The Hidden Italy: An Authentic Alpine Experience

The Hidden Italy: An Authentic Alpine Experience

Location
  • Italy
    • Trento
Length
4 to 6 weeks
Project Types
Family Education Teaching

Program Details

Language
Italian
Age Min.
18
Age Max
60
Timeframe
Year Round
Housing
Host Family
Groups
Small Group (1-15)
Travel Type
Budget Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

What's Included
Accommodation Some Activities Meals Transportation
What's Not Included
Airfare Domestic Airfare Airport Transfers Equipment SIM cards Travel Insurance Visa
Apr 19, 2026
Jan 31, 2026
123 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Learning a language is not about classrooms - it's about living.

Joinki The Culture Connector brings native English and German speakers into the heart of the Trentino Dolomites, where small mountain villages become the most powerful language learning environment you'll ever experience.

No tourist crowds. No textbooks. Just real conversations, real people, and real life - at the foot of some of the most breathtaking mountains in the world: the Dolomites.

In return for providing exposure to the language around 15 hours per week, focusing on conversation and some language tutoring, you will receive the following:

- Lodging and full board with an Italian family (three meals per day)
- Introduction and support from Joinki 24/7
- Italian Language Instruction
- Free public transport
- Free entry free admission to museums, castles and attractions of the region

This is language. This is culture. Joinki is your connector.

COMMUNITY REVIEWS SUMMARY

Participants consistently praise the program’s thoughtful host family matching and strong support from staff, especially Sabrina.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Enjoy a truly cultural immersion program in the local community.
  • Free train and bus travel within the Trentino Region. Free admission to more then 40 museums, 15 castles and over 40 attractions.
  • Develope professional and technical skill.
  • Improve personal relationships-building skills.

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Joinki teaching online program

If there is one thing that the pandemic has brought to the Italian school it is definitely the accelerated transition to more digital tools. Would you be part of this change and help spread your mother tongue all over Italy? If you are a dynamic person who loves to teach English or German, loves Italy and its rich culture this is a perfect opportunity for you. Help local teachers and support student growth while enriching your teaching skills. Italy is waiting for you!

Program Reviews

5.00 Rating
based on 30 reviews
  • 5 rating 100%
  • 4 rating 0%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.95
  • Support 5
  • Fun 4.85
  • Value 4.9
  • Safety 5
  • Benefits 4.9
  • Support 5
  • Fun 4.75
  • Facilities 4.9
  • Safety 5
  • Housing 5
  • Support 5
  • Fun 5
  • Value 5
  • Safety 5
Showing 9 - 16 of 30 reviews
Zara
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best trip of my life <3

It's now come to the end of 2019 and I have to say the best part of the year was my 6 weeks in Trentino with Joinki. For me, going abroad on my own was completely new and scary but with Joinki I felt incredibly supported and welcomed. What makes them special is that they take EXTRA care in matching you with a family so both of you have a wonderful experience.
For me, it was exactly that. The family I spent my summer were the warmest, kindest people you could meet and treated me like I was another member of the family. I love them so so dearly and can't wait to see them again hopefully next year.
If you are looking for a way to enhance your Italian skills/teaching/culture knowledge whilst having an incredible experience in the most beautiful part of Italy then I can't recommend it enough. Grazie Mille Joinki <3

321 people found this review helpful.
Judy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Life-changing program

If you are wondering wether or not to do this program, I would tell you : DO IT! I came from Canada to leave the city life for a little bit and to learn more about the Italian lifestyle, and I was not disappointed. During my 4 weeks stay in the region of Trento, I taught English to a very welcoming Italian family, but I also had the chance to learn some Italian myself! I felt like I was a member of the family from the moment I met my host family and I got to visit so many places all around Italy with them! This program is truly genuine and I created life-long friendships that I will never forget! Another point that really made this program unforgettable is the care and the support that Sabrina gave me right from the start! If you love nature, family values, learning new things and adventures, this is for you!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
The mountains, again and again! It is a peaceful environment to tutor and to make a difference!
312 people found this review helpful.
Maria
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing program

My experience with the Joinki Language Tutor Program was amazing, during the six weeks of my stay in Italy I didn't only teach English to some of the greatest people I've ever met but had the opportunity to take part in fun activities such as visiting some local castles, wineries and beautiful Italian cities. My host family was clearly selected with care and they were some of the warmest and most welcoming people I've ever met. Also, during my stay I really felt like I was cared for and looked after and everyone I met wanted to make sure I had the best time of my life. This program enabled me to have a summer of my life and I feel very grateful. If you've a passion for languages and love Italy this program is definitely worth getting into!!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Be open-minded and get into as many things as possible, you won't regret! Also, knowing Italian or studying it beforehand might be helpful since many older people don't know English.
289 people found this review helpful.
melissa
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great experience!

