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❮ All Italian schools in Florence
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ABCFlorence, Italy

4.6

Rating: 4.6/5.0

235 students - overall rating
Via dei Bardi, 28 - 50125 Florence - see on map
Pay less than booking at the school
What we like about the school
  • Accommodation within walking distance to school
  • Excellent rating of student apartments
    5.0

    Rating: 5.0/5.0

  • Top rated social activities
    4.3

    Rating: 4.3/5.0

  • Free assistance in finding flats for long-term students.
What we dislike about the school
  • Lessons are 45 minutes long, which is shorter than in other schools.
Age of students
  Percentage of students
1-18 years 5%
18-24 years 25%
25-34 years 25%
35-50 years 25%
>50 years 20%
The average age outside summer is 10 years higher than in summer.

Background: If there is one way to live the Italian "Bella vita" while learning the finer intricacies of the Italian language, then ABC Florence would probably be the place for you. It is situated in the historic centre of the city, a location rich in history and art. Many people believe that Florence is the birthplace of the Italian language, so the learning experience is as authentic as it can get. ABC Florence maintains smaller groups of students in a personalised and attentive manner while catering to the needs of every student that chooses to enrol at the language school.

Location: The school is located in a Renaissance noble palace, Palazzo Canigiani, in the area of San Niccolò in Oltrarno, a 3-minute walk from the Ponte Vecchio. The large, well-lit classrooms have high, frescoed ceilings and on one side overlook the peaceful Via dei Bardi and on the other, the Arno river. Some of them offer panoramic views, but the prettiest view can be enjoyed from the terrace: from here, Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery, the Arno riverbank, the Palazzo Vecchio and the Cathedral’s dome all make a Gine show off themselves right in front of you.

Course selection: Studying at ABC Florence allows you to choose the timeframe of your course, thus making it a personal experience. Teachers at ABC Florence encourage all students to express themselves independently and to make the most of situations where language skills can be improved.

Accommodation: All accommodation options are conveniently located in the historic centre of the city.

Italian Courses

Show details of all courses
Typical content of a language course
General Language
Intensive CourseRecommended Italian courseMost Popular Italian course
30 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
In high demand!
Offer!from
420€399€
Course Details
Standard Course Popular Italian course
20 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
300€285€
Course Details
Semi Standard Course
10 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
135€129€
Course Details
Standard PLUS One-to-One 10
30 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
700€665€
Course Details
Standard PLUS One-to-One 5
25 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
500€475€
Course Details
Standard PLUS Thematic Art History Course
25 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
650€618€
Course Details
Florence and Sestri Levante
20 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
268€255€
Course Details
Trietto Course (Three-to-One)
5 lessons per week
|
3 students (max)
Offer!from
350€333€
Course Details
50+ Course
20 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
480€456€
Course Details
Online
Online Lessons
5 lessons per week
|
1 student (max)
Offer!from
200€190€
Course Details
Private
Duetto Course (Two-to-One)
5 lessons per week
|
2 students (max)
Offer!from
275€262€
Course Details
Individual Course
5 lessons per week
|
1 student (max)
Offer!from
225€214€
Course Details
Italian Language PLUS Art History Course
20 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
820€779€
Course Details
Business
Standard PLUS Business 10
30 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
700€665€
Course Details
Standard PLUS Business 5
25 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
500€475€
Course Details
Standard PLUS Flight Attendance 10
30 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
700€665€
Course Details
Standard PLUS Flight Attendance 5
25 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
500€475€
Course Details
Standard PLUS Healthcare 10
30 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
700€665€
Course Details
Standard PLUS Healthcare 5
25 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
500€475€
Course Details
Standard PLUS Hotel and Tourism 10
30 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
700€665€
Course Details
Standard PLUS Hotel and Tourism 5
25 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
500€475€
Course Details
Exam PreparationWhy exam preparation courses are excellent for optimum progress
Standard PLUS CILS, AIL or CELI Exam Preparation 10Recommended Italian course
30 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
700€665€
Course Details
Standard PLUS CILS, AIL or CELI Exam Preparation 5Recommended Italian course
25 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
500€475€
Course Details
Language Plus Activity
Intensive Art History Course 20
20 lessons per week
|
1 student (max)
Offer!from
1250€1188€
Course Details
Specialty Courses
Standard PLUS Teacher Training
25 lessons per week
|
10 students (max)
Offer!from
560€532€
Course Details

