Cultura Italiana
Cultura Italiana
5
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The only Italian Language School in Bologna specialised in teaching only Italian to foreigners. Enhance your Italian communication skills with our experienced teachers. Guaranteed 8 class-levels at any time. From Day 1, students (even beginners!) Speak Italian. At Cultura Italiana, special care is devoted to language expression and communication alongside grammar. After lessons, we organise many activities to help students maximise integration with local Italians. Students participate in activities tailored to their interest (e.G a doctor/ architect/ teacher/student can meet a fellow Italian and visit their work-place / school) and activities designed for all, on Italian life and culture. We have accommodation in private flats or with Italian families near the school. Established in 1980, Cultura Italiana is the only authentic Italian school in Bologna recognised by the Italian State, accredited by the Region and a member of ASILS (Association of Italian Language Schools) We are not like the other English language-focused schools in Bologna that sell Italian lessons to tourists. We specialise in teaching only Italian as a second language to adults and upon request, groups of high school students and private lessons for children. Price : 497EUR/person, 2-week Intensive Italian group course (6-12people). Price : 481EUR/person, 1-week Italian Language+Cooking and Wine tasting See site for special discounts and other course combinations.
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Explorer45326796983
Coimbra, Portugal2 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
Bologna la Sapienta: Europe's oldest university. It is worth visiting the Archive, with its old Anatomical Theater and the Palace
Pogli, with a fabulous science museum.
Bologna la Rossa: The city is a terracotta color with kilometers of arcades, where we can protect ourselves from the sun in summer and rain in winter. The sunsets are beautiful. The views from one of the several medieval towers are unforgettable. The highlight is Piazza Maggiori, with St. Petronius' Basilica and several palaces.
Bologna la Gorda: throughout the city there are several restaurants and bars, where you can eat the best of Italian cuisine. Taglatelli, lasagna or spargetti al Ragu (the famous Bolognese), Tortellinis and Tortellinis, also invented here, at Piadine, the "Bolognese fast food", in addition to everything else that Mortadella characterizes Italy... An unforgettable taste experience ( You will never enjoy an Italian restaurant without remembering Bologna...
Pogli, with a fabulous science museum.
Bologna la Rossa: The city is a terracotta color with kilometers of arcades, where we can protect ourselves from the sun in summer and rain in winter. The sunsets are beautiful. The views from one of the several medieval towers are unforgettable. The highlight is Piazza Maggiori, with St. Petronius' Basilica and several palaces.
Bologna la Gorda: throughout the city there are several restaurants and bars, where you can eat the best of Italian cuisine. Taglatelli, lasagna or spargetti al Ragu (the famous Bolognese), Tortellinis and Tortellinis, also invented here, at Piadine, the "Bolognese fast food", in addition to everything else that Mortadella characterizes Italy... An unforgettable taste experience ( You will never enjoy an Italian restaurant without remembering Bologna...
Written 27 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael D
5 contributions
Sept 2022 • Business
I attended Cultura Italiana for a two-week intensive course. It was terrific, and met or exceeded all expectations!
Each student receives a written and oral placement assessment upon arrival. There were about 7 classes at all levels, each with about 9 students. This means you are in a class with others at about the same level. There were students of all ages (in my class, ranging from 21-72), from all around the globe. The daily program consists of 2 hours grammar, 2 hours conversational, and about an hour of homework. Each day, Cultura Italiana hosts a cultural experience, such as a walking tour, cooking class, informational lecture about current events in Italy, etc.
The course is intensive as advertised. Instructors and students speak only Italian in and around class. The speech was at a normal speed in the intermediate class. It was exactly the kind of challenge I hoped for. My Italian comprehension and grammar improved significantly. I highly recommend the program!
Each student receives a written and oral placement assessment upon arrival. There were about 7 classes at all levels, each with about 9 students. This means you are in a class with others at about the same level. There were students of all ages (in my class, ranging from 21-72), from all around the globe. The daily program consists of 2 hours grammar, 2 hours conversational, and about an hour of homework. Each day, Cultura Italiana hosts a cultural experience, such as a walking tour, cooking class, informational lecture about current events in Italy, etc.
