Learn Italian in Florence: Accommodation

• Open to students aged 16 yrs +
• Single rooms
• Shared rooms (with friends or room mate arranged if you’re under 30 yrs of age)
• Breakfast only
• or half-board (breakfast and evening meal)
• Allow up to 30 minutes commute to school
• wifi available in most host accommodation

Stay with local Florentine hosts, in apartments in the residential areas of the city, in either single or shared rooms (shared rooms are only on offer if travelling as a couple or with a friend OR if you are under 30 years of age) on a B&B or half-board basis (breakfast and evening meal). Staying with hosts allows you to speak Italians with local people out of class and they are generally no more than 20/30 minutes commute from the Italian language school in Florence, but they won’t be in central Florence, but in the more residential areas.

Location / Key
The accommodation is located in the residential areas just outside the city centre. Students can easily reach the school and the centre of the city by public transport. To get from the residential areas to the centre takes around 20 – 30 minutes by public transport. You are given your own key and are independent.

Bedlinen
Bedlinen will be provided by your hostess and is changed every two weeks.

Washing and washing machines
Students can sometimes use the washing machine in the host accommodation unless your hostess expressly allows you to do so. You can use one of the many laundrettes in the residential areas.

In selecting hosts/esses the school staff are not looking to provide luxury and comfort in the material sense but for Italian hosts who appreciate receiving foreign students. Additionally, please do not assume the hosts will be a “family” in the traditional sense. There are a few hosts who have children living with them at home, but most hosts will be single parents, divorcees/widows or childless couples, who take in students because they enjoy the company and have spare room.

Meals
You can choose between breakfast only (recommended for short courses only) and half board (breakfast and dinner). You will take your meals together with your hosts but you should be aware that Italian eating habits can be different from your own. Breakfast usually only consists of coffee or tea and bread, butter, marmalade. Dinner is a complete meal served normally at around 8:00 pm.

House rules in host families
Living with a family offers a unique opportunity to become acquainted with the Italian culture and way of living, but it also requires compromises between the host and you. Therefore there are some house rules which you must take into consideration:

• Please ensure that you always leave your bedroom looking presentable
• Do not wake up your hosts/ess after midnight when returning home
• Do not use any of the hosts belongings without permission
• Do not prepare meals by yourself
• Do not do any laundry by yourself (the use of the washing-machine is not included in your rental agreement, but a private arrangement may be possible between the landlord and yourself once you are in Florence)
• The use of the ironing board is permitted with no extra charge
• You are allowed to use the common rooms and to receive telephone calls
• Your bedroom will usually be cleaned daily

Sharing a room with another student
We only recommend booking a ‘place in a shared room’ for young people (max. 30 years). From past experience, older students do not feel at ease in a shared room as they could have to share it with young people, who have different habits, attitudes and lifestyles. You are welcome to book a shared room with a friend (even if the accompanying person does not take a language course).

• For 18 yrs+ age group only, who are used to an independent lifestyle
• Single rooms
• Shared rooms if friends (or roommate arranged if you’re under 30 yrs of age)
• Between 15 to 30 minutes commute from the Italian language school
• wifi is offered

The apartments consist of a communal kitchen and bathroom and a single or shared (for friends OR those under 30 yrs only) bedroom each. Apartments are shared with other students (a few can be with local Italian people). If you have a preference, please let CESA know when enrolling. We will do our best to meet your requirements, if possible.

Living in a apartment, together with other foreign or Italian students or with hosts/ess requires maturity but allows you considerable independence. You share the bathroom and the kitchen with your roommate(s) and will self-cater.

Location / Key
The accommodation is located in the city centre or in the residential areas just outside the city centre. Students can easily reach the school and the centre of the city by public transport. To get from the residential areas to the centre takes around 15 – 30 minutes by public transport. If you have been placed in the town centre, it takes about 15/30 minutes on foot to reach the school. You are given your own key and are independent.

Deposit for shared apartments
You may be asked to pay a deposit of 100 Euro to get the keys for your accommodation in shared apartments. This deposit will be required in cash on arrival and will be refunded on departure, less repairs and cleaning costs if needed.

Bedlinen
Upon arrival each student will be given a set of bedlinen (two sets if they stay longer) and students are required to wash their bedlinen themselves.

Washing and washing machines
Students can wash by hand or use one of the many laundrettes in the vicinity.

Facilities

• You will share a flat or floor of a house with other students from the language school. Students share the kitchen and the bathroom. The apartments are furnished, and the kitchens are supplied with all essential kitchen equipment (cutlery, plates, pans etc.). You can prepare your meals separately or together with your flatmates and fellow students
• Electricity, gas water, local costs and taxes are included in the price
• Bedlinen will be provided free of charge and changed every 2 weeks
• You have to bring your own towels
• We suggest that you organise some food for the first evening
• The apartments do not have telephones
• Wifi is included (or students can get a dongle for personal use)
• The apartments are cleaned before your arrival. During your stay, you are responsible for the cleaning of your rooms and of the rooms used in common (kitchen and bathroom)

House-rules for shared apartments

You are expected to respect the following house-rules:

• To leave the common rooms clean and presentable
• To wash the dishes after use
• To throw the garbage in the street containers every day
• Not to wake your flatmates after midnight when returning home
• Not to organise “parties” (Parties, especially with people not living in the apartment, are forbidden for insurance and safety reasons, as well as for the tranquillity of the students not taking part and the neighbours.)
• Not to use a vacant bed or room in the apartment
• Not to invite any “just-made” friends to stay in the apartment
• To report any damage or technical fault immediately to the school secretary
• To leave the apartment clean on departure.

Sharing a room with another student
We only recommend booking a ‘place in a shared room’ for young people (max. 30 years). From experience, older people do not feel at ease in a shared room as they could have to share it with young people, who have different habits, attitudes and lifestyles. You are welcome to book a shared room with a friend (even if the accompanying person does not take a language course).

There are a wide range of hotels and studios for rent in Florence which you are welcome to book independently via Airbnb etc.

Arrive: Sunday PM
Depart: Saturday PM

We recommend students fly to Florence’s Intl airport: Amerigo Vespucci Airport (Airport Code – IATA: FLR, ICAO: LIRQ)
If arriving in Florence, you can either book the Italian language school private transfer or make your own way into the city centre and your accommodation.

Independent travel: The Volainbus airport shuttle and the bus ATAF n° 62 connect Florence town centre with Amerigo Vespucci airport. Tickets are available on board for approx € 6,00.
Duration: 30 minutes (estimated times)
or you can use Terravision Low Cost Express Coach – A coach service run by Terravision and Ataf & Li-nea leaves from the Airport to/from Florence Central Station.

Pisa’s Intl airport: Galileo Galilei Airport (Airport Code – IATA: PSA, ICAO: LIRP)

There are bus links between this airport and Florence, and the train line provides shuttle runs between Pisa central train station and Florence. Terravision Low Cost Express Coach – A coach service run by Terravision and Ataf & Li-nea leaves from the International Airport of Pisa to/from Florence City Centre.

You are welcome to book a private transfer service through CESA, at additional cost from Florence airport (but one is not available from Pisa).