Italian language schools
 

I've been taking italian lessons for a while in the US and always had the objective of attending a 2 weeks( or more) immersion course in Italy. Some of my classmates and myself have decided that probably we'll do it next year.

We're leaning towards a smaller city such as Siena, Perugia or Lucca rather than Rome or Florence. Would really appreciate to hear from anybody that had this type of experience or from anybody that has an opinion as to which city would be most interesting on its own and also in a better logistical situation to allow for sightseeing in the afternoons and weekends( since we'll be busy with classes in the AM)

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

I met an American who was doing a language immersion program (for a month or two) in Perugia. While Perugia is charming, after a few days he foudn it too samll, plus he found it difficult to take day trips to other places. He was considering switching to a school in Bologna, a medium-size city with many easy options for daytrips.

I spent a fortnight at a language school in Venice, which is excellent in terms of size. It's large enough to have several weeks worth of sights, but as almost everyone stays on the island, small enough to walk to school and meet up with your classmates during afternoons and evenings.

I'd highly recommend an immersion course; in my experience you learn orders of magnitude more than the equivalent number of weekly lessons in your home country.

Thanks for the responses. Since we'll probably stay only 2 weeks I hope that by staying in a "small" city we don't get bored. I'll look into Bologna as well.
I love Venice but in the summer it's a zoo !

Any other ideas? Thanks!

Hi cruise --

I'm looking into this myself... I don't have any firsthand experience with this, but wanted to tell you that I found a lot of helpful info over at slowtalk.com. Here is one school I found via a member of slowtalk:

http://www.koinecenter.com/En/corsi-list.asp

Also, this blog details the experience of a couple who just finished a longer course in Siena:

http://www.sienaitaly.com/italyshuffle/

Good luck! Keep us posted if you do get over to take a course. -- Heather.

Hi there.

I attended the immersion course in Perugia many moons ago while I was getting my undergraduate degree. I was there for two and a half months and did not get bored. I also lived in Perugia for over a year after I graduated.

We had the same situation - classes in the AM. We did not usually go sightseeing in the afternoons, but we did go every weekend.

The main train station in Perugia is not particularly close to the centro storico (where the school is), but you can get there by bus in about 10-15 minutes. I think you can catch a direct bus to the train station from Piazza Partigiani (down the scala mobile (escalators) from Piazza Italia).

There is also a satellite train station that is located more in town, called (Perugia) Sant'Anna. You can access it via a different set of scale mobili (escalators).

In addition, they have updated the main bus depot in Piazza Partigiani. Every day, there are buses that depart to other tourist destinations in the region, such as Assisi, Gubbio, Todi, Lake Trasimeno, and other Umbrian cities.

Perugia itself is quaint, and its main tourist attractions can be visited in about two days. However, I think you would find plenty to amuse yourself for the amount of time you are planning.

When are you planning to go during the year? There are also many special events in Perugia, such as the Jazz Festival in July and the Eurochocolate festival which is usually in October/November. There are also the regional sagre (festivals) throughout the late summer months there are special events in the Rocca Paolina almost every weekend (i.e. flea markets, art shows, etc.)

Anyway, there's my impression of Perugia. I think you would have more or less the same situation in any "smaller" city such as Siena or Lucca.

With regards to Bologna, I have heard only excellent things about both the city and the surrounds, and the food of the Bologna region is, by some, purported to be the best in Italy.

Sorry that was so long-winded. ;)

Heather,

Thanks for the links . I had visited the slowtrav website and read the review of the Koine school and that's what made me think of Lucca. Thanks for the links. I'll certainly post here as we make any decisions or for further input from people like you.
Do you have a date in mind when you would like to go?

Nolen,

You were not long-winded at all, although in this case long-winded is good! What a great opportunity you had to study and live in Perugia

Nolen,

I pressed the post button by mistake. Then I tried to add another message but it didn't take so I'll try again:

Thank you for your very helpful comments. Did you go to immersion program of the Universita per Stranieri?
Unfortunately the time commitment for this program is 4 weeks, which due to family commitments I can't do.
Do you know of any other language schools in Perugia?