Our prices for ABC include

  • INCLUDED Organized activities
  • INCLUDED Internet access and use of school computers
  • INCLUDED Wireless LAN zone at school
  • INCLUDED Free certificate of course attendance
  • INCLUDED Language level placement test before arrival
  • INCLUDED For adult courses: a minimum of one free organized leisure activity per week
  • INCLUDED Free assistance in finding flats for long-term students

Videos & Photos

  • Learning in Florence
    Learning in Florence1/47
  • 2/47
  • Meal time
    Meal time3/47
  • Learning together
    Learning together 4/47
  • Small group class
    Small group class5/47
  • Terrace
    Terrace6/47
  • Lesson at school
    Lesson at school7/47
  • Lesson at school
    Lesson at school8/47
  • School from the Arno river
    School from the Arno river9/47
  • Students at class
    Students at class10/47
  • Teaching
    Teaching11/47
  • 12/47
  • During the break, terrace
    During the break, terrace13/47
  • We are here
    We are here14/47
  • Views of the city
    Views of the city15/47
  • Sites
    Sites16/47
  • Florence activities
    Florence activities17/47
  • Excursions
    Excursions 18/47
  • Palazzo Canigiani, the school building in Via dei Bardi
    Palazzo Canigiani, the school building in Via dei Bardi19/47
  • 20/47
  • 21/47
  • ABC Lingua e Cultura Italiana
    ABC Lingua e Cultura Italiana22/47
  • Happy students
    Happy students 23/47
  • ABC students
    ABC students24/47
  • 25/47
  • 26/47
  • 27/47
  • Aperitivo together.
    Aperitivo together.28/47
  • 29/47
  • Gelato experience.
    Gelato experience.30/47
  • 31/47
  • 32/47
  • In class
    In class33/47
  • students
    students34/47
  • Having fun in Florence
    Having fun in Florence35/47
  • Study materials
    Study materials36/47
  • Trip to Siena.
    Trip to Siena.37/47
  • Beautiful corner at school
    Beautiful corner at school38/47
  • Cooking lesson
    Cooking lesson39/47
  • Socialising
    Socialising 40/47
  • Making friends
    Making friends41/47
  • Visit to the Uffizi Gallery.
    Visit to the Uffizi Gallery.42/47
  • Students in Florence
    Students in Florence43/47
  • Adventures
    Adventures44/47
  • Learning in class
    Learning in class45/47
  • Fruit market
    Fruit market 46/47
  • Visit to the Accademia Gallery.
    Visit to the Accademia Gallery.47/47

Student opinions about ABC, Florence

4.6

Rating: 4.6/5.0

Overall school rating of
ABC, Florence
235 authentic ratings from students who reserved with us
School
Location of the school
4.9 

Rating: 4.9/5.0

Facilities
4.1 

Rating: 4.1/5.0

Social activities
4.3 

Rating: 4.3/5.0

Organisation
4.7 

Rating: 4.7/5.0

Course
Quality of teaching
4.7 

Rating: 4.7/5.0

Value for money
4.5 

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Accommodation
Homestay
4.3 

Rating: 4.3/5.0

Shared Flat (apartment)
5.0 

Rating: 5.0/5.0

Overall school rating by student age group
Students < 18 years (5 ratings)
4.6 

Rating: 4.6/5.0

Students 18-30 years (30 ratings)
4.5 

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Students 31-49 years (42 ratings)
4.6 

Rating: 4.6/5.0

Students 50+ years (126 ratings)
4.7 

Rating: 4.7/5.0

Verified reviews only, uncensored. All student opinions from students who booked a course at the school with LanguageCourse.net.
66 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“The best teacher i have had. Great location. Nice people. The 50 plus excursions were way below par. They offered mostly Florence walking tours and the guide was extremely knowledgeable but the entire tour is done in rapid Italian so you will only pick up bits and pieces. Book your own tours and enjoy this excellent school in the heart of Florence. I give the school my highest rating”
Disliked
“Lack of organized excursions outside Florence. Book your own tours”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: Need better excursions
Course: 50+ Course - 2 weeks
Review date: 22. Jan. 2024 by Will Flammer
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
62 years
Overall rating
4.0

