1. Italy is comprised of 20 different regions and its language is spoken by over 70 million people!
2. What we now call Italian actually originated inSiena.
3. Two of Europe’s smallest countries are withinItaly itself: San Marino and The Vatican.
4. Italy has over 140 different types of pasta!
5. The oldest European university is the University of Bologna.
6. Italy has more hotel rooms than any other country in Europe!
7. The telephone was created in Italy.
8. Shakespeare based more than 13 plays in the boot-shaped country.
9. ‘Ars longa, vita brevis’ is a common saying inItaly, reflecting their love of leisure.
- Get the lowdown about the year abroad from students who've worked and studied in Italy.
- Italian language-learning resources from Collins
- Receive an Italian Word of the Day via email from the and boost your vocab by at least one word a day!
- Go to our Italy section for more information about the country.
- Brilliant ways to practice your Italian language skills online.
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Pippa is studying French and Italian at Bath University, and spending her year abroad in Paris, Lyon and as an Erasmus student in Siena. Here she passes on her top tips about accommodation, getting around town, studying in Siena, travelling further afield, eating out, shopping, keeping fit, nightlife, learning Italian, the Palio, the Sienese and safety in Siena.Published in Italian-speakingTags -
Rachel is studying Italian and Spanish at Exeter University and spent her year abroad living in Pisa, Italy, and commuting by train to Viareggio where she was a British Council Language Assistant in a Liceo Scientifico. She says, "I did beginners Italian so I struggled at the beginning but I decided to stay over the summer (up until the start of 4th year this September) after my contract finished with the British Council in May because I loved it so much,and ended up being there for 12 months! I worked in a restaurant in Pisa over the summer for an Italian family and continued teaching English privately."
Published in Italian-speaking -
Sarah Swainbank is about to set off on her year abroad in Italy. Here, she gives us an account of her top tips for Modena, Italy...Published in Italian-speaking -
Renate spent her year abroad in Siena, Italy. Read on as she fills the year abroad blanks...Published in Italian-speaking -
Lucy Williams graduated from Exeter University in French and Italian last year and is currently teaching English in Madrid. Here, she gives us the lowdown on getting on in the beautiful, medieval town of Ferrara, Italy, where she was an Erasmus student...Published in Italian-speakingTags
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Mari Eccles is studying French and Italian at the University of Warwick and spent her year abroad as an Erasmus student at l'Università di Torino in Turin. She says "I liked the fact that I could study a real range of subjects but as there was so many students in each lecture, it was a lot harder to participate. For this reason, although studying helped with Italian comprehension, it wasn't so good for my spoken Italian, and so to improve that I would definitely recommend taking up an evening class or doing some volunteering to practise speaking." Here she passes on her top tips for student survival in Turin.
Published in Italian-speakingTags -
Kian McCarthy was at Bath University and spent his year abroad in Rome, Italy. Here is his definitive guide to your plan of action when you arrive in Rome for your year abroad; accommodation tips, surviving La Sapienza University and other inimitable advice straight from a student who's been through it all himself.
Published in Italian-speaking -
Miney spent her year abroad in Ferrara in Northern Italy. Read on as she fills the year abroad blanks...Published in Italian-speaking -
As part of her bachelor's degree in Italian at Reading University, Renate Cumming-Benson is spending her year abroad studying at the Universita' Degli Studi di Siena. Here she gives us her top insider advice about where to live, getting around town, living costs, sightseeing, the nightlife and her top tips for things to see and places to eat in Siena.Published in Italian-speakingTags -
The Mole Diaries: Milan
Written by Natalia UrsinyovaNatalia Ursinyova gives us her top tips when it comes to living and studying abroad in Milan, Italy, from accommodation to Italian culture, giving you the best advice about student life, where to go and loads more...
Published in Italian-speakingTags
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