From your description and other things I've read/ heard I think it would be an ideal spot!

Thanks again for your input!

cruiseluv,

Yes, I attended the Universita' per Stranieri for a two-month immersion program.

I don't have any background info on any other schools in Perugia, but just poking around the internet I found the Comitato Linguistico, which offers a regular two-week course for 240 euro. Here is a link to their website:
http://www.comitatolinguistico.com/index.html
Might be something to check out.

Let me know if you have any other questions about the area.

-Nicole

Nicole,

Thank You! I'll check that out.

I wish I was as lucky as you and could stay in Italy for that long. Maybe one day....

María

I've been thinking about taking an immersion course in Italy myself, but was thinking of a school in ViaReggio. A little past Pisa, right on the Italian Riviera, I fell in love with that place, and am looking for any excuse to go back. The course I've been looking at is http://www.centropuccini.it, but there are other schools in the area. This was a school that was within my $ range. The soonest I would go would be in November, during an off season to keep my costs low, but that all depends on when I find a new job. ;)

Thanks mcnyc,

I'll add Viareggio to the list. I wish I could go off season like you. Like you say, the $$$$ are less and also less tourists!( I know we 're tourists too buy I'm being selfish and don't like the crowds)

I've heard good things of Dante Alighieri in Siena and Koine center in Lucca.

Good luck!

Any other comments?

For those of you that have gone to Siena,Lucca and Perugia( even if it wasn't to attend a language school), which of these cities would you pick to spend two weeks?

Thanks !

I would pick Purgia!! Best wishes with your decision cruiseluv.

I've been to the three towns you mention and I'd go to Siena, if I were so fortunate to study there. It seems like there would be more to do in Siena because it's larger. I enjoyed my visits to Perugia and Lucca and I stayed a few nights in Siena. I honestly don't see how you could be disappointed in any of these charming towns. Each one is special. Sono gelosa! Auguri!

hlocke: thank you for posting the blog web address. I really enjoyed reading about their travels and classes.

p.s. I was amused when a friend of mine who lives in Florence said "I never understand why these Americans come to Florence to study Italian, but yet on their breaks from class, they all huddle around each other speaking English to one another."

Thanks loveitaly and wantagig,

I agree, I think we won't go wrong with any of the cities as it's only for 2 weeks and we'll try to do day trips to other areas as time permit.

I'll certainly try to resist the urge to speak in English after classes. That would certainly defeat the purpose of being there!

Hi cruiseluv, I really do know how to spell Perugia, I am just a bad typist, LOL. Let us know what you decide. I am sure whatever place you pick will be so enjoyable. After all you will be in Italy!

An additional question, please-
My husband and I are in our early 60s, and have been to Italy twice before. We have been trying to find schools in Italy that would accomodate both our needs- in our case, that would be either a school that teaches both French and Italian or one that has both intensive Italian and painting classes. Larry, my husband, would love to improve his Italian thorugh an immersion program, and I am studying French and am an artist. While we love all of Italy, we'd prefer not to be in Florence or Rome. Incidentally, we took an immersion program in France last year in Roanne, not far from Lyon, and loved it. I'd recommend this to anyone trying to improve their foreign languages. Thanks.

Hi Justretired,

One of the schools I'm looking at www.koinecenter.com offers immersion italian and also art courses. However, the art courses seem to be offered only at their Florence school. The location I'm considering is in Lucca .
If I come across any other school that also offers art and/ or French I'll let you know!

Good luck!

Justretired:

You might want to check out this Web site about Italian language schools and art schools in Tuscany:

http://www.it-schools.com/sections/i...ya/index.shtml

I didn't look at it very closely, but it seemed to me that at least one or two offered both Italian language and art.

