When in Rome - Italian Classes

Our new era is starting with a bang! 💥

🇮🇹🤓The beginners’ class is fully booked and ready to embark on its journey through the Italian language with *When in Rome*.

🏅It’s not easy to learn a foreign language as an adult, and it takes a great deal of courage, I’ll see you in class tomorrow at 6.30pm.

On Wednesday it’s the turn of the Intermediate class, and on Thursday the False Beginners.

Same time, same place 😉

Best of luck to all of our brave students on their journey.
We’re looking forward to meeting you and embarking on this adventure together!

So our Sardinian/When in Rome flag travelled in 7 days Ireland-Sardinia-Ireland until our “last supper”together, a moment to share memories, emotions and, of course, a few tears from me especially 🥹.

My Sardinian family joined us, along with Alessandro Culture Sardinia and his partner, making the evening even more special.

When we planned this trip a few months ago, I could never have imagined that 26 students from different classes would bond so closely ✨🥰.
Yet, they did and they are the real reason behind the success of this unforgettable week in Sardinia.

They ate, walked, laughed and sweated together, never losing their curiosity, enthusiasm or good humour.

A huge thank you to each and every one of you for making this journey so special and for giving me memories that I will treasure for a very long time.

This was so much more than a trip to Sardinia.
It was a journey we shared together and one that I will carry with me for years to come.
Grazie di cuore, in bonora 💜🙏🏽.

Day Five: Cagliari 👣

On the fifth day, we explored Cagliari on foot, with our wonderful guide, Paola.
The capital of Sardinia, Cagliari is a city rich in history, with its ancient streets, hilltop Castello quarter and spectacular views over the Golfo degli Angeli.

Our hotel’s central location made it easy to explore the city on foot. We wandered through Castello, stopping at various points of interest before reaching the impressive Bastione di Saint Remy and the Cathedral of Santa Maria.

Our final stop was the Archaeological Museum, where we came across some of the history and information we had discovered at Su Nuraxi the previous day, bringing different parts of our journey together.

The afternoon was free, so I took the opportunity to spend some time with my sister and cousin, while the students explored the city at their own pace.

In the evening, we all met up again for dinner, sharing stories and talking about the things we had discovered during the afternoon.

It was the perfect way to end another unforgettable day in Sardinia 💜✨.

On the fourth day, we headed south, discovering yet another fascinating side of Sardinia.

Our first stop was Su Nuraxi at Barumini, Sardinia’s most famous Nuraghe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Built during the Bronze Age, this extraordinary stone complex is one of the island’s most important archaeological treasures, offering a glimpse into the mysterious Nuragic civilisation that flourished here thousands of years ago.

Waiting for us was Alessandro , the man who had so brilliantly organised ( together with the wonderful Maura .cagliari )this wonderful trip for us. Grazieeeeeee 🙏🏽
With great enthusiasm and passion, he brought the ancient world of the Nuraghi to life, telling us about their history, purpose and the fascinating civilisation that built them. Sardinia is home to around 7,000 nuraghi, scattered across the island like silent witnesses to its ancient past.

Some of the students also took the opportunity to visit the spectacular Casa Zapata, built over and incorporating the remains of a Nuragic settlement.

After a well deserved lunch break, we continued our journey to Settimo San Pietro, where the highly knowledgeable Dario from welcomed us and gave us a fascinating insight into the world of Sardinian w**e. We learned about the w**emaking process, the local vineyards and the traditions behind some of Sardinia’s finest w**es.

And, of course, no w**ery visit would be complete without a wonderful w**e tasting! 🍷

Our lovely and friendly driver, Thommas, then took us to our final destination: Cagliari.

We ended another unforgettable day with a fantastic seafood dinner , accompanied by excellent Vermentino.

Another day, another piece of Sardinia to fall in love with ✨.

3rd day: 🚌 Nuoro–Orgosolo

We began the day with a tour of Nuoro, the birthplace of Grazia Deledda, the only Italian woman to have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
We had studied her life and work in class before the trip, so being able to walk through the streets of her hometown made the experience all the more meaningful. We also visited the beautiful museum.

From Nuoro, our coach took us to Orgosolo, where our wonderful guide, Carola, gave us a fascinating tour of the town’s famous murals.
Covering the walls of Orgosolo, these striking works of art tell stories of politics, social struggles, everyday life and Sardinian identity.
The mural tradition began as a form of protest against the militarisation of the island and has since become one of the town’s most distinctive features.

At lunchtime, we headed into the Supramonte, where local shepherds were waiting to welcome us to a truly unforgettable traditional Sardinian lunch.

We were treated to an incredible feast of local specialities, accompanied by the powerful sounds of canto a tenore. We applauded the singers, raised our glasses, and even joined in the passu torrau, a traditional folk dance from the area 🥹✨.

There were plenty of toasts, laughter, and, of course, plenty of local w**e, followed by the inevitable taste of “abba ardente”, the fiery local grappa!

To finish the day, we visited the spectacular natural spring of Su Gologone. There, we had a lovely chat with some local elderly ladies who were busy preparing the ancient little church for the celebrations of the local saint the following day.

And because a Sardinian day is never quite complete without one more drink and a good conversation, we ended the evening with an aperitivo in wonderful company at a bar in Nuoro, before heading off to dinner.

Another unforgettable day , filled with history, culture, music, food, traditions and, above all, the warmth of Sardinian people.

Day Two – Oliena💜✨

On the second day of our Sardinian adventure, we headed to Oliena, my mum’s native village — a place where I have always felt deeply rooted and connected to my family and my Sardinian identity.

The first special moment of the day was meeting my mum, who was so happy to welcome us and share a little piece of her home with my students.

They then wandered through the village, which was celebrating Cortes Apertas and its wonderful 30th anniversary. It was a beautiful opportunity to experience Sardinian traditions and everyday life up close.

They watched local artisans make traditional bread, tasted and learned about local w**e, discovered how baskets are made, admired beautiful traditional costumes, and, most importantly, met the locals. They spoke Italian, heard Sardinian being spoken, and experienced the warmth and hospitality that make my island so special.

For me, sharing Oliena with my students was incredibly meaningful. Seeing them discover a place so close to my heart made the day even more special.

An unforgettable day, full of traditions, stories, smiles and a little piece of Sardinia that I will always carry with me. In bonora 🙏🏽🥹

Some dreams take years to come true… and this was one of mine. 💜✨

Ever since I started teaching Italian, I’ve dreamed of bringing my students to Sardinia, my beloved island and sharing with them the places, colours, sea and magic ( and madness) that have always been such a big part of who I am.

So, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of When in Rome, I finally decided it was time to make that dream a reality.

On 11 September, we set off from Dublin. After a quick stop in Olbia, we headed to Cala Gonone, where our Sardinian adventure truly began. From there, we sailed along the spectacular coast, explored the fascinating Bue Marino Caves and spent time on the breathtaking Cala Luna beach.

And just like that, our first day was over.

It was a day filled with sunshine, laughter, wonder and those little moments that our brave students will remember for a very long time.

To be continued 🔜🔜🔜

WE MADE THE PAPER! 🗞️✨

Wait... hold on. Let us zoom in on that caption real quick. 🧐

Huge shoutout to our student Angela 🫶🏾, who somehow managed to get us “featured” in the newspaper!

We were ready to frame it on the wall until we actually read the article... turns out Angela’s journalistic talents lie strictly in top-tier trolling and creative writing. 🤣

We might not actually be on page 3 today, but with students this funny, life at our Italian school is always news-worthy.

🇮🇹🤓If you are planning to learn or improve Italian, get in touch with us. We are starting in a few weeks.