Group Courses & Private Italian Lessons in Genoa

A Door to Italy, Genoa:
Learn Italian with A Door to Italy - the oldest established Italian language school in Genoa! We provide a range of Italian courses to students from around the world of all levels - from beginner to advanced. Our courses include Intensive Italian, Italian Crash Courses, and private Italian lessons. All of our Italian language courses are offered all year round in our premises in the heart of the town.

Italian Language Courses

Standard Italian Course
20 hours of lessons from Monday through Friday
The Standard course is the best way for students of all six ability levels, from the beginner to the advanced, to join grammar and conversation. Groups are heterogeneous, multilingual and small and this helps to ensure that the students are given personal attention and the opportunity for self expression. Lessons are held in small groups (min 3 students).

Intensive Italian Courses 
Lessons are held in small groups (min 3 students) in the morning and are combined with individual lessons in the afternoon. Choice is among 4, 6, 8 or 10 hours of individual lessons per week. The intensive course is best for all students who desire to learn as much as possible in a short period of time.

The intensive programs have always been successful because the individual lessons are very good at establishing and fixing new aspects of the language.
During private lessons teachers pay attention to student's particular difficulties that can be faced during the study of the Italian language and it will be followed a tailor made program.

Private Italian Lessons / Semi-Private Italian Course
Lessons are 'one-to-one' or in very small groups of 2 students with similar language ability. The program can be completely personalized. The program is constructed around the students' knowledge and needs.

Considering the extreme flexibility of the schedule and attendance, it is particularly suitable for busy people. The individual course or duo course are also suitable for those people who attend a standard course, but having little time to stay in Italy, they desire to use the individual hours to dive as deep into the language as possible.

Individual and semi-individual classes can also focus on cultural programs or on business Italian.

Exam Preparation Courses - CELI, CIC, CILS, PLIDA
We propose specific courses, individual or in groups, which aim is to prepare the student to the exam through the study of the past papers.
Individual lessons are available all year round depending on student's needs and plans.
Group lessons are available every 2 weeks just before exam sessions. Lessons are held in the afternoon so that the preparation course can be easily combined to the standard language course in the morning.

Weekend Italian Crash Course
The week end course is a very good opportunity to improve the language and the conversation in a very short time. There are different possibilities to study from Friday afternoon or from Saturday until Sunday afternoon. Lessons can take place at the school, at the student's accommodation or outdoor around the city centre, at the market, at the bars or maybe walking across the streets and the characteristic "vicoli" of Genoa as per your preference.

Italian for Specific Purposes
These courses are designed for students who already have a good knowledge of Italian language and need to improve a specific language such as law, marketing, medicine, tourism, engineering, architecture or other specific languages. The program is tailored upon students' needs.

Specialist Italian Course for Interpreters & Translators
This is a tailor-made course, adapted to individual needs. The aim of the course is to ensure that besides grammar acquisition (in standard courses), students increases their vocabulary and passive understanding of Italian, as well as acquiring in-depth knowledge of Italian politics, history, culture and society.
Exercises are based on text work (anticipation exercises - filling in gaps, textual analysis) and structured reading comprehension exercises. For interpreters we offer a very wide range of listening exercises, ranging from gap-filling exercises to interpreting exercises (both consecutive and simultaneous). Speeches by politicians, journalists, comedians, trade unionists are used for example.

Our staff are highly specialised, and have a wealth of experience in teaching language professionals. They are of course very open to suggestions by each student. We aim to offer a programme which fully satisfies the needs of every individual.

Long Term Courses
Three month course - Semester Course - Round Year Course. 20 hours of lessons from Monday through Friday 
The ideal minimum stay for a language course should be 12 weeks: during this period the student will have more confidence in the language skills throughout a complete full immersion in the Italian culture and way of life. With a long-term course students acquire the minimum level necessary to enter Italian University if they need and they can also take advantage of their Italian Long-Term course by taking an  internationally recognized certification (CELI, CILS, PLIDA) while living in Italy. Lessons are held in small groups (min 3 students).

Cultural Courses
All can be combined to the Standard Course held in the morning.

- LA DOLCE VITA Course: an excursus from Neo-realism to the young generation represented by great Italian director such as Muccino, Ozpetek or Soldini).

- SONO SOLO CANZONETTE Course: students train pronunciation and learn new words through the songs of famous Italian singers Eros Ramazzotti, Laura Pausini, Fabrizio De André, Roberto Vecchioni

- GENOVA PER NOI Course: an interesting program based around music, theatre, literature and curiosity to travel deep into the Genoese spirit.
- COOKING CourseIndividual or small groups: is carried out at the teacher’s home. Teachers’ warmly welcome all students on the course and demonstrate in particular the secrets and techniques of the Italian and Genoese gastronomy, providing a space to all for practical preparation.
At the end of the lesson, the prepared dishes are offered for dinner. This is also considered a great experience and an unforgettable moment of socialization. It is also possible to follow special cooking lessons based upon special recipes.

- ITALIAN FOR OPERA SINGER AND LIBRETTI LESSONS Course: The purpose of this course, addressed to Opera singers, is to perfect pronunciation through  opera's libretti reading and to perfect intonation with singing lessons with a specialised singing teacher. During winter courses, participants will have the possibility to go to the Carlo Felice Opera's Theatre with special price reductions for our students.

- DIVING Course: for adventurous people wishing to combine a full cultural experience with a unique dive vacation exploring the Ligurian Sea, the gulf and its beauties. It is possible to take the Open Water Dive Certificate (for those who have not dived before) or the Advanced Open Water Dive certificate, with PADI instructors. All didactic materials and the equipment regarding the diving lessons are provided by the diving school and are included in the price.

- PHOTOGRAPHY Course: held in small groups, this course is dedicated to photography lovers. It combines Italian  language and culture in the morning to practical and theoretic lessons of photography in the afternoon. At the end participants will receive a collection of their printed pictures. The teacher is a professional photographer.