Learn Italian in Venice: Social Life
All students are encouraged to make the most of their time in Venice by participating in the cultural activities and excursions offered by the college.
There is no shortage of places to go and things to see in Venice. The college will offer students the chance to try out such activities as a bicycle ride around the Lido, wine tasting in a local wine bar, a tour of the Accademia Gallery, a walking tour to view the traditional Venetian gondolas, a traditional Venetian cookery class or a train excursion to Vicneza to see Palladio’s work.
A sample fortnight’s social & cultural programme
Winter
- Monday: walking tour of Dorsoduro: find out all about school’s surroundings, meeting at 3.30 pm at school
- Tuesday: reading aloud in a Venetian house, meeting in Campo S.Maria Nova at 5 pm
- Wednesday: walking tour from the school to theater La Fenice, meeting at 3 pm at school
- Thursday: itinerary from Rialto to San Polo, meeting on Rialto bridge at 3 pm
- Friday: visit to a handicraft laboratory, forcole e remi, meeting at school at 3 pm
- Monday: walking tour from Santa Margherita to San Stae, meeting at 3 pm at school
- Tuesday: Venetian cicchetti: cooking class, meeting in Campo S.Maria Nova at 5 pm
- Wednesday: walking tour from S.Maria Nova to the church of S.Francesco della Vigna, meeting 3.30 pm in Campo S.Maria Nova
- Thursday: walk from S.Marco to Rialto, meeting at 5 pm in front of Museo Correr
- Friday: walking through Castello: people’s Venice, meeting at 3 pm at Giardini waterbus stop
- Monday: S.Giorgio island, meeting at S.Zaccaria waterbus stop at 3 pm
- Tuesday: walking tour from Santa Margherita to Punta della Dogana, meeting at 3 pm at school
- Wednesday: walking tour of Cannaregio: the Ghetto, meeting at 3.30 pm on Guglie bridge
- Thursday: early morning visit to Rialto market, meeting at 7.45 am on Rialto bridge
- Friday: walk from Rialto to the Accademia, meeting at 3 pm on Rialto bridge
- Monday: discovering S.Croce: from Rialto to Campo San Giacomo dall’Orio, meeting at 3 pm on Rialto Bridge
- Tuesday: visit to Artifex, a handicraft masks laboratory, meeting at 4 pm in Campo Santa Maria Nova
- Wednesday: cinema at school: Sei Venezia by C.Mazzacurati, meeting at school at 2 pm
- Thursday: Venice today: issues related to lagoon environment, meeting at school at 3 pm
- Friday: goodbye party, meeting at school at 1 pm.
Summer
- Monday: conversation lab: images from the world make you speak, meet at school at 3 pm
- Tuesday: readings in fascinating places: short novels by A.Toso Fei read at Magazzini del Sale, meet at 9 pm at Accademia
- Wednesday: pizza night, meet at school at 8.30 pm
- Thursday: visit to Ca’ Giustiniani, historic seat of La Biennale, meet in front of the church of San Moisè at 4 pm
- Friday: music lab: Italian songs, meet at school at 3 pm
- Monday: places names in Venice…with ice cream at Zattere, meet at school at 3.30 pm
- Tuesday: readings in fascinating places: short novels by Tiziano Scarpa read at Fondamenta Nuove, meet at Fond. Nuove waterbus stop at 9 pm
- Wednesday: walk around S.Marco district, meet in Campo S.Salvador at 9 pm
- Thursday: visit to Rialto market early in the morning, meet on Rialto bridge at 7.45 am.
- Friday: trip to Forte Marghera: meet at school at 3 pm
Other things to do
- On a quiet afternoon, or with other students you simply must take coffee in St Mark’s Square (yes it’s expensive, but as a one off, it’s easy to justify!). The elegant 18th century coffee houses, Florians and Caffe Quadri, set under Renaissance colonnades are the perfect location for people watching and appreciating the beauty of St Mark’s Basilica.
- The Rialto Bridge with it’s myriad, tiny (and rather touristy) shops is another must see.
- The Galleria dell’Accademia, contains some fabulous oil paintings and the Doge’s Palace, once the political power house of Venice in it’s heyday, is now a monument to the marriage of Gothic and Islamic architecture.
- The lynch pin of the city is of course the Grand Canal. We feel it’s the best view from a train station we’ve seen to date (if you can top it – please let us know)! Get on the water, gondola, water taxi, vaporetti whatever you fancy (and your pocket allows) and soak up some of those views that inspire so many artists, including the fabulous works of the famous British artist, Turner.
Italian School Activities
The afternoon activities at the Italian language school enable students to improve their language skills: there are grammar workshops, thematic lectures, discussions on films or on literature, Italian songs. The programme is updated weekly in order to offer a wide variety of choices. All such school based activities are free, unless the students need to pay for entrance tickets or transport (not covered by the school).
Around Venice
- The teaching staff organise afternoon excursions and walking tours that allow language students to expand their knowledge of Venetian history, art, traditions and daily life.
- Here are some examples of the Italian school in Venice’s activities:
- Artistic itinerary: museums and art exhibitions.
Itinerary about the local handicraft: visit to the glass and mask workshops and the squeri (where the gondolas are made). - Historic itinerary: walks around the historical areas of the city.
- Gastronomic itinerary: walks around Rialto market (one of the greatest markets in the world), visit to local bacari and trattorie, tasting local dishes and wine, cooking lessons.
Outdoor activities
You can discover the city through a range of sporting activities: trekking in the islands of the lagoon, bicycle trips on Venice Lido or by becoming a member of the CUS (Sport University Centre) where you can learn voga alla veneta (rowing), play soccer, volleyball and so on.
