Become Part of the Community

Students will become a part of the community in Montepulciano and be immersed in the culture while studying abroad. Italian culture is full of rich history, art, architecture, food and traditions. The culture is generally slower-paced and more relaxed than in the United States. The people of Montepulciano "Poliziani" are very used to KSU students and tourists. Poliziani welcome students in the town and in their businesses.  

Student Guidebook

The Essentials

  • The family (la famiglia) is the most important aspect of an Italian鈥檚 life. Their family solidarity is focused on extended family rather than the West's idea of an immediate family. There is also a deep respect for elders in the culture. Italian families have frequent gatherings (usually centered around food), often help support each other, and are the basis for their social circles. Families also have their own traditions and spend more quality time together regularly. 
  • Meals are a major part of life and therefore take a long time. Service will be slower-paced as well. Most shops will also close for an extended lunch which can go into the early afternoon. 
     
    Italian cuisine has influenced food culture around the world and is viewed as a form of art by many. Wine, cheese, and pasta are an important part of Italian meals. No one area of Italy eats the same things as the next. Each region of Italy generally has a signature type or shape of pasta as well as a signature wine. Pasta comes in a wide range of shapes, widths, and lengths, including penne, spaghetti, linguine, fusilli, and lasagna. Most of the foods that Americans view as Italian, such as spaghetti and pizza, come from central Italy. 
     
    Expect a difference in the dining process in Italy. The 鈥渂ar鈥� is a neighborhood institution for morning coffee, mid-day snacks, a quick light lunch, or a glass of wine at the end of the day. To-go or a "takeaway" is not very common in Italy because meals are an event to spend time with friends and family.  
  • As a KSU Education Abroad student, living in the community in Montepulciano is culturally rich and is a significant aspect of your program. While in Italy, students usually share two to four-bedroom apartments with other students within a program. Our partners at 鈥業l Sasso鈥� have coordinated with community members to provide authentic Italian apartments that have comfortable rooms and modern amenities.  
     
    Each apartment comes furnished and will have cooking equipment to cook your own meals. Bedding is provided and sheets are washed weekly. Apartments are located no more than 20 minutes from the Medieval Fortezza. Students are also a short distance from laundry, grocery, and pharmacy facilities. 

  • Our advice always is to pack for comfort and layered wear. To optimize your luggage space, try to pick colors in the same color scheme to mix and matches clothing pieces. Bring comfortable broken-in walking shoes. Please note that proper attire (shoulders to knees covered) is required for entrance into many religious institutions, especially the Vatican. Make sure to follow  and your airline鈥檚 rules of what you can bring. 
     
    You will not need to being any apartment items. All apartments come equipped and ready to live in. 

    Packing Tips & Checklist

Where to Get What

  • For small daily grocery items, there are several small shops up on the Corso (main street). Just outside the walls of the City Center, the Conad is the main grocery store for weekly grocery trips and tends to be less expensive than the smaller food shops within the town. The store has lots of options for food and products if you need toiletries and other items that you may have forgotten to pack. When buying produce, you will need to wear the gloves provided, use the scale to weigh your items, and print out a price sticker. When preparing to go to the Conad, bring your own bag to carry your groceries in. You can also purchase a reusable bag at the checkout counter for a small charge. 
  • There are two Farmacias (Pharmacies) in town one in the center on the Corso and one right outside the city gates on the way to the Conad. For all drugs, including over the counter, you must describe your symptoms to a pharmacist. Knowing the chemical name of your medicine will help, brand names may not. The pharmacists typically speak good English. Please note that the pharmacy can only deal with minor health problems. If you have a major health problem or emergency, please report it to your Program Director. 

Weather & Outdoors

  • It is advised to check the weather in the areas you will be staying in before packing and adjust accordingly. Layered clothing is generally advised. The weather in Montepulciano is similar to the weather in Georgia. The beginning of summer can range between the 70s and 80s. Mid-summer can begin to climb into the mid to high 80s. The latter half of the summer generally ranges between the mid to high 80s to high 90s. During the night, the temperature may drop as low as the 50s but tends to stay in the 60s. Rome (and other southern regions) will often be warmer than Montepulciano, and Florence will often be more humid. 

    Because of the thick architectural stone, which helps to insulate buildings including the apartments, many buildings and residents of Montepulciano do not have air conditioning. To help regulate the temperature, keep your windows closed during the day and open them at night. Fans are also available to borrow from the Fortezza or purchase from the Conad. 

  • You will do a lot more walking and standing on a program than during a normal day in the states. While in Montepulciano for class days, students may walk an average of 2-5 miles, while students will often walk 6-9 miles on field trips (These are not hikes, by any means. Rather, walking is simply a part of the culture.). Much of the walking during field trips and within the town of Montepulciano is on uneven, non-level, sometimes steep ground. Most of the towns have cobblestone streets and can be quite hilly. Accessibility for walking-impaired individuals is limited in much of Italy. It is advised that all participants wear comfortable shoes in Italy and should avoid heels and flip-flops. 

Transportation

  • Some programs will use private buses, depending itinerary and size of the program. The public buses will allow you to explore more of Tuscany without the expensive price of a private car or bus. The bus will take you to all the neighboring towns of Montepulciano and then some. Montepulciano Autostazione is set right outside the walls of Montepulciano and has all the bus information and schedules.  
     
    There is also a small local bus that runs all around town (from the Conad up to Piazza Grande). Buses run very frequently, and times are listed around the town. You can get a bus ticket at the bus station for about 1.50 euros.

  • Trains are the most important mode of transportation to and from Montepulciano. Italian trains are mostly reliable, on time, and easy to figure out. Chiusi-Chiaciano Terme is the best train station to use for Montepulciano.  
     
    There are three main types of trains: Regionale Veloce, Intercity, and the Freccia trains (rossa, bianca, argento). Regionale Veloce (RV) is the slowest and makes the most stops but is the cheapest. Intercity trains will make fewer stops but will cost twice as much as the RV. The Freccia trains are high-speed, express trains and are the most expensive trains. You must validate your RV tickets before boarding the train, or you will face a fine that could cost hundreds of euros.  

    Weekend Travel Tips

  • In Rome, the main method of transportation will be the metro, which is what Europeans call the subway. The metro has three lines and goes to the city鈥檚 most important landmarks.  
     
    To see more information about the Metro of Rome: