where: Genoa
When: year round

Weekly standard classes and special courses merging language lessons with activities like cooking, photography, ceramics, or diving. Tailored Italian courses for interpreters and teachers are also provided, alongside exams for the the CELI and AIL certifications.

Centro Italiano di Cultura Fabrizio De Andrè

Where: Sanremo
When: year round

Set in the town hosting Italy’s premier music festival and honoring a famed artist who penned some great Italian songs, this school offers standard language classes complemented by hands-on learning experiences outdoors. It’s also an authorized CILS and DITALS exam center.

Italian courses in Lombardy

Ellci

Where: Milan
When: year round

Italian language courses for general proficiency and specialized topics, ranging from one week to two years. Also, one or two-week study holidays as well as programs for seniors, featuring guided tours, dinners, and wine tastings. CELI exams available.

Learn Italian in Bergamo

Where: Bergamo
When: year round

One or two-week group courses with maximum 6 participants or individual lesson packages in a city whose upper town and walls are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Day trips led by the teachers include Monte Isola, Europe’s largest island in the middle of a lake.

Lake Como Italian School

Where: Menaggio
When: May to September

A blend of traditional classroom learning and immersive outdoor experiences for learning Italian in the stunning setting of Lake Como, catering to all levels, even those starting from scratch.

Italian courses in Molise

Molise Italian Studies

Where: Termoli
When: summer

This school offers 3-week intensive Italian courses for students and curious learners with lessons provided by the University of Molise and accommodation in a beachside hotel (beach chair and umbrella included!)

Live and Learn Italian

Where: Agnone
When: June to September

One to two-week courses blend classroom learning with real-life experiences like visits to shops, small farms, and artisan studios to put into practice new vocabulary and expressions. Accommodation in family-run B&Bs with main meals included.

Italian courses in Piedmont

University of Turin

Where: Turin
When: summer

This summer school combines 60 hours of language lessons and 30 hours of cultural activities focused on specific topics like art and music.

Italiano Porticando

Where: Turin
When: year round

Standard courses up to 4 weeks, with the possibility to pair language classes with topics like literature, art, architecture or cinema. Summer camps for kids as well as special classes for companies and seniors are also available.

Italiano per Stranieri Bra

Where: Bra
When: year round

A PLIDA exam center offering individual courses and Italian business lessons in the birthplace of the Slow Food movement.

Italian courses in Sardinia

L’Accademia

Where: Cagliari
When: year round

Italian courses using the Montessori method, including 1 to 5-week general classes and sessions around town focused on practical everyday chats.

Centro Mediterraneo Pintadera

Where: Alghero
When: year round

In the north of the island, standard Italian courses, teen summer camps, lessons for holiday makers and special offerings like drawing and painting with a local artist and pottery workshops.

Italian courses in Sicily

Learn Italian in Italy - Sicily - Roman Theatre in Taormina

Babilonia

Where: Taormina
When: year round

Italian study holidays and specialized courses for seniors in a historic villa near the Greek Theater. The onsite restaurant provides meals at special prices.

Scuola Italiano Sicilia

Where: Palermo
When: year round

This school offers 1 to 4-week Italian courses with emphasis on spoken language for daily communication, including some paired with Sicilian cooking classes. Special classes to prepare for the CELI exam are also available.

Centro Lingua Italiana Federico II

Where: Catania
When: year round

Italian courses inspired by the enlightened court of Federico II di Svevia, including crush courses at the fish market and summer schools where language learning is paired with beach activities.

Italian courses in Florence and Tuscany

Learn Italian in Italy - Duomo in Florence

Istituto Italiano

Where: Florence
When: year round

Close to the city’s iconic Ponte Vecchio bridge, this institute provides six course types, with CELI, CILS, CERT exam simulations. Scholarships are available.

Il Sasso Language Institute

Where: Montepulciano
When: year round

Personalized classes and group lessons in a historic convent where your furry companions are welcome. Family programs and 1-day survival courses are also available.

Centro Puccini

Where: Viareggio
When: May to October

Italian courses near the beach in one of Tuscany’s top seaside resorts, from 1 week to 6 months, with some blending language learning and hiking adventures.

Lucca Italian School

Where: Lucca
When: year round

Located in the birthplace of Giacomo Puccini, surrounded by four miles of walls, intimate classes and special courses integrating language with activities like photography. Possibility to take the CILS exam.

Terramare

Where: Orbetello
When: year round

In the lovely Etruscan port town of Orbetello, this school offers intimate classes (max 6 participants), blending standard lessons and outdoor activities. Weekly trips and biweekly dinners foster a close-knit student-teacher bond.

University for Foreigners of Siena

Where: Siena
When: year round

A wide array of courses is offered, spanning from general Italian classes to specialized sessions tailored for teachers of Italian language abroad. Duration ranges from two weeks to one month, with regular CILS exams conducted.

Italian courses in Trentino

Trento University

Where: Trento
When: year round

Nine-week courses from October to December to from March to May or two-week intensive courses in September, February and June, open to both student and private learners.

Italian courses in Umbria

University for Foreigners of Perugia

Where: Perugia
When: year round

Besides standard 4-week courses focused on language, conversation and culture, they organize thematic immersions to explore Umbria while learning Italian. CELI exams and certifications in teaching Italian as a foreign language are also available.

La Lingua La Vita

Where: Todi
When: year round

Italian courses ranging from 1 to 24 weeks, focused on practical communication and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques for enhanced learning efficiency.

Italian courses in Venice and Veneto

Learn Italian in Italy - Carnival in Venice

Istituto Venezia

Where: Venice
When: year round

Classic Italian courses, weekend lessons, preparation for CILS and CELI exams, and Italian learning experiences paired with art and cuisine, all taking place in a charming campo (square) frequented by students and Venetians.

In Classe

Where: Verona
When: year round

A wide range of courses, including Italian for kids, professionals, school groups, and couples or friends wanting to study together privately, near the famous Roman Arena. Workshops on topics like Italian gestures and pop music are organized weekly.

Bertrand Russell

Where: Padua
When: year round

Offering 4-week Italian courses, from elementary to advanced, accommodation in half-board single rooms with local families for an immersive experience, and Venice only 30 minutes away by train!

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Ci vediamo lì! (See you there!)

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Learn Italian in Italy - Best language Schools in Italy for Adults

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