Rating: 4/5.0

Liked
“- Friendly teachers, German language was banned, whenever necessary it was translated and explained in English (which was a problem for students who couldn't speak English). - Punctuality and reliability, tightly organised lessons The learning content was actually still written on the blackboard, multimedia was not used”
Disliked
“- Historic building - however, the classroom echoes a lot, which makes it a little difficult for beginners to understand. - The cultural tour in Italian is too difficult for beginners. At least it should also be explained in English.”
Review details
Other comments I received a link to a school WhatsApp group in advance. No one at the school approached us about it and no contact was made, so it was kind of pointless. But maybe it's only interesting for students who are staying much longer than a week.
Course: Standard Course  - 1 week
Review date: 6. Nov. 2023 by Christine Brugger
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
52 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“It was great that there were no computers in class, so all the students were more present and we learned together. The teachers were very pleasant and responsive to us. We were able to contribute to the lessons through our questions/interests. The secretary's office was also interested in our questions.”
Disliked
“I would have liked to see a library/DVD rental. Maybe there was something like that, but I didn't see it.”
Insider tip: “Parco delle Rose”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: It was good.
Other comments Everything went well.
Course: 50+ Course - 2 weeks
Review date: 6. Jun. 2022 by Nico Marie Steiner
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
57 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“Very friendly staff and teachers. The methods of teaching a foreign language are very efficient. The courses are really worth one's salt. The afternoon and weekend programs are of great variety, and you can always see that the teachers are highly motivated. I would return to ABC at any time!!!”
Insider tip: “According to my opinion the excusions offered by the school are much better that the ones offered by official tourist organisations, because the groups are smaller and the excusions are acompanied by well informed teachers of the school. So take the opportunity to join as much activities offered by the school as possible.”
Review details
Other comments ABC-pupils come from all over the world and it's amazing that you can communicate with anyone in Italian, because it's the common language of everybody. The average age of the sutdents may be about 25, but also people beyond 50 are comletely integrated (if they want to be). I could hardly believe that it is so easy to learn a new language with 55!! And therefore I would always return to ABC, if necessary.
Course: Standard - 8 weeks
Review date: 15. Jul. 2007 by Anagelika Bornfleth
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
29 years
Overall rating
4.0

Rating: 4/5.0

Liked
“Excellent organization and communication with the school. I liked the teachers - the lessons were good. The school is in the very center of the city, it is convenient to get there and have a walk as soon as the lessons are finished. The school organised a very interesting city tour.”
Disliked
“I can’t say what exactly I didn’t like, but there was a lack of cultural activities. Оnly one activity out of 4 offered during the week was outside the school building (city tour). I expected activities in nature or in the city, for example joint dinners, aperitifs, walks, trips, etc.”
Insider tip: “Take time to test your language level so that your level can be determined more accurately.”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: For some reason, I was counting on individual lessons in the afternoon, but instead there was a conversation lesson in a small group of 4 people. Overall, I liked this particular lesson, thanks to the work of the teacher and the group. In general, physically it is quite difficult to study 6 hours a day, but there is rapid progress.
Course: Intensive Course [Italian] - 1 week
Review date: 27. Sep. 2021 by Svetlana Shaytanova
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
68 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“The teaching staff take a very good approach to teaching. Whatever their role, the teams are extremely professional, caring, smiling, facilitative and attentive, and their aim is to do everything they can to satisfy the students. Well done”
Disliked
“The premises are in a wonderful, old location. The ceilings are extremely high. The downside is that the acoustics are difficult for my classes because there's a lot of resonance.”
Insider tip: “Everything on offer is of interest to the curious, especially in the wonderful city of Florence.”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: The guided tours in Italian are a real plus and add an undeniable extra dimension. The guides are superbly competent and so pleasant and friendly. Well done
Other comments Frankly, I've rarely seen such a positive atmosphere in a school. It's so good! I also appreciated the fact that there weren't many students in each class, which made learning easier. Thank you for everything.
Course: 50+ Course - 2 weeks
Review date: 7. Aug. 2024 by Dominique AMIOT
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
53 years
Overall rating
4.0

