Description

"Italiano & Arte" is a one-week course designed for lovers of art history, which will allow them to deepen their knowledge through visits to churches, buildings and abbeys in Montepulciano and nearby villages in the company of an expert. Participating in these roaming lessons will give you the opportunity to practice the language in a context in which the search for beauty will be the principal object. The course is recommended for those with intermediate to advanced knowledge of the language. It is not suitable for beginner or elementary level students. Minimum 6 participants.

How it works

Duration: 1 week (5 days, from Monday to Friday)

Here is an example of a weekly schedule. The programs vary for each course, in order to guarantee the variety of activities. The participants receive the detailed program in advance.

Day 1 (9 am – 1 pm): Introduction to the course, historical and general artistic summary.
Day 2 (9 am – 4 pm): Roaming lesson. Analysis of the art history of Montepulciano, principal characteristics of the Medieval and Renaissance periods and the different styles of architecture (Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque). Walk through the old centre and visit to the main churches, the Cathedral, the Museum and the Poliziano Theatre. A break for lunch followed by a walk to the Tempio di San Biagio, one of the best examples of late Renaissance art.
Day 3 (9 am – 4 pm): Roaming lesson. The day will be dedicated to Pienza, the "ideal" Renaissance town and creation of the great humanist Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who became Pope Pius II. Visit to the Cathedral and Palazzo Piccolomini. Break for lunch followed by a walk to the Pieve di Corsignano, a Romanesque church a short distance from the town centre.
Day 4 (9 am – 1 pm): Roaming lesson in discovery of San Quirico, an important stop on the Via Francigena during the Middle Ages where pilgrims on their way to the Eternal City would find welcome and assistance. Visit to the Collegiate Church, a splendid Romanesque building with Gothic and Baroque elements, and the extremely well laid out Horti Leonini, a wonderful exemplar of Italian gardens, designed around 1540 by Diomede Leoni.
Day 5 (9 am – 4 pm): Exploring the exceptional countryside of the Crete Senesi southeast of Siena we'll visit the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore nestled in a cypress and oak woods. In the great cloister, a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, there are frescoes depicting 35 scenes from the life of Saint Benedict by Luca Signorelli and Sodoma.

Dates
5 - 9 May 2025
6 - 10 October 2025

Price
Roaming lessons, educational materials, transport, tickets included
1 week: Euro 600