The capital of Italy is a veritable goldmine of historical treasures, with nearly 3,000 years of globally influential art, architecture and culture on display. But it is also a highly cosmopolitan city, with numerous chic bars, clubs, restaurants, and hotels dotted all around, providing a striking juxtaposition with the array of ancient landmarks.
Photo: Guillermo Alonso via Flickr
Rome is a hugely popular tourist destination as well as a base for foreign language students to come from around the world. The choice of language schools in Rome is vast, meaning that finding the right one for you can be a tricky task. To help you, we’ve picked out three highly regarded Rome language schools and identified the types of courses they offer. We hope you find our selection useful.
Kappa Language School
www.kappalanguageschool.com
Located in the centre of Rome, Kappa Language School prides itself on its student-centred environment, cultivated by a team of highly qualified, native speaking teachers. The school offers affordable Italian courses for all levels and profiles, including intensive courses, private lessons and Skype lessons, all designed to obtain the PLIDA and CELI Certificates – essential when applying for long-term residence permits. Course schedules are flexible in order to accommodate each student’s individual needs, while the methodology is focussed around a communicative approach for action-oriented teaching in a fun and relaxed setting, with classes kept small to ensure everyone receives a high level of attention. Emphasis is also given to enhancing every student’s knowledge and appreciation of Italian and Roman culture. Lessons are often combined with guided tours and live events, both in Rome and in the city surroundings, to further promote this cultural immersion.
Photo: Kappa Language School
New York School
www.newyorkschoolroma.com
Predominantly known for its English language courses, New York School in the heart of Rome also offers a limited – but highly popular – number of Italian language courses. Specialising in the Callan method of teaching, designed to speed up learning through greater use of spoken language, courses at the school are run exclusively by mother-tongue teachers who help foster a young and dynamic environment. The school also organises various study trips around Rome and beyond as a means of complementing traditional lessons. Free trial lessons allow prospective students a taster of what they can expect before paying up for enrollment.
Photo: New York School
Torre di Babele – A Tandem School
www.torredibabele.com
A member of the Tandem international association of language schools, Torre di Babele has been in operation since 1984, specialising in teaching Italian to foreigners, authorised by the Italian Ministry of Education. Located in the elegant Art Nouveau neighbourhood, the school features bright and spacious classrooms, spread across three floors and overlooking a large garden where lessons are sometimes held. A wide number of course are available, including standard courses, intensive and super-intensive courses, “espresso” courses, and individual courses. Cooking, art and design courses are also available. The school has a dedicated housing department to help you find accommodation during your stay, including shared rooms with other students, private apartments, hotels and B&Bs.
Photo: Torre di Babele