Rating: 4/5.0

Liked
“Very good mix: Concentration was required in the first two grammar lessons, and I learned a lot. The following two conversation lessons were a relaxed, amusing and instructive chat with people of all ages and all over the world.”
Review details
Course: Standard Course  - 1 week
Review date: 8. Nov. 2021 by Yvonne Achermann
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
75 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“I especially enjoyed the capability of the grammar teacher, Silvia. Even though Italian is new to me and she spoke only Italian, I believe I understood most of what she said. The afternoon tours with her were wonderful.”
Disliked
“I cannot think of anything”
Insider tip: “None”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: It was very good for learning basic grammar and vocabulary.
Other comments None
Course: Standard Course [Italian] - 2 weeks
Review date: 8. Nov. 2023 by Terry Tamer
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
53 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“Good and competent teachers. Good guide in the afternoons (Silvia B), it was good that the guide was in Italian so there was practice in the language even on the excursions. The school was well located and central”
Disliked
“I had a conversation in hall 4 and it was a bit disturbing with sounds from other classrooms.”
Review details
Course: 50+ Course - 1 week
Review date: 24. Oct. 2023 by Helena Henriksson
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
64 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“The welcome, the warmest ladies at the desk. Good and serious assessment of basic level and good communication about this. Excellent, very nice, motivated teachers. I've never liked school so much.”
Insider tip: “This school if they want to learn Italian.”
Review details
Other comments We have not extended our course because we do not actually use Italian any further. Due to circumstances we have to learn Spanish. Unfortunately ABC does not do this otherwise we would certainly have done it at one of their schools.
Course: Standard Course  - 1 week
Review date: 21. Oct. 2019 by Charlotte van Nispen
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
63 years
Overall rating
4.0

Rating: 4/5.0

Liked
“Nice, friendly, helpful and competent. Skilled teachers. Super location in the center of Florence. Nice classrooms with plenty of space. Fantastic guide on tours around Florence (50+)”
Disliked
“Had to wait a bit (30-45 minutes) to get in the first day as the meeting time was set incorrectly. They did not accept payment on Visa (even though it was stated in the papers) so I had to go down to the bank and withdraw money to pay for the course. The building was under renovation which caused a lot of noise from outside. Poor acoustics in the classrooms. ”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: Super guide
Course: 50+ Course - 2 weeks
Review date: 23. Jul. 2021 by John Sindahl Petersen
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
47 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“I had two excellent teachers. I was very happy with both of them. I liked the fact that I was given homework every day. Many thanks to Silvia and Monika.”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: One-to-one lessons are recommended to everyone...it's great and very effective.
Other comments I found the ABC school in Florence to be very spontaneous and flexible. They were able to offer me an Italian course from one day to the next, in other words at very short notice.
Course: Online Lessons [Italian] - 1 week
Review date: 26. Dec. 2021 by Susanne Mayer
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
73 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“Inclusivity of all students even when joining an established class. Good and clear teaching at the right level for me following having done the online test.”
Disliked
“None”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: As there weren’t enough over-50’s I was in a mixed age group of similar ability which was really interesting and enjoyable.
Course: 50+ Course - 1 week
Review date: 7. Oct. 2024 by Sally Hammond
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
69 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“I really liked the method. The teacher I had for both grammar and conversation. Very clear. She fostered a good atmosphere in class giving students security.”
Disliked
“We almost always had good classrooms, although some were not appropriate.”
Review details
Course: 50+ Course [Italiano] - 4 weeks
Review date: 23. May. 2023 by Patricia Abella
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
35 years
Overall rating
4.0

Rating: 4/5.0

Liked
“The two teachers were really great and it was a lot of fun. Despite the fact that only Italian was spoken, it was very easy to follow.”
Disliked
“Organisation and communication are not the strong points. There could also be more interesting/beautiful activities in the afternoon. ”
Review details
Course: Standard Course [Italian] - 1 week
Review date: 1. Jul. 2024 by Dominique Genc
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
65 years
Overall rating
4.0

