Rome Work & study

Study

Language

It’s true – anyone can speak another language. Don’t worry if you haven’t studied languages before or that you studied a language at school for years and can’t remember any of it. It doesn’t even matter if you failed English grammar. After all, that’s never affected your ability to speak English! And this is the key to picking up a language in another country. You just need to start speaking.

Learn a few key phrases before you go. Write them on pieces of paper and stick them on the fridge, by the bed or even on the computer – anywhere that you’ll see them often.

You’ll find that locals appreciate travellers trying their language, no matter how muddled you may think you sound. So don’t just stand there, say something! If you want to learn Italian quickly, pick up a copy of Lonely Planet’s comprehensive but user-friendly Italian Phrasebook or Fast Talk Italian.

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Courses

Rome is a popular destination for foreign students. But even if you’re not reading for a degree in art or architecture, there are loads of courses available for enthusiastic amateurs.

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Cooking

Cookery writer Diane Seed (The Top One Hundred Pasta Sauces) runs her Roman Kitchen (06 679 71 03; www.italiangourmet.com) cooking courses four or five times a year from her kitchen in Palazzo Doria Pamphilj. There are one-day, two-day, three-day and week-long courses costing €200 per day or €1000 per week.

The Italian gastronomic organisation Gambero Rosso organises a range of cooking courses at its Rome complex Città del Gusto (06 551 12 21; www.gamberorosso.it/portale/cdg/scuole; Via Enrico Fermi 161). Three- or six-hour courses (in Italian) focus on a particular dish or ingredient such as pasta, pizza or seafood. Lessons cost €75 for three hours.

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Language

There are hundreds of schools offering language courses in Rome. Costs vary from around €350 for a 40-hour, two-week course to around €3840 for a one-year course. Some schools also offer accommodation packages. Reputable schools include the following:

Arco di Druso (06 397 50 984; www.arcodidruso.com; Via Tunisi 4)

Berlitz (06 683 40 00; www.berlitz.it; Via di Torre Argentina 21)

Centro Linguistico Italiano Dante Alighieri (06 442 31 400; www.clidante.it; Piazza Bologna 1)

Italiaidea (06 699 41 314; www.italiaidea.com; Via dei Due Macelli 47)

Torre di Babele Centro di Lingua e Cultura Italiana (06 442 52 578; www.torredibabele.com; Via Cosenza 7)

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Mosaic-making

Turn your hand to mosaic-making at Art Studio Café (06 972 77 286; www.artstudiocafe.com in Italian; Via dei Gracchi 187a), an exhibition space, mosaics school and art ‘laboratory’. One-day classes cost €120, two-day classes €240 and an intensive six-day course €800.

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Wine tasting

Refine your palate a course run by the International Wine Academy of Roma (06 699 08 78; www.wineacademyroma.com; Vicolo del Bottino 8). Learn about Italy’s wine regions and tone up your tasting skills on the €180 half-day (two-hour) course, which includes lunch or dinner. There are also one-day tours (€360) to local vineyards and tastings (€30 to €50) on Thursdays and Saturdays. Bookings essential.

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