2019 Montepulciano / Matta Italian Language Immersion Program
NOW ACCEPTING RESERVATIONS FOR 2019!
September 14 – September 28, 2019
(Saturday – Saturday – 15 Days/14 Nights)
Don’t want to be gone from home so long?
Please inquire about the short program price for 2019: September 14-21
(Saturday – Saturday – 9 Days/8 Nights)
Click Here to View Program
Click Here How to Reach Montepulciano
My friends and teachers at Il Sasso Italian School in Montepulciano and I are planning an exciting language and cultural program in the delightful hill town overlooking the Tuscan plains.
Highlights of the 2019 program will include guided day trips to Montalcino & Sant’Antimo, Perugia & Baci Perugina Chocolate Museum, Chiusi & the Etruscan Museum, Radiocofani & Abbadia di San Salvatore, the Origa Estate & Villa, Afternoon walking tour of Montepulciano’s Artisan Shops, Wine tasting in at Crociani Winery, private cooking lessons with Claudia and Max in the kitchen of their restaurant at Il Covo, Italian Music lesson, Art History lesson in the church of San Biaggio, a visit to Montepulciano’s Morning Market and lots of impromptu surprises – garden parties, special guests and more!
The 2019 Program will consist of 15 Days & 14 Nights in Montepulciano, 10 Class days (35+ Hours Italian Instruction), Unlimited Italian Conversation Practice, 7 Group Dinners, Welcome Aperativo, Wine tastings, Cooking class, Accommodation at the charming Politian Apartments with a magnificent view of the Tuscan countryside. Each unit features a kitchenette, private bathroom, sitting area, balcony, and access to private gardens. The program includes 5-afternoon excursions to neighboring hill towns, 2 free afternoons & 7 Free Choice Meals.
Melissa with Silvia Celli of Il Sasso Italian
Language School in Montepulciano
The Matta / Il Sasso Italian School Montepulciano
2019 Language & Cultural Immersion includes:
- 35 hours of Italian Lessons at Il Sasso Montepulciano (classes will be held in the mornings: 8:45 am – 1:10 pm, with two breaks,)
- Unlimited Italian conversation practice with teachers & Italian friends
- 15 Days/ 14 nights at the Politian Apartments. They are beautifully renovated apartments that feature washing machines, kitchens with fridge & oven, microwave, wifi and internet access
- 7 Dinners included
- Welcome Breakfast
- 1 Welcome Aperativo Welcome Party
- 1 Cooking class in which we will prepare pasta and local recipes and dine on what we have prepared
- Historical Walking Tour of Montepulciano with a teacher from Il Sasso
- Excursion to Montalcino & Sant’Antimo & walking tour with guide / time also to shop!
- Visit to La Villa Foce e the Gardens of Iris Origo / Introduction and a brief history of the history of the Villa and the author’s book “War in Val d’Orcia
- Dinner in the Gardens of La Foce
- Excursion to Perugia & the Perugina Chocolate Museum
- Excursion to Chiusi & the Etruscan Museum
- Excursion to Radiocofani & Abbadia di San Salvatore
- Walking Tour of Montepulciano’s Artisan Shops
- Market day in Montepulciano visit with a guide from the school
- Italian Music lesson we will learn about Italian music from the 60s to the current day
- Free Afternoons to relax, shop, wander about the town
- Special Farewell Dinner
- All levels of language learners welcome from BEGINNER to ADVANCED. Students will be placed in appropriate classes according to their language levels along with other International students attending Il Sasso Montepulciano. All classes at Il Sasso feature a mix of grammar instruction, as well as Italian Culture, designed to take each student to the next level of speaking and comprehension.
Accommodations
We will be staying at the Politian Apartments, beautifully renovated apartments, feature washing machines, kitchens with fridge & oven, microwave, WiFi and internet access. The Politian Apartments are a 10-minute walk to the school, on the same street. Participants should plan to arrive in Montepulciano on September 14 and depart on September 28 If you wish to arrive a day early or depart a day later, Melissa can make arrangements with the Politian Apartments. Extra days spent at the Apartments are considered out-of-pocket expenses and will be paid directly to the Politian Apartments.
