ABOUT FLORENCE
Dubbed by the Romans “Florentia” – "destined to flourish” –when the city was founded in 59 BC, the name encapsulates the eternal spirit of this world treasure. Florence quickly rose to become one of the richest and most prestigious Roman cities. It still flourishes, offering its visitors constant inspiration. People come from all around the world to enjoy the artistic wonders of this special place, to savour the delicious Tuscan cuisine in the typical trattorias, and to admire the workshops where painters and artists can be seen at work. With artbreak™ you are invited to become one of them.
Florence is famed as a fountainhead of the arts, incubator of humanism and cradle of the Renaissance. Millions of visitors come each year to admire its architecture, be dazzled by its monuments, and file through museums containing some of the world’s most renowned works of art. Its historical figures are legend: the poet Dante Alighieri, the architect Brunelleschi, the arts patron Lorenzo il Magnifico, the diplomat Machiavelli, and not least of all artists Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Donatello. Its artistic and intellectual legacy basically has no equal. Justifiably honored as a UNESCO World Heritage site, its gifts belong to a grateful world.
The hilly area surrounding Florence and the city itself speak history. The first traces of Florence date back to the 9th-8th centuries B.C. when the Etruscans settled by the river Arno. Fallen in the following centuries under the dominion of the Byzantines, Ostrogoths and Franks, Florence was proclaimed a Republic in 1115, soon becoming a hub of art and culture, politics and commerce. It reached the height of its fame in 1400, a century in which, thanks to the auspice of the Medici family, the city became the fulcrum of the Renaissance. In 1569 Florence became the capital of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, under the administration of the Medici and Lorraine family, establishing itself as a world-famous power. Between 1865 snd 1871 it even supplanted Turin as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy.
Though its role as a political hegemon waned from the 19th century onwards, Florence remains one of the most influential cities in Italy, especially when it comes to art and culture.
WORKSHOP STUDIO
The artbreak™ arts instructors and guides have the experience, knowledge, intuition and passion for the arts it takes to make your vacation in Florence a perfect learning experience – and a lot of fun too.
Bona Vitaly artbreak studio di Buona Vita
The Bona Vitaly - Italian Language School is a center dedicated to Italian language and culture for foreign students. Founded by Costanza and Chiara, both Florentines, the institution offers not only Italian lessons and study holidays, but also a complete immersion in Italian culture. Students are welcomed at the B&B Dolce Luna di Chiara, located a short distance from the school.
In addition to the Italian language, the Bona Vitaly School promotes art, aware of the rich artistic heritage of Florence. In collaboration with Artbreak, art workshops are organized in English, both at the school and in other locations scattered around Florence. These interactive workshops cover a wide range of artistic techniques, led by local artists and artisans who are passionate about spreading Italian culture and art.
Scuola Bona Vitaly is committed to offering a unique educational and cultural experience, enriching students' lives with the beauty and creativity of Florence.
CONDUCTORS
The artbreak™ arts instructors and guides have the experience, knowledge, intuition and passion for the arts it takes to make your vacation in Florence a perfect learning experience – and a lot of fun too.
Costanza artbreak Impressario
Her motto is 'Per aspera ad astra': to the stars despite hardships.
Costanza Bonamassa was born and raised in beautiful Florence, the mother city of the Italian language and cradle of Renaissance art. The illustrious history of the city has always influenced her life. She devoted many years to the study of Italian literature and history of art, culminating in her obtaining a master´s degree in Art History at the University of Florence.
From the age of 18 she tutored high school students