Wiseward's Partner Schools: Linguaviva

What unites almost all of our excellent partner institutions is their IALC accreditation. It is the gold standard for schools, teachers and learning. It means that they have to meet certain specific quality standards. One of the most important of these criteria, to Wiseward, is that they are ‘independent of a large chain or corporate group’. This means that our partner schools are more intimate, with smaller class sizes, encouraging one-to-one tutoring and a more tailored language learning experience. These schools have a boutique and bespoke feel about them while offering high-quality teaching in lovely locations.

Why is travel and immersing yourself in the culture of the country necessary in language learning?

Take it from the language experts – the babies! When you were a child, you became a fluent speaker of your first language, all because you were given 24-hour exposure to listening and speaking your language, just like our immersion programmes. Babies don’t learn grammar rules or memorise vocabulary lists; instead, they absorb language effortlessly by being surrounded by it every day. By the age of 18 months, most children can say around 50 words, and by age 6, they typically understand about 13,000 words – all without formal instruction. This remarkable growth shows just how rapidly children acquire language through constant exposure and interaction in their environment. Their brains are wired to pick up patterns, sounds and meanings simply by hearing and using the language in real-life situations. Immersion replicates this powerful learning environment for adults by placing you in situations where you must listen, speak and think in the target language consistently. Just like children, you will begin to internalise grammar and vocabulary without even realising it – because the language becomes something you live, not just study.

Florence, Italy

For this week, we’ll be looking at the elegant city of Florence, roughly halfway between Rome and Milan, tucked into the gentle hills of Tuscany…

Step into the heart of the Italian Renaissance with a trip to Florence, where cobblestone streets lead you through the same city that once inspired Michelangelo, Dante and Leonardo da Vinci. Nestled in the scenic region of Tuscany, Florence is a treasure trove of art, history, and culture – from the world-famous Uffizi Gallery and the stunning Duomo Cathedral to the Ponte Vecchio bridge lined with glittering jewellery shops. Wander through piazzas filled with street performers, sip local Chianti at a sun-drenched café or take a day trip to the rolling Tuscan hills. Known for its rich artistic legacy and exceptional craftsmanship, Florence offers warm, sunny summers that inspired brands like Salvatore Ferragamo and Gucci as well as artists like Botticelli and Donatello. Whether you're an art lover, a foodie, or simply in search of beauty, Florence promises an unforgettable escape.

Linguaviva’s language school based in Florence spans three floors with 17 bright classrooms in an elegant 19th century building, equipped with Wi-Fi and air conditioning and includes a garden for leisure activities. Teaching languages since 1976, Linguaviva has been the recipient of the STM Super Star Award for ‘Best Italian Language School in Italy’ for five consecutive years and has even been authorized by the Italian Ministry of Education. They are committed to bringing you an intimate and personalised language learning experience, with small classes never exceeding more than 12 students to give you that vital one-to-one learning. Their objective is ‘to be fluent’.

Considered birthplace of the Italian language, Florence is a must-travel-to destination for any Italian language learner. The city is an open-air museum for tourists, with 72 museums filled with paintings, sculptures and frescoes imagined and created by some of the greatest minds in history. Linguaviva offer full day and half day excursions to local cities like Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa, Roma, Venice, Verona, 5 Terre and Chianti. They also offer guided city tours and museum visits, cooking classes and wine tastings, participation in local festivals and events and opportunities to practice Italian in real-life contexts so that you can get the most out of your immersion experience. Linguaviva are just waiting to welcome you to your new home in Florence!

Check out our ‘Standard Italian’ course!

Check out our ‘Italian + Cooking’ course!

Check out our ‘Italian + Wine Tasting’ course!

Check out our ‘Italian for Over 50s’ course!

Check out our ‘French for Teachers of French’ course!

Why Book with Wiseward?

You might well be asking yourself why book your language immersion course with Wiseward? Why not book direct? There are a number of reasons:

1. Our Team

We have extensive knowledge of each and every course that we feature on our website. Language immersion programmes are not ‘a one size fits all’. All the courses we offer are of the highest quality and led by passionate people with a love of languages. Talk to us, tell us what you are looking for, and we can help you choose the right course, at the right price, in the right location that meets your specific needs.

1. The Cost

You benefit from our expert advice at no more than the cost of booking direct.

But how does Wiseward generate income and pay its bills if the above is true?

Essentially, our income comes directly from our partner schools who we know intimately, who we trust and who we have worked with for many years. Every year we sit down with our partner schools and discuss rates and offers and how we can add value to their programmes. These discussions benefit you. They ensure that we receive a fair referral fee for matching you with their school and their courses. Importantly it guarantees that there is no innate bias towards certain schools or courses, which means that you get fair and impartial advice from us as to which school to go to, and which language course we think fits your needs best, based on our discussions with you.

1. Added Value and Price Promise

Often our partner schools will offer us better deals than the published rates, as well as value add-ons. We will always pass all of these benefits on to you. And even with all this extra support and transparency, if you find the price of the course at one of our partner schools lower than on our site, we will always match it.

Our partner schools are what make us Wiseward. We check in regularly with them to ensure that we are providing you with pedagogical excellence and rich cultural insight. We specifically look for schools that offer something innovative, new exciting and memorable such as French and cooking, Italian and wine tasting, Spanish and dance, etc. These are enriching experiences that we think not only help create better global citizens but broaden perspectives. The courses we offer not only encourage, stretch and support your language learning but aim to excite and involve you in new cultures and customs. Whether you're aiming to boost your career, explore a new country or simply speak with confidence, our trusted schools and expert support make it all possible. With us, your language journey isn’t just educational — it’s unforgettable.