The course is intensive as advertised. Instructors and students speak only Italian in and around class. The speech was at a normal speed in the intermediate class. It was exactly the kind of challenge I hoped for. My Italian comprehension and grammar improved significantly. I highly recommend the program!
Written 12 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Moonette
St. Petersburg, FL446 contributions
Aug 2014 • Solo
I am American and speak both English and Spanish fluently. I took Italian for 18 weeks in a continuing ed class, but I learned little conversation or grammar. In that class, we learned vocabulary. Still, I could flub my way through some Italian.
At Cultura Italiana, I have received the lessons I need to understand better how to speak the language. I am in intermediate grammar and conversation, and the class time and homework have helped me improve my speaking (even though I still mix it up with Spanish at times).
One of the previous reviewers said she did not like the "games" she played in class. In each of the two classes I'm in, we did not play games. As someone who has taught Spanish, I know that having a class work in pairs or threes is helpful in many ways. Perhaps this reviewer just didn't appreciate the value in such exercises.
At Cultura Italiana, I have received the lessons I need to understand better how to speak the language. I am in intermediate grammar and conversation, and the class time and homework have helped me improve my speaking (even though I still mix it up with Spanish at times).
One of the previous reviewers said she did not like the "games" she played in class. In each of the two classes I'm in, we did not play games. As someone who has taught Spanish, I know that having a class work in pairs or threes is helpful in many ways. Perhaps this reviewer just didn't appreciate the value in such exercises.
Written 7 August 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to submit your kind review. We are so very pleased that you enjoyed our lessons and have improved your Italian conversational skills from your time with us.
Written 21 August 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Cate G
Florence, Italy4 contributions
Apr 2014 • Solo
I attended Cultura Italiana in Bologna in April 2014 for one month. I was classed as a C1 but found the class too low a level. I spoke to Silvia about it and she changed me to another C1 class but I found this to be a lower level than the other class! I spoke to her again and she just kept telling me to try the class again. Luckily the director of the school came in because he took it seriously and offered me one private lesson a day instead of the four group hours: not ideal but I appreciated his compromise. The private lessons worked well and my teacher was fantastic. However, after a week, another student complained about the group classes and she was placed in my "private" class. Unfortunately she was level B1 which meant that the level dropped from C1 to B1/B2. I was achieving 90-100% in the tests yet wasn't given C1 material because it would have been too challenging for the other student. So, I started as a C1 and the level on my certificate at the end (which incidentally said that I had only been there for three weeks, not four) was B2! In conclusion, my Italian apparently went backwards at Cultura Italiana!
This also happened to two other students at the school while I was there. One was given private lessons as she was only there for one week and the other was given private lessons because she worked for the UN and presumably the school wanted to protect its reputation with such a good client!
After leaving Bologna, I went back to the Michelangelo in Florence where I had studied previously and joined the C2 group. It was a challenging class but the teacher was excellent and my Italian improved significantly. This school also arranged more evening and weekend activities.
I would not study again at the Cultura Italiana. Most of the teachers were good and the director helpful and friendly, but unfortunately Silvia manages the school and I (and others) found her to be rude and unhelpful.
This also happened to two other students at the school while I was there. One was given private lessons as she was only there for one week and the other was given private lessons because she worked for the UN and presumably the school wanted to protect its reputation with such a good client!
After leaving Bologna, I went back to the Michelangelo in Florence where I had studied previously and joined the C2 group. It was a challenging class but the teacher was excellent and my Italian improved significantly. This school also arranged more evening and weekend activities.
I would not study again at the Cultura Italiana. Most of the teachers were good and the director helpful and friendly, but unfortunately Silvia manages the school and I (and others) found her to be rude and unhelpful.
Written 8 November 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
At Cultura Italiana, you learn to communicate in Italian in an authentic way. This is our strength and differentiating factor to other language schools that cater to tourists.
