Since the language schools in both of these wonderful places are quite similar, I would like feedback from those of you that have stayed in either place for more than two weeks. I will be staying a month or more and would like to hear the pros and cons of both places.
Thanks
P.S. Neither of these are etched in stone, but I am parcial to smaller towns with a small English-speaking population and lots are ambiance.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kim,

Hi Cynthia,

You've got two great cities to choose from and having visited both myself I will give you MHO.

Montepulciano is one of Tuscany's highest hilltowns which will you views to die for and it also means that you will be doing alot of uphill and (downhill of course )walking.
This area is famous for it's Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wines so you will run across many great enotecas to sample some of their local necter.

The town is also a art lovers mecca as the little streets are full of small artist run galleries.

It is quite a bit smaller than Lucca with offical population at around 14,000 while Lucca's count stands at 100,000 but this count includes the surrounding area outside the old city walls.

Staying in Montepulciano you will be near many great towns, Pienza-12.5km, Siena-67km,and Montalcino.

Lucca- my personal pick

This city is virtually car free so put on some good walking shoes or make like the locals and rent a bike. For a great walk head up on the city walls for a great peek into some of Lucca's wonderful Palazzo gardens.

If you are an Antique lover they hold a mammoth Antique market the 3rd weekend of every month. This place was heavenly to explore and I definatley want to go back for more!

Another big plus is that there are a myriad of great places to dine! My mouth is watering thinking about La Buca di Sant' Antonio (another reason to return for our family.)

There are also many beautiful Cattedrale and of course they are famous for their Piazza Anfiteatro, where a series of houses were built during the middle ages into the remains of a 1st or 2nd century A.D. Roman amphitheatre. Now it's a great meeting place lined with shops, cafes and galleries.

Lucca is also very upscale as far as shopping goes as well, lots to choose from.

Lucca's greatest cultural contribution has been musical, it's most famous being the operatic master Giacomo Puccini. Visit his birthplace which is now a charming small museum right in town.

Lucca is also close to all of the coastal beach towns, Viareggio,Forte dei Marmi and even the Cinque Terre for day trips.

Hope this helps.

I've been away for a while and as I read Cynthia's comments, I "think" more discussion took place earlier.
If you are speaking of Il Sasso in Montepulciano - it's an excellent school with a superb staff. They really try hard at making you "enjoy" the learning experience.
When are you planing on coming?
How long are you planning to stay?

As Liz prefers Lucca, I prefer Montepulciano.
Montepulciano is indeed quite smaller - the 14,000 mentioned includes the surrounding areas also. The town itself is medieval hilltop style. Great places to eat, etc.

Il Sasso plans extra activities all week long for the students - from sightseeing, to jewelry making, cooking classes, wine tastings, etc. Helps alot if you're a little unsure of things to do.

Il Sasso attracts a very international group of students - a real plus.

I got Il Sasso from Bill and Patty and their web site was very helpful. I am awaiting info on accommodations in both Lucca and Montepulciano. I rather like the sound of Montepulciano because of it's size. Do you know if it is easy to rent an apt in town???

Liz, it looks like the school (Il Sasso) will help you with that. http://www.ilsasso.com/homeing.htm Most schools will find accomodations for you if you ask.

Cristina

Sant Antonio is 3KMs from Montepulciano. You could
probably walk it if you really wanted to but it would
be an almost 2 mile walk.

Leslie

Where is Sant Antonio?

Cynthia, I have a friend with a large private 1-bedroom apartment in the very center of Montepulciano, quiet location on the top floor. If you are interested, please contact me directly: zak@tuscanhouse.com

www.tuscanhouse.com

Jane from CA stayed there and it was review 100 and she got a prize even!

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/reviews/rev_100.htm

(See it pays to send in reviews!!)

If you are not planning on renting a car, I would suggest Lucca, it is small and you can tracel by train to the sea or to Florence. If you can rent a car, Montepulciano is a great center to tour some fabulous countryside.

In answer to the question re. walking from Sant'Antonio to Montepulchiano--I would say no. We stayed there last fall--loved it--would return in a heartbeat. But, walking there would not be easy. It's an easy drive and we were always able to find parking--if no where else,in the supermarket's garage. If you have questions about Sant'Antonio, feel free to e-mail me--or read my review. Nico, the owner, is great.

