Following May’s news that renowned guidebook-publisher Lonely Planet selected Emilia Romagna to top its 2018 list of the best places to visit in Europe (see this article), today’s online newspaper ‘The Guardian’ has an article about our region of Italy.

A road trip down the ancient Via Emilia in central Italy offers a chance to taste delicacies like prosciutto, parmesan and balsamic in their place of origin

The writer begins:

Emilia-Romagna is often overlooked by visitors, and that’s a shame because its many smaller cities are an absolute treat. And for those who enjoy building their trips around a narrative thread, there’s the Via Emilia, an ancient Roman road that connected Piacenza in the north to Rimini on the Adriatic coast

He goes on to describe some of the pleasures of these ‘many smaller cities’ – Piacenza, Parma, Modena, Bologna and finally Rimini, on the Adriatic coast.

The article is rather-oddly titled ‘All roads lead to Romagna’.

They don’t, and in any case the only ‘Romagnola’ city mentioned is Rimini, all the others being in the Emilia part of the region.

That said, Rimini IS certainly worth a visit, as is Ravenna, which is famous for its mosaics.

If I’ve lost you with all these place names, check out this illustration to see how the cities are spaced out along the Via Emilia, which runs north-west to south-east, following the northern edge of the Appenine mountain range.

The article’s comments are also worth a look (I always read the comments!) as is the same newspaper’s Bologna City Guide and this article, which summarises readers’ tips on what to do in Emilia Romagna.

One of the comments on the article mentions that it’s better to take the train rather than drive… I would totally concur.

Trains are cheap and frequent, whereas driving into medieval cities is risky – cameras spot even unwitting traffic violations and fines are sure to follow. Parking can be scarce, too!

Which reminds me, years back I wrote an article on the topic: 6 (cheap) day-trips from Bologna by train

Do ‘All roads lead to Romagna’, then?

Absolutely not.

In Emilia-Romagna, all roads lead to the state capital, its largest and most centrally-located city, BOLOGNA.

So whether we’re talking roads or, better, railway lines, that makes it the best-possible home base for any Italian course cum holiday planned for this part of Italy!

P.S.

Madrelingua is open ALL SUMMER and has air-conditioning in each classroom! It’s never too late to book your course:

Italian courses in Bologna | Contact us | Learning Italian

OK, so we admit it, Bologna doesn’t have the best climate in Italy.

It’s cold and humid in the winter, and hot and humid in the summer.

Spring and autumn are lovely, but spring is nearly over, and autumn is not for a good bit, yet.

Weather isn’t everything, though.

As we reported recently, Lonely Planet has chosen Emilia Romagna to top its list of 2018 travel destinations in Europe, a great honour, we think.

And the regional capital of Emilia Romagna is, you guessed it, Bologna.

A beautiful medieval city which is also one of the world’s gastronomic capitals, plus a fantastic Italian school (read our reviews).

What more could you want?

But the weather…?

Not to worry.

Since moving to our new premises this time last year, Madrelingua Italian language school has AIR-CONDITIONING IN ALL CLASSROOMS, as well as in the communal areas of the school!

So you can book your summer Italian course safe in the knowledge that, if it gets hot and sticky, there’s an air-conditioning remote control at hand!

For more information about studying Italian in Bologna this summer, follow these links:

Italian courses | Prices | The school | Bologna | How to book | FAQ

Or contact us for a personal reply to your questions!

It’s official!

Renowned guidebook-publisher Lonely Planet has released its ‘2018 Best in Europe’ list of essential travel destinations.

And guess which Italian region tops the list?

Emilia Romagna of course.

“The case is strong” they write, that it’s “the best place to eat in Italy“.

They continue: “new attractions like Bologna’s FICO (the world’s largest culinary theme park), Ferrara’s National Museum of Italian Judaism and Shoah, and Rimini’s restored Cinema Fulgor, which will soon feature a museum about legendary film-maker Federico Fellini, nourish the mind as well.”

Read the whole article in English and/or in Italian.

What was that?

You’re not so hot at reading in Italian?

Funny you should mention that…

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P.S.

You’re receiving this email because you filled out the form on the school website or because you asked for information about our Italian courses.

The above counts as ‘information about Italian courses’, so hopefully that’s OK with you.

But if not, do please take a second and click the ‘unsubscribe’ link which you’ll find either at the top or bottom of this article.

That just takes seconds to do and once unsubscribed you won’t be bothered again.

Well, ALMOST to Madrelingua. Just down the street, anyway.

But I’m sure she would, were she ever to feel the need to improve her Italian…

The ‘Blessed Virgin’ in question is an icon, normally kept in the Sanctuary of San Luca, which is that landmark church you can see on the top of a nearby hill, visible from many miles away as you approach Bologna on the ‘autostrada’.

Each year there’s a procession to bring the icon down the hill to the cathedral of San Pietro in the center of the city.

She stays in the cathedral for a week, and is then carried back up the hill in another procession.

Why?

The story goes that back in 1433 the spring weather was unusually bad, so much so that there was a risk to the harvest, and thus of starvation for Bologna’s poorer inhabitants.

The city fathers decided to pray to the Blessed Virgin for a break (in the weather), and amazingly the downpour stopped!

This miracle is celebrated each year with the processions, from sanctury to cathedral and back again.

The Virgin arrived in town on Saturday evening, which I personally would have thought was ill-advised…

She can be admired all week at the cathedral, on Via Indipendenza.

And in Via Altabella, the street that runs down the right-hand side of the cathedral, there’s a festive market to celebrate.

It’s a long time until Christmas, so best stock up on candy-coated nuts while you can.

One of our teachers was worried that new students arriving at the school this morning wouldn’t be able to find us easily, as the market stalls make the building’s entrance hard to spot.

