Posted by Il Sasso, Italian language school in Montepulciano, Tuscany.

Web site: www.ilsasso.com

TRAVELS IN TUSCANY. MONTEPULCIANO

«Of all the towns and villages resting on the hills of southern Tuscany, Montepulciano is perhaps the most expressive of the Renaissance. The vineyards are like gardens, and the small roads lined with cypress trees lead to historical villages and farmhouses of stone and brick.

Arriving there from Siena via secondary roads that took me through the peaceful countryside, I was immediately struck by the outline of the town, perched on its hill of 600 metres. I parked the car and made my way up to the old centre on foot. To my surprise, I found that the main street, the “Corso,” is quite wide. It’s completely paved in stone and flanked by impressive, Renaissance buildings, interspersed with shops, restaurants, cafes, and artisans’ workshops.

To the left and right are smaller streets and alleys leading to breathtaking viewpoints, each offering a vista that’s quite different from the next. The town is located on a hill overlooking two very distinct valleys – the Valdorcia and the Valdichiana. They’re different from each other in many ways, including the type of terrain, the agricultural production and the scenery.
On reading my guide, I discovered that the old town centre, located inside the walls, is one of the largest in Tuscany. It became immediately obvious – although I already knew it because I like a glass of good red wine now and then – that the production of wine plays a key role in the history of Montepulciano.

I’m referring of course to the famous Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, product par excellence among Tuscan wines, and in eternal competition with Brunello di Montalcino. But the impressive architecture and town planning complete the picture of a town in which agriculture, commercial activities and culture have intertwined for centuries. One has the distinct impression of beauty and harmony, and the sense that the town was constructed with intelligence and an eye for the life and wellbeing of its inhabitants.
This impression was confirmed upon my arrival at the top of the hill, where the Piazza Grande (and it is indeed “grande”!) represents the monumental heart of the town and is its principal gathering place. The stage set up on the steps of the cathedral told me that I had arrived in a period of extraordinary cultural activity. It was the “Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte”, the annual summer arts festival during which young artists, seasoned performers and famous maestros from all parts of the world gather to work and perform together. The door of the theatre was open and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to slip inside. From one of the boxes, I was privileged to watch part of a rehearsal for the production of a contemporary opera.

Later, while eating in one of the town’s restaurants – an honest and unpretentious Trattoria that serves the most delicious food – I considered the possibility of staying a little longer than the two days I had originally planned. In fact, I decided to stay for a week in order to take advantage of the great flurry of cultural events taking place during those summer days.
Walking back down the Corso in search of a hotel, I came across the brass sign for an Italian language school. You will have guessed by now that open doors are an invitation that I simply cannot resist…thus I entered the large corridor of this former, 17th century hospital, which is now home to the Il Sasso School of Italian. I immediately warmed to the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. In a pronounced American accent, a young woman asked if I’d just arrived, and a woman with a distinct German air, gave me a friendly smile. To be quite honest, I wasn’t even considering taking a course in Italian, but I started talking to the secretary and found her to be a very courteous and friendly person, ready to answer my many questions about the town and the Festival. After chatting for half an hour with people from all over the world, and discovering, among other things, that the school also offered the possibility of lodging to their students, it became clear to me that I had no desire to continue my trip alone, at least not for the moment. I’d had a week of solitude and art and the company here seemed like a found gift.

And so it happened that I became both a student in a beginner’s class and the occupant of a small apartment a few minutes away from the school. Those in the know informed me that I still had time to book a ticket for that night’s concert, and that the amiable secretary would be happy to arrange it for me – with no booking fee and at a discount!
The week went by quickly. Without exaggerating, I think I can honestly say that my Italian has improved at least a little from the time I first arrived in Italy. I attended several concerts, and ate and drank decidedly more than was necessary. And perhaps it goes without saying, but I returned to Somerset more curious about this area than I’d been when I came here».

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 at 8:35 am and is filed under italian language. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.