Rating: 4/5.0

Liked
“The instructors were very passionate about teaching us Italian. They really helped make the class cohesive among the students.”
Disliked
“The housing/accommodation was confusing. I paid for 2 weeks of accommodations but ended booking my own Airbnb for the second week just to have a more comfortable place to be. ”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: My private instructor was friendly and very supportive about my anxiety regarding speaking in Italian. I truly enjoyed her program.
Other comments The film the students saw the first day or so we started was not a good choice for beginners. Too intense, too fast even with subtitles.
Course: Florence and Sestri Levante [Italian] Standard 20 + 3  - 2 weeks
Review date: 10. May. 2022 by Karen Steinhaus
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
62 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“Additional activities as part of the 50+ package were a highlight of my experience. I also enjoyed the diversity of students.”
Disliked
“Noise and disruptions because of construction work (temporary, but quite a disturbance at the time). In the grammar class the levels of students were not comparable, there should be a better system evaluating the level of students.”
Insider tip: “50+ is truly excellent.”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: My teacher-guide Silvia was truly the greatest gift of my experience.
Course: 50+ Course [Italian] - 2 weeks
Review date: 19. Feb. 2024 by Vida Ogorelec
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
42 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“The teachers were very motivated and competent, it was fun to learn. I would take a course there again there in a heartbeat.”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: It was extremely cool, I benefited the most from it.
Course: Intensive Course - 2 weeks
Review date: 3. May. 2023 by Andreas Lang
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
76 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“I had a fantastic teacher Silvia, now I have to visit an Italian course here at home to improve what I've learned.”
Disliked
“Three weeks was to little :-)”
Insider tip: “Italian is a difficult language, don't expect miracles”
Review details
Course: Standard Course  - 3 weeks
Review date: 5. Sep. 2022 by Robert Frænell
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
69 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“The welcome, the friendliness of the administrative staff, the dynamism, competence and humour of the teachers...”
Disliked
“Acoustically, understanding was sometimes difficult. The ceilings were very high, so there was a lot of reverberation... A point that deserves to be raised, because some people can be bothered, especially if they have a hearing problem.”
Insider tip: “The lectures of Beatrice and Sylvia”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: Interesting and serious
Other comments I hope to return there
Course: Standard Course  - 2 weeks
Review date: 27. May. 2024 by Myriam GRANDCHAMP
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
28 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“The teacher is excellent and the organization of the visits in Florence and outside of Florence was very good.”
Disliked
“Actually the library is not good, it would be good if they showed the students in more detail the books they have.”
Insider tip: “No.”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: I think that 3 hours of study are fine.
Other comments No.
Course: Standard Course  - 3 weeks
Review date: 23. Apr. 2023 by Gabriela Garcia
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
57 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“Very competent and good teacher. Nice with just the right amount of "classmates". We had a lot of fun!”
Disliked
“Lessons were 1.5 hours long, would have needed leg stretches. Poor acoustics in the hall. Heard from others that 55+ activities were not suitable for beginners. ”
Insider tip: “Bring a pen and paper”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: Good
Other comments Great service
Course: Standard Course  - 1 week
Review date: 7. Jun. 2023 by Helena Ekstrand
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
55 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“Good classification, very great and varied lessons, the teachers enjoy teaching, everything is perfect.”
Insider tip: “Please stay that way !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: really great! all unique.
Other comments Unique school and very personal!
Course: Standard Course  - 1 week
Review date: 22. Oct. 2019 by Gerlinde Auf
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
61 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“I liked the grammar lesson followed by conversation lesson and the afternoon excursions.”
Disliked
“Since I had no knowledge of the language I could have used some helpful verbs to start like To: go, eat, drink, like, want, need, do ... as well as being provided some common phrases like: How much? What time is it? Which way? ... to the Left/Right, Straight ahead, etc.”
Insider tip: “Attend any all afternoon / evening events provided by the school.”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: If possible to inform when a predominant group of total beginners usually register to come.
Other comments Excursions were interesting and informative.
Course: 50+ Course [Italian] - 1 week
Review date: 11. Jul. 2023 by Ernesto Borchini
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
58 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“Sylvia who took the afternoon activities was very knowledgeable. Everyone was friendly”
Review details
Course: 50+ Course [Italian] - 1 week
Review date: 13. Jun. 2022 by Kenny Moore
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“The very personal service and the fact that the school is small (not so many students)”
Review details
Course: Standard Plus 3 Individual lessons - 2 weeks
Review date: 19. Dec. 2005 by Henriette Kraan
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
53 years
Overall rating
4.0