Book Now! There are only 10 spots!
Don’t want to be gone from home so long but want to take part in the language fun in Montepulciano in September 2019? Please inquire about the short program price: September 14-21 (Saturday – Saturday – 9 Days/8 Nights).
Availability is based on first-come-first-served & a reservation is not guaranteed until the receipt of deposit or full trip payment. A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your reservation. Accepting reservations until August 1, 2019. (After this date, you can still sign up for the program, but we can’t guarantee accommodations at the Politian Apartments. We will help find alternative housing options, but there may be a small price variation.)
The balance of the trip fee will be due approximately 60 days before the trip start date (7/16/2019). You may also pay the full trip fee at the time of booking. To book with peace of mind and to safeguard your trip investment, in the case of a personal emergency or a family life event that might prevent you from departing for Italy, you may want to consider purchasing travel insurance through agencies such as Travel Guard, AAA or American Express. Please read the Il Sasso Language School/ Matta Refund Policy & Terms of Conditions.
For more information contact Melissa@StudentessaMatta.com
Please inquire for short program prices: September 14-21
(Saturday – Saturday – 9 Days/8 Nights)
Day Excursions to Montalcino, Sant’Antimo, Perugia,
Val d’Orcia, Chiusi, Radiocafano, Origa Villa
“Matta” & Il Sasso Montepulciano Language Program September 14-28, 2019
Maximum participants : max. 10 people, couples & singles welcome
Number of Days : 15 days / 14 nights
Morning lessons : from 8:45 am to 1:10 pm with other international students – Monday through Friday (35 hours lessons).
Activities by Day
Saturday, September 14: Participants arrive at the apartments (Melissa is happy to coordinate shared transportation from Florence or Rome nearer to trip start date once she has everyone’s flight schedules. She will also coordinate shared group van back to Florence and Rome at end of the program. Group or private transport to Montepulciano in a hired van will be out of pocket expense.)
7:00 pm – Welcome Group Dinner #1
Sunday, September 15:
9:00 am Welcome Breakfast
Free Morning and Afternoon to rest and get acclimated
5:00 pm – Walking Tour of Montepulciano with Melissa & a teacher from il Sasso
7:00 pm – Welcome Aperativo at the School Il Sasso to meet and greet students and teachers
8:00 pm – Group Dinner #2
Monday, September 16:
8:45 am – 1:00 pm – Language class at il Sasso
3:00 pm – Music Lesson & Games with Sara at the School
5:30 – Wine Tasting at Crociani Winery
Dinner Personal Choice
Tuesday, September 17:
8:45 am –13:10 – Language class at il Sasso
3:00 pm – Excursion to Montalcino & Sant’Antimo
8:00 pm – Group Dinner #3
Wednesday, September 18:
8:45 am – 13:10 – Language class at il Sasso
4:00 pm – Excursion to la Villa Foce e gardens. (Villa and the author, Iris Origo’s book War in Val d’Orcia)
6:30 pm – Group Dinner #4 at the Villa in the gardens at the restaurant “Il Dopolavoro”
Thursday, September 19:
8:45 am – 13:10 – Language class at il Sasso with an excursion to the weekly town market
4:00 pm – Italian Movie at the School
Dinner Personal Choice
Friday, September 20:
8:45 am –13:10 – Language class at il Sasso
3:00 pm – Cooking Lesson with Claudia at Il Covo.
7:00 pm – Group Dinner #5 We will cook local recipes, make pasta, taste wine and dine on what we have prepared
Saturday, September 21:
10:00 am – Excursion to Perugia & Perugina Baci Chocolate Factory
Dinner Personal Choice
Sunday, September 22:
Free Day – You are free to shop, wander the town, read in the gardens of the apartment. There is a possibility of organizing a Spa day in nearby Bagno Vignoni (out of pocket expense for entrance to the spa and taxi to Bagno Vignoni)
Dinner Personal Choice
Monday, September 23:
8:45 am – 1:00 pm – Language class at il Sasso
3:00 pm – Art History Lesson with Sara at the church of San Biagio
Dinner Personal Choice – But You are free to join me at Acquacheta one of Montepulciano’s most interesting restaurants – to dine on their famous Bistecca. I will make a reservation for the group but this will be an out of pocket expense. Each participant will pay for his own dinner.