So how was it? I'm thinking about 2 weeks in Florence at Koine. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Hi jenjenjen,

I'll be going to Koine in Lucca in August. I'll post a report when I come back.

I have also read good reports about the Koine in Florence. There are some reports from students in www.slowtrav.com

Hi!

I am going to be gone for a month doing a language course in Bergamo. The class is at the University of Bergamo. Bergamo is a great town because you can easily take day trips to the lakes, verona, venice, torino, and you are only 30 min away from Milan.

I am going with a university from the USA, but the school does allow people that don't come from a university.

Thanks!
Kimberley

Cruiseluv
I must have missed this thread earlier in the month. I spent two weeks at Saena Iulia in Siena, and had a really good time Despite being a slow learner, and very aprehensive I was made to feel at ease quickly. I see you have chosen Lucca.

This was on my shortlist as well, and would have been high on my list if the courses had started in the correct week for me. I am interested in how you get on.

I love Lucca as a town, it is really pretty, and the people friendly. I hope you have a great time. I found two weeks immersion was really beneficial - I might not have learnt a huge amount of grammer, but the confidence it gave me in talking nothing but Italian for 2 weeks became really noticable when I returned home.
I plan to go back for another course as soon as I can.

Hi Willit,

Yes, I remember reading your posts in Slow trav.

I had originally planned to go to Saena Iulia but my dates coincide with the Palio. Whereas for some this would be an advantage I was concerned that the city would not be "normal"( even Giorgia from Saena Iulia stressed this fact). Maybe a lot of fun but not really conducive to studying. It also became difficult to obtain reasonably priced accomodations, so I decided on Lucca.

I still would like to go to Saena Iulia in the future as everything I have read is so positive.

Hi nnolen

Great information you have given regarding Perugia.

What type of accommodation did you opt for - shared apartment (with other students), university lodging, local family, or did you make your own arrangements? Was you accommodation within walking distance of your classes?

Thanks in advance
Helen

Hi Helen - thanks for the compliment!

As far as accomodations, I was in a rented apartment with another fellow student from my same university. There are plenty of rental agencies in town that help you to find accomodations for anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months. I can't remember the name of the agency we went through, but the Universita' per Stranieri should be able to direct you.

If I had it to do over again, I'd stay with other Italian speaking students because I think I would have improved my language skills more quickly that way.

Our apartment was definitely within walking distance of the school. We were approximately 7-10 minutes away on foot up Corso Garibaldi.

I attended a course at this school:

http://www.centropuccini.it/

I was very happy!

The last poster has pulled up several old threads to recommend a language school--no other posting history.

ttt

If you want to stay in smaller cities, I would recommend tuscany or Sardinia in the summer: it's big island with tons of things to see, there's a school in Olbia called I like It they're small but the teaching is good and also do a lot of extra activities

bye!

I instead reccommend Umbria, "the green lung of Italy": it is in the very center of the state, and the region itself is utterly beautiful. Plus, they speak a very good-sounding variety of Italian.

Anyway, for a better learning experience I always tend to suggest to stay at least one week in a big city such as Rome (always first choice) or Naples: schools are often better organized and you have a wider possibility of choice on the type of course to join.

Cheers!

Henry, do you have any suggestions for a program that offers both art and language? My husband speaks Italian and I'm am artist, and it would be great fun to find something like that. Thanks.

( Note, though, that this thread is from 2005!

Hi justretired,

I see you and I are still looking at this thread! :)
Since then I have attended Koine in Lucca, Saena Iulia in Siena and Il Sasso in Montepulciano. The last one is my favorite. I just adored being in Montepulciano and I'm planning to go back in the Fall of 2014.
Not sure if they offer art related courses although I know they offer a variety of programs. Take a look at their website http://www.ilsasso.com/eng/ and check it out. As you know, there's art all over Italy, I'm sure you would find something to keep you occupied there. Do you have any interest in taking Italian lessons as well?

DD took a 6 week immersion class in Siena and liked it a lot.