NOV20
All country briefings

Europe · Country briefing

Italy

A child-friendly mission briefing for 20 November — capital, climate, school day, languages, fun facts, native animals, and five questions to ask the class on the other side of the world.

  • Capital
    Rome
  • Population
    ~59 million
  • Time zone
    Europe/Rome (UTC +1)
  • Currency
    Euro (EUR)
Italy, with Rome marked
loading map…

Climate in November: Mild autumn; cooler in the north.

Rome, the capital of Italy

The capital

Rome

Photo · Unsplash

Fun facts

What makes Italy a bit special.

  • The Colosseum

    Almost 2,000 years old

  • Pizza

    Was invented in Naples

  • Vesuvius

    Active volcano near Naples

  • Opera

    Born in Italy 400 years ago

  • Vespa

    Iconic Italian scooter

  • Gelato

    Smoother than regular ice cream

Native animals

Wildlife your partner class might know best.

  • 🐺

    Apennine wolf

    Italy's national symbol; lives in the mountains

  • 🐦

    Italian sparrow

    Found only in Italy

  • 🐻

    Marsican brown bear

    Very rare — only ~50 left in the wild

  • 🐢

    European pond turtle

    Lives in Italian wetlands

  • 🦔

    Crested porcupine

    Has 30cm-long quills

School life

In a Italy classroom

Many Italian primary schools include art and music from the early years.

Typical school day: Often 08:00–13:30.

School year: September to June.

Greetings to learn

Say hello like a local

  • Ciao!
    Italian · CHOW
  • Buongiorno!
    Italian

Five questions to ask

Conversation starters

  1. 01What food do you love at school?
  2. 02What music do you listen to?
  3. 03What city or village do you live in?
  4. 04What sports do you play?
  5. 05What's something everyone should know about Italy?

What not to assume

Friendly cautions

  • ℹItaly has 20 regions with distinct dialects and cuisines.
  • ℹSchools have a long history of art and music education.

Culture

Food, music, sport, festivals.

  • Food

    • Pasta
    • Pizza
    • Gelato
    • Risotto

  • Music

    • Opera
    • Pop
    • Hip-hop

  • Sport

    • Football
    • Volleyball
    • Cycling

  • Festivals

    • Carnevale
    • Festa della Repubblica
Reflection prompts
  • “What art would you bring to your exchange?”
  • “What dish would you cook for new friends?”

Could your class meet Italy?

Choose Italywhen you register — we’ll show you the time-zone feasibility.

Register your classroom