Stefano Lanza, an Italian linguist who teaches Italian language and culture in Kaunas, may be the only "non-typical" Italian you'll meet – he doesn't drink coffee and has never even tasted it! A fascinating figure, Stefano has become an expert in Lithuanian, dedicating over 20 years of his life to studying the language. He is the mastermind behind the first Lithuanian-Italian dictionary, a monumental achievement that earned him an order from the President of Italy.
Stefano Lanza
Born in Milan in 1973, Stefano spent his youth in Bologna, where he studied Latin at the oldest continuously operating university in the world. His unexpected journey to Lithuania led him to fall in love with the Lithuanian language, which he learned and later used to earn his PhD. He continues his linguistic research, uncovering the rich, untapped treasures of the Lithuanian language that many locals overlook.
"I was taught French before Italian by my mother, a French language teacher," says Stefano, who believes Latin paved the way for the development of Lithuanian, a language he deeply admires. After more than two decades in Kaunas, where he now has a family, Stefano remains passionate about Lithuania and its language, encouraging others to discover its linguistic beauty.
Discover your future path in Lithuania too! Apply for your studies at Vilnius University, Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics.