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Scuola Virgilio

Why choose Scuola Virgilio?

Scuola Virgilio brings together the high standards of international tourism and the teaching experience of multilingual teachers. All teachers are Italian mother tongue, with a degree in at least two foreign languages and are trained in didactics of Italian as a foreign language. Different local partners chosen among the most open-minded and forward-looking companies, associations and institutions help us give you a perfect blend of activities based on a simple motto: effective study, flexible leisure.

Founded
2006

Reviews

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Sophia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My stay with the school in Trapani

I cannot rate the school and the tutors highly enough. I decided to visit Sicily solo and learn (as a beginner) the Italian language. My initial contact with the school was superb (especially in comparison to so many other schools in Sicily and mainland Italy). Stefano was very efficient at getting back to my initial enquiries and made me feel at ease and happy to join the school with their arrangement of apartment accommodation. It was all so straight forward to book and good value in my opinion. I stayed for 4 weeks in total. It was a fantastic experience. Making new friends, especially ones I shared accommodation with, was another highlight of my trip. The school and the timetable was very well set out. I didn’t feel intimidated even though many were at differing levels despite it being a beginners class. When I needed extra tuition, I got it. Going from a larger class to just two of us meant I practically got one on one tuition which was so helpful since it took me that little bit longer to learn the language and get to grips with it (I hadn’t learned a language since I was at school, and being 34 at the time, it felt a long time ago). Overall I loved my experience there. I came home more confident and buzzing from my stay and learning. The school also arranged other activities like cookery classes, day trips etc. Which were great and meant extra time getting to know my peers. I would love to go back when I can find the time to do another few weeks and thank everyone at the school for such a wonderful experience.

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George
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Intensive Italian Course in Trapani, Sicily, Italy

My wife and I both had individualized instruction that met our needs. We had studied Italian in the United States prior to our arrival. We also had a month month course in Lucca, Italy, in 2011, in the Lago di Como area in northern Italy in 2012, in Taormina, Sicily, in 2013 and then the Trapani experience in 2014.

The attention and care that we received in Trapani was the best to that date without a doubt. My wife was able to read Italian newspapers and converse in Italian after she left Trapani. I was reading historical accounts and the newspapers as well. The director of the school ensured that our needs were met.

He and his staff went beyond normal expectation.

By the way, in case you have any doubts about the quality of the Italian spoken, it is on the national standard and the schools were rated at the top of the rating scale only behind that of Rome.

We also have studied in Rome and Florence during the past two years. Thus, we can provide a good comparison of the programs and the dialects that we have heard in the various regions.

As you can conclude, we have chosen to study in various regions of Italy to get a better insight into the mentality of the Italians as well as to learn about their customs, culture and historical differences.

What would you improve about this program?
Since it has been almost five years since we have been there, we cannot comment about improvements. We assume it is still excellent.
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Laurie
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A great week with teacher Daniela

We spent an intensive week with Daniela in the beginners class at Scuola Virgilio in Trapani, which was so much fun and where we learned a lot. We were with a group of only four students, which meant plenty of room for individual attention and questions. For every day Daniela had prepared a theme and subjects for discussion and practice. We received free copies with exercises and background on grammar. There was also lots of room for conversations, which I liked the best. The rest of our stay in Sicilia we had great use for all Italian language skills we had learned! My sisters wedding was the week after that in Sicily and I felt much more confident speaking Italian. I would definitely recommend taking a class here; the people are great, the classes are small and very personal and in a short amount of time you will learn a lot!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Definitely follow a course at Scuola Virgilio!!!!!
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Patricia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great program!

As a Swiss living in Canada, I chose to spend 2 weeks of the summer in Sicily to improve my basic Italian language skills. I was very happy with my choice of language school in Trapani. In a beautiful seaside town I had the opportunity to learn Italian at my own pace and level (in group classes, so we had the chance to mingle with other students). I could customize my course on a weekly basis. Not only did the school provide fantastic teachers who were knowledgeable and kind, the director also went out of his way to make this stay social beyond the class room by offering after school activities that were educational and fun. He also offered to help us find accommodation. In every way I felt welcomed at this school, and I would highly recommend it for studying Italian. Thanks again for a wonderful stay!

What was your funniest moment?
I loved that we took our breaks in the local coffee shop around the corner over a cappuccino! Great way to improve communication skills :)

Programs

Displaying 1 - 4 of 4

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Luisa Linsalata

Job Title
Italian language teacher
After graduating in Russian, Luisa moved to Moscow, where she worked at International House. In 2008, she came back to Sicily and has since taught the Italian and culture to thousands of students from around the world.
Luisa Linsalata

What is your favorite travel memory?

Petra and the desert of Wadi Rum in Jordan left me a whole set of memories that will stay with me forever: the deep colors and amazing shapes of the canyons, the warm welcome from the Bedouins, the simple yet delicious food... Then in Petra I climbed and trekked my way and rode on horseback to visit every inch of this incredible place!

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Over the years I have learnt one thing: being a good teacher means to understand how the students learn best and to recognise that each student has specific learning needs.

As a teacher, I need to guide the class into a learning environment in which all are comfortable, not just the best of them. And I must adapt my teaching style to facilitate the learning of different students.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

Being a school that caters for almost all age groups (teenagers, young adults, adults, seniors), Scuola Virgilio has had many returning students. Adults and seniors are those who tend to return again and again, and one of them has so fallen in love with Trapani that he has bought a second home here and he comes every year to spend at least three months.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

Scuola Virgilio's homestay course at the teacher's home is definitely an experience worth making for all those who want to find out about the real life of people in southern Italy in general and Sicily in particular. The lessons are mostly held outside thanks to the warm weather so you can explore a lot of different places and contexts, from food markets to archaeological sites.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

The staff I've been working with for the last few year are probably the friendliest and most helpful bunch of people I've ever found in a workplace. All students are always given a warm welcome on their first day and, whatever their needs and requests, there is always someone there to help them and to make their language holiday a fulfilling experience.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Being successful stems from a complex mix of several ingredients, ranging from the professionalism of your staff to the extent of your network of contacts, but above all things I think that human contact is the most important factor of all: if you make people from all parts of the world feel at home, then you definitely reach success.