CAPO VATICANO, CALABRIA, ITALY

Capo Vaticano is situated on the Calabrian coast, near Tropea, in Southern Italy. Calabria, which is generally thought of as a Maritime region is, in actual fact, a long peninsula with some 800 km of coastline which is practically all mountainous. The school is nestled in the center of a beautiful orange tree orchard. Over looking the clear waters of the Mediterranean, Capo Vaticano is known for its natural scenic beauty, beaches and elegant history. Tropea, the best known town in the area is only a short journey form Capo Vaticano and is known for it archaeological past, modern day harbor and houses built on cliff terraces. Our school in Capo Vaticano is only open during the summer, normally from Mat through to October.

How do I get to your school and get around in Capo Vaticano?
Speak to your travel agent for the best route to take to reach Capo Vaticano. We suggest: organize your flights to reach the closest airport, LAMETIA TERNE, which is south of the town Cosenza in Calabria, Southern Italy. It would also be possible to fly into one of the major International Italian airports and then make your way across country to Tropea by train. The school is only 5 km from Tropea train station.

Car: Languages Plus is approximately 1 hour car ride from Lametia Terne airport.
Train: The nearest station to Capo Vaticano is TROPEZ. The station is only 5 km from the station and we can arrange a complimentary pick up.

Capo Vaticano is only a small village and you will find that most people walk everywhere. If you need to catch a ride, Taxis are reasonable and the local bus and train service is also available.

Our School
Our school is the only one of it's kind in the entire region and for this reason; we have gained quite an excellent reputation. Our school stands in the grounds of what used to be an agriculture estate, nestled in a shady orange grove-a perfect refuge for those city-dwellers. Our school complex is made up of several idyllic, small guest apartments and classrooms (many of the lessons are taught outside). The school is situated only meters from the beach and the local village. Classes can take place outside on the terrace in a very relaxed atomsphere.

At the central meeting point, includes a cafe, and mid morning breaks are taken here; also serves as a common room, and where dinners are organized for the students and teachers. The school has about 5 classrooms and holds about 50 students. On Mondays, students gather at the very nice trattoria which overlook the Eolian Islands, and enjoy a traditional Calabrian meal. Traditionally on Thursdays, students prepare for a dinner, which the school director helps prepare with some of the students whilst some of the teachers play instruments. The school offers a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere (family-like) way to learn a language and the teachers are always available to practice with the students even outside of class.

School Accommodation
Self- Catering Apartments: with a choice of single or double rooms, with fully equipped kitchens and living areas. Some are located located within a 5 minute walk from the school others in 7 houses that are located in the garden. Apartments are not air conditioned but have fans. Linens will be provided for you, please bring you own towels. Apartments are cleaned once every week. No washing machine is available, however, there is a Laundromat close-by. Guest house: similar to the apartments with a choice of single or doublerooms, however with no cooking facilities.

Host Family: Not available in Capo Vaticano.

Typical Cultural Activities to Expect
Village tour, Italian film evenings, Volleyball on the beach, BBB's, trips to local museums, bike riding, hiking, City tour of the Medieval town of Tropea, a visit to the Castle of Vibo Valentia where there is an archeological museum; a visit to the town of Pizzo, (25 km away), to see the Castle of Gioacchino Murat and ice cream on the beach, the best in all of Calabria!

Weekend Day Trips (optional and at additional price)
The school provides the students with information about these trips. Recent weekend excursions include: Taormina (3 hours away), the Eolia Islands, Reggio Calabria (where you can find 2 beautiful Greek bronze statues at the National Museum) Tropea, Sila Mountains and of course, Sicily!

Prices
Programs in Capo Vaticano start from $700.00 US for 2 weeks including accommodation and tuition. We have many program options and all year round start dates. If you want more detailed pricing or start date information, we suggest you request a brochure or call us Toll Free within North America at: Tel: 1 888 526 4758 (LANGPLUS) or outside of North America at 416 925 7117.

COUNTRY TIPS
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What are the major holidays in Italy?
New Year's Day (1 January), Epiphany (6 January), Easter Monday (March or April; date varies), Liberation Day (25 April), Labor Day (1 May), Feast of the Assumption (15 August), All Saints' Day (1 November), National Unity Day (5 November), Feast of the Immaculate Conception (8 December), Christmas Day (25 December), and the Feast of St. Stephen (25 and 26 December).
*The school will be closed on the above dates.

How much will I spend a day?
This is very difficult to answer and depends on the person, however the prices below should give you a approx. idea.
Three-course meal without drink: L14000-18000
Laundromat, self service wash and dry: L12,000
Cafe meal: L6000-L9000

What is the local currency?
Italian Lire or "L"

Are a passport, visa, or vaccinations necessary?
Citizens of the United States and Canada in possession of a valid US or Canadian passport, are not required to obtain a visa for Italy for a period of up to three months if traveling as a tourist.

