ITALIAN LANGUAGE SCHOOL 
IN THE CHIANTI COUNTRYSIDE

The most efficient and productive way of learning or perfecting a foreign language is to study it in the country in which it is spoken. Therefore it is essential to participate in language courses held abroad that are structured in such a way as to permit the course participants full immersion in the hosting country.
Within the prestigious and pleasurable setting of Villa Branca in San Casciano Val di Pesa and the farmhouse residence of San Vito in Fior di Selva in Montelupo Fiorentino the Italian language school Caterina de' Medici, offers study sojourns under the guidance of mother-tongue teachers, all highly qualified and specialized in the teaching of Italian to foreigners.
In addition to the standard courses of grammar and conversation, in classes composed of a maximum of 15 students, the school offers the option of individual courses as well as classes on specific topics such as culture, tourism, cooking and Italian spoken in world of fashion and advertising. The class hours are very flexible, and the length depends on the needs of the participants. In order to assure the course participants the maximum amount of participation in their surroundings, the school organizes numerous visits to the principal monuments of Florence and excursions to places of great artistic and cultural interest in the Region.
We also have planned visits to wine cellars and farmhouses, with wine-tastings and sampling of typical Tuscan products, including visits to the local shops, workshops, manifacturers and markets in and around Florence.
The buildings which host the school, situated in the extraordinary Chianti countryside offer a setting for study, sports and other outdoor activities in a climate of absolute tranquillity.
In order to facilitate socialization within the groups and an experience of the Italian environment and culture, the school has planned and extended program of recreative activities such as parties, dinners and evenings at the cinema and theatre, and in the discotheque.
Furthermore there is a ticket service for concerts and cultural events as well as an information service informing the students of all the cultural events that will take place in Florence during their sojourn. 
The course participants can sojourn within the buildings hosting the school, which is also a farmhouse complex, or in apartments, pensioni and Hotels that can be arranged through your personal Travel Agent.
At the end of the course each participant will receive a certificate of attendance.

 Join the Caterina de' Medici Club
A Club will be established for all the participants at the various Caterina de' Medici Schools that will organize events, annual meetings, trips and itinerant appointments in the countries of origin of our students.

 OUR METHOD

The basic principle of our school is to learn through speaking a lot and while having fun. Our courses take place in small groups composed of students of various nationalities, who, under the guidance of the teachers study and deepen their knowledge of the Italian language and culture in a genuine climate of friendship.

The division of the classes takes place after a preliminary evaluation test and an interview on the first day of class.

Our basic program consists in intense lessons in grammar, vocabulary and syntax at each level, oral comprehension exercises as well as writing. Conversation with the teacher and the other students in groups or individually is particularly emphasized. Role playing and games, real-life situations, simulation of telephone conversations combined with discussion of current events, allow the participant to become progressively and rapidly familiar with the Italian language, as well as being able to sustain a simple conversation; for more advanced students, it allows them to enrich their vocabulary and therefore express themselves with greater fluency.