Fancy seeing a great view of Siena and some of the beautiful Tuscan countryside from a different perspective? The view from the top of the Torre del Mangia at the Piazza del Campo is surely a sight not to be missed! It is also a fantastic photo opportunity for all those snap happy tourists out there!

You can climb to the top of the tower for a small fee, and there is even a discount for students. The only thing is, if you are claustrophobic or have any fear of heights, then perhaps the tower is not the place for you. There are hundreds of steps, which get narrower towards the top. However, you don’t have to go all the way to the top; there is a space where you can stop and see the views about half way up. If you climb to the top, you may need to put in a bit of effort to climb all those steps but it is definitely worth it when you reach the top of the tower and see Siena from a completely different point of view.

Another place you can go to get a bird’s eye view of Siena is at the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, near to the Duomo, where there is an outdoor walkway, offering a panoramic view of the city. There are not as many steps as at the tower, but there are still narrow stairwells and again, worth the effort for the view. You can see the centre of Siena and the campo in all their glory from the top of the walkway.

Both of these tourist hotspots are not to be missed on a trip to Siena. A great way to see Siena, at a small price! Don’t forget your camera!!

If you consider this to be a good idea, think that summer is the best period of the year to enjoy a holiday in Italy. In June and July especially, you will find beautiful sunny weather, with bright days lasting until 9/10 p.m., and at the same time, temperatures never are too hot for visiting, walking and travelling.

In order to encourage foreign students to join and appreciate the “Bel Paese” (’Beautiful Country’, as Italy is used to be named abroad), for third consecutive year and following the success of the previous Special Offers in 2006 and 2007, Scuola Leonardo da Vinci - one of the most important Italy’s providers of in-country Italian language schools in Italy - is featuring again, last minute language travel packages in all its Italian language school centers, located in some of the most beautiful and attractive Italian cities, such as Florence, Milan, Rome and Siena.

The “last minute offer to study abroad in Italy” is a package that includes a 2 week language and culture course and accomodation in shared apartment or hosting family, for students who wish to enjoy Italian culture by living and stuying in Italy.

Italian language and culture courses offered by Scuola Leonardo da Vinci have been conceived to help foreign students in a fast development of their Italian language skills and their knowledge of Italian current culture.

In addition, after their lessons in class, they will have the possibility to attend cultural and leisure activities, enjoy their free time by visiting the city and its surroundings, or have fun during the night with their new school mates in the numerous nightclubs (bars, pubs, discos) of the city. Activities, excursions and nights out are usually organized with the school staff.

If you feel tempted by the idea of having a different, interesting holiday this year, here you will find some last minute offers to come to Italy, to study Italian language in one of the Leonardo da Vinci school centers in Florence, Milan, Rome or Siena. We promise you will have a very good time in our Leonardo da Vinci schools!

Discover our special price for a special offer so, what are you waiting for? Enroll now!
Carpe diem! Cogli l’attimo!
We are waiting for you!

These shops will charge you nearly double the price for the same food and drink you can buy in the supermarket. Likewise, with restaurants, the more they cater for tourists, the more expensive they will be, especially in Piazza del Campo.
It’s worth hunting for the restaurants that cater more for locals. Bearing in mind that the locals, like all Italians, are serious about their food, you tend to find that the food served in these less touristy restaurants is of better quality!

As with food, the Italians savour their alcohol, so tend to drink little and often; unlike us Brits! Good wine can be found anywhere, found most cheaply in Conad. Bars, like restaurants, are more expensive in Piazza del Campo, but you can save your pennies if you are willing to walk a bit further out!

On most evenings, the campo is the place to be, and on the weekends can be heaving with people until the last bars close at 3am! The best way to do it is to buy a bottle of cheap but great wine and take it with you to the campo and enjoy the atmosphere.

Even in the autumn and winter months you can sit in the campo at night, as long as you take a jacket! Come to Siena and have a new drinking experience! Salute!

While you are in Siena, it is a great idea to make the most of being in Tuscany and perhaps take a few day trips to nearby towns. There are many beautiful places in the region and in neighbouring regions that are worth visiting.
The two most popular nearby cities that are worth seeing are Florence and Pisa.

Florence is the closer of the two and is easy to get to by train or bus, at prices that you won’t be able to get over, being used to British public transport prices! Florence is a tourist hotspot that is bursting with culture; there are plenty of things to do and see there. Must visits include the duomo, Ponte Vecchio (a bridge that crosses the river) and the Uffizi gallery. It is worth considering booking tickets in advance for the gallery since it is often heaving with visitors.

Pisa is slightly further afield, but you can get there by train or bus as well. Besides the baptistery, the museums, the duomo and the churches, it is worth the trip to at least see the leaning tower! Don’t forget to pack your camera!
Regular buses run from the main bus station in Siena to a number of towns in the surrounding area, which include San Gimignano, Assisi, Chianti and Montepulciano.
San Gimignano is a quaint little town that is famous for its towers; it has 14! There are great views of the surrounding Tuscan countryside from the Rocca, what remains of the town’s old fortress. Assisi is known for its quaintness and tranquillity, and is a big hit with the tourists. If you’re a wine drinker, then Montepulciano could be the place for you, as some of the regions finest wines are produced there. The Chianti region is nearby too… worth a trip for the views and the wine!
There’s lots to explore and enjoy spending a period of time in Tuscany!

And don’t forget that our Italian language school in Siena organize a lot of excursions and guided visits in Siena and in Tuscany!