Rating: 4/5.0

Liked
“The teachers in the morning and afternoon were very committed, competent and helpful!”
Disliked
“The organization was completely overwhelmed. If you had a question, they were always stressed and more annoyed than helpful.”
Insider tip: “Afternoon activities are just as important as the morning class!”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: That was really GREAT !!! Some course participants over 50 would have liked to have taken part and paid for it - but it was not possible - strange! But that is typical for the poor organization of the school.
Other comments It's sad that there always has to be a minimum number of afternoon activities and the registration isn't really clear. This means that activities that would be interesting are repeatedly canceled.
Course: 50+ Course - 1 week
Review date: 1. Nov. 2021 by Vera Lindtner
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
68 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“Everything! Perhaps it was a little cold, I think this will be worse in January.”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: The teachers are very motivated and very interested in their sudents, an amzing experience!
Other comments Very good!
Course: Standard Course [Italiaans] - 1 week
Review date: 14. Mar. 2019 by Antioch Klomp
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
63 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“All teachers are very nice and competent, good teaching, very nice, large rooms”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: I didn't understand what 50+ was supposed to mean here - it was a perfectly normal course for all ages. The offer to be taken to a church once in the afternoon and to the gallery once, it can't be!
Course: 50+ Course - 1 week
Review date: 29. Jan. 2020 by Rosmarie Poskocil
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
63 years
Overall rating
5.0

Rating: 5/5.0

Liked
“Very nice, competent and motivating teachers, great cultural programme”
Disliked
“Very cold classrooms”
Insider tip: “Take warm clothes and something for rain - climate change is making itself felt here, as well.”
Review details
Quality of teaching / language progress: ideal for me
Course: 50+ Course - 4 weeks
Review date: 22. May. 2023 by Anja Pondorf
Verified student who booked this course with LanguageCourse.net.
See all reviews of ABC Florence

Ratings of ABC compared to ratings of all schools in Italy

 ABC FlorenceAverage of all other schools in Italy
Overall school rating4.6

Rating: 4.6/5.0

4.5

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Location of the school4.9

Rating: 4.9/5.0

4.8

Rating: 4.8/5.0

Facilities4.1

Rating: 4.1/5.0

3.9

Rating: 3.9/5.0

Social activities4.3

Rating: 4.3/5.0

4.0

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Organisation4.7

Rating: 4.7/5.0

4.5

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Quality of teaching4.7

Rating: 4.7/5.0

4.5

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Value for money4.5

Rating: 4.5/5.0

4.4

Rating: 4.4/5.0

Homestay4.3

Rating: 4.3/5.0

4.2

Rating: 4.2/5.0

Shared flat4.3

Rating: 4.3/5.0

4.2

Rating: 4.2/5.0

ABC

“Our long experience (since 1982), our small size groups, our own educational material, our familiar atmosphere and our location in the heart of Florence are perfect to study Italian and to spend an unforgettable language travel in Italy.”
Monica Fabianelli
– 
Monica Fabianelli
, 
Director of ABC
Accreditations and Quality seals
ASILSPreferential Terms in Case of Visa RefusalMIUR
Italian teacher qualifications
100% hold a university degree
100% hold a recognised language teaching qualification
Languages spoken by school staff (cannot be guaranteed by school)
First day of course
Students should arrive at 8:30
Student gender mix
40% male / 60% female
Offer for returning students
You will be refunded/waived the school's administration fee if you already attended previously a course at ABC and you book here.
Payment methods accepted for payments made directly to the school
Visa - logoMastercard - logoBank Transfer - logo
Year of school foundation
1982
Legal name/parent company
L'Arca s.r.l. | Tax registration ID: IT04519920484
The school is an official exam center
The following language examinations can be taken directly at the school:

General school facilities

  • Snack vending machine

  • Drink vending machine

  • Library

  • Movie rental

  • Movie room

  • Lounge

  • Balcony / terrace

  • Student support desk

  • Free WIFI

  • Non-smoking (all indoor and all outdoor areas of school)

