Language school Dante Alighieri

Genuinely the best language learning experience I have ever had. the teachers were brilliant and helped you not only understand the language but use it in practice around the city while also giving you a lesson on history and the local culture, I could not recommend this highly enough. My teacher Livia was a highlight of my experience and I hope others get to learn from her as she helped make the language actually stick and by the end of my time in Italy I was able to have small conversations and navigate the country comfortably. Whenever I stop by Siena to see the palio again I will be swinging by to say hello.

Structured learning school that was perfect for my age profile. Very professional and prepared approach to teaching. For me I would like lessons in a less structured format but that's because I am poor at grammar. Went for 4 weeks, would recommend it.

Lessons are well-structured, and the interactive teaching methods make learning fun and engaging. The school also organizes cultural activities, tours, and cooking classes, which help students immerse themselves in Italian life beyond just the language.

One of the best things about this school is the sense of community it fosters. Students from all over the world come together to learn, share experiences, and build friendships. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to refine your skills, this school provides a supportive and inspiring environment to achieve your goals.

I enrolled in this school three times for the last two years and studied for a total of five months. At the beginning I barely pronounce a single Italian word, now I could follow and make conversations, understand Italian songs and movies and enjoy funny Italian jokes! I can’t thank them enough from the bottom of my heart; the wonderful teachers- Enzo, Andrea, Valentina, to name a few. The admin team- Ylenia, Eva, Viola, Serena…and the very supportive student advisor Francesco, grazie infinite!

If you’re serious about learning Italian—not just the language but the culture and lifestyle as well—this is definitely the place to be!

Fun place to learn Italian language, culture and cuisine! Competent and passionate teachers and very helpful and friendly admin team. Can’t ask for anything more! I have studied in this school four times in the last two years and I plan to return again and again in the years to come. Siena is a charming medieval city, beautiful at any season of the year and well-connected to other tourist destinations in Tuscany. I can’t wait to go back!

I found my experience at this school very enjoyable and worthwhile. I greatly improved my Italian language skills and met many wonderful people. My teacher, Angelica, was excellent. Thank you for such a memorable experience.

I would recommend this school to all aspiring Italian linguists. Great location in a beautiful city and the staff were fantastic. I stayed with an Italian family for the week which really completed my Italian experience. Thank you!

I spent three weeks at Dante Alighieri, in level B1 class and it was an exceptional experience. I had taken Italian classes in Italy before in Florence so I knew a little bit of what to expect.

I tell anyone I speak to who considers doing this, that if Italian language acquisition is your goal, taking a class in Italy is the way to go. This school in Siena is a great option! The staff and teachers are all kind and helpful. You have so many opportunities to practice speaking plus the class is really helpful for grammar and verbs. Our class was also very fun - we played games and everyone had lots of opportunities to practice speaking. The class was a mix of ages and countries so the only language we all had in common was Italian.

I really believe that if you have the option to take a class like this, it is so worth it. My Italian has progressed so much thanks to my time at Dante Alighieri Siena.

I loved learning Italian at Dante Alighieri Siena! I have tried to learn Italian many times before but nothing ever made sense, so I was quite anxious at the start. After just one week, I have improved in my confidence to speak (a fear of time for over a decade), have picked up some useful vocabulary and grammar.

I loved that the course was affordable and went until 1pm, so we could have lunch and do optional activities run by the school or explore Siena on our own. (Or in my brother's case, still work his usual job remotely in the afternoon).

The teachers are very kind, patient and differentiate the content to meet the needs of the students. The class sizes are small and we were very impressed that they still run in the winter and all year round.

There are a range of courses to choose from but I chose to do just the standard course.

My favourite afternoon activity was learning about Contrada life and the famous Siena Palio, as it was engaging, run by someone born and raised in a Contrada which gave a different insight compared to if you were just to research online and it gave the group an opportunity to listen and practise more Italian.

My only regret is that I only spent one week here! I don’t know how or when, but I will be back! I cannot recommend this place enough!

