Planning to learn Italian in Italy?
This is a project that many people embark on for a wide range of different reasons.
Perhaps you want to challenge yourself by conquering a new language, perhaps you want to feel closer to a friend, partner or relative’s culture, or perhaps you’re planning an epic holiday and don’t want to rely on phrase book conversation.
One of the best ways to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it, however stressful and humbling that initially may be. If you’re trying to get to grips with Italian, visiting the country itself is a great way to practice speaking the language and learn more about colloquial phrasing or regional dialect, as well as getting the chance to work on your accent.
In this article, we share our suggestions for some of the best cities in Italy to visit if you want to learn and improve your Italian speaking skills.
Florence
Our top recommendation for where to visit to learn Italian is Florence in Tuscany. Best known for being the birthplace of the Renaissance period and the capital of one of Italy’s best wine regions, it’s a destination that is frequently visited by travelers from all around the world.
However, Florence is still a great city to learn Italian because it’s such a cultural and historical melting pot. As you become more familiar with the language you can also enjoy some of the best galleries and museums in the whole country and develop a deeper appreciation for the stories and people who contributed to Italy’s culture and legacy today.
Verona
Famous as the setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo e Giulietta (Romeo and Juliet), Verona is a charming city in northern Italy that perfectly balances history, culture, and a high quality of life. It’s less crowded than major tourist hubs like Rome, making it an ideal location for language learners who want a more relaxed and authentic Italian experience.
You can explore the historic center, enjoy a coffee in Piazza delle Erbe, or even attend a performance at the Arena. The Opera season in Verona starts in June. With its welcoming atmosphere and smaller crowds, Verona is a comfortable and enjoyable place to improve your Italian skills.
Bologna
Another popular city in Italy is Bologna in the north of the country. Famous not only for its impressive culinary reputation but also for being the home of the first-ever university in the world, it’s this academic history that makes it a really significant place to stay whilst you’re learning Italian.
Bologna’s university means that this is a city for students as well as tourists, which can be ideal if you’re learning Italian and looking for native speakers to practice with who also want to brush up on their English. The city’s incredible food offering also means you can enjoy taking part in Italy food tours as a way of practising useful conversational Italian, with the reward of getting to try all kinds of food as part of this!
Siena
Siena is a great place to learn and perfect your Italian because of its sprawling size and cultural offering. It’s an incredibly popular place to visit for tourists because of the wealth of sightseeing opportunities and activities, and this means that it’s home to plenty of people with a good grasp of many languages.
Siena is a brilliant destination to explore or even live in if you’ve already got a good grasp of Italian and are just looking to practice. But the city is also home to a range of different language schools that can help you hone your skills or even provide a foundation for the language, making it an ideal choice for beginners who want to learn somewhere that feels authentically Italian.
Mantua
Northern Italy is often recommended to those learning Italian because the regional accent from these parts of the country isn’t so strong, making it easier to understand as a beginner. One of our top recommendations for northern cities in Italy to learn the language is Mantua, which you’ll find in Lombardy surrounded by three manmade lakes.
If you dream of learning Italian somewhere that feels authentic and historic then Mantua is a great option, with stunning architecture and plenty of art. It’s known as La Bella Addormentata (or Sleeping Beauty) because of how little it has changed since it was developed, and if you’re ready to be surrounded by both the Italian language and the country’s history, there’s no better place to pick.
Taormina
For those feeling more confident with their Italian progress who are looking for a trip that will offer plenty of chances to hone their skills, Taormina in Sicily is a great city to visit. Perched on the northeast coast of the island region with incredible views of the sea, it’s a picturesque part of Italy that gives you a taste of the unique Sicilian culture.
Taormina is one of the most popular places to visit in Sicily, which means Italian is far from the only language spoken here thanks to all the tourists. But you’ll get a greater understanding of a much more regional version of Italian, which, coupled with the historical sightseeing opportunities on offer, offers an incredibly enriching experience of the country.
Venice
Our final suggestion for the best places in Italy to learn Italian is Venice, the famous floating city of canals. Hanging on to the coast of the country in the north, it’s one of the most popular parts of Italy to visit on holiday and can be a great place to practice your conversational Italian in shops, bars, restaurants and on public transport.
There’s truly nowhere in the world like Venice, so whilst it is a destination that tends to be predominantly populated by tourists, it’s also somewhere that every Italian would agree was worth a visit. Your efforts to speak Italian will be well appreciated, but you can also relax if you need to switch back after a while.
Summary
Learning Italian is an incredibly rewarding pursuit, and going and speaking it in the country is one of the best ways to improve your skills and become more confident. It might feel overwhelming at first, but visiting the Italian cities we’ve suggested in this article means that you’re learning somewhere with a lot to make up for any linguistic mishaps along the way.
Want to start your Italian learning journey or have questions about how to proceed? Contact us!
