Scuola di lingua e cultura italiana Porta d'oriente
Language school in Otranto, Italy
Scuola Porta d'Oriente is a small school of Italian language and culture in Otranto, a seaside town in Puglia, southern Italy. It teaches Italian to foreign students and adults and specialises in language holidays for adults and courses for seniors (over 50). Lessons last 50 minutes, the standard intensive course has 20 lessons a week, and courses run from one or two weeks up to 12 months, with start dates roughly every two weeks in 2026. Each course begins with a placement test or interview and ends with a certificate of attendance.
- Intensive Italian (20 lessons a week) and intensive-plus courses with individual lessons
- Italian culture courses for levels B1 to C2
- Special courses: art history, literature, cinema, business, legal and medical Italian
- CILS, CELI and PLIDA exam preparation
- Refresher courses for teachers of Italian, which can be funded through Erasmus+
- Courses for children, cooking and wine courses, and online lessons
Students can also take one-to-one lessons in homestay at a teacher's home or with a host family, in Otranto or in nearby villages.
Haz click aquí para ver este centro en español
Programmes
- Intensive Italian: 20 lessons a week (grammar, conversation and culture)
- Intensive-plus: 25 or 30 lessons a week, with daily individual or two-person lessons
- Italian for seniors
- Italian culture courses (levels B1 to C2)
- Special-purpose courses: art, literature, cinema, business, legal and medical Italian
- CILS, CELI and PLIDA exam preparation
- Courses for teachers of Italian and a course in teaching Italian to foreigners
- Private and two-to-one lessons, children's courses, cooking and wine courses, online lessons
Lessons last 50 minutes and are usually held in the morning.
Fees
Prices for 2026 (per week unless stated):
- Intensive Italian, 20 lessons: €395
- Italian culture course, 20 lessons: €490
- Intensive-plus, 25 lessons: €650; 30 lessons: €870
- Special courses: €690 (25 lessons) or €980 (30 lessons)
- CILS, CELI and PLIDA preparation: €590
- Private lessons: €60 per 60-minute lesson
An enrolment fee of €70 is charged.
Housing
The school offers three homestay options, combined with lessons:
- A single room in the teacher's family villa or apartment, with 10 or 15 individual lessons a week
- A renovated trullo in the garden of the teacher's family villa in Carpignano Salentino
- A host family in Otranto, combined with group lessons at the school
Host families live in Otranto and in the nearby villages of Corigliano d'Otranto and Carpignano Salentino. The teacher's-home options include a private bedroom and bathroom, use of a kitchen, breakfast and lunch or dinner.
Subjects taught
- Philology, Languages, Literature
- Language Courses
- Language Courses and Cultural Immersion Programs