From our experience, a student's grammar knowledge doesn't always correspond to their ability to communicate. For this, we have 8 class levels. Our student groups are dynamic; the grouping of classes are not static , the rhythm of learning in a class is very much dependent on the people present. Furthermore, we have seen, more often than not, that the learning potential of an individual influences their rate of learning; for example, a Spanish person would learn to communicate in Italian quicker than a native English speaker (owing to their language and culture similarities). Taking all this into consideration, when we see a person who isn't happy with his/her class, we offer private classes at no extra cost. This private class could be further extended to include students of the same level.
In Cultura Italiana, we evaluate a student's ability based on their capacity to communicate. It is in our interest that all our students learn well; there is no preference given to age or profession. Level C2 is the Mastery Level in Communication. We regret to say that from our evaluation of you during classes, our opinion is that you are far from achieving this level. Our feedback is that you require more communication usage of the language.
To communicate well, it will never be sufficient to achieve a 'medal' in this C1 or even the C2 certificate mentioned. To achieve a mastery in Italian communication, a foreign student would need to live in Italy and study for 2 years. For some people, this period could even be insufficient and they would never arrive at this mastery level, even if they have a certificate in their hands.
The directors and staff of Cultura Italiana are however sorry if there was a misunderstanding on the part of Silvia, which further created misunderstandings. Any concerns raised by students are addressed by the school as a team; the solutions are always in accordance with students. If students enjoy their classes, a relaxed environment that is conducive for learning is created. You may be interested to know that Silvia is currently on maternity leave and her baby is due next month!
We thank you for taking the time to submit your feedback.
Written 13 November 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Batmansix
Bologna, Italy2 contributions
Jun 2014 • Solo
This is not an intensive school of language learning. It is for tourists who want to play games whilst learning to say hello. So if you're in Italy for a week or so then this school is perfect for you. If, however, you've moved to Italy to live, and learning the language is critical, then I would suggest enquiring into taking a unit at a local university. In my experience, and I have studied languages at undergrad level, they are the only places of learning that will drill you properly and work you hard if that is what you need.
Other disappointing aspects of the course were that you never exactly knew at which competency level you were at; You're not told. So when new students arrive each monday you will spend some time covering grammar you studied the previous week. In my conversation class it was quite evident I had been dropped a level just to fill the seats and so that the school could be more economical. :-(
A strong teaching characteristic of the school that you must be aware of is its delivery of lessons. Each time exercises are required to be completed you are told to pair up or triple up and each time it's in a game formation. This is for elementary school children. If your learning suffers if placed in this type of learning environment then I stress this school is not for you.
I will say though all my teachers were clearly experienced and knowledgeable of the content they were teaching. If I could give 5 Tripadvisor ratings for teaching and staff I would.
Cheers.
Other disappointing aspects of the course were that you never exactly knew at which competency level you were at; You're not told. So when new students arrive each monday you will spend some time covering grammar you studied the previous week. In my conversation class it was quite evident I had been dropped a level just to fill the seats and so that the school could be more economical. :-(
A strong teaching characteristic of the school that you must be aware of is its delivery of lessons. Each time exercises are required to be completed you are told to pair up or triple up and each time it's in a game formation. This is for elementary school children. If your learning suffers if placed in this type of learning environment then I stress this school is not for you.
I will say though all my teachers were clearly experienced and knowledgeable of the content they were teaching. If I could give 5 Tripadvisor ratings for teaching and staff I would.
Cheers.
Written 29 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear student. Thank you for your feedback. We take all our student comments at the end of courses and from Trip Advisor very seriously, to help us constantly re-evaluate and improve the way we operate. We are so pleased to hear that you are very satisfied with the level of quality in our teachers and staff. However, we would like to address the 3 comments you have made, which we believe are inaccurate. Firstly, Cultura Italiana school is a adult language school accredited by the Italian state, monitored by the Ministry of Education, and recognised by 20 Italian and foreign universities. We also train teachers from secondary schools in Germany and Japan. From our statistics, we are proud to say that our students are not passer-by tourists; the majority of our students include Italian university entrance candidates, CILs, DITALs candidates, linguistics majors, teachers/professors and work professionals who repeatedly return to improve their Italian. Secondly, our courses are intense, lessons are 4 hours daily with 2 hours of homework expected. In classes, the atmosphere is relaxed to help our students speak Italian in a spontaneous way. The group games you speak about, are part of our proven teaching method, centred on merry, interesting topics that encourage students to express themselves and communicate. Finally, when we move students to different classes, it always after consultation and never for economic reasons. As described in our website, with smaller classes, our approach is to maintain the class and reduce class time to reflect the increase in student/teacher interaction. Students can also request to move up or down levels. Again, we would like to thank you for taking the time to send in your feedback.
