Italian culture is one devoted to the senses. The great ëcities of artí - Florence, Rome and Venice - have been revered for centuries, while the Italian dedication to traditional cooking using fresh produce has sparked a worldwide movement - Slow Food. For those undertaking Italian courses London is a fine place to reach Italy. A same-day train to Milan costs less than £100 while low-cost airlines operate from both Heathrow and Gatwick.

The language of Romance

Italian is one the six most widely spoken Romance languages. These all form a branch of the Indo-European language family, and descend from Vulgar Latin, the language of ancient Rome. Learning one romance language makes learning the others easier. People studying intensive French courses or indeed, any program in Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian or Catalan, will therefore find it relatively easy to get to grips with Italian.

Getting started

It's surprising how useful just one or two choice phrases can be. The appropriate greetings and courtesies can make all the difference when interacting with locals and will increase the chance of better service when doing anything from buying a coffee to asking directions.

Eating out

The Italians are serious about their food. Indeed, the Pope set quality standards for pasta all the way back in the 13th century. While most foreigners perceive Italy as having a national cuisine, the reality is that each region has its own particular types of food, mostly based on the ability to grow particular ingredients.

The Liguria region is home to some of the best olive groves in the world. Further east, in Lombardy, people are more likely to eat risotto rather than pasta, and to use butter instead of olive oil in their cooking. Southern Italians typically favour fish, drawn from the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

Accommodation

Italy isnít cheap, a fact reflected in the prices for accommodation. Head outside of the tourist areas for the best deals.

Car rent