Italian is the first language of only 62 million or so people in the world - substantially fewer than speak Spanish, French, German or Korean - and yet it is remarkably popular as a foreign language, attracting students of all ages and backgrounds.

The Italian language is beautiful and some people are moved to study it for that reason alone - to understand Italian opera without needing translation and/or to read Dante, Manzoni and other giants of literature in the original. For most, however, it is the lure of Italy itself that prompts them to learn the language.

Italy is a marvellous country with a great deal to offer the foreign visitor: beaches, mountains, music, art, history, architecture, food and wine, as well as vibrant and entertaining people. Italy can be exciting, relaxing, romantic or jolly and, at any time of the year, it is a safe bet for an enjoyable, affordable holiday.

If you can speak at least some of the language, it will enhance your experience no end. A lot of Italians speak English but it's much more fun and, let's face it, much more polite, if we can converse with our hosts in their own tongue. And, if you want to get off the beaten track, you may well find people don't speak English and you'll need some Italian just to get by.

If you have never tried to learn Italian before, you may be surprised at how (relatively) easy it is. Many English words also come straight from Latin and the words that came into English from Greek went into Italian in a similar way. What do you think "possibile" means? Or "secondo", "errore" or "fotografia"? There is so much you can guess.

Not every word is as obvious as these are, of course, but there are loads of others that you've got a good chance of working out, especially in context. Or, even if you can't work them out, once you know what they mean, it makes sense, so they are easy to remember. "Mano", for instance, looks very different from "hand" but when we think about doing something "manually", it becomes clear.

English, both British and American, is very fashionable in Italy and many English words ("film", "computer", "goal", to name but three) have been assimilated into the Italian language, as thoroughly as "pizza", "ballerina" and "cappuccino" have gone into English.

Knowing some Italian will allow you to penetrate the surface of Italy, get below the tourist layer and experience the real Italian culture. Beyond being able to understand menus and street signs, it's great fun to be able to chat to Italians in Italian, get their jokes, learn what makes them tick and sing along to their pop songs, knowing what the lyrics mean.

Learning a foreign language takes discipline, determination and the right materials. The first few weeks of grappling with basic grammar and vocabulary can be a bit of a grind but then, suddenly, you'll find yourself able to have a little conversation in the new language. The satisfaction of that will spur you on to learn more and more - and it just gets more and more rewarding. Start learning Italian today!