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, 2004 and 2010 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 ANCI (National Association of the Italian Towns) listed Otranto among the 15 most beautiful small villages in Italy. Otranto won also in 2010 UNESCO recognition.

   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.

 
courtesy of www.girofoto.it
The Panorama of the Cathedral's square and detail of floor mosaic in the Cathedral of Otranto.

For other photos of Otranto visit our 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).