Ideal for students who are looking for a school right by the Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station.
Not ideal for students who want to be in a modern, upscale school.
The good
- Very affordable tuition price for Florence.
- Beautiful outdoor garden.
- 3 minutes walk to the Firenze Santa Maria Novella station.
- Large range of creative courses.
The bad
- The classrooms are a little old and outdated.
Date of my inspection visit at Linguaviva Florence: June 05, 2024
My overall take
Linguaviva is located in the centre of Florence, right by the Firenze Santa Maria Novella station. It is the hub for all travel around Florence with most of the buses and trams serving the area, literally only steps away from the school building. The Piazza del Duomo is also only 13 minutes walk away so students are still in close proximity of the touristic centre.
The communicative approach is utilised at this school, although grammar, vocabulary, and listening are also taught; speaking and listening make up more than 50% of the lessons. From the very first lesson, students are taught in Italian so they can become comfortable with the language. They emphasise a teaching method that is not boring, especially as most of the students are on a short-term stay.
The experience and history of the school are what stood out to me the most: 50 years of success, arguably one of the oldest language schools in Florence. The nationality and age mix is also perfect; German-speaking countries comprise only 30% of the student body, which is the school’s highest nationality percentage. Overall, Linguaviva prides itself on excellent customer care and where it can make itself available and flexible to the needs of the students.
The students attending this school are very mixed, but the common students are those looking for a short-term study holiday. That being said, they do have a dedicated department with a focus on students learning Italian for further education/careers, juniors, seniors, and combined cultural and study courses.
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Linguaviva Florence at a glance
| Rating of former students | 4.4 (341 ratings) |
| Class size | Lingo Traveller rating: Average Max. 14 students in Standard Italian course |
| Diversity of nationalities | Lingo Traveller rating: Below average diversity. No nationality more than 31%. Top nationality: Europe (German Speaking mainly) |
| Learning intensity | 3 hours of homework per week |
| Number of students | 200 adults + 40 juniors in July 100 adults in January |
| Minimum student age | 14 years for specific junior courses 16 years for adults |
| Accreditations | IALC, ASILS, CSN, Bildungsurlaub, UED, Study Travel |
| Course range | Standard Italian Course, Intensive Course, Super Intensive Course, Cultural Programme for Seniors, One-to-One, Foundation Programme for University: Medicine and Veterinary, Short Preparatory for University: Medicine and Veterinary, Italian + Cooking, Italian + Arts |
| Accommodation types | Homestay, Shared Apartment |
| Price | |
| Standard Group course 20 lessons/week: 45min/lesson | 1 week: €215 3 weeks: €645 |
| Additional fees | Inscription fee: €80 Course material fee: €23 |
| Price level – Standard Group course (based on 3 weeks incl. all fees) | €16.60 per 60 minute tuition |
My tour of the school & video review
Student voices
Unfiltered comments from random students I met at the school and asked about their experience.
“The teachers and staff are so helpful. Not only are they helpful in getting you all the things you need for the study, but they are also helpful with what to do in the city and what’s nearby. They are amazing people who love their jobs!“
Maria
69 years from Cuba/USA
“The teachers are really nice and understanding. They are used to people learning Italian, especially beginners, so they know how to teach and communicate with them, and they teach you the right way to learn Italian.“
Maho
27 years from Japan
Questions to school director
Excerpts below from my conversation with Alessio Milani, Admission Officer for Linguaviva Florence Campus.
Me: “What sets your school apart from others in the city?“
School: “We always work with small groups to give the students the opportunity to experience the language, not only study the grammar, vocabulary and the technical skills. we always try to offer availability and flexibility to adapt our offers to the exact needs of the student.”
Me: “Is there a particular type of student for whom your school is especially suitable?
School: “There is not an ideal student. I would say with the age mix and nationality mix, there is proof that any student is welcome and ideal for us”
School inspection report
Classrooms
Classrooms are a little outdated, but most have smart TVs, and teachers have laptops that connect to the TV and broadcast the content; in the classrooms, there are two large projectors that are used for seminars and afternoon activities. Some classrooms also have a balcony which is a plus during the warmer months.
Facilities
There is not a large indoor communal area, and most students relax on the small balconies during break times. However, there is a stunning garden where most students eat their lunch and study after school, individually and with friends.
Surrounding area
The immediate surroundings also have many cafes, restaurants (not just Italian food but south and East Asian etc), shops and touristic kiosks. Firenze Santa Maria Novella station is only 3 minutes walk away.
Social activities
The students have access to a complete calendar of activities, including historical tours in museums by art history teachers at the school, seminars on Italian topics, evenings out, e.g., aperitivo, and many more.
Trusted student ratings of Linguaviva Florence on the web
| Total | 4.4 (341 ratings) |
|---|---|
| LanguageCourse.net | 4.4 (22 ratings) |
| ESL | 4.4 (319 ratings) |
Ratings as of June 28, 2024
Why no Google or Facebook ratings? Schools may have requested Facebook, Google or Trustpilot reviews only from those students that previously gave positive after-course evaluations. I only trust ratings from independent booking platforms/agencies, that allow exclusively clients who booked via their platform to rate the schools. I have checked each of these sites above and they have no disproportional number of positive vs negative reviews.
Location of Linguaviva Florence
Via Fiume, 17 50123 Firenze
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