In case that a stay of more than three but less than six months is intended, a visa is required. If you are a resident of the U.S. but do not hold U.S. citizenship, a visa may be required. Visitors from the U.S./Canada do not need inoculations.

Time?
Italy is on Central European Time, which is 6 hours a head of American Eastern Time.

Should I bring local currency, traveler's checks or use credit cards?
Italy is still a very traditional country, so everyone is very happy to accept local currency; after all, who doesn't like cash? But for safety and convenience sake, you might not want to have large amounts of either dollars or local currency on hand and so we would suggest you bring along travelers checks, which are accepted almost everywhere, or major credit cards to obtain cash along the way as needed. Be aware that you will accessed a 'service charge' each time you cash travelers checks, so convert enough each time to cover your expenses for several days. In addition, if your traveler's checks are in a foreign currency such as U.S. Dollars, you need to be aware that you will receive a much better exchange rate if they are converted at a bank.

Cash and travelers checks can be exchanged at the official Exchange rate of the day at any bank or exchange counter (airports, railway stations, tourist offices--a small commission applies); travel agencies, hotels, restaurants and stores may accept foreign currency but give you a lower rate to cover their handling. Banks are normally open weekdays 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM, and some reopen 2:30-3:30.

Credit cards are accepted in the major cities. In general, most larger hotels, car rental agencies, and upscale stores in the tourist areas will accept the major credit cards. Be aware, however, that many restaurants, cafes and stores will only accept cash so be sure to ask in advance.

What is the weather like?
Tuscany is not far enough south to banish winter frosts, but such cold is unusual. Damp, if not terribly cold in the winter Florence has an average low of 2° C (35° F) high of 9° C (48° F) in January; it's most inviting in May, June, and September when the temperatures aren't extreme. July and August can be very hot with temperatures averaging between 18° C (65° F) and 31° C (87° F) in July, but basically dry with some thunderstorms.

Will my electrical gadgets work?
Electric current in Italy is 220 volts AC at 50 Cycles per second. To operate small appliances, laptop computers or other electronic gadgets, you will need a multi-adapter (though the rounded two-pronged plug is common in Italy, so are a number of other). Check with a large electronics store in your area. Electric clocks, record players and tape recorders will not work properly even on converters because they use the 60 Cycle American/Canadian standard.

Business hours?
Most shops' hours are from 8 or 9 AM to 1 PM and 4:30 or 5:00 to 7:30 or 8 PM; most are closed on Sundays and on one afternoon per week.

Tipping
A 10 to 15 percent service charge is usually added to restaurant bills, but waiters expect an additional L1,000 tip per person. Taxi drivers should be tipped 10 percent. Tip hotel staff L1,000-2,000 depending on the standard of hotel. Cinema and theater ushers expect a small tip for showing you to your seats.

What is the best way to phone home?
There are numerous public phones around Florence, which use phone cards and/or coins. All these phones can be used for both local and long distance phone calls. Magnetic phone cards are available from machines and over the counter in denominations of 5,000, 10,000, and 15,000 lire.

It is also smart to obtain an overseas phone card (they are usually free-of-charge) from your long distance carrier, such as MCI, AT&T or Sprint. MCI's Worldphone Program, for example, lets you phone the US/Canada from Italy or any other European countries at greatly reduced rates from what you would pay from the regular hotel charge. The long distance carrier will give you a special number to call when placing your call.

THINGS TO SEE IN CALABRIA and CAPO VATICANO
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Tropea: The medieval town has a prehistoric museum (actually the entire area is a archaeological treasure)!
Santa Maria dell'Isola: Some of the 11th and 12th century Cathedrals are just beautiful.
The beautiful beaches Please take advantage of the natural wonders around you. Explore the coves, snorkel, swim etc. you will never see the Mediterranean like this again!
The Locals: Try to work on those Italian skills! In our opinion you will probably learn the most valued lessons and hear about the local history of Capo Vaticano best from the very friendly locals (maybe you will even get a dinner invitation).
Sila Mountains: A beautiful mountain and nature reserve.
Serra san Bruno: A roman monastery with beautiful frescoes.
Hipporion: An old Greek settlement.
The Castle of Vibo Valentia: where there is an archeological museum.
Town of Pizzo: (25 km away) see the Castle of Gioacchino Murat.
Taormina: 3 hours away.
The Eolia Islands: beautiful islands.

*When packing, remember to bring along appropriate clothes for visiting religious sites, such as cathedrals. Usually there's an unspoken dress code that demands long trousers for men and below-the-knee skirts for women. Sleeveless shirts might also be forbidden, especially on women.