Il Sasso Italian School - Learn Italian in Montepulciano

  Italy

• All Other Areas in Italy: 
Montepulciano

Dates: Course Dates for 2008: 13 October - 24 October; 27 October - 7 November; 10 November - 21 November; 24 November - 5 December; 9 December - 19 December

Description: The Italian language school Il Sasso is located in Montepulciano, a welcoming Renaissance town in Southern Tuscany. Our language school, "Il Sasso", has offered Italian courses since 1983. People of all ages and from all over the world come to learn in an informal atmosphere where the relationship between students and teachers is one of friendship. The atmosphere during lessons, carried out in small groups (maximum 9 students), is friendly and fun and an emphasis is put on communication. For this, students are encouraged to speak as much as possible.

The teachers are all graduates and have a long experience in the field of adult education. The carefully chosen accommodation, the varied cultural programme, the dedication of the teachers and, importantly, the spontaneous hospitality of the townsfolk, all come together to make a stay at Montepulciano more than just a mere study holiday. The great number of students who return each year is the best testimony to this.

Course Dates run throughout the year, however specific. Here are our Course Dates for 2009:

12 January - 23 January
26 January - 6 February
9 February - 20 February
23 February - 6 March
9 March - 20 March
23 March - 3 April
6 April - 17 April
20 April - 30 April (8 days, special price)
4 May - 15 May
18 May - 29 May
1 June - 12 June
15 June - 26 June
29 June - 10 July
13 July - 24 July
27 July - 7 August
10 August - 21 August
24 August - 4 September
7 September - 18 September
21 September - 2 October
5 October - 16 October
19 October - 30 October
2 November - 13 November
16 November - 27 November
30 November - 11 December

Highlights: For a great many reasons, Montepulciano is an ideal place for an Italian language school. It is located on the top of a hill, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves with one of those views which has made Tuscany famous the world over. The peace and quiet are ideal for a study holiday far from bustling town centres. The town's artistic wealth is also a major point of interest: the old town centre is full of churches and "palazzi" which testify to Italy's architectural history, in particular where the medieval and Renaissance periods are concerned. However, the area also boasts a great many Etruscan and Roman remains, Baroque churches and a miniature copy of La Scala theatre in Milan, called Poliziano.

Montepulciano, although a small historic town, is different from many others in that it is very active and lively, a place where the locals still stop to chat in bars or markets and have a great interest in foreign visitors. This makes it an ideal place for learning Italian "on the street", an essential part of any language-learning experience.

Montepulciano's cultural life is also very varied. The International Art Workshop, which takes place at the end of July and beginning of August attracts music-lovers from all over the world. The local town festival ends on the last Sunday of August with the "Bravio delle Botti", a traditional competition of strength and skill fought out between the town's various areas. On occasions such as these, the town comes to life and it is not uncommon to come across improvised concerts on street corners or to become involved in banquets organised by the town's various parishes in the town square which give you the opportunity of tasting local gastronomic specialties. There is also a series of concerts organised by the Accademia Renana - whose overseas headquarters is based in Montepulciano - an event further enriches Montepulciano's summer months. The thing that makes Montepulciano unique in Tuscany and indeed in the world, however, is its excellent Vino Nobile, a fine, quality wine whose producers have become real ambassadors of Tuscany throughout the world.

Cost in US$: Please contact us for more information.

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Italy Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups of 9 people

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Il Sasso School of Italian in Tuscany's Mission Statement: The principal objective of our language courses is to get our students, even those in the beginner and elementary levels, to the point where they're able to communicate in Italian.

Year Founded: 1983