When I first mentioned the name of the course I was going to follow in Siena to one of
my best friends, she only giggled. La dolce vita, that’s nothing you can learn – in her
opinion. But trust me: once you enter the magical world of this course, the Italian way of
life will have an everlasting influence on everything you’ll do!

La dolce vita definitely is not the same as the famous dolce far niente. To experience all
parts of Sienese culture within five days means using all your senses at the same time.
From the smell of strong coffee in the morning to the soft evening breeze during a late
night passeggiata, join the Italians during their dolce vita!

STEP 1: IL CAFFÉ

It all starts with coffee. I have never met any country in which people take
coffee so serious as in Italy. After three days of drinking my caffé in a
neighbourhood bar, surrounded by locals, I understand the magic of a little
glass filled with black liquid so strong that you immediately experience
everything and everyone much more intense. A perfect start of la dolce
vita…

STEP 2: CHIACCHIERARE

… and a perfect start of the language courses in the morning. The school is
in Via del Paradiso, so maybe only the name should be enough to
understand the atmosphere. Imagine a huge terrace, some small class
rooms, many different students and teachers who all share their passion
for the Italian language, the many topics to discuss (I bet we are all
curious about Italian politics, design and fashion)… It is even said that the
most beautiful and pure Italian is spoken in Siena – need I say more?

STEP 3: IL PRANZO

But the best things have yet to come. After four hours of grammar and
conversation, of word searching and Italian stories, it is time for lunch. I
bet you understand an Italian menu yet before coming to study La dolce
vita, but make you sure that you’ll taste all sorts of local food. My
classmates and I found the best food in small trattorias, a few steps from
the Piazza del Campo, with no menus outside. Try the pappa al pomodoro!

STEP 4: IL VINO

Being right in the middle of the Chianti, la dolce vita definitely means also
wine tasting. We explored the Tuscan countryside by tasting different sorts
of wine – maybe the sweetest way to remember the Tuscan hills. And for
most of us this wine tour revealed the real magic of wine: after a glass of
wine, the Italian language no longer had any secrets for us. La dolce vita
has just started, but we were all feeling like we already were getting used
to it.

STEP 5: L’OLIO

But coffee and wine are not the only ‘holy’ liquids in Italy. So after
tasting wine, the very difficult task of tasting olive oil was lying
ahead of us. Did you know that every olive oil has its own ‘passport’
or that some restaurants even have their own list of olive oils, just
like a wine list? After tasting the real olive oil, you’ll understand why
Italians are so passionate about their ‘green gold’!

STEP 6: L’ARTE

Another essential part of la dolce vita, that has nothing to do with food, is
the Sienese art. The small city is really a treasure keeper: the Duomo with
an astonishing pavement, the former hospital Santa Maria della Scala, the
Palazzo Publico with works by the great Sienese painters Simone Martini
and Ambrogio Lorenzetti, the Torre del Mangia, the Pinacoteca with many,
many Mary’s painted by Guido da Siena, Duccio and other artists of the
Sienese school… Together with all the vivid stories told by our guide these
art collections will leave an unforgettable impression in your hart and
souls…

STEP 7: IL DOLCE

Studying all these beautiful art works makes hungry. A good excuse
for tasting one of the Sienese sweets is that making these sweets is
a local art as such. In small bakeries you can taste the most
delicious cantuccini, panforte, panpepato and ricciarelli.

STEP 8: LA PIAZZA

Strolling the narrow medieval streets around the Piazza, and of
course the Piazza del Campo itself, is maybe one of Siena’s greatest
pleasures. Since the Piazza serves as the perfect meeting place for
all Sienese people, for students it is the best place to meet local
people and bambini that are glad to help you with your Italian
pronunciation and vocabulary. Also they can tell you all about
Sienese traditions, especially about the Palio.

STEP 9: IL PALIO

This famous horse race has been organized since the Middle Ages,
but today the passion for this event is still alive. Weeks before the
race (July 2 and August 16), the ten contrade (neighborhoods)
which will participate are filled with excitement. Make sure you don’t
miss one of the many parades, diners or masses if you attend the
language school in June or August!

STEP 10: LA PASSEGGIATA

Your day in Siena is not complete without a passeggiata. Before dinner,
join all Italian families by strolling the city center. Of course you have to
wear something nice – fare la bella figura is an important part of this
evening walk. Buy a gelato, look at all beuatiful people, talk with your new
friends from school and with some Italians and simply enjoy life – maybe
this is the essential lesson of la dolce vita!

Saskia Balmaekers