One day a Mexican student of the course of Italian language and culture told me: “All the birds return to their nest, dear Maria!“. Skipping at first because I thought it was a simple proverb (despite all the proverbs have a grain of truth), I immediately realized what was true! I have always loved Lecce and I always kept in…
Heading to the Sorrento Peninsula and Amalfi coast in winter? It can be a wonderful time of year to come… but if you’re planning to visit Sorrento and Amalfi Coast there are some things you have to keep in mind! When is the off season in Sorrento and the Amalfi coast? From the end of October to April (excluding Easter).…
Now in London, getting deep into January, I am warming myself up by flipping through pictures of our morning visit in July at the incredible Pietrabbondante, Teatro dei Sanniti. A near private experience – only one small group of Italians arrived as we were climbing back up to the car – the visit was very special. Sitting in the amazingly…
Italian Cinema Workshop – Part 2 After the success of our last cinema workshop, this second part is intended to present the reality of Italy through different decades and through the eyes of our great film directors. This short-course is designed for Upper Intermediate and Advanced students of Italian. The aim of this course is to expand the student’s knowledge…
In the past few weeks this video showing an adorable Italian grandpa (actually a cook or something close to) trying to pronounce “Worcestershire Sauce” has become viral and has charmed UK, reminding them why (almost) everybody loves Italians. Now, the common stereotype about Italians trying to speak English or any other language, is based on the irrepressible need we have…
That in Puglia, the land of sun and sea, it snows is rare and that it happens in Villa Castelli, country of wine and oil, is definitely an event! But we have greeted the 2015 in this way! On December 31st, each of us, every “castellano” stood up and, opening the windows, found a unusual, magical and sweet Villa Castelli,…
New term starts on the 23rd of January 2015 The Italian Cultural Institute is the official Italian government centre for the promotion of the Italian culture and language, offering a wide choice of Italian classes. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced, whether you want learn Italian for business or pleasure, we can help you perfect your language skills at…
The lagoon of Venice is the cradle of an ancient civilization, the documentary “Lagunalonga” tells its great beauty, for those who live there and for those who want to discover the magic of this extraordinary ecosystem, in footage shot by historic boats and helicopter, and passionate words of many witnesses, both fishermen and historians, administrators and artisans. The documentary reveals…
The popular satirical youtube channel The Jackal has published Ogni maledetto Natale, an hilarious video about the (sometimes infamous) tradition of Christmas movies in Italy, parodying famous movie directors such as Sergio Leone (Il buono, il brutto e il cattivo), Paolo Sorrentino (La grande Bellezza), Gabriele Muccino (L’ultimo bacio), Vittorio De Sica (Sciuscià, Ladri di biciclette), the Vanzina Brothers (sadly renown for…
Like any self-respecting tradition, Italians (Apulians) eat pettole during the feast of the Immaculate Conception, 8th of December. Pettole are a delicious sweet, typical of Apulia that is repeated throughout the Christmas period, with other delicacies. So, here we are already in the Christmas spirit, could not do anything else but make a cooking class for our students of the Italian language and culture in order…
