Lingua Sì

The Institute is located in Orvieto, 30 metres from the Cathedral, in a wonderful 16th century monastery built by the famous architect from Orvieto, Ippolito Scalza. It is also possible to stay overnight at low prices. In the beautiful garden of the monastery the students can attend some lessons or simply relax reading or “savouring” the Italian sun. Next to the garden are tennis courts, table tennis and five-a-side football grounds. Inside the monastery, the school puts a small library, videocassettes, TV set and internet point at the students’ disposal. Each student will receive the Guida Lingua Sì, which includes the Carta Lingua Sì, and intends to present not only Orvieto but also Todi. Carta Lingua Sì gives the possibility of getting discounts, special offers or small gifts in various businesses and facilities in Orvieto and in Todi (for example restaurants, museums, car rental, internet points, craftsmen’s shops, cinema, swimming pool, etc.). In order to promote Italian culture and encourage the students' integration into day-to-day local life, we offer a variety of activities in both Orvieto and its surroundings. The Institute's garden is at the student's disposal: for meals, to relax or simply to enjoy the Italian sun. Some afternoons or evenings, we offer seminars on various aspects of Italian culture: Italian language, Italian literature, arts, gastronomy and wine, ceramics, etc. The Institute has always up-to-date information on cultural events of potential interest to its students: evenings at the theatre or cinema, get-togethers in libraries, get-togethers with local or national authors, classical, jazz or modern music concerts and shows and festivals which take place in both the city and the province. In the school you will find literature on every part of Italy. Students may participate in guided nature tours to Orvieto and its surroundings. Among the various pathways that offer a view of nature in all its splendour, you can find the ancient Roman road - some sections of which contain remnants of the original stones - which leads to Lake Bolsena, and can be traversed on foot, crossing through woods and fields. The Institute organizes walking tours in Orvieto in order for the student to become acquainted with its particularities, such as the medieval quarter, the Cathedral, subterranean caves and tunnels, the artisans road, the Torre di Moro, and some of the museums. This offers the student the opportunity to discover some of the hidden aspects of the city of Orvieto. On request, we can arrange visits to museums in neighbouring cities, such as Florence, Rome, Perugia, and Siena. The Institute organizes dinners at restaurants in Orvieto, which have special arrangements with our school and offer regional dishes and wine selections. The restaurants are chosen according to the quality of the food served, the hospitality and the kind of structure, as we would like to show you both typical rustic "trattorie" located outside the town of Orvieto and high-quality restaurants. A member of our staff will always be present and explain you the characteristics and specialities of each restaurant. An event, greatly appreciated by our students, is the “Festa degli studenti” – come and discover what it is about …

Orvieto is located in central Italy, in the region of Umbria, also known as “the green heart of Italy”, near Tuscany and Latium. George Dennis, a 19th century traveller and fan of Etruscan sites, wrote: “Who would try to describe what Turner made so familiar?” referring to that View of Orvieto painted by one of the most famous English artists. No matter which direction you reach Orvieto from, the view you enjoy is always amazing: a town lying on a tufaceous cliff. Walking through Orvieto, you will encounter traces of three thousand years of history one layer on top of the other. The earliest evidence of life dates back to the Iron Age. It was the Etruscans, however, who were fascinated by the site and settled there transforming it into a city, "Velzna", which developed between the 7th and the 3rd century B.C.. Velzna was a very important city of the Etruscan kingdom and experienced a period of utmost splendour until its invasion and destruction by the Romans in 264 B.C. Not only the necropolises and temple ruins testify Orvieto's Etruscan roots. A subterranean world replete with wells, caves and tunnels (over 1,300 of which have been discovered to date) invites us to approach Orvieto's history from a completely different perspective. Some of these mysterious subterranean sites were excavated by the Etruscans. The historical centre is home to a number of churches - in particular, the famous Cathedral - from various eras, charming narrow alleys that enchant those who take the time to discover them. The Duomo (1290 – 1590), with its wonderful façade and the recently restored frescoes by Luca Signorelli and Fra Angelico in the Chapel of San Brizio, is undoubtedly the most famous and spectacular building in the town. At the end of the 13th century, the period of greatest economic power and political stability of Orvieto, not only the Cathedral but also numerous other important buildings, such as for example the Palazzo del Popolo and the Torre del Moro, were erected. The 47-metre-high Tower, symbol of power, can be visited: from the top of it you will enjoy a magnificent view and discover a great deal of green areas within the historical district. Most of them are private gardens belonging to marvellous noble palaces. The link between Orvieto and its wine is very old and dates back to the Etruscan period, when the inhabitants of the town called Orvieto Oinarea, a Greek name meaning “the town where wine flows”. Besides the numerous discoveries which can be made in the environs of the town, Orvieto is also an ideal starting point for trips of cultural and environmental interest thanks to its very central location: Rome (55 min.), Florence (70 min.), Perugia (40 min.), Todi (20 min.), Siena (90 min.), Lake Trasimeno (40 min.), Lake of Bolsena (15 min.). The mountains and the Tyrrhenian coast are rather near too.

The schedule can be arranged with the teacher. The entire programme is decided together with the teacher and therefore totally "tailor-made". This type of course is well-suited to those who have special requirements or need particular abilities. Individual Standard: 10 h/week -2 h/day Individual Intensive: 15 h/week - 3 h/day

Agriturismi - Ancient renovated farmhouses - close contact with nature. Many agriturismi offer a variety of services that are included in the price (swimming pool, bicycles, tennis court, ping-pong, etc.). Monastery - The Institute is located in a 16th century monastery, where it is also possible to stay overnight. All the rooms include bathroom and have been recently restored. The students can also use all the other facilities present in the monastery: tennis courts, table tennis, garden, internet point, etc.

In order to promote Italian culture and encourage the students' integration into day-to-day local life, we offer a variety of activities in both Orvieto and its surroundings. The Institute's garden is at the student's disposal: for meals, to relax or simply to enjoy the Italian sun. Some afternoons or evenings, we offer seminars on various aspects of Italian culture: Italian language, Italian literature, arts, gastronomy and wine, ceramics … The Institute always has up-to-date information on cultural events of potential interest to its students: evenings at the theatre or cinema, get-togethers in libraries, get-togethers with local or national authors, classical, jazz or modern music concerts and shows and festivals which take place in both the city and the province. In the school you will find literature on every part of Italy. Students may participate in guided nature tours to Orvieto and its surroundings. Among the various pathways that offer a view of nature in all its splendour, you can find the ancient Roman road - some sections of which contain remnants of the original stones - which leads to Lake Bolsena, and can be traversed on foot, crossing through woods and fields. The Institute organizes walking tours in Orvieto in order for the student to become acquainted with its particularities, such as the medieval quarter, the Cathedral, subterranean caves and tunnels, the artisans road, the Torre di Moro, and some of the museums. This offers the student the opportunity to discover some of the hidden aspects of the city of Orvieto. On request, we can arrange visits to museums in neighbouring cities, such as Florence, Rome, Perugia, and Siena. The Institute organizes dinners at restaurants in Orvieto, which have special arrangements with our school and offer regional dishes and wine selections. The restaurants are chosen according to the quality of the food served, the hospitality and the kind of structure, as we would like to show you both typical rustic "trattorie" located outside the town of Orvieto and high-quality restaurants. A member of our staff will always be present and explain you the characteristics and specialities of each restaurant. An event, greatly appreciated by our students, is the “Festa degli studenti” – come and discover what it is about …