Written 19 August 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
amanda68
West Midlands57 contributions
May 2016 • Solo
As a woman of advanced age, I was wondering why on earth I had committed myself to 2 weeks at the school,but I wish it had been 4!
The teachers are professional but kind, and the lessons are made interesting and fun.
Students of all ages and lots of nationalities . The school is in the centre of the fabulous city. I took advantage of the varied extra-curricular activities and have never after 2 weeks away,not wanted to come home before. Thank you everyone at Cultura Italiana
The teachers are professional but kind, and the lessons are made interesting and fun.
Students of all ages and lots of nationalities . The school is in the centre of the fabulous city. I took advantage of the varied extra-curricular activities and have never after 2 weeks away,not wanted to come home before. Thank you everyone at Cultura Italiana
Written 24 May 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
connieToronto
Toronto39 contributions
Jun 2018 • Friends
Learning a language as an adult is a challenge, but when you are doing it with other people of a similar age with good instruction it can be fun. I spent a week In Bologna studying Italian in the morning and exploring the city in the afternoon. Obviously there is only so much one can learn in a week, but the structure of the course seems very well thought out, providing some foundational grammar in the first part of each morning with the second part of the morning reserved for practicing conversation, the hardest part by far for a beginner. My teachers, Marina and Stefania were patient and helpful. The course also includes a short walking tour of Bologna (in Italian of course).
Written 19 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tim H
Guildford, UK31 contributions
Jul 2016 • Solo
Have been learning italian for a couple of years and decided to come to this school in a bid to try and improve.
I did a 1 week course and my italian definitely improved and overall i was satisfied with my experience. The teachers are good, welcoming and will explain things for you. A course will give you the opportunity to meet people of similar level of italian who i found great to practice with
Two things that made me not give a higher score
1. During my grammar lesson we learnt about a very advanced tense during the first part of the week and then at the end of the week we learnt how to say likes/dislikes which is pretty basic. Now this is a minor thing and i understand that with all the students doing varying length of courses and knowledge that stuff like this may happen but felt it was something that could be improved.
2. At the end of the course i was asked to fill in a feedback sheet asking my expectations for the course, if you ask me you should do that before the start.
There is another picky point but it really is quite jobsworth but being a bit picky myself i cant help but mention it. Paid for a 20hr course, technically only got 19hrs. Small discrepancy i know but worth mentioning.
Overall i would recommend this school to others who are wanting to improve their italian but i would say there is room for improvement
I did a 1 week course and my italian definitely improved and overall i was satisfied with my experience. The teachers are good, welcoming and will explain things for you. A course will give you the opportunity to meet people of similar level of italian who i found great to practice with
Two things that made me not give a higher score
1. During my grammar lesson we learnt about a very advanced tense during the first part of the week and then at the end of the week we learnt how to say likes/dislikes which is pretty basic. Now this is a minor thing and i understand that with all the students doing varying length of courses and knowledge that stuff like this may happen but felt it was something that could be improved.
2. At the end of the course i was asked to fill in a feedback sheet asking my expectations for the course, if you ask me you should do that before the start.
There is another picky point but it really is quite jobsworth but being a bit picky myself i cant help but mention it. Paid for a 20hr course, technically only got 19hrs. Small discrepancy i know but worth mentioning.
