What they say about us

We stayed four weeks in Montepulciano in January 2011 and were most satisfied with the language courses at il Sasso. We spent every morning in a small group and had one hour of private lessons in the afternoon. Many afternoons other programmes were arranged such as lectures, visits and movies. The teachers were very professional and there was a good balance between grammer, textual exercises and spoken language. The atmosphere in the school was good. We feel that our Italian level now is much higher than at the outset and that we are able to use the language in any upcoming situation thanks to il Sasso.

We have attended Il Sasso six times between August 2003 and September 2010, for two weeks each time. We began with no experience in the Italian language. Although the immediate immersion in the language could be intimidating, the competence, patience and persistence of the teaching staff serve to create an excellent learning environment. Students are placed in classes of varying sizes (ours have been from 3 to 10 students) based on their ability. The teachers incorporate Italian history, customs and traditions, subjects in which the teachers are very conversant, especially in matters pertaining to the beautiful city of Montepulciano and the surrounding area of Tuscany. In addition to the excellent teaching staff, Heike, the administrator, arranges local tours, wine tastings and other activities. She also arranges for local lodgings and answers a myriad of questions posed by the very diverse student population, coming from many different countries. We certainly intend to return to Il Sasso for yet another two week session.

This was our third visit to Il Sasso and while I did not think it was possible, it gets better and better each time. Heike (and the entire staff) are top notch professionals yet extremely warm and ensure that every student feels right at home. The instructors are superb - they teach with a level of passion that is contagious, and they tailor each lesson to the student's level of understanding. On top of all of this, there is no place more beautiful than Montepulciano - to live and be a part of this incredible place (whether for a week, two weeks, a month or more) is a dream come true. We are certainly planning on returning - for many years to come!!

I love Il Sasso! The school is a wonderful place to learn Italian, and the teachers inspire to go on with courses in Norway. They are all very well educated and pedacogical, and also with a great sense of humour!

I just spent a week at Il Sasso with my teenage daughter and it was an incredible experience in a beautiful Tuscan town. The teachers were extremely patient and flexible and taught to their audience depending on the makeup of the students. Both written and conversational Italian are covered. Classes were small and included an international mix of students and ages and the coffee breaks at the local bar were a great way to get to know other students. Heike arranged a cooking evening for us which was a highlight - cooking (okay, watching Diva cook), speaking Italian and eating with a lively and interesting group of people was the icing on the cake. If you can only go for a week, do it... but 2 or more weeks is the way to really improve your language skills. Montepulciano is a lovely, small town with friendly people and we felt like we actually lived there instead of just being tourists. We can't wait to go back!

Ļoti iesaku skolu "Il Sasso" Montepulčāno itāļu valodas apguvei! Mācījos šajā skolā 2010. gada vasarā, un varu teikt tikai to labāko par mācību organizāciju. Skolotāji ir ļoti pieredzējuši un mācību stils ir ļoti enerģisks. Varu teikt, ka divu nedēļu laikā manas itāļu valodas zināšanas ievērojami uzlabojās . Mācīties palīdz arī tas, ka skola atrodas ļoti skaistā vietā Montepulčāno pilsētiņā Toskānā, un no mācībām brīvajā laikā var iepazīt skaisto apkārtni ar brīnišķīgo dabu un kultūras pieminekļiem.

Very well prepared, funny and clever teachers teaching useful words and expressions, concentrating on the practical use of grammar, and also enriching your knowledge about Italy. Groups are small, so you can practise speaking a lot. An inspiring school in a beautiful setting. It is worth every penny!

Nel passato ho frequentato corsi diversi da scuole di lingua Italiana. Tutte erano buone, però l'ultima - Il Sasso a Montepulciano - mi è piaciuta di più. I professori erano molto bravi, le lezioni divertenti, i materiali di buona qualità, la località perfetta (nel centro di Montepulciano). Inoltre, la famiglia dove stavo alloggiato (la famiglia Guerri), mi è piaciuta tantissimo.

Da quatro anni faccio in estate un corso di due settimane al Sasso. Lo trova sempre ottimo. Siamo suddivisi in gruppi piccoli, e allo stesso livello di italiano. L'insegnamento della grammatica è chiaro e conciso, seguito dagli esercizi pertinenti. La conversazione, dopo aver letto un testo, o su un qualsiasi soggetto, è vivace, interessante e ben adatta ai bisogni individuali degli studenti. L'ambiente al Sasso è amichevole e rilassante, e gli studenti di diverse età si accordono molto bene. E senza dubbio, Montepulciano è una città incantevole, che si trova nel cuore della bella Toscana!

I came to Il Sasso because it was recommended to me by 3 different people who all said that it was great. This is my second school in Italy and I have really enjoyed the experience here. The 'welcome' drinks ensure you meet others very quickly and students are very well looked after throughout the course. There is always someone to help with problems in life outside the school which is important when you are a stranger and don't yet speak Italian. The heavy focus on speaking Italian even while learning grammar was hard for me, but the teachers ensured it was also a lot of fun. And Montepulciano has been a truly wonderful town to explore and to practise my new language skills in the excellent restaurants, bars and shops. For me, talking with the 'locals' has been one of the best experiences, - they have been so patient and friendly.