Istituto Venezia
An EU citizen? For a language course your ID card is enough: no visa, no residence permit for stays under three months. The same applies to Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Istituto Venezia is an Italian language school for foreigners in Venezia (Veneto): intensive courses of about 20 hours per week plus lighter options, usually starting every Monday. The school also helps you find accommodation. Below you will find the key facts, a mini guide to Venezia to plan your stay, and a form to write to the school directly.
The school
The course
Also offers themed courses in: art, cooking, literature, art history
Prices
More info
Arrive ready.
With the ti app you read graded stories with support in 14 languages. Five minutes a day between now and departure.
Half of the A1 path is open, no sign-up
€5,83 a month on the yearly plan
★★★★★(7)by Alessio, a teacher since 2018
Start with A1 ↗︎Search for amo Italian
Why choose this school
- Classes of no more than 12 studentsbelow the industry average, so more time to speak
- 20 timetabled hours are 15 real hoursa lesson lasts 45 minutes, not 60
- Quality checked by an independent bodyASILS, Bildungsurlaub, EDUITALIA, CSN accreditation
- Exam centre on siteyou can sit CILS, CELI, PLIDA where you study
- The school arranges your accommodationfree service
Where you'll be
schoolsnot to be missedairport
No cars at all: you walk, and for longer distances there is the ACTV vaporetto.
From the school to the three places above it is usually a short walk: the schools are in or near the centre.
Venezia Marco Polo (VCE), 8 km away
What is worth knowing before you book
Prices, enrolment fee, real lesson hours, accommodation and cancellation: the same questions apply to every school. Read the full guide →
Day trips nearby
At the weekend, without a car:
- Padova34 km
- Lignano Sabbiadoro69 km
Trenitalia regional trains from Venezia station. Intercity buses from the station for towns the train doesn't reach.
Distances are as the crow flies.
Weather right now
Write to the school
Venezia at a glance
Istituto Venezia is in Venezia (Veneto). Outside the classroom this is where the language gets practised: at the coffee counter, in the square, at the market.
Events this year
The city's big festivals, food fairs and cultural seasons through the year. They're not just entertainment: they're the best training ground for your Italian. At a local festival you end up ordering, asking directions, chatting with locals: the real language, the kind books don't teach. If you can, line up a week of your course with one of these.
Carnevale In February Venice puts on masks and eighteenth-century costumes for one of the most famous festivals in the world. Total immersion through the alleys and squares: vocabulary of traditions, costume and Venetian history. | January–February |
Festa del Redentore On the third Sunday in July Venice celebrates with a votive pontoon bridge and spectacular fireworks over the water. A deeply Venetian festival: excellent for experiencing the city with locals, far from the tourist clichés. | third weekend of July |
Mostra del Cinema In late August the Lido hosts the oldest film festival in the world. Directors and actors take over Venice: perfect listening practice with the Italian of cinema and interviews. | late August–September |
Biennale The great international art and architecture exhibition animates Venice for months. For students it is a walk through the vocabulary of contemporary art and one more reason to explore the city in Italian. | May–November |
Regata Storica On the first Sunday in September the Grand Canal hosts a procession of historic boats and rowing races. Authentic Venetian spectacle: ideal for the vocabulary of traditions and of life on the water. | first Sunday of September |
Frequently asked questions
When do Italian courses at Istituto Venezia start?
How many lesson hours per week are there?
How much does an Italian course in Venezia cost?
Does the school help with accommodation?
Can I prepare for or take an official exam (CILS, CELI, PLIDA)?
How do I get to Venezia?
Good to know before you enrol
What not to miss in Venezia
- Piazza San Marco e Palazzo DucaleEight thousand square metres of gold-ground mosaics in the basilica, and the doge's palace next door. The four bronze horses on the façade are copies: the originals, taken from Constantinople in 1204, are inside.
- Murano e BuranoThe islands of glass and lace, reached by vaporetto. Burano's houses are painted in strong colours so fishermen could recognise them coming home through the fog.
- Cannaregio e il ghettoThe Venice where people actually live, with its bacari and osterie. The Venetian Ghetto, established in 1516, was the first in Europe and gave the word to every language.
Planning your Italian course in Venezia: fly into Venezia (VCE), book the course 2–3 weeks ahead (classes fill up faster in high season, June–September) and, if you can, match your study week with one of the city events listed below: using your Italian at a local festival is worth a week of lessons. And between lessons, there's the sea.
Before you leave for Venezia, start from home.
With the ti app you arrive in Venezia already understanding what you hear: graded stories with translation in 14 languages, exercises and an A1–C2 path.
Half of the A1 path is open, no sign-up
★★★★★(7)by Alessio, a teacher since 2018
Start with A1 ↗︎Search for amo Italian
