What they say about us

Il Sasso is an Italian language school in the heart of the historical center of gorgeous, peaceful, small jewel of a medieval city called Montepulciano. The teachers and staff are highly capable, knowledgeable and caring of their student population composed of people from all over the world. I highly recommend it and have made it my goal to return.

Just look at the TripAdvisor score and you'll immediately understand why Il Sasso is the ideal place to learn both the Italian language and culture. I came here for one month and had an amazing experience. The school is structured around the individual student's needs/desires. Let me give you the positives: 1. Instructors: they all are well prepared and cater their styles to the students. You can tell them have a passion for teaching. 2. Location: Montepulciano is ideally located in the heart of Tuscany. The city has immense history and allows students the ability to take afternoon/day trips throughout the region. Additionally, since Montepulciano is smaller than places like Rome, Florence, Milan, the locals all are familiar with Il Sasso and will treat you as a local. Once they know you're a student, they will only speak Italian! 3. Vino: you can't beat an afternoon enjoying a glass of Vino Nobile at one of the local wineries. Throughout the summer they have degustazione (wine tastings) in the city center but you can enjoy these at any winery/wine shop. 4. Food: pecorino, pici, tagliata, cacio e pepe, salumi, etc. They have it all. 5. Culture: the best part of Il Sasso is that they teach you more than grammar. Tuscany is full of history and you have the opportunity to learn about La Fece, Val d'orcia, etc. 6. Homestay: I stayed with a host family and that significantly enhanced my experience. I could go on and on about the positives but those are what separate Il Sasso from other language schools. The only negative is that Montepulciano is a little isolated and it's a little more difficult to get around with public transportation. However, you can get around this by being familiar with the bus station, rent a car or make friends with other students who have a car.

Avevo voglia di migliorare e approfondire il mio italiano e per puro caso ho scoperto "Il Sasso". Le sue insegnanti (Patrizia e Costanza) sono state molto coinvolgenti e creative. Grazie al loro grande entusiasmo e spirito hanno reso le lezioni istruttive e divertenti. In più, la città di Montepulciano è bellissima e offre molte possibilità di svago. È stato un vero piacere e un’esperienza indimenticabile.

Montepulciano è una città bellissima e ci sono molti luoghi interessanti da visitare nelle vicinanze. Gli insegnanti della scuola sono molto gentili e dedicato, e le lezioni coprono la lingua e la cultura. È stata un'esperienza fantastica.

Il Sasso is a wonderful school. I have been studying Italian in the US for about four years, but studying and spending time in Italy makes a giant difference. This was my third time attending classes at Il Sasso: 2013 for two weeks, 2015 for two weeks, 2016 for three weeks. My classroom teachers Sara and Cinzia were wonderful, as usual. Instruction is so organized and well done. Heiki will answer all your questions before arrival and handle anything outside of the classroom experience. Silvia takes care of any classroom needs exceptionally well. For this time around I also had an hour private lesson each afternoon during the first two weeks. I would recommend at least some private lessons. Also, an afternoon wine tasting with Eleanora, one of the teachers, was exceptional. Since I have already put a deposit on an apartment for a three week return to Il Sasso for October 2017, you can certainly assume that I love Il Sasso and Montepulciano.

Hohe Professionalität, großes Engagement, hervorragend ausgebildete und erfahrene Lehrer, die auf die Vermittlung der italienischen Sprache für Ausländer spezialisiert sind, unglaubliche Lernfortschritte in kurzer Zeit und dazuhin lernt man noch sehr viel über die Region und das Land. Ein herzliches Dankeschön an Sara und Costanza, die in diesem Jahr unsere Lehrerinnen waren, und das gesamte Team. Wir kommen seit 2008 regelmäßig hier her und werden auch nächstes Jahr wieder kommen.

I looked at many of the options to try and learn a little of the Italian language and which schools might work best for me. The size of the town Montepulciano and the size and mix of the classes at il Sasso convinced me that this may be my best fit. It turned out to be perfect. The teachers and staff at il Sasso showed a great passion for introducing and sharing the Italian language. The classes were small and creatively taught. The teachers quickly made each of us feel at ease, confident and showed unlimited patience while we worked through some of the mysteries of the language. So take the plunge, sign up and enjoy the learning process. You'll not regret it.

I registered for a week at Il Sasso as part of a two week vacation in Italy. Of course you don't learn a language in a week and this was more of a test for me to see how this works. Well, it definitely works! From the initial correspondence with Heike, through the Sunday evening invitation to "aperitivo" and mingling, and then of course the classes, this was a wonderful experience. I joined a beginner's class with 6 other people from different countries, all more or less at the same level. We had two teachers throughout the course, Constanza and Gaia, both outstanding. Although the class was a lot of fun with much interaction between the students themselves and the instructors, the learning was serious and ordered. The idea is that you only speak Italian in class with English being used very rarely and it works perfectly. You immediately sense that this school has a program based on extensive experience with the teaching of Italian to foreigners and they know what they are doing. Many of the students I met during the breaks spent at the nearby cafe were there for their third or fourth courses and that speaks for itself. I have no doubt that I will return as soon as I can for a longer period.

I spent four weeks at Il Sasso in March and April 2016. I had a fantastic experience! I was fortunate to experience numerous instructors during my stay and each was equally as professional as the other. I found all instructors able to assess my level and needs. Learning was made fun with the combination of serious and intensive lessons along with playful group games. Classes and activities were well organized and planned. Little to no English was spoken during class times – this made for a great immersion! I went solo for these four weeks and always felt assured, confident and involved in everything Montepulciano offered. A wonderful town to enjoy Italian culture and foods. Oh, and the wine!!!! I left CA as a chardonnay drinker and now I am hooked on Italian reds… I will return!

I can only echo what so many others have said about what a great school IL Sasso is. The teachers are so talented at identifying what students need to do and giving us the confidence to speak. Thanks to Costanza and Cinzia for this year. Heike as administrator is so organised and unfazed and found us a great apartment in the town. And a big thank you to Silvia for organising a trip to the stunning La Foce. Montepulciano is a star in its own right and it is lovely to eat and shop locally. Go there if you want to learn or improve speaking in Italian. Thanks again IL Sasso.