I had an amazing time with Joinki. From the thorough host family selection to the great efforts made by Joinki to get volunteers free transportation and guest passes to see local attractions, the Joinki experience went above and beyond what I expected from a volunteer program. During the initial interview, Joinki assesses your personality to determine which of their many eager families is right for you. Joinki also organizes events with other volunteers that are integrative and give you a taste of the authentic North Italian lifestyle! These things show just how committed Joinki is to giving volunteers the best experience possible. The program also takes place in Trentino: a beautiful mountainous region in Northern Italy. There is so much to see and do. I would definitely recommend the program!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would have travelled to more cities. The nearest popular destinations are Verona and Venice, which make for great day-trips. If I could do it all again, I would have gone to see more of Italy on the weekends.
219 people found this review helpful.
Lars
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I can only recommend this project!

I already made three projects in Italy and this one was the best!
Directly after my first Skype interview with Joinki I got a good feeling because I noticed that Joinki is really caring about me. After approx 2 weeks they already found the fitting family for me. And they were right because I felt very comfortable in my host family.
In my six weeks in Terres which is a very small village in Valle di Non I was never bored. The nature around there is very beautiful so that you can travel around with your family or Sabrina from Joinki.
During the afternoon I did some grammar lessons with my younger host sister. Seeing my host sister improving her german skills I was really confident and happy.
Another great point about Joinki is the cultural exchange because I could show many things from Germany that are different in Italy. But of course I also learned a lot about the Italian all day life.
Special experiences were a tour in a canyon that I enjoyed very much and making Pasta by hand.

All in all I can really recommend this project cause of all these unique experiences you are able to explore.

207 people found this review helpful.
Phoebe
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Unforgettable experience in Northern Italy

Joinki offers a taste of Italian life in the North of Italy, a beautiful region rich with culture and housing a lot to offer to any of its visitors. Not only is the program based in such an amazing area, but Joinki also provides a good foundation to any of its volunteers by making them feel comfortable with adapting to life and any responsibilities they have as they participate in Joinki. In addition to providing a really good tutoring and interning experience with the most welcoming of families and schools in the area, the program also provides its volunteers with extra perks that allow them to have full access to what the Trentino region has to offer. The program directors provide a substantial amount of support to all of their participants on both sides to make sure everyone is satisfied throughout the entire process, from the placement process, to the tutor’s time in Trento, to after the tutor has left Italy. I couldn’t have asked for a more satisfying volunteer experience abroad, and I have Joinki to thank for providing that to me.

215 people found this review helpful.
Emmily
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Two Amazing Months in Val di Non

Yes, this amazing organization really deserves every full score I can give them on this website.
I came here for two months in Oktober 2018 in pretty short notice and with basically no Italian vocabulary other than “Ciao” and “Bello”. To be fair, those have defintely been the two words I have used the most (the country with its mountains, cities, villages, restaurants - its everything basically - is beyond beautiful) but after spending two months with great and thorough support from the organization I can now proudly say that I know way more than those two words!
I have seen so much of the north of Italy in this short time, trying to squeeze as much sight seeing and hiking and enjoyment as possible into every week.
My host family was also great, we lived in Mechel (Trentino) and did a lot of the activities together.
The rest of my time was spent at a middle school in Fondo, being a language tutor for German and English.
Seriously everything about this experience was amazing, except for the part where I had to say good bye.
Thank you Joinki for your wonderful initiative and support!

142 people found this review helpful.
Aloka
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Joinki! A once in a life time experience!

Joinki is set up in a way that prioritizes community experiences and new friendships.
I was a language tutor that lived with a lovely family in the small town of Tregiovo, Trento. Joinki had made sure that the family and I were compatible and prioritized everyone’s safety and comfort. I cherish deeply the memories I made while with Joinki and I’ve formed friendships that will last a life time! I couldn’t be more grateful for Joinki and Sabrina (head coordinator), who is one of the hardest working, most passionate people I’ve ever met.

What would you improve about this program?
I genuinely do not know how they could make this program more beautiful than it already is.
134 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

Yes of course, all the programs though are not running at the moment due to the pandemic.

1-2 months. Thanks

19 years old

Thanks for getting in touch with Joinki. Of course. The program is open even to C2 level of English applicants.