CENTRO STUDI ITALIANI, the Italian language school in Urbania

Urbania (Province of Pesaro and Urbino, the Marches region) is a typical and attractive township, at 16 km. from Urbino, situated between the Adriatic sea and Tuscany. The town, known during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance as Casteldurante, was a splendid centre of art and culture. Donato Bramante and other important artists were born there, among whom the illustrious masters of the XVI and XVII century ceramics.
Because of its amenity and salubrity it was chosen by the Dukes of Urbino as a second residence (the "Castle of delights"). It has two ducal residences: the Ducal Palace, where the last Duke of Urbino, Francesco Maria II della Rovere (+1631) held his court, and the Ducal Park, hunting residence of the Dukes.
Urbania has ancient and glorious musical traditions. Girolamo Crescentini (1762-1846) was born there; it has an important and historical opera house ("Bramante" Theatre), which was inaugurated with a performance of the "Trovatore" by Verdi in 1864, and a very modern auditorium with 500 seats. There are two important museums: the Civic Museum and the Picture-gallery, with a Town library rich in ancient works and volumes, Flemish prints, designs of the Renaissance and the famous Merchant world maps, and the Diocesan Museum. Also of great interest is the Cathedral (the ancient Benedictine Abbey of S. Cristoforo del Ponte), and numerous churches and buildings of the Renaissance. The historical centre keeps the fascination of the golden era of its past (XIV-XVII centuries) intact and numerous artistic ceramic laboratories and shops can be found in the town's streets and squares.
Urbania, however, does not just live with its glorious past. Today it is one of the most important centres for the production of "jeans", often visited by the best stylists. A modern and ancient town where everyone can feel at ease. In fact Urbania is a modern town in which you can live in a very comfortable way. There are supermarkets and shops of all kinds; excellent sports facilities, gymnasiums, places for young people, restaurants, trattorias, pizza houses. There are concerts, shows, exhibitions and entertainment of every type, especially in the summer, during the "Urbania Summer Programme” (June-September).
With the membership card of the Centre of Italian Studies the students are allowed discounts in shops and reduced entrance fees.