Learn Italian your way with a TakeLessons expert

By Nadia B. - TakeLessons Italian Teacher

If you're interested in taking Italian lessons in Sacramento, then you're in luck! Sacramento has always been a city full of Italian influence. Even its nickname, "Sacra-tomato," heralds its farming history and one of the most important crops of Italy, the tomato. Personally, Sacramento will always be connected to Italy in my mind, as I grew up in an Italian family that emigrated from Italy to a town close to Sacramento, and I subsequently began my academic journey here with Italian by majoring in the language in college. I lived here 17 years before moving to New York, and I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Italian cultural and linguistic offerings of Sacramento.

The following events and locales will have you feeling Italian in this interesting, centrally-located California town.

1. The Sacramento Italian Cultural Society (www.italiancenter.net) This is a great starting place to learn about Italian culture and language. They have films, visiting authors, lectures and more to satisfy your desire for Italian cultural experience! It’s a friendly spot that is both social and informative. You may even find other Italian learners with whom you can form Italian conversation practice groups.

2. Corti Brothers Grocery Another not-to-miss spot is the classic Corti Brothers grocery store. This historic locale was opened in 1947 and features all sorts of typical Italian foods. You will learn about the foods that Italy is famous for, and you can ask the employees for recommendations and more information as you navigate one of the most important parts of Italian culture—its culinary roots. An alternate to Corti Brothers is the Italian Importing Company, which has prepared foods and imported Italian foods in its downtown location.

3. Biba Restaurant Speaking of food, another place to immerse yourself in the cuisine and way of living is Biba restaurant (www.biba-restaurant.com). The chef, Biba, hails from Bologna - the food capital of Italy - and serves delicious, authentic Italian food. This is an excellent way to delight in Italian culture and also to practice your Italian; Biba is known for canvassing her dining room and greeting guests. It’s a great opportunity to put your Italian into practice and to thank her for her culinary masterwork.

4. Italian Festivals Yearly festivals are also a great way to pack in the Italian cultural and linguistic experience. The Sacramento Festa Italiana (www.festaitalianasacramento.com) offers unique glimpses into the pastimes, food preferences and artistic inclinations of a country with a rich history. If you're taking Italian lessons in Sacramento, attending festivals like this allows you to become personally familiar with quintessential Italian pastimes and interests, develop specific vocabulary related to these elements of the culture and interact with professionals and artists who represent Italy.

As you take Italian lessons in Sacramento and increase your engagement with these Italian institutions, you will begin to view Sacramento as a land not so different from Italy itself. It has the bright sunshine, the wine-growing region of Napa close by, the farmlands of citrus in the valley, and it's full of diverse Italian food, speakers and history. Here, you can have an Italian ice (a ‘granita’ in Italian), stroll down the streets, and catch an Italian film as the sun sets. It is my hope that you will do so as you continue to learn Italian and explore all the possibilities that await you.