Taormina – A great place for holiday or study or both!

Have you got some time off? Want to spend it learning a new language and having an awesome cultural experience at the same time? If your answer is yes then I highly recommend that you look into booking yourself into an Italian language school in Taormina, Sicily! I attended the school for 2 weeks and if I had to name my only one regret it would be that I didn’t make my stay in Taormina a longer one.

Taormina is an old medieval town on the East coast of Sicily in between Messina and Catania. The town itself is situated on Monte Taoro and has spectacular views of the ocean and Mt Etna. Taormina offers a diverse range of activities to suit the likes of everyone, including… boutique shopping in the main street, beaching, possibility of going to the surrounding islands and grottos by boat, there are amazing walking tracks for those who are feeling energetic, and do I have to mention the wonderful Italian cuisine and the gelati!!

My afternoons after the Italian language lessons were filled with all of these numerous activities and more.

I attended the Italian Language School for 2 weeks in August 2007. The small class sizes give it an intimate feel and the staff are so friendly, helpful and attentive to everyone’s individual needs.

I completed one type of language course which the school offers which included 4 hours per day of classes. From 9.30am until 11.30 we studied the grammatical aspects of Italian and from 11.30 until 13.30 we concentrated on conversational skills involving fun and interactive activities making it quite a laugh. The school organised optional extracurricular activities which took place every afternoon which were very popular with all of the students. These activities were such things as dinners, day trips to other sites around Sicily, tours of the town and art/cultural experiences within Taormina and the surrounding towns.

It is difficult to express just how wonderful my experience in Taormina was, the people, the sites, the school, the food, the culture and the new friends from all over the world which I have made. My Italian speaking skills which were non existent prior to my trip to Sicily have greatly increased to the point where I can speak enough and confidently, to navigate my way around easily for the remainder of my Italian touring and to chat with the locals!

A great place for holiday or study or both! I highly recommend a visit to the wonderful, enchanting Taormina.

Clare Ventura
(Australia)