🇮🇹 A 25-year journey through the Italian language
On October 5th, together with our students, teachers, staff, relatives, friends, host families, and colleagues who honored us with their presence, we officially inaugurated ALCE’s “new home.” More than an official event, it was a celebration with our loved ones and all those who supported and encouraged us; we opened the doors to what will become a new chapter in the ALCE experience. This new milestone also coincided with the school’s 25th anniversary of passionate activity.
It was wonderful to share a new environment that we specifically conceived and designed to be even warmer, more welcoming, and more comfortable for those who choose to spend some time living and studying in Bologna with us.
After a free “aperitivo” to explore the new spaces and taste Emilian specialties at the various food and wine tables set up, we wanted to entertain our guests (also recalling the fantastic memories of the 2018 IALC workshop organized in Bologna) with an intense and moving moment of music featuring arias from the Italian OPERA tradition performed by Maestro Luca de Lorenzo, who came especially for us from the Teatro San Carlo in Naples.
We then delighted our palates with the excellent preparations of our friend and Chef Samuele Zani (international chef and President of the Artusiana Association).
A celebratory cake concluded the evening, which we will remember for a long time, but which will also mark the beginning of a new and exciting adventure in spreading the Italian language and culture.
NEW ALCE SCHOOL – “Villa Samvise”
We are really very proud of it. I’ll tell you an anecdote. Our last location was already beautiful, but it was in a historic building on the second and third floors without a lift. We had been eyeing this new location for at least 5 years, just a 3-minute walk away, but it seemed unreachable. It was too beautiful. Then in January / February 2024 we tried to start negotiations to try to take it and we finally succeeded with a huge commitment and now we have been here since February.
First, it is a beautiful historic building, an Art Nouveau villa from the early 1900s.
Furthermore, the ground floor, one of a kind, is built with “a section” of the old medieval walls of the city of Bologna dating back to the year 1000!! In short, a unique piece of history. The interiors are finely decorated, with very high walls and artistic stucco, huge windows, wooden parquet floors, air conditioning in the whole space and custom-made furniture.
There is no shortage of cutting-edge technological aids in the comfortable spacious classrooms and a sound system everywhere. But what really makes the difference is our independent access and the private park with splendid green spaces and centuries-old trees for breaks and free time for students and teachers.
Finally, 2 receptions, one on each floor, through which we are always in contact with guests, a comfortable tavern and the renovated kitchen of double the size of the previous one which will also serve as a refreshment point and “club” of Alce.
