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After searching for a long time to find a small / family style Italian Language school in Tuscany - I found "Il Sasso". I have been attending classes at Il Sasso, in Montepulciano for two years now and will be back again in June for three weeks. This is a wonderful school with small classes and an excellent, efficient Administrator Heike - from beginners to advanced students - for all age groups I always felt very comfortable and my language skills improved with the help of the great Insegnante's: Eleonora, Sara, Gaia, Carolina - and of course my language is improving, the accommodation in the historic town is great, only a couple of minutes away from the school - another thing; once meets a lot of interesting people from all over the world at all age groups - and we are still in touch.

When I first decided to follow the dream to learn Italian, I researched and read reviews of many schools all over Italy. Based on reviews and my thinking that I might find a school in a smaller city/town more beneficial, I narrowed my choice to Tuscany. One review in particular about Il Sasso and the homestay experience convinced me to go ahead and book the full immersion experience for 4 weeks. That was back in May 2013 and what a fabulous 4 weeks!! I had no prior language experience so started in beginners class with 5 other intrepid travelers. The teachers were incredibly skilled, kind and patient and made the classes so fun and enjoyable with a mix of vocabulary, grammar, listening and most importantly speaking exercises so that our confidence grew day by day. The school also organised a programmer of varied afternoon activities including travelling to nearby towns, Siena, Cortona, Assisi, to cooking classes, visiting local cantina's to sample the wonderful "Vino Nobile". Montepulciano itself is a "secret gem", the shops, restaurant's, bar's, cafés and very welcoming and appreciative of the visitors Il Sasso bring to their town and are very happy to allow you to practice and gently help you with your Italian skills. It was wonderful to receive a Buongiorno on the way to school from the locals you had interacted with in the shops etc, so that you really began to feel part of the community. I personally loved the homestay experience, not only for the language practice but my hostess was a wonderful lady happy to share her Italian way of life and language and oh the wonderful food!!!!!! I travelled from Rome where you can take a train from Roma Termini and arrive in Chiusi in 1,hr30mins to 1hr50mins depending on which of the many services you choose. You can then take a bus right outside the station to Montepulciano (50 mins), total cost as little as € 13, you would need to take a taxi if arriving at Chiusi on a Sunday. If you do not wish to use public transp...

Il Sasso is located in a very special place and also counts with a group of very special teachers, trained to deal with people from different cultures and languages, creating a very special learning atmosphere and making the learning process easy and enjoyable. I recommend it to anybody who intends to learn the language and at the same time to know a little about the local customs.

I've attended Il Sasso numerous times, staying anywhere from one week to two months. The teaching is excellent. I progressed from a complete beginner to the advanced class. As a more mature student, I appreciated the fact that most of the attendees were over 30 and serious about learning. My apartments were always comfortable, often with stunning views of the countryside. There are a wide variety of restaurants to choose from. The locals are friendly and welcoming, something that one does not find in other Tuscan towns that have been overrun by tourists. On occasion we traded language skills. I highly recommend the school. After studying at Il Sasso, I've had Italians say to me "parli bene".

For learing Italian this is the place to go! I have gone twice and will be back a third time! For learning Italian I spent quite a while searching out and selecting where to go. I wanted a place that had experience with foreigners, where the other students were also serious and committed and where I could immerse myself and really learn something, that I would subsequently be able to use, and not just for ordering food and drinks. I needed to reach a level where I could comfortably converse with my Italian in-laws. Il Sasso provides this and more. But whatever your reason or goal, you will certainly leave Il Sasso having learnt much and being confident in using the Italian you have learnt. The teachers are dynamic and knowledgeable. They mostly speak only Italian and thus force you to listen and learn - though will if really needed explain something in English. They genuinely seem to enjoy speaking slowly and clearly – not exactly and common Italian trait! ;-) The teachers are used to different levels / speeds of learning, and are good at adapting and explaining things in various ways, until you get it. The teaching is reinforced by various exercises, talking and small games. Classes are small, fun and lively. You learn from the others and they learn from you. Importantly, the people in a class are at more or less the same level, and given there usually are many students, you can be moved as needed. The first time at Il Sasso I stayed for three weeks, at the end of which, with some help from one of my teachers, I was able to make a small, but correct toast in Italian at the wedding of two good Italian friends. Although at that point not the great conversationalist, my Italian had in three weeks reached a level where my Italian girlfriend no longer felt she could speak "privately" in Italian. The second time at Il Sasso I stayed for two weeks. This stay helped to reinforce my prior learning, added more to it, and importantly added correct grammar. I left being ...

Для меня было жизненной необходимостью как можно быстрее заговорить по-итальянски, в чем мне очень помогли в Школе Иль Сассо. Мне было комфортно и интересно учиться среди других учеников, разного возраста и рода занятий, приехавших из разных стран. Занятия в небольших группах с несколькими преподавателями, чередование грамматики &...

Провела незабываемое время в Италии вместе с Il Sasso! Учила итальянский язык, как говорится, с "нуля", само обучение на итальянском, что значительно ускоряет процесс освоения материала. Обучение в группе, но индивидуальный подход к каждому, что особенно важно для начинающих студентов. Очень понравилось, как построен сам процесс обучения, в и...

Il Sasso is a wonderful school to study Italian, with the added bonus of being in a small, historic, and beautiful Tuscan hill town. The teachers are highly experienced, warm, and adaptive to the individual student. I could not review the school without commenting on how being in Montepulciano adds tremendously to the overall experience (need I mention the wine, food, beautiful walks in the area, Terme (hot springs). I Would give Il Sasso the highest rating possible. In addition to the day classes of individual lessons, there are group lessons in Italian as well as short courses and small tours. I took a one evening Tuscan Cooking class which was one of the highlights of my trip. If you want to stay for longer, Il Sasso will help you organize your stay. I had an unforgettable experience staying with a wonderful local family. My time there inspired me to continue to study Italian, and I am going to return to Il Sasso this year.

My wife and I attended Il Sasso language courses for 4 weeks (20 hours per week). The school was well organized, well equipped and all of the teachers were qualified, enthusiastic and effective. The school offers anything from a single class to classes for many weeks at a time, delivered at the level appriate for the attendee. Our Italian improved dramatically, thanks to this experience. Set in the wonderful walled city of Montepulciano perched on the top of a hill, adds to the magic. The residents are welcoming to students and are more than happy to allow students to practice their Italian when having aperatifs or meals in the many restaurants. Altogether a wonderful experience in Tuscany!

A wonderful learning experience! I had always wanted to learn Italian, but had done little about it. Then my new wife suggested going to Italy to study and we chose Il Sasso as our language school. We could not have made a better choice. From the welcome meeting on Sunday evening, complete with local wine, salami and cheeses, to the farewell lunch at a traditional restaurant just up the road, we were made to feel part of the Il Sasso family. Everyone was friendly and helpful, particularly Heike, the administrator, who speaks several languages and seems to be able to sort out any problem with out fuss or fluster. But the best thing about Il Sasso is the teaching. The classes are small and everything is in Italian but the teachers are SO skilled at encouraging students to speak and to use the language they are learning. We studied grammar and vocabulary in the usual way, but also played lots of language games and had a lot of fun in our classes. We had lessons every morning had a manageable amount homework to do every day, and we thus both made great progress. Our fellow students were another plus. They were interesting and sociable, and we shared many lunches and dinners trying out our new language skills (even if we did slip back into English at times.) We now have sufficient confidence to join in conversations with the wonderful local Italian people and sometimes even make a contribution! We would love to go back and intend to do so.