I'd pick Lucca. Although there are fabulous towns around Montepulciano, the town itself is, to me, an oddity. Difficult parking, a nastier vertical climb than usual, mostly touristy stuff near the bottom and, if you drive to the top, an odd, not very charming windswept main piazza with a gloomy old duomo. The town itself is not where I'd want to hang my hat -- although some of the towns around it are as good as they come. There is plenty to do and plenty of good food.

Lucca, however, is larger, flatter, more stunning and unique.

I think people's raves about Montepulciano are perhaps based on not having seen that many other towns. Once I saw Cortona, Montalcino, Lucca (which is really a city) -- I felt they all had a better vibe.

I would have to agree with you somewhat on Montepulciano as a town. But, the countryside around there is magnificent. Montepulciano, Pienza and Montalcino can be very touristed - they are the most popular tourist towns in that part of Tuscany. I really like Pienza - but you have to just ignore the crowds of tourists. We have only done day trips to Lucca (and loved it) - I would like to spend more time in that area.

When you do walk all the way up and up to the top of Montepulciano and find the main piazza (which was deserted when we saw it) - wasn't that where they filmed the movie "A Midsummer's Nights Dream"?

Dunno -- it's one of the few movies I've missed in the past 20 years, and not on purpose.

Just to wrap up, we spend two weeks in an estate in the La Foce area (not the Foce offered by your rental link, a private house). I think I perhaps didn't stress the tourists in Montepulciano enough. During the day it is almost impossible to park, unless you know the clever side entrances into the upper parts of the city. Despite the fact that we were staying 10 minutes away, we found ourselves rarely using that town, despite its proximity, because it was such a pain and the rewards were few. There were better restaurants elsewhere (although La Grotta, across the from the temple, is lovely). But within a half hour is Pienza, Montecchio, Montefollonico, Singaluna where the lovely restaurant/hotel Locanda Amarosa is, and charming back villages like Trequanda. It's also 45 minutes from Cortona, and about an hour on the A-1 to Orvieto. All good stuff.

And there are tourists in Lucca too, but it can handle the crowds better.

So it all comes down to this: if you don't mind driving there will be many rewards in the countryside around Montepulciano. But you may become frustrated by the daunting vertical windy nature of the place.

R.G.

Cynthia - perhaps by now you have made your decision. I have been to both Montepulciano and Lucca. Each has different things to offer. One wonderful aspect of studying in Italy is that you will have time to simply "be" in the place that you chose. My memories of Montepulciano include voices singing songs outside our rental at midnight, coffee taken at the Caffe Antico and meeting many wonderful artisans. The cathedral of S.Biagio is beautiful. Its stone is porous tavertine and the acoustics are superb. You can taste the region in the Vino Nobile and the everyday rosso. And as others have mentioned you will have easy access by car to wonderful towns like Montalcino and Pienza.

Lucca has much culture to offer. It is thousands of years deep and Roman in its origins. Some of my family were born "dentro la mura" inside the wall. From Lucca you will also have train access to Florence, Pisa, Rome etc. You will be near a region known as Liguria - very lovely. And with a car you can access the Garfagnana and hike in mountainous areas covered by chestnut trees.

In either place you will have the opportunity to "mangia a tavola" and sample "le cose genuine" (the real or genuine products). It's your choice; a smaller more relaxed rural town like Montepulciano or a larger city like Lucca with its greater hussle and bustle. In either case you can't go wrong. Best of luck to you and study hard!

Thank you all for your wonderful input. It is truly a difficult decision. So I will most probably chose Montepulciano for my first few weeks, where I can dig in and study without many distractions, since I won't have a car. Then I will move to Lucca for a month where I will continue my studies and enjoy the activities available there.
Again grazie tante a tutti,
Cinzia

I'm new so I may have missed some posts. I'm planning to attend one of the language schools in Italy this fall for 2 or 3 months. I hope to take my 12 y.o. daughter with me. She hasn't decided if she can stand me that long. I was wondering if Cynthia ever reported back on her experience in Lucca? I'm considering the university programs at Perugia and Siena. I'm also looking at the private schools in the smaller cities. I would appreciate any input.