Tuesday, September 24:
8:45 am –13:10 – Language class at il Sasso
3:00 pm – Excursion to Chiusi Etruscan Museum & the Porsenna Lybrinth
Dinner Personal Choice
Wednesday, September 25:
8:45 am – 13:10 – Language class at il Sasso
3:00 pm – 4:00 – Walking Tour of Montepulciano’s Artisan Shops
5:30 pm – Book Presentation with Libreria Centofiori
7:00 pm – Group Dinner #6
Thursday, September 26:
8:45 am – 13:10 – Language class at il Sasso with an excursion to the weekly town market
4:00 pm – Excursion Radiocofani & Abbadia di San Salvatore (Villa and the author, Iris Origo’s book War in Val d’Orcia)
Dinner Personal Choice
Friday, September 27:
8:45 am –13:10 – Language class at il Sasso / last day of class with Brindisi!
3:00 pm – Free Afternoon
7:00 pm – Farewell Group Dinner #7
Saturday, September 28:
Baci & Abbracci – departure from Montepulciano
If you’re coming by airplane, it’s best to fly to Rome (Fiumicino Airport – Leonardo da Vinci, or Rome Airport – Ciampino), Pisa (Galileo Galilei Airport) or Florence (Amerigo Vespucci Airport).
If you rent a car in Pisa, take the “Fi-Pi-Li” (the highway that links Florence, Pisa and Livorno), getting on the A1 motorway (direction Rome), exiting at Valdichiana/Bettole. If you’re coming from Florence Airport, you should get on the A1 motorway at Florence North (direction Rome) and exit at Valdichiana/Bettolle. From the airports in Rome, take the G.R.A. (the Ring Road) then get on the A1 motorway – direction Florence – and exit at Chiusi/Chianciano Terme. Follow the signs for Montepulciano.
When you arrive at Montepulciano, leave your car in one of the parking lots outside the town and come to the school on foot. The historic center of Montepulciano is a pedestrian area. You are not allowed to drive in town. The school is located on the main street just below the Piazza delle Erbe.
If you’re coming by train, take the Florence-Rome line and get off at the Chiusi/Chianciano Terme station. Attention: Although there is a place called Montepulciano Stazione, it is not where you want to go. Montepulciano Stazione is a small, country station, about 12 km. from Montepulciano with neither bus nor taxi service. Don’t choose this station when you are buying your ticket. From Chiusi take the bus for Montepulciano, getting off at the bus station. From there you can come into the centre on foot or take the little orange bus (“Pollicino”). If you take the “Pollicino”, get off at the Piazza delle Erbe. Please notice that on Sundays there are only a few buses from Chiusi to Montepulciano.
You can find all information about the Italian train schedules at www.trenitalia.com. For the bus schedules please see www.busfox.com.
If you wish to get a pick-up service from the train station, you can book it when you register for the course. The cost from Chiusi is Euro 45. You may also arrange a pick up from the airports. Prices on request (from Euro 200 to Euro 300, one way).
Our partner Auto Europe has the best car rental, chauffeur and airport transfer rates. Check out their latest travel deals and specials at www.autoeurope.com.
Il Sasso Montepulciano / Matta 2019 Program Enrollment :
Please fill out the Deposit / Reservation form to reserve your spot on the 2019 Montepulciano Italian Language Program. When you hit the submit button you will be taken to a new form page. Please continue to fill out ALL the Trip Forms and sign the waivers and hit submit to fully enroll in the program. Thank you!
For more information take a look at these posts about Montepulciano
Montepulciano Here we come – Sara will be there to greet us!
Let me introduce you to Silvia Celli of Il Sasso Langauge School in Montepulciano
The 2018 Il Sasso & Studentessa Matta Italian Language Program
