Italian Tuition Online

There are good times to visit Italy. Many would say August is a bad time – it can get too hot in the cities, which is why all the Italians vacate en-masse and head for the beaches or the mountains! It means the cities can be quite lifeless during August, but it does mean discounted rates from the quiet hotels!

So – when is a good time? Well – February is one example. This might seem strange, as it’s mid-winter in Europe. But, it’s also around 40 days before Easter – the start of Lent, and while this is celebrated in Britain by a few pancakes on a Tuesday night, it’s celebrated in many predominantly Catholic countries, certainly including Italy, with extravagant carnivals!

So – if you’re planning a trip ’sometime’ to get a taste of the culture, then certainly consider a trip when the carnivale are on. And that’s why you have to start planning now – because any hotel with anything less than extortionate rates (and they do get extortionate in the hotspots), will be booked up months in advance!

Venice is perhaps the most famous in Italy – and probably the largest, most expensive, and most extravagant. I visited during Carnival a few years ago, and it’s an amazing sight. Someone – I assume the council – hires models and actors to glide mysteriously through the streets and piazzas in full costumes, posing for photos. Stalls selling masks (I still have mine), gowns, accessories, are at every corner. The streets are absolutely heaving. But bear in mind that most events you’ll find on the internet will be the well-advertised, well-funded, exclusive (and hence expensive) corporate/invitation events. If you’re lucky enough to attend these – and have the costume for the occasion – then it’ll be an amazing experience! And even if you’re not, then there are still many public events, if just the atmosphere in the streets isn’t enough.

And, of course, it’s not just Venice. Most towns and villages have events, varying greatly in scale and grandeur. One I’ve always wanted to visit is the Ivrea Orange Fight! Although it’s not for the faint-hearted – as I realised when witnessing the first-aid tents being erected, while visiting a few days before.

So – plan now, and book well before Christmas. And perhaps throw in a skiing or snowboarding  holiday in the mountains while you’re there!

It is unlikely that London would have agriturismi, since by definition (either US or Italian) they’re located in the country and sometimes on farms. And I strongly suspect that if there were one, it would be packed every night!

However, we do tend to have a family meal in an Agriturismo most times we go back to Italy, for a number of reasons. One is that it can be tricky to find a table for thirty-five in a restaurant. The other is that it would be trickier still to eat well for €20/$30 a head, all-inclusive!

However, this is not a problem for agriturismi, that cater to large groups and families, usually booked at least a day in advance so that they can order fresh ingredients to match. Our meal was only four courses: two primi – tagliatelle with duck ragu, followed by gnocchi; a secondo of what is effectively a mixed grill, with several different plates of vegetables and salad to share;  and a light dessert of assorted tarts and cakes.

That’s not to say it finishes there – the evening continues, and the meal tapers off slowly, with more torta, caffe (corretto with prugna or grappa), some prosecco, and then sorbetto to finish. Considering the unlimited water and table wine, it’s really not bad value! Particularly since you’re often too full to eat the next day!

So – if you visit Italy, and do venture outside the cities, then definitely ask for a recommended agriturismo, and take into account that you may have to book in advance. Be sure to ask about the menu when you book as well, since it’ll usually be a fixed menu with only one option.Be sure to ask about the menu when you book as well, since it’ll usually be a fixed menu with only one option.

I could talk about the agriturismo we visited one Christmas, which served 42 courses over a twelve-hour period… but I hope to visiting it again soon enough, at which time I’ll write about it in detail!

We all know what to expect in an Italian restaurant, but what do Italians eat at home?

Well, having just finished lunch with my extended family during a quick weekend visit to their home in Veneto, it always strikes me how fresh the food is.

The primo today is freshly-made minestrone soup, with crusty rolls. Following up is a secondo of bistecca with pomodoro fresco, novella, formaggio Asiago, funghi, with some melone, pesche – all of it mouthwateringly fresh.

And an espresso to follow, of course.

Of course, if you go to a bar, you’re likely to get panini, and in tourist areas you may get pizza, but you have to be invited to an Italian family’s home, to see what they really eat themselves!

It may seem Italian, but it's not lunch