Travellers seeking an alternative to Tuscany and Umbria should opt for le Marche (the Marches), the third region that makes up central Italy. This region is situated on the eastern side of central Italy, between the Adriatic Sea and the high Apennine mountains and much of it remains unspoilt by the ravages of mass tourism.

Whether you want to admire masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture, trek across wild uncharted mountains or hunt out the best of the catch in a Mediterranean fishing port, le Marche has enough to keep you busy for years. And you will rarely have to jostle with hordes of other foreign tourists while you go about it.

The Cònero Riviera owes its name to Mount Conero, a limestone mountain that plunges into the sea and guards a handful of delightful little bathing resorts. This is one of the most remarkable areas of the Marche region. It extends from Ancona south to Marcelli through Portonovo, the summit of the Cònero, Sirolo and the wide beaches of Numana. At its back the coast is transformed and the hills wind gently into the Camerano territory.

Our school of Italian language and culture is located here, near the centre of this lovely small town. Set on a hill (272 m.), surrounded by picturesque countryside studded with vineyards, sunflowers and olive trees, Camerano is an ideal starting point for naturalistic excursions to the Cònero Nature Park, which we regularly organize with our students.

Thanks to its favourable geographical position, Camerano enjoys a pleasant climate for most of the year, as well as a magnificent panoramic view ranging from the Adriatic shore to the Appennines. Its image today is linked with its artistic heritage, the underground wonders of its caves and its justly-celebrated Rosso Conero wine, produced by the numerous vineyards of Montepulciano and Sangiovese grapes in the zone. Visitors to Camerano at the beginning of September should not miss the town’s Rosso Conero festival. So, if you are looking for a taste of the "real" Italy, unsullied by mass tourism, yet welcoming to foreigners, you won't be disappointed!

Ancona, capital of the eponymous chief province of the region, with its busy international port, theatres and shops, Romanesque churches and fine medieval buildings is just 8 km from Camerano and serviced by a regular bus line. Sirolo and Numana, old fishing villages and wonderful bathing resorts of the area are only a few minutes away and easily reachable; again, the bus line connects Camerano to the sea. Portonovo, the secret pearl of the Conero Riviera, with its sheltered bay of acclaimed beauty, the crystal-green sea and its white rocks is just 5 km. away.

The local cuisine of the area is heavily influenced by the sea and by farming traditions. Here it is the home cook and not the professional chef who rules, and even the smartest restaurants tend to offer dishes derived from our grandmothers' recipes. A generous portion of Vincisgrassi (traditional rich baked lasagne), a shellfish risotto, Brodetto (13 different types of fish go into this stew), spaghetti dressed with either vongole (baby clams) or cozze (mussels), accompanied by either white wines like Verdicchio, Bianchello del Metauro and Falerio dei Colli Ascolani, reds such as Rosso Conero, Rosso Piceno and Lacrima di Morro d'Alba, will satisfy even the most demanding gourmets.

Centro Culturale Conero, has been active since 1997. We are open the whole year round and organize Italian language courses for all those people interested not just in learning the language, but also in getting in touch with the culture and daily life of this wonderful region.

With us you’ll have the chance to:

• Spend an interesting study-vacation in Italy where your progress will be carefully nurtured by fully-qualified native teachers, who really love to teach Italian and do it enthusiastically, achieving great results.
• Be close to the outstanding beaches and resorts of the Cònero Riviera
• Appreciate artistic, cultural and natural attractions of the Marche region, much of it still unexplored and unspoilt by mass tourism
• Be the only foreigner in this small but lively town and speak Italian wherever you go (shops, restaurants, ice-cream parlours, bars, etc.)
• Profit from the intimate learning environment of a school where everyone knows each other by name; enjoy regular contact with the teachers and the school staff even after class and practice your Italian all day, thanks to special courses, extracurricular activities (Italian cookery, wine, history of art, cinema, excursions etc) and evenings out organized by the school
• Study in small groups (average is 5/6), divided into five different teaching levels
• Count on the school’s assistance for any problems you might have during your stay

Our lessons are held in comfortable classrooms, in a friendly and homely atmosphere, just a few hundred meters from the historical town center. The school is close to the hotels, apartments and families where our students are usually lodged, and to the bus stops (10/15 minutes away from either Ancona or the seaside). Students at Centro Culturale Conero have access to e-mail and Internet services at low prices and directly from the school.

Courses

We offer extensive, intensive and super-intensive group courses in small groups for all levels and all kinds of individual courses (general of for specific subjects). We also organize special courses (Italian cooking, Wines, Diction for Opera Singers, History of Italian Art/Cinema/Theatre/Music).

Cultural and Free Time Activities

• Weekly guided trips and excursions to artistic and atmospheric towns of the region: Urbino, an absolute ‘must’ for lovers of art and architecture; Ascoli Piceno and its austere medieval beauty; historic Fermo and Osimo with their splendid views; Recanati, birthplace of Giacomo Leopardi, Italy’s great poet, and of legendary tenor Beniamino Gigli; Loreto fabled site of one of Christianity’s great Basilicas; Jesi, home of the composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi and now the site of the Enoteca Regionale, etc.
• Naturalistic trekking guided tours to the Conero Natural Park, the Sibillini Mountains, the Frasassi Caves (another regional ‘must’), the Furlo Gorge etc.
• Wine-tasting tours in some of the leading cantine and enoteche of the region
• Afternoons dedicated to cooking Italian specialities or assisted watching of Italian movies
• Rich dinners in typical restaurants at the seaside or deep in the countryside
• Concerts, nights at music bars or disco pubs on the beach;
• Dancing parties organized by the school with live music.

Accommodation

Upon request we will find you comfortable and convenient accommodation in Camerano or the surrounding area. Lodging will be provided in comfortable apartments for your exclusive use or shared with other course participants, hotels, agriturismi (ex-farms with restaurants serving local produce), or in selected families, where students will be able to practice their Italian communication skills in an atmosphere of day-to-day family life.

Feedback

Over 20% of our students every year come back to Camerano at least once to continue their studies at CCC. Given the more obvious attractions of some of the other learning centres in our beautiful country (Rome, Florence, Venice, etc.), we are delighted to achieve such a positive response from our valued students.