Program Reviews

This was a very fun program whoch I liked. The location was good and at the center of florence. I thibk the staff did a good work with the students and maintaining their saftey. I thibk the housing could have been a little better but I think that besides that it was really fun. I learned a lot about living independently and alone without your parents. I think that the classes really helped me and i loved the amount of museums we visited. I would recommend this program to other students but i would recommend them to come alone and not with friends or a group.

Very good experience to get acquainted with italy florence, its culture, society, streets, to name a few, This program also helps try out new hobbies and interests such as fashion, photography, art…to name a few. This program has helped get to meet new people, become mor independent, grow, and meet new people. It is for sure a very different and fun experience, academically and socially. Councilors are ver fun and nice and caring. Housing could be a little more hygienic. Overall it was a very interesting and different experience, and a very good way to get to know florence.

Incredible experience, had a lot of fun and learned a lot. Definitely a great adventure to get out of your comfort zone. Learned a lot not just academically but also about independence, about cultural differences and about the rich history of florence. I think that this program is a great program for teenagers to make new friends and valuable memories, it is a program that pushes your boundaries and also let’s you have a lot of fun along the way. Incredible staff, and great activities. Liked it a lot overall

My son, Aidan, attended the Abbey Road French language program after 9th grade (summer 2019) and then again after 11th grade (summer 2021), and I can’t say enough positive things about the program. He was required to take French in high school starting in 9th grade and it turned out to be his weakest class. With the intent of improving his worst subject over the summer, he enrolled in the Abbey Road language program. The experience was transformative. Aidan will attend college in the fall with French, Russian, and International Relations as his intended course of study.

Abbey Road did a great job of providing an educational French language experience and well as a fun-filled summer. The classes were undoubtedly effective, and the immersion in the French culture inspired his love of history and foreign affairs. His progress in the language after his first summer was impressive. After his second summer, he skipped a grade level of French. Abbey Road was definitely an educational experience.

The accommodations in the Nice apartments provided a good level of impendence overlayed with adult oversight. The kids need to do their own laundry, are responsible for cleaning the community space, and must manage their time to stay on schedule. Curfew is not negotiable. However, they have several hours of free time a day to explore in small groups. The independent interaction with locals furthered Aidan’s language proficiency.

From a parental perspective, I never felt like Abbey Road “cheaped out.” The kids ate at restaurants, traveled to nearby cities, and enjoyed the beach activities that have made Nice famous. When they went snorkeling, Abbey Road hired a boat. When they returned home from a weekend outing, they traveled in a private van. Furthermore, the blog postings from the staff were detailed and consistent so I always knew what my son was doing. This was important because he was having too much fun to update me directly.

Aidan would say the best aspect of the program was the other kids, and he undoubtedly forged long-term friendships. He keeps in touch with his “French friends” to this day. After his first Nice summer, the kids organized a reunion so they could gather again in New York. After the second summer, the kids did the same thing (although it was cancelled due to Covid). Abbey Road is clearly effective in creating an environment where the kids feel included and are able to bond. When Aidan attends college next fall 3000 miles from home, he will have “French friends” nearby.

Our kids have attended several summer camp programs. By far, Abbey Road is the best.

I went to Nice, France with Abbey Road for a month-long program and had the time of my life. I was fully immersed into the French language with fun language classes in the mornings and cultural immersion in the afternoons, visiting museums and cafes. I met the most amazing people on this trip and saw the most amazing places all along the Cote d'Azur. Weekdays consisted of classes and daily trips to the beach and local cafes. On weekends we explored cities in the French Riviera such as Saint Tropez, Eze, Cannes, and Antibes. This was the best experience of my life so far and I cannot recommend it enough.

As somebody who was preparing to go into their senior year of High School, the Abbey Road Florence program taught me to be responsible in new places, while giving me the opportunity to immerse myself in cultural and didactic experiences. My counselors, cooking teachers, and art history teacher were able to introduce me to a city, while showing all of the nuances and pieces it had to offer along the way. It was also very easy to make friends, everyone eager to experience it all. I recommend doing as much as you can, eating all of the different pasta dishes you may have never heard of, going to art museums both big and small, and truly immersing yourself in the city. There's a good mix of both solo and group interactions, that have positively affected my enthusiasm for future studies and experiences.

The Abbey Road language immersion program in Cadiz Spain was an amazing experience for my 16 year old son. The staff were friendly and responsive. He enjoyed the weekend excursions, group dinners, and visits to museums and the beach. He especially liked the roman ruins. One of his favorite activities was learning how to cook seafood Paella and exploring the city. By the time he returned home he was (almost) fluent in Spanish . I would highly recommend this program for adventurous and independent teens.

In addition to substantially improving his French, my son made friendships and memories on this programme that will last forever. It was no small thing to send him off mid-pandemic as the youngest participant by far, and the only boy in this year's group. As it turned out, he had a wonderful time, was incredibly well looked after, and loved every minute of his time in St. Laurent du Var. The mix of activities and language immersion was fantastic and the homestay element really allowed him to feel what it is like to live in France. Abbey Road staff kept us updated at all times, so we knew our son was happy and never worried about his welfare. We’re really grateful and recommend the programme without hesitation.

I have to say this was a fantastic experience for my son. He loved every minute. In fact, he was only supposed to stay three weeks, but instead he wanted to stay another week (a bargain) because he met fabulous friends, was able to see historic locations, and learn from terrific professors and teachers. He learned more French in four weeks than he had learned in the past several years of classroom instruction. Truly, we were impressed. Well done! I have nothing negative to say about the program at all.

I just had so much fun and feel like I improved my conversational French. The city is so beautiful and the amount of freedom that we had to explore it was so nice (having classes + electives in the morning and then free time until dinner). I really felt like this program prepared me for independent living, and got me excited to travel and learn. I 100% recommend!! Just bring a fan and really good walking shoes. Also not the best WiFi in the youth hostel… but I wasn’t really on my phone in my free time there anyways so it didn’t matter.