How can I describe my experience at this school in words? I just think about my two weeks there and tears of excitement come to my eyes. First I got to study with the most amazing teacher in the universe, dear Marta, and experience afternoon culture classes with the amazing Giulia. In addition, the entire staff is unusually kind and charming. Another wonderful thing is the possibility to create a community of friends at different levels who learn and have fun together. And of course the building is stunning, the vibe is wonderful and you can feel authentic sienes experience. Thank you very much for everything! and I have no doubt that I will come back again and again.

Such an amazing cooking experience in Siena. Warm and welcoming pair of instructors shared recipes of food they care about. Massimo had such a lighthearted way of guiding our group of 7 through preparing the meal. And Leitza was wonderful at including the 6 and 8 year old children in the preparation of Tiramisu and pasta. Highly recommended as a way to have family fun in Tuscany.

Experience was really amazing - teachers, location, coocking clsses were excelent. Some heads up - during July it is really hot and there is no AC (you cannot install them in the old buildings), pidgeons will wake you up at 5 AM (noone is controling the population of winged rats), you will climb a lot of hills and stairs and it will not get easier :D For some bisare reason, learning material (tect books) are not included in the price. You can buy them (40€) or rent (10€). For me it is too expensive and stupid. I was there for 2 weeks and one week we used level 3 books and another - level 4. I saw absolutely no reason to pay 2€/day for a book that I will not use again. Overall, I would come back again. It was amazing experience :)

Can't express how much I enjoyed my time here. I extended my original 4 week course to 6 weeks, I did not want it to finish. Teachers are great especially Andrea who made the whole experience fun, relaxed and enjoyable. I will definitely return in the near future, couldn't recommend it enough.

The school was recommended to me by a good friend and I was a student there for two weeks in January, 2024. Loved the school, loved the city and loved Tuscany.

The teachers and staff were all terrific and I truly appreciated the care the school took in placing me at the correct level- the first week, in fact, the school decided that there was no one at my exact level so they provided me with private lessons!

The school also handled my housing and my apartment was perfect.

100% recommend Dante Alighieri!!

For me a language course should be instructive, enjoyable, fun; seems that DA and I are perfectly matched.

Professional and friendly staff, sensitive to the needs of students.

Offering help, support, positive encouragement.

Thoughtful placement with host family.

Met some wonderful new friends.

I cannot find fault with DA. A delightful 2 weeks – already planning my next visit.

Che bello! Grazie a tutti per tutto. Alla prossima volta! Ciao.

I am currently here studying on the language and music course. The location, building, staff and general feeling of the place are all lovely. Welcoming, relaxed but organised, and you can be as involved in extra options like social meetings or trips as you want. My one to one lessons with Luca studying the history of opera have been truly eye-opening and very inspirational. I find I wake up with sections arias playing loudly in my head.!!

Having these sessions in Italian has really helped with my comprehension and listening skills as well as helping me contextualise a lot of things about Italy, history, society and culture. I have developed a genuine love and fascination for opera as a genre, having never had any experience of it before this course. As a musician, the extra option of having singing lessons with a spectacular teacher has really been the icing on the cake.

I give my highest and most sincere praise of this school. Dante Alighieri Siena is abundant with teaching and administrative staff who tend to your every need and prioritize your positive experience in the program. I participated as a Summer Abroad student for five weeks in Siena. I received tremendous care and instruction from everyone I interacted with, including but not limited to: Luca Bonomi, Guido Elia, Serena Bonelli, Bianca Puma, Sonia, etc. They all cultivated a very comfortable and engaging learning environment, and I was able to take away a great deal about the Italian language and dialects, and the Sienese culture. I improved my conversational Italian exponentially across five weeks, feeling comfortable in the classroom, our local cafe' during la pausa ("Al Solito Posto"), and across the beautiful city of Siena. I also became much more proficient in vocabulary and grammar, and learned so much about the history of the city and of the Palio. I very much miss attending the School - I wish I was still there! Nothing but the best at DA Siena. Sign up soon!