Overall i would recommend this school to others who are wanting to improve their italian but i would say there is room for improvement
Written 25 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lauren R
1 contribution
Sept 2014 • Solo
I was lucky enough to study at Cultura Italiana for 9 months through my university's study abroad program and it was absolutely perfect! The teachers are not only bravissimi but they are also lots of fun to be around. Looking back at my first few weeks at Cultura Italiana, I can honestly say that I have infinitely improved my language skills thanks to the hard work and dedication of the teachers- it is easy to see that they truly care for their students. I knew someone who had gone from Cultura Italiana to taking Italian courses at the university, however they decided to return almost immediately because the Italian courses were not as helpful and the type of instruction was not as personal as it is at Cultura Italiana. I would recommend Cultura Italiana to anyone who wants to study Italian, no matter what level you are at. I cannot emphasize enough how great of an experience these past months at Cultura Italiana have been and how much my Italian has improved. I just wish I didn't have to leave! Grazie mille, Cultura Italiana!
Written 10 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dearest Lauren. Thank you very much for writing such beautiful compliments about our teaching team and school. It makes us proud that your Italian language skills improved whilst with us. Participation and enthusiasm from our students are very important to us which help make our classes lively, fun and interesting for both our teachers and students!. We wish you continued success in your studies. Un saluto da tutto in Cultura Italiana!
Written 3 July 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Yulia B
Cannes, France15 contributions
Cultura Italiana Language school is an amazing opportunity to learn italian and have a great holiday
Aug 2014 • Solo
Cultura Italiana Language school is an amazing opportunity to learn italian and have a great holiday in one of the most beautiful, and yet, not that touristic italian towns.
I visited the school for 3 weeks in August, staying in a shared apartment with a private bathroom provided by the school, in 5 mins from the school and main attractions of Bo.
Teachers professionalism and support between students help to instaure a comfortable ambiance that accelerates learning and makes you actually speak italian, even if you level is not on top yet.
The school offers amazing out of class activities, such as guided excursions, walks, aperitifs and dinners, that contribute to learning italian and exchanging with really interesting people from all over the world.
The secretariat’s work is also very effective when it comes to all types of requests about lessons, accommodation and different spots in Bologna and it’s region.
I would definitely recommend Cultura Italiana for short time cours (1 to 3 weeks) as a holiday recreation, though I didn’t find the lessons intensif enough for those who plan to rapidly learn italian in few months.
The Director Massimo, the secretary Silvia and the italian language teacher Francesco should be particularly mentioned as very nice and supportive people making the stay in Bologna especially pleasing.
I visited the school for 3 weeks in August, staying in a shared apartment with a private bathroom provided by the school, in 5 mins from the school and main attractions of Bo.
Teachers professionalism and support between students help to instaure a comfortable ambiance that accelerates learning and makes you actually speak italian, even if you level is not on top yet.
The school offers amazing out of class activities, such as guided excursions, walks, aperitifs and dinners, that contribute to learning italian and exchanging with really interesting people from all over the world.
The secretariat’s work is also very effective when it comes to all types of requests about lessons, accommodation and different spots in Bologna and it’s region.
I would definitely recommend Cultura Italiana for short time cours (1 to 3 weeks) as a holiday recreation, though I didn’t find the lessons intensif enough for those who plan to rapidly learn italian in few months.
The Director Massimo, the secretary Silvia and the italian language teacher Francesco should be particularly mentioned as very nice and supportive people making the stay in Bologna especially pleasing.
Written 27 August 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We thank you for your kind review, describing the school and city as a beautiful, non touristic environment conducive to study in. We are glad that you enjoyed the school ambience and our after-school activities that helped you speak Italian whenever possible! We noted your feedback about our course intensity. What we suggest to students who want more than the daily 4 lesson-hours provided, is to supplement the intensive group course with private individual lessons. As a guideline, a student completes one language level study in the 4-week intensive course. Moreover, we advise our students to maximise their learning intensity by fully participating in our after-school activities and having the spirit of adventure to explore the city and use Italian to communicate with Italians! We hope you will return to us again and when planning your next trip, please do speak to us about how we can tailor your study experience to meet your requirements.
Written 15 September 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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