  • Tourist information

  • Assistance with entrance ticket purchases

  • Assistance with reservations for restaurants, bars, clubs

  • Classroom equipment

    • TV in some classrooms

    • Air conditioning in some classrooms

    • Heating in all classrooms

    • Ample natural light in all classrooms

    • Number of classrooms: 11
    • Number of public PC workstations: 1

    Facilities for disabled students

    • Accessible Toilet

Additional comment about facilities of school
* Terrace with a view

Student Age / Nationality

Average number of students
In summer: 50
Throughout the year: 50
Minimum age of students
16 years
14 years for specific Junior courses
Average number of levels
Adult courses In summer: 6
Adult courses Throughout the year: 6
Junior courses In summer: 6
Junior courses Throughout the year: 6
Average age of students
In summer: 25 years
Throughout the year: 35 years
Read our recommendations for students in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Top student nationalities

Student Nationality Percentage of students
Switzerland 20%
Germany 15%
USA 15%
France 8%
Israel 5%
England 5%
Spain 4%
Japan 2%
Turkey 2%
Brazil 2%
Sweden 2%
Venezuela 2%
Netherlands 2%
China 1%
Korea 1%
Other nationalities 14%

Information for all courses offered by ABC

Lesson duration
45 minutes
School's administrative fee
60.00 €
Course material
Generally course material is distributed free to students and will stay in student property.
Comments about courses

Group lessons are 45 minutes long. Individual, duetto and trietto lessons are 55 minutes long.

Individual classes
Single individual lessons of tuition can be reserved at 40 €. The combination of group and individual lessons is highly recommended. Individual lessons will encourage you to actively speak the foreign language and will offer you the opportunity to discuss individual problems and weaknesses.
Days without class
In 2024 (including national and regional bank holidays):
01 Jan 2024, 02 Jan 2024, 03 Jan 2024, 04 Jan 2024, 05 Jan 2024, 01 Apr 2024, 25 Apr 2024, 01 May 2024, 24 Jun 2024, 15 Aug 2024, 01 Nov 2024, 23 Dec 2024, 24 Dec 2024, 25 Dec 2024, 26 Dec 2024, 27 Dec 2024, 30 Dec 2024, 31 Dec 2024.
In 2025 (including national and regional bank holidays):
01 Jan 2025, 06 Jan 2025, 21 Apr 2025, 25 Apr 2025, 01 May 2025, 02 Jun 2025, 24 Jun 2025, 15 Aug 2025, 01 Nov 2025, 08 Dec 2025, 22 Dec 2025 - 31 Dec 2025.
School policy regarding bank holidays:Private classes are recuperated or refunded. Same as for nearly all language schools, group classes falling on bank holiday are not refunded and not recuperated.
Level test
A test to assess your exact language level takes place before the start of the course via an online form.
Lessons needed per Italian language level
Level (CEFR) LESSONS needed per level WEEKS needed
(20 lessons per week)
A1 Beginner A1 to A2 80 4
A2 Elementary A2 to B1 160 8
B1 Intermediate B1 to B2 180 9
B2 Higher Intermediate B2 to C1 200 10
C1 Advanced C1 to C2 220 11
C2 Proficiency
Data above gives some guidance. For more details consult our page How long does it take to learn a language or reach a specific level.

Airport transfer

Florence Peretola Airport:
70 € one way
140 € return (both ways)
Best arrival airport is Firenze / Peretola Airport (FLR).
More details about airports near Florence and how to travel independently from the airport to the city on our Florence page. For flight comparisons to Florence, we recommend using skyscanner.com.

Visa Documents

Nationals from USA do not require a visa to study short term courses up to 90 days.
Check visa requirements for nationals from other countries.
Nationals from countries that require a visa will receive documents from the school, related to booking confirmation, which is required for the visa application.
School fee for issuing the visa documents:
30 €
Full payment of all fees required before school dispatches documents required for visa application
Yes
Express shipment fee (via courier)
Europe: 20 €
,
North America: 30 €
,
South America: 30 €
,
Asia: 35 €
Preferential cancellation terms in case of visa refusal
School agreed that students booking online on this site will benefit from preferential cancellation fees in case of visa refusal, and in this case will never exceed EUR 180.

Leisure activities

activity possibledistance from school
Ballet-
Baseball-
Cooking-
Dancing1 km
Football (soccer)1 km
Golf7 km
Horse riding15 km
Mountainbiking5 km
Music1 km
Rugby-
Skiing-90 km
Squash6 km
Swimming2 km
Table Tennis-
Tennis1 km
Volleyball3 km
Windsurfing90 km
Yoga-

Examples of leisure activities organized by the school

Adults - Free activities

Themed walks in the historic centre or in the hills, guided tours to the Florentine museums and churches, seminars on history, history of art, Italian literature, Italian language, traditions, music, linguistic insights and curiosity, Italian films with Italian subtitles, yoga practice in Italian.

