Italian schools in Firenze

The city's big festivals, food fairs and cultural seasons through the year. They're not just entertainment: they're the best training ground for your Italian. At a local festival you end up ordering, asking directions, chatting with locals — the real language, the kind books don't teach. If you can, line up a week of your course with one of these.

Scoppio del Carro	Easter
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino	April–June
Pitti Uomo	January and June
Firenze Rocks	June
Festa della Rificolona	7 September

ASILS	Italian association of schools of Italian as a second language; quality audited by an independent certifier.
EDUITALIA	Association of accredited schools and universities promoting study in Italy.
AIL	Accademia Italiana di Lingua: school network with its own Firenze Italian exams.
IALC	International association of independent, inspected language schools.
Bildungsurlaub	German recognition: the course qualifies for paid educational leave.
CILS	Official certificate of the University for Foreigners of Siena.
CELI	Official certificate of the University for Foreigners of Perugia.
PLIDA	Official certificate of the Società Dante Alighieri.
CSN	Swedish student-finance body: the course qualifies for CSN study grants.
LICET	Association of Italian language schools with shared quality standards and peer inspections.
DITALS	Authorised centre for the DITALS exam (teaching-Italian certification) of the University for Foreigners of Siena.