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ITALIAN FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES
ART COURSES IN ITALY
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VISIT
THE TOWN OF OTRANTO
 Why
study italian in Otranto?
 Here everything is on a human scale: the town, the school,
the people; you will not find the mass foreign tourism there is in the
big cities. Studying in a small town means that you can speak Italian
everywhere and that you will not feel like a "stranger" because
people are full of human warmth and special attention to the newcomers.
In
2002, 2003 and 2004 Otranto won "the five flags" prize for the
cleanest sea of Italy by "Legambiente" and "Touring Club"
(Italian associations about environment and Tourism), and the National
Association of the Italian Towns listed Otranto
among the first 14 more bautiful towns in Italy
Otranto:
where nature is also history
Otranto: a small town for a big holiday. An important
historic and artistic centre, Otranto lies on one of Italy's most beautiful
coastlines, the sea that laps against its shores is limpid and intense
in colour. Otranto presents itself to the  visitor in the guise of a medieval
city, still attached to the periods that precededits destruction. Rich in remains, which testify to its intensely glorious
and at times dramatic past; the splendid Cathedral overlooks the
town, along with Saint Peter's Basilica, Martyr's Hill, the Castle, the
Towers, the Bastions, the Aragonese walls and the fortified farmhouses,
a must for all visitors to Salento.
The coast-road is one of the most poetic tourist itineraries
in the province. It seems made just for the purpose of holding the
interest of the traveller in search of new sensation and appealing to
his imagination.
With its breathtaking sea views Otranto is a paradise for
all nature lovers. Otranto lies at the most easterly point of Italy: in
summer you can get across to Greece.
  
For other photos of Otranto click here to visit the photogallery
Listed
below are some of the benefits
to be derived from choosing to study Italian in the beautiful Salentine
region, dispelling a number of common misconceptions:
- The population of the region speaks in Italian that
may be characterised as mainstream, rather than dialectic. Small pockets
of dialect do remain in certain areas, but these can be considered as
tasty "desserts" for those still hungry after digesting the
main "course"!
- Our region of Italy is one that has thankfully escaped the negative
implications of a large tourism industry. The result is that
the local population has very little English fluency, meaning that students
will encounter a true Italian immersion, virtually devoid of people speaking
English, whether locals or tourists. Indeed, 90% of Otranto's tourists
come from other parts of Italy rather than abroad, further ensuring an
English-free aural experience!
- Another distinct benefit of the region's low tourist profile is the
fact that the individualistic tourists who do visit this magical land
have interests different from those associated with mass tourism. For
these discriminating visitors, the appeal lies with the culture,
history, traditions and gastronomy of Apulia. Only in August
does the population of Otranto traditionally swell with an influx of Italian
holidaymakers.
- The Salentine peninsula of Italy is a region which breathes more slowly
and deeply... The fast pace of life and short tempers of the North are
dissolved by the atmosphere of this timeless landscape. People
have time to stop and speak to you (in Italian!) and are more than generous
with their help and enthusiasm. Otranto is a town that distils
this spirit into one word: congeniality. There are no worries
about crime or disorder, the sense of tranquil security is pervasive.
- The sea flanking Otranto is not only azure blue; it is the clearest
and cleanest in Italy! This is a fact established in each of
the last 3 years by virtue of Otranto's winning first prize in this important
environmental cleanliness category.
- Otranto and its environs offer the student a sensorial feast.
The air is free from pollution, scented with nature's bouquet of sweet
and spicy fragrances. This sundrenched landscape provides the
perfect conditions in which verdant crops flourish, with little artificial
irrigation required. The land is carpeted with olive groves, vineyards
and fruit orchards; natural vegetation also includes cactus, palm trees
and pine forests. There are a number of environmental areas set aside
by government as nature reserves, including dramatic, wild coastlines
plus an Oasis founded by the WWF. Expanses of white sand beckon visitors
to swim, or simply wade, in the warm azure waters lapping shores of hidden
bays and crescent beaches. The school offers very interesting guided trips
allowing students to experience firsthand these, and other, natural delights.
- Our school offers a friendly, personal and attentive approach
to learning Italian. We are a small, intimate institution with
a big desire to inspire learning in relaxed, yet professional surroundings.
Individual attention is assured at all times.
- The climate of southern Italy is very benign; the cold,
frosty winters of the North are unknown here. Our summer lasts from April
to October, with temperatures averaging 25°C (click
here to see the average temperature during the year). The hottest
days of August are tempered in Otranto by gentle sea breezes from the
Adriatic.
- Otranto provides a variety of services to meet all students' needs and
desires. In town you will find banks, travel agencies, supermarkets, agencies
to rent cars, motorbikes and bikes, restaurants, pizzerias, pubs, discotheques,
a wide range of accommodation, exhibitions and cultural events, cinema,
theatre and concerts (open-air in the summer).
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