Italian in Florence is the Italian language school of Centro La Pira — a place of hospitality and dialogue inspired by Giorgio La Pira’s ideal of universal fraternity.
About us
Our approach
Language as a bridge between cultures
For over twenty years, Centro Internazionale Studenti Giorgio La Pira has been offering Italian language courses attended by more than 800 students from all over the world every year.
We offer practical workshops, cultural exchanges, and community-based projects that allow students to learn Italian while fully experiencing the culture of Florence.
At the same time, we organize training courses in language teaching, designed and supervised by the University for Foreigners of Siena (UNISTRASI), to train qualified and up-to-date teachers.
We are also an officially recognized CILS and DITALS Examination Centre, with exams held regularly at our Florence location.
Our teaching method is rooted in the value of human connection — where every cultural difference becomes an opportunity for dialogue and mutual enrichment.
Our goals
- Supporting the integration of international students
We offer training programs that accompany those who choose Italy as a place to live, study, or work. - Spreading the italian language and culture worldwide
We promote Italian as a tool for communication, understanding, and cultural belonging. - Ensuring accessible quality
We provide high-quality teaching at sustainable costs, making language learning available to everyone. - Educating through relationships
Our method is based on listening, trust, and guidance — every lesson begins with human connection. - Living the ideal of universal fraternity
Every course, activity, and project is part of a broader journey inspired by the values of Centro La Pira.
An open and evolving school
Projects for an educational community
For over twenty years, the Italian language school of Centro La Pira has been cultivating relationships and projects inspired by a culture of hospitality and intercultural dialogue.
Through activities for students and collaborations with public institutions, businesses, and non-profit organizations, we promote initiatives that create meaningful social and cultural impact.
A journey of personal growth
Every student is welcomed with care and supported along their path, considering their goals, interests and deeper motivations.
We believe in an approach to teaching that values the whole person — fostering linguistic, cultural, social and personal growth in a respectful and inspiring environment.
Italian in Florence – Our story
Founded in 1978, just a few steps from Florence’s Cathedral, our school offers Italian language courses for international students taught by expert and specialized teachers.
Italian in Florence is officially recognized by the University for Foreigners of Siena as a CILS Examination Centre (Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language). It is also a renowned teacher training center and an accredited DITALS Examination Centre.
Our mission is to provide excellent language education at an affordable price, promoting Italian language and culture worldwide and supporting the integration of international students who plan to live in Italy long-term.
As part of Centro Internazionale Studenti Giorgio La Pira, our school embodies a spirit of hospitality and dialogue, offering educational and cultural programs that promote Giorgio La Pira’s vision of universal fraternity — the same values that inspired his leadership as Mayor of Florence from 1951 to 1965.
Our mission
Italian Courses Florence is an educational project promoted by the Fondazione Centro Internazionale Studenti “Giorgio La Pira” and managed by the Centro Internazionale Studenti Giorgio La Pira ETS, a non-profit organization registered in the Italian National Register of the Third Sector.
Our mission is to foster encounters between cultures through the teaching of the Italian language as a tool for communication, integration, and citizenship.
We offer high-quality educational paths for students and professionals from all backgrounds, with the aim of: facilitating the social, academic, and professional inclusion of foreign residents in Italy; creating spaces for dialogue and intercultural exchange; promoting Florence as a place of linguistic learning and personal growth; spreading the values of openness, hospitality, and fraternity that inspire the work of the Centro La Pira.
In every course, language becomes a bridge between people and communities — a means to build connections and contribute to a more inclusive and global society.
Want to know more?
If you have questions about our Italian courses or would like to learn more about Centro La Pira, book a free 15-minute appointment with one of our tutors.
