Fall Break in Italy Venice - photo by Gerhard Bögner

Creative Fall Break in Italy: Visit Venice & Naples

Autumn arrives in Italy with all its glory: intense blue skies and crisp fresh air, picturesque foliage and landscapes, and delicious seasonal food. If you want to book a creative fall break in Italy, you can make the most out of this season by combining sightseeing, local events and an Italian course to become a Creative Tourist!

Our top picks in Italy for fall learning holidays in October, November and December are Venice and Naples. These cities offer a variety of things to see and to do during autumn.

Venice Fall Events

Unsure about visiting Venice in fall? Here is what an expert travel journalist from The Telegraph said:

Venice is a unique, magical place 365 days a year. But much of the time you’ll be sharing that magic with thousands of other visitors. Numbers peak in summer, despite the heat, humidity and swarms of mosquitoes. Spring and autumn are much more pleasant months. I especially like late autumn (mid-October to mid-November) when, if you’re lucky with the weather, it can still be warm enough to eat outside. But my favourite season of all is winter, a time of misty vistas when tourists are few and far between, rooms are cheap and the city is reclaimed by Venetians.

If you love drama and theater, don’t miss the autumn shows at Teatro La Fenice, one of the most famous and renowned landmarks in the history of Italian theatre.

October is packed with prestigious events like the Venice Fashion Week, Venice Design Week and Venice Cocktail Week.

Naples Fall Food Recipe

Fall Break in Italy Naples - photo by Marek

The pumpkin is loved and recognized all around the world as the symbol of fall. In the region of Campania, and particularly in its capital city Naples, the “zucca lunga di Napoli” (also known as “cucozza zuccarina” or “zucca piena di Napoli”) is traditionally planted in April and May, and then harvested between August and September.

The pumpkins are then conserved for different months in precise conditions, although they are best savored fresh in autumn. According to the Slow Food Foundation, the pumpkin from Naples is on the brink of disappearing because it is cultivated in very limited amounts. You can consume it raw in salads, marinated or cooked, both for savory and sweet dishes.

Here is our favorite autumn recipe from Naples

Pasta e zucca alla napolitana – by turismo.it

The ingredients are zucca lunga di Napoli, pasta, garlic, parsley, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, optional peperoncino (chili pepper).

  • In a large saucepan, fry the garlic, a trickle of extra virgin olive oil and – if you wish – the peperoncino.
  • Then, add the diced-cut pumpkin that you have previously peeled and freed from the seeds. Let it cook for a couple of minutes, and add some chopped parsley.
  • You can then remove the garlic, add a glass of water and cook the pumpkin for about 15-20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, boil some more water in a separate saucepan.
  • When the pumpkin is very soft and begins to undo, add a little of the separately heated water and the pasta that will cook for a few minutes (depending on its cooking time) on a low flame; if needed, add some more water with a wooden spoon.
  • When the pasta is almost ready, add a little more chopped parsley and, if you like, serve at the table with a sprinkle of peperoncino to flavor.

Italian Courses for your fall break in Italy

Sign up for an Italian course with Studiainitalia to explore Italy like a creative tourist and to feel like a local!

You can learn Italian in Naples or Venice for any length of time. Our Italian courses are composed of 20 lessons per week. Lessons are delivered by qualified native-speaking teachers and based on the use of simple and effective teaching methods with small groups of students in a fun and stimulating atmosphere.

At the end of the course, our Italian language school issues a certificate of attendance that indicates the type of course attended and the level completed. We can provide you with different accommodation options (private rooms, shared/individual flats, hotels) near the school. Get in touch with us if you have any questions!

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