More information: Visiting Tuscany, visiting Siena, visiting Florence, visiting Pisa

During Easter time in our Italian classrooms students discover the Italian Easter traditions such as: recipes for the Easter Sunday, traditional cerimonies and events.

In Florence they will know everything about the famous “Scoppio del carro“, (The burst of the Cart), celebrated on Easter Sunday morning.

In Rome, Easter is a big event: thousands of pilgrims go there to hear the Pope’s message from Saint Peter’s Square.

In Milan, after the huge lunch on Sunday, people use to enjoy the Easter Monday by spending it in the big and beautiful parks within the city.

While in Siena Easter is the right time to enjoy the wonderful or to go to some villages near Siena, where people celebrates this festivity with religious costumed processions, as in Chianciano Terme or in Cetona.

In Italy there’s an expression frequently heard:
“Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi” (”Christmas with your family, Easter with who you prefer”).
Maybe one time you will decide to spend Easter time with Leonardo da Vinci schools!

Buona Pasqua to everybody!

From a survey made by the free press “Studenti Magazine” and the association “Erasmus Student network Italia”, came out that the Erasmus students in Italy generally have problems in finding an accomodation (apartments are always too much expensive), in moving into the University bureaucratic bother and even in communicating with Italians in the first period of time, because a lot of people can’t speak English (and they need at least 1 month to learn Italian).

Thanks to our experience with international students, we are perfectly aware of the problems they find when they come to study in Italy, that’s why we use all our energies to solve these problems.
We want that our students “feel like Italians” and live their experience in the best way.

Our staff, that is able to speak a fluent and perfect English, is always available to students and ready to help them if they have some problems, if they need suggestions about where to find cheap shops and markets, or how to look for a convenient accomodation (we offer free services in finding accomodation to our students too, as apartments or hosting families carefully selected by our staff).

For this purpose we chose to collaborate with some online non commercial tourist guides that can help our students to discover Italy and the cities where Scuola Leonardo da Vinci is located: about Florence, about Milan, about Roma and about Siena.

Our schools are equipped with all the facilities, such as bar/cafeteria, library or internet point with free internet access (this was another problem underlined by the survey).

Last but not least, our teaching staff consists of young teams of experienced language teachers, who have studied at University and have been specially trained in teaching Italian to foreigners (read about our teaching method), since another trouble for Erasmus students was the lack of professionalism by teachers.

We hope to offer another example for our students, on how could it be beautiful and exciting to spend a language holiday in Italy.

There are a few thermal bath in the region, but the closest to Siena are the Rapolano Terme, which has two indoor pools and a further four outside. The pools have varying temperatures, so you can choose the temperature that best suits you. In the biggest of the outdoor pools, you can stand right underneath the hot spring and enjoy the warm water. At Rapolano Terme, you will also find a nice bar which serves meals and drinks so you can stay there all day without worrying about getting thirsty or a bit peckish! The changing rooms are clean and you can get a locker for your valuables, just like at swimming pools back in the UK!

Children are welcome at the terme as well, although playing and splashing are not tolerated as it is for relaxing, not swimming or playing, so not to worry – your quiet relaxing time won’t be disturbed by noisy kids!
In the summer, the terme are open late, so you can go there almost anytime around the clock and enjoy the hot springs. In the winter, it is an unusual experience as you can be sat in a hot outdoor pool when it is pretty cold outside! Quite an experience that is worth a visit!!

What you can find if you choose to study in Siena.

Thermal baths in Siena

What does it mean a language course for seniors?
We think that senior students would like to discover Italian culture while they’re learning Italian language, we guess that they would appreciate to know better the Italian tradition, to taste the Tuscany cuisine and to visit Siena and around. That’s why we thought about a program that could involve all these requirements.

Siena is the perfect place to combine the discovery of Italian traditions with the study of Italian language.
Located in the heart of Tuscany you will find a relaxing enviroment where enjoying the wide variety of cultural activities that Leonardo da Vinci school in Siena will propose you.

In the morning you will have an Italian language course, focused on Italian language and conversational skills, related to the Italian culture. Moreover this program includes different afternoon activities , such as trips in Siena and in the Tuscany countryside and you will have the opportunity to discover Italian culinary traditions, cuisine, history, art, wellness, health and so on.

An example of afternoon program:

* Orientation tour of the city;
* Traditional Italian dinner with program instructor;
* Guided tour of the “Palazzo Pubblico”, Siena’s graceful, gothic Town Hall;
* Afternoon wine tasting guided by expert sommeliers: Tuscan reds paired with regional Italian cheeses;
* Guided visit to the Duomo, Siena’s grand gothic Cathedral;
* Cooking class with dinner in an “Agriturismo” (Tuscan country villa);
* Guided visit to one of Siena’s “Contrade” (historical city districts) and it’s museum, exposing students to the people and legends of historical Siena;
* A relaxing half day at the SPA of Rapolano, near Siena;
* Weekend day trip. Choose between the most attractive areas of Tuscany: Chianti, Montalcino and Pienza, San Gimigniano and Monteriggioni, Arezzo and Montepulciano.

The course has a duration of 2 weeks and it’s open to students from beginner to advanced level of Italian language knowledge.

Don’t miss the opportunity to have a complete Italian language course and a touristic holiday in one of the most beautiful Italian Region: Tuscany!

More information about the language and culture course for Seniors in Siena.
Enroll now!