Adults - Paid activities

Dinners together in pizzerias, aperitivos, wine tasting and much more.

Junior - Free activities

* Walking tours in and around Florence
Video about leisure activities at ABC Florence

Accommodation

Show details of all accommodations
Homestay Most Popular Accommodation
Single room, No meals
In high demand!
4.3

Rating: 4.3/5.0
94 ratings
from
300 €
Homestay
Single room, Breakfast
4.3

Rating: 4.3/5.0
94 ratings
from
330 €
Homestay
Double room (only for 2 people travelling together), No meals
4.3

Rating: 4.3/5.0
94 ratings
from
240 €
Homestay
Single room, Breakfast & 1 meal
4.3

Rating: 4.3/5.0
94 ratings
from
420 €
Homestay
Double room (only for 2 people travelling together), Breakfast
4.3

Rating: 4.3/5.0
94 ratings
from
270 €
Homestay
Double room (only for 2 people travelling together), Breakfast & 1 meal
4.3

Rating: 4.3/5.0
94 ratings
from
360 €

Map  

Loading map content
Other language schools in Florence offering Italian courses: 

Questions and answers about ABC

  • “No, the accommodation fees are paid in cash to the host upon arrival.”
    Monica Fabianelli, Administration from ABC - Feb 08, 2023
  • “Absolutely, you can book a course with minimum one week in each location. ”
    Louise Granath, LanguageCourse.Net - Jul 03, 2023

FAQ about ABC, Florence

  • “Students can normally start any Monday if they speak some Italian. They will take a placement test on the first day and they will be placed with the right group according to their level. If they are interested they may also take an online test before the starting date to check their level. ”
    Angela Ligartova, Consultant from Languagecourse.net - Feb 28, 2022
  • “ABC Florence offers accommodation in host families only. It is a great way of getting to know the Italian culture and of practicing the language after classes.”
    Gosia Mazur, Senior Travel Consultant from LanguageCourse.Net - Jul 26, 2022
  • “Definitely not. Just like non-native teachers, native speakers are different. There are real experts who can work at both beginner and advanced levels with students of all ages. But most native speakers are ordinary people for whom English is their first language. ”
    Maksym Sterpul, Language Travel Consultant from LanguageCourse.Net - Apr 12, 2023
  • “We advise you to register at least 4 weeks before arrival. However, the earlier you enroll, the more accommodation options you will have at your disposal. As accommodation is only available subject to availability, the earlier you register the better!”
    Maksym Sterpul, Language Travel Consultant from LanguageCourse.Net - Jul 03, 2023
  • “Our teachers are qualified professionals whose experience is backed up by many years of practice, diplomas, and certificates to prove their level. ”
    Maksym Sterpul, Language Travel Consultant from LanguageCourse.Net - Oct 24, 2023
  • “At ABC Florence, there are 3 possible host family options (if you opt for a single room): Single room in a host family without meals/with breakfast/with half board.”
    Madly Simba, Language Travel Consultant from LanguageCourse.Net - Jan 17, 2024
  • “Yes, courses are always held from Monday to Friday, and weekends are free. However, the school may offer weekend activities or excursions. Of course, these are not compulsory.”
    Madly Simba, Language Travel Consultant from LanguageCourse.Net - Jan 17, 2024
  • “I can confirm that for the ABC Florence school, teaching materials are included in the price of the course.”
    Madly Simba, Language Travel Consultant from LanguageCourse.Net - Jan 17, 2024
  • “In high season we can just offer accommodation with the dates of the course.”
    Monica Fabianelli, Administration from ABC Florence - Feb 08, 2024

PDF brochure / price list of ABC

Firenze Brochure 2024
Firenze Brochure 2024
2024 Pricelist
2024 Pricelist
ABC Pricelist 2025
ABC Pricelist 2025
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Florence
Florence city attractiveness rated by our students:
4.7 

Rating: 4.7/5.0

More information about Florence including climate data and events on our Florence page with a list of all 16 Italian schools in Florence.
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