As adult, I was looking for an Italian program in which I could study the language, immerse myself in the culture and have the flexibility to live in an Airbnb (as opposed to living in a dorm or with a host family.) The only program I could find like this (and I did a LOT of searching) was the Dante Alighieri School in Sienna (which also has more traditional programs for students.) To say the program far exceeded my wildest expectations would be the world’s greatest understatement. From the time I arrived in Sienna (September, 2021) everything was taken care of for me. And by “everything,” I mean everything! I was met at the bus station by Guido, who I soon discovered was a tour guide, master facilitator, patient Italian conversationalist and most importantly a wonderful human being. In addition to my daily private tutor, I had cultural tours with Andrea, a man with infinite knowledge of and passion for everything in the city, from museum tours to food and wine tastings and everything in between. I had cooking classes in the school’s professional kitchen, taught by Massimo and Letizia, a fantastic couple who taught me to cook everything from hand rolled pasta to desserts I’m still dreaming about. After every class, we were served the meal we cooked on the terrace outside the kitchen with a spectacular view of Sienna. Regarding my language lessons, I found my teacher to be nothing short of brilliant. Seriously. I’ve had a decent amount of instruction in several languages, but I have never come close to learning as much as I did with my teacher Claudio Viti. And I’ve certainly never had more fun in the process. When I left Sienna, I arranged Zoom classes with Claudio through the school and I continue to have them several times a week. My lessons were/are a combination of grammar/vocabulary work and conversation. The only negative was that, when I returned home, I realized I enjoyed talking to Claudio more in a language I was still learning than I did with many people in a language I already knew! Oh well… If anyone needs further proof of how much I loved the school, here it is: a month after I left, I returned for another two weeks. And I’m counting the days until I return again. VIVA LA SCUOLA DANTE ALIGHIERI!!!!

UPDATE: 8/24/22 - I’m returning to Sienna and The Dante Alghieri school for the FOURTH time this year, and I can’t wait to arrive. The school, the people who work there and my my tutor Claudio have become dear friends and they’ve made my trips to Sienna some of the happiest, not to mention the most educational, times of my life.

I am an American faculty member with my third group of college students partnering with DA Siena. The instruction, faculty, and staff are wonderful. Italian Culture, Language, Arts & Humanities, Food & Agriculture, “Learning Italy” has outstanding programming for college students and adult learners. I strongly recommend for short travel study and longer study abroad programs. —Dr. Todd Winters, University of Tennessee at Martin

I attended group classes and afternoon activities here for two weeks in February before the school had to close because of the pandemic. Classes were fun, interesting and varied. The teachers were very smart and nice. There were didactic lessons, games, conversation, and one day we even went to the weekly market together. The afternoon activities included watching an Italian movie, a meal at a local restaurant and a tour of the Saint Catherine convent. Once it was clear that the country was going to lock down, the school handled the situation and communications in a very clear and professional manner. I will be back to Siena and the school whenever Americans can go to Italy again! Next time I will find lodging recommended by the school though. In February I found my own apartment and it wasn’t great. I heard from other students that the rentals recommended by the school were very interesting and convenient.

Since leaving Italy I’ve been very pleased with the online classes I’m taking from the school 2-3 times a week with Livia.

I came here with the University of Delaware as a study abroad student. I really enjoyed the experience. Siena is a small, quiet town but its full of history and culture. The staff at the school were beyond helpful and inviting upon our arrival. We were all quite nervous being in a new environment but they helped us become more confident and open with the learning process. If youre looking to improve your fluency and immerse yourself in a new culture, I would recommend this school for anyone.

The Dante Alighieri School is more than perfect!

I have been a student at the school for 8 months now and can highly recommend the Italian language course!

In the heart of Siena you will find the school, which is beautifully furnished.

The learning atmosphere is wonderful and all teachers are very nice and competent. I personally, really like that there is a friendly atmosphere between teacher and student. It is always a pleasure to go to school and everyone enjoys it.

Furthermore, one is welcomed by wonderful secretaries who are always(!!)

available for help and advice.

I would recommend Scuola Dante Alighieri Siena without reservation. It was my first experience of a language course. The administrative staff and teachers were so approachable and professional. Arrangements via email were easy to make and my accommodation was just what I wanted. The one to one lessons for a week were a great confidence boost in my studies. The teachers had great experience and could get the best out of students. The school arranged for additional activities that I really enjoyed. Finally I would say that Siena is a great environment to learn Italian. I tried my Italian on people in shops and museums and they were happy to put up with my efforts.