If that’s you, that is to say if you’re wandering around the historic center of the city cursing Google Maps, then don’t despair!

Via Altabella is the street that runs parallel with Via Rizzoli, Bologna’s sort-of main street, the one with the famous ‘two towers’ at one end and Italy’s biggest piazza at the other.

Go down the alley next to the Apple Store, and you’ll find it easily enough.

We’re at number 11, just to the left of the bookstall, opposite the artisan cheese-maker, between the cathedral bell tower and the much uglier oblong tower.

Catch you later, then!

School website | Bologna and the B.V.

Just a quick reminder for anyone in the Bologna area who might be interested in improving their Italian.

The Italian evening classes begin next week.

We’ve got two groups so far, a lower one (A1/A2) which will run each Monday and Wednesday at 18.00, and a higher one (B1/B2) at the same time on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Taking two evening lessons per week is a great way to improve your Italian, while making new friends to practice with

Join us, if you can, on Monday 19th or Tuesday 20th of February!

What if you’re a long way from Bologna?

Take a look at our Italian courses page to find out more about standard or intensive Italian courses, or personalised individual lessons.

Or why not try some online Italian lessons?

For more information:

Bologna | Italian Courses | Prices | FAQ | How To Book | Contact Us

If you’ll be working or studying in Bologna this spring, you might be interested to know that our Italian evening classes are due to restart soon.

Taking two evening lessons per week is a great way to improve your Italian, while making new friends to practice with!

But what about if you’re not in Bologna?

Never say never!

Take a look at our Italian courses page to find out more about standard or intensive Italian courses, or personalised individual lessons.

And if you really, really can’t get away from home, the family, the career, or all three?

Well, there’s always the option of online Italian lessons!

Try the one-to-one experience, via Skype, from the comfort of your home or office!

For more information about learning Italian at, or with, Madrelingua Italian Language School:

Bologna | Italian Courses | Prices | FAQ | How To Book | Contact Us

Hope you had/are having a very enjoyable Christmas Day.

This is just a quick, last-minute reminder that the 20% discount offer on 2018 Italian courses in Bologna ends in just a few hours.

At midnight Italian time.

That’s 9 a.m. on Boxing Day in Sydney, Australia but 11 p.m. this evening in London, 6 in the afternoon in New York, 3 p.m. on the U.S. west coast, and so on.

Wherever you are, it’s soon.

To take advantage of the year’s biggest savings, click here

You have been reminded.

Get it done.

Then, no more emails for a while!

Buon Natale!

P.S.

Make 2018 the year you get serious about learning Italian…

Go here to get your 20% discount!

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Stefi and Daniel, along with all of the teachers and support staff at Madrelingua Italian Language School, join to wish you, your family and your community:

‘Auguri di Buon Natale!’

We hope to see you at our NEW school in Bologna in 2018, in particular all our old friends, but also many, many new faces!

‘Mille grazie’ to the many people who’ve already taken advantage of our ‘best offer of the year’ to save 20% on their next course.

The offer ends at midnight tonight (25th Dec.), so it’s still not too late to secure this great discount on your 2018 Italian course.

• Save a fifth on any group Italian course, of any length, starting in 2018!
• No need to decide the dates now – just let us know the period you want to study when you’ve decided
• LAST DAY to get your 20% discount by paying a deposit of just €120
• No more to pay until the first day of your course

CLICK THIS LINK NOW – it takes just seconds to pay your course deposit with a credit card or Paypal account.

Lock in your discount before the offer expires at midnight tonight. Go here to pay your €120 deposit.

Questions? Need more info?

Full details of this offer are here: 2018 Italian Course Offer: Save 20% From Today!

Stefi and I will be eating lunch with her extended (Italian) family in a cousin’s restaurant (just like last year, and the year before!)

These things tend to go on all afternoon.

But thanks to the wonders of smartphones, she’ll still be able to answer any questions you might have.

Contact her any time up until midnight tonight on: info@madrelinguaitalian.com

Or go here, now, to complete your deposit payment.

Contact us | Prices | Italian Courses | How To Book | FAQ

There are just thirty-six hours left to take advantage of the ‘best offer of the year’!

So, in case you’ve been too busy to read your emails, here’s a summary of what you’re missing:

• save 20% on your next Italian course at our school in Bologna
• the discount is good for any GROUP course (not for individual lessons)
• you can start your Italian course on any date in 2018
• your saving applies to courses of any length – the longer you study, the more you save!
• you DON’T need to decide the dates, or the length of your course, right now
• just let us know once you’ve made your plans – no rush
• secure your 20% discount by sending a deposit, via Paypal or bank transfer, by midnight on Dec. 25th!

And here’s the summary summary:

• take two minutes to pay a small deposit by midnight on Christmas Day & save €€ on your 2018 Italian course!

As the kids say, this is a no-brainer.

But you’re probably pretty busy right now, right?

So here are step-by-step instructions on exactly what you have to do.

It’s a low-stress process that’ll take just minutes, promise.

Ready to go?

1. Click this link to visit our ‘How to book your Italian course’ page
2. If you’re not sure when in 2018 you’ll be coming, skip the booking form and go directly here
3. Click ‘Add to Cart’, then ‘Proceed to Checkout’
4. Fill in the form with your details
5. Choose your payment method – the ‘Paypal’ option includes credit card payments
6. That’s it – see you in Bologna in 2018!

P.S.

We have real people ready to help you, or answer your questions about our Italian courses.

Just e-mail Stefi on info@madrelinguaitalian.com – she’ll sort you out with whatever help you need!

Even on Christmas Day. Try us!

Save 20% Now!

Contact us | Prices | Italian Courses | How To Book | FAQ