FOOD CULTURE PROGRAMME
FLORENCE, TAORMINA, POLLENZO
In collaboration with Babilonia School in Taormina, and the University of Gastronomical Sciences of Pollenzo.
THE PROGRAMME
“Gastronomy” is the study of everything related to food, meant as a cultural and scientific value. Gastronomy has to do with all living things, whether plant, animal or human. It is passion and love for life.
The Food Culture programme has been created as an amazing collaboration between Linguaviva Educational Group, Babilonia School in Taormina, and the University of Gastronomical Sciences of Pollenzo.
Gastronomy, as the Italian language, is culture, and our shared mission has always been the promotion abroad of the Italian culture in all its aspects.
The whole idea behind the programme is to offer an amazing and wide experience in the field of Italian gastronomy through a travel across Sicily, Tuscany and Piedmont, with an innovative approach different from traditional similar programmes.
Beside the study of the Italian language, fundamental to understand properly every aspect of local culture, the course will focus on many different aspects of the Italian food landscape. From cooking to local productors, from wine to other Italian excellences, from sensory analysis to sustainability, intercultural food exchange and agricultural innovation.
It is meant to be a fantastic travel across Italy inside the world of food processes, from production to consumption.
Through the programme the students will learn about the Italian gastronomical world, about food, about the people who daily works with it, produce it, and helps to make it internationally renowned. But also about the importance of sustainability and the role that food has as one of the original and most important community-forming links between people, locally and internationally.
| KEY FEATURES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 3 weeks (2 weeks option available) | |
Dates 2025 | Spring session 13/04 – 04/05 Fall session 28/09 – 19/10 | |
| Partecipants | Minimum 10 students (minimum 5 students for the 2 weeks option) | |
| Locations | The Programme will take place between Sicily, Tuscany and Piedmont | |
| Tuition fees | €7.200 (€5.200 for the 2 weeks option) | |
WEEK 1
Babilonia Language and Culture Center – TAORMINA
The first part will focus on the study of Italian language, necessary to better understand the whole Italian food culture, and Italian cooking with a very practical approach. A full immersion on Italian and Sicilian culture through the study of language, history and cooking.
ITALIAN LESSONS
15 Italian language lessons, from Monday to Friday from 9.30 to 13.00
Work covers all aspects of the language with a particular emphasis on developing communicative skills in speaking and writing.
Immerse yourself in the beauty and art of the Italian language through interactive and captivating lessons.
COOKING CLASSES
12 hours of Italian cooking classes.
Students will learn the traditional techniques and secrets of Sicilian cooking.
At the beginning of the course they will receive learning materials to use during the lessons.
Classes will have a practical approach and students will even experiment a real dinner service in a restaurant!
| SAMPLE WEEK 1 PROGRAMME – TAORMINA | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| MORNING | Italian classes | Italian classes | Italian classes | Italian classes | Italian classes | Full Day Excursion on Etna | Departure To Florence (from Catania airport) |
| AFTERNOON | Guided Tour of Taormina Tasting | Cooking Classes | Cooking Classes | Cooking Classes | Evening Service at the Restaurant | ||
WEEK 2
Linguaviva Educational Group – FLORENCE
The second part, based in Florence, will still offer to the students a focus on the study of Italian language. Besides that, on the gastronomical side, the programme will focus on italian food excellences, with daily visits to local producers, lessons and tastings of some of the most famous Italian products like wine, oil and saffron.
ITALIAN LESSONS
20 Italian language lessons per week, 45’ each, from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 12.30
On the first school day at Linguaviva participants will take a written and oral placement test following which they will be placed in the appropriate group for their language level. Work covers all aspects of the language with a particular emphasis on developing communicative skills in speaking and writing.
COOKING CLASSES AND VISITS
During the 6 hours of Italian cooking classes with a focus on traditional Tuscan cooking, students will learn the traditional techniques and secrets of local cooking.
At the beginning of every class they will receive learning materials to use during the lessons.
The visit to different local producers will let the students experience some of the most excellent and famous gastronomical products and learn about them and their production.
| SAMPLE WEEK 2 PROGRAMME – FLORENCE | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| MORNING | Italian classes | Visit to an Olive Oil Producer | Italian classes | Visit to a Saffron Producer | Italian classes | Full Day Visit to a Wine Producer | Departure To Pollenzo (by private bus) |
| AFTERNOON | Guided Tour of Florence | Italian Classes | Cooking Classes | Italian Classes | Cooking Classes | ||
WEEK 3
University of Gastronomical Sciences – POLLENZO
For the third part students will move to Pollenzo, in the prestigious area of the Langhe, in Piedmont, home of one of the most famous wine productions in Italy, and they will attend Pollenzo’s University of Gastronomical Sciences.
The University of Pollenzo, founded by Carlo Petrini, the founder of Slow Food, represents the excellence in the field of gastronomical sciences, as well as the first institution in Italy to create, 20 years ago, this path of studies.
During their staying at the University they will approach the world of gastronomy on many of its different aspects, through theorical studies, sensory analysis and first-hand experience.
PROGRAMME
– Daily Classes and Seminars about Different Aspects of Food Culture (Sensory Analysis, Food Psychology, Cooking Activities, Workshops)
– Guided Visit to Bra and Local Producers
– Foraging Session and Wild Plants Collection + Cooking Session and Convivial
– Lunch
– Truffle Hunting + Truffle Tasting
– Wine Focus + Visit to a Local Wine Producer and Vineyard, Wine tasting
– Visit to a Local Cheese Producer + Cheese Tasting
– Visit to a Local farm and Local Cattle + Tasting
– Visit to a Cured Meat Company + Cold Cuts Tasting
– Full Day Visit to Torino Including: Visit to a Chocolate and Pastry Producer, Lunch with Gourmet Pizza Tasting, Visit to Lavazza Coffee Museum
| SAMPLE WEEK 3 PROGRAMME – POLLENZO | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| MORNING | Tour of the University + Seminary on Biodiversity and Sustainability | Sensory Analysis + Sensorial Training on Chocolate | Foraging Session + Cooking Lesson on Wild Herbs | Focus on Wine | Visit to a Local Cheese Producer + Visit to a Cattle Farm | Full Day Excursion to Torino | Departure To the airport |
| AFTERNOON | Visit to Bra and Local Producers | Food Psychology Lesson | Truffle Hunting + Truffle Tasting | Visit to a Local Winery + Wine Tasting | Visit to a Cured meat Company + Tasting | ||
TUITION FEES 2025
FOOD CULTURE PROGRAMME 3 WEEKS IN FLORENCE, TAORMINA AND POLLENZO
3 weeks – € 7.200
FOOD CULTURE PROGRAMME 2 WEEKS IN FLORENCE AND POLLENZO
2 weeks – € 5.200
INCLUDED IN THE TUITION FEES
- Italian Lessons in Taormina and Florence
- Cooking Classes in Taormina and Florence
- Gastronomical Classes at University of Pollenzo
- Workshops, Visits, Tastings, Tickets and Transportations
- Lunches in Pollenzo and Surroundings
- Accommodation in Taormina (Shared Flat Single Room)
- Accommodation in Florence (Homestay Half Board)
- Accommodation in Pollenzo (Bra) (Hotel Room)
- Flight from Taormina (Catania Airport) to Florence
- Transfer from Florence to Pollenzo (by Private Bus)
- Transfer Services from/to Airports
- Italian placement test
- Textbooks and Learning materials