Italian and Home Cookery Course in Taormina, Italy
The Italian and Cookery course in Taormina takes place at our Italian language school in the centre of this beautiful hilltop town. With its relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle, its marvellous climate, and its friendly locals, Taormina is an excellent location for an immersive course experience. It is also the perfect place to learn about real Italian cooking. Sicily’s cuisine features a fantastic blend of the cultures which have inhabited the island over its 2,000-year history, and in Sicilian food you will taste Greek, Arabic, Spanish, French, and North African influences. Local dishes feature fresh seafood, rich stewed meats, citrus flavours, colourful vegetables, and spices like saffron, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Sicilian cuisine is diverse, ranging from the sweet - like cream-filled cannoli - to the simple - such as the ‘peasant dish’ maccu - to the downright strange, like spaghetti ai ricci di mare, pasta served with sea urchins!
The activity-based Italian and Cookery course offers a fun and flavourful insight into what it means to be Italian and, particularly, Sicilian. A language, after all, is not just a set of words; it is a set of traditions and practices bound by history that is shared by its users. It is, in short, a culture, and understanding a country’s culture takes you one step closer to perfecting its language. By combining your Italian classes with instruction from a trained chef, you can not only expand your language knowledge but also discover authentic dishes and learn how to prepare them in a way which will wow friends and family back home. Since this programme is offered in a sun-drenched historical town on a stunning Mediterranean island, you can also enjoy an amazing holiday while you study - need we say more?
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Cookery course
The Italian and Cookery course in Taormina can be combined with any non-beginner language course and adds 2 x 3-hour cooking workshops per week to your Italian classes. Group language lessons take place in the morning and are scheduled from 09:30 until 11:00 or 13:00, depending on the course selected.
The cooking classes usually take place from 16:00 and are held at the language school. During these sessions, you will prepare a full, authentic Sicilian meal under the expert guidance of a professional chef. The menu consists of:
- 1 aperitif or antipasto;
- 2 first courses or primi: pasta, risotto, or soup;
- 1 second course or secondo: a main vegetarian, meat, or fish dish;
- 1 side dish or contorno: a salad or vegetable accompaniment;
- and 1 dessert or dolce.
At the end of the session, you will enjoy the dishes you have made with the rest of the group.
This programme is booked for 1 week at a time, but it can be extended on request (subject to availability). You can start on any Monday throughout the year. Students must have at least A1-level Italian to attend this course; it is not suitable for beginners.
Accommodation
Accommodation is not included in the Italian & Cookery programme as standard but can be added to the package.
Homestay lodging offers the ultimate immersive experience, since it means staying with a local person, couple, or family in their own home. Doing so allows you to practice your language skills with native speakers and be exposed to things like Italian television, radio, books, and magazines within the home. This helps to vastly increase your proficiency and confidence! You’ll also get a very rounded cultural experience when staying with a host, as you will become part of the family and can get to know about day-to-day life in Sicily for normal people.
Hosts offer single or twin* bedrooms and 1, 2, or all 3 daily meals as part of the accommodation package. They all live up to 15 minutes’ walk from the language school. You’ll share the living and bathroom facilities with your host(s) and any other students living in the home. Bed linens and towels are included and changed weekly. Laundry is not included; you can use a local laundrette if you need to wash your clothes. Wi-Fi cannot be guaranteed - please let us know if Internet access is a requirement for you. You will have your own key to come and go as you please, though you must respect house rules and schedules.
Those looking to socialise with other language school pupils can select a room in a shared apartment for that archetypal ‘student’ experience. The school offers several apartments around Taormina, and each has single and twin* bedrooms, shared bathrooms, and communal kitchens. Rooms are booked on a self-catering basis, and residents share responsibilities for cleaning and buying essentials. Bed linens are included; you should bring your own towels. You will have your own key to come and go as you please. Laundry facilities are usually not available on-site. This option is particularly ideal for students aged 18 - 30 who are looking for a social and low-cost lodging experience.
If you prefer total privacy and independence, you should book a studio apartment. All apartments are suitable for two people, though they can be booked by students travelling alone. Each apartment has a fully equipped kitchenette, a private bathroom, and a television. Bed linens and towels are included and changed weekly. Laundry facilities are not available on-site; you will need to use a local laundrette to wash your clothes. Apartments are located around 15 minutes’ walk from the school. You will have your own key to come and go as you please; you are responsible for cleaning the apartment on departure. Please note that apartments do not have Wi-Fi access.
*Twin rooms are only available to students travelling together.
Accommodation is available from the Sunday before the start of your course until the Saturday after your course finishes. Check-in and check-out times are usually very flexible.
Suitability
This course is offered to any foodie studying Italian. If you have at least A1 Italian ability and want to learn sophisticated and authentic Sicilian recipes from a professional chef, then this is the course package for you!
This course is not suitable for complete beginners. Please contact us if you are unsure whether this course will be right for you.
Activities
To complement the language lessons, this school arranges a variety of weekly activities. These are designed to help you get to know your fellow students and to teach you about Italian history and culture - especially that of Sicily. Since the activities are all conducted in Italian, they have the added benefit of maintaining your immersion and allowing you to continue learning outside the classroom.
Many activities are offered free of charge, though some may incur an additional fee to cover entrance and/or transportation costs. The schedule varies throughout the year but may include:
- Guided walking tours
- Italian film screenings
- Visits to local attractions
- Group games and/or sports
- Italian history/literature/politics lectures
- Meals and/or drinks with the class
- Trips to evening theatre performances/concerts
- Half- and full-day excursions to local points of interest such as Syracuse, Mount Etna, and the Aeolian Islands
How to get there
The closest airport to Taormina is Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, which is around an hour’s drive from the town and which is easily accessible from many worldwide destinations.
From here, you can either take public transport to your accommodation or we can add an airport transfer service to your booking for an additional charge. If you select this service, a driver will be waiting for you when you land and will take you directly to your lodging. If you select this service on departure as well, you will be collected from your accommodation on your last day and taken back to the airport in time for your departing flight.
You should arrange to arrive in Taormina on the Sunday before the course starts and to depart on the Saturday after the course finishes. We may be able to arrange extra nights on arrival and/or departure for you if needed.
Location of our school in Taormina
Cookery course info - Taormina
| Language level required | Elementary (A1) and above |
| Duration | 1 week+ (extendable on request) |
| Number of Italian lessons/week | This course can be taken in conjunction with any Italian language course |
| Number of cookery lessons/week | 2 lessons (5 hours per week) |
| Accommodation | Homestay host, shared apartment, or studio apartment (not included) |
| Transfer available | Yes (not included) |
| Activities program | Yes |
| Optional Activities | Guided excursions at weekends, dinners, theatre performances, concerts, films, cultural seminars, walks, games |
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Prices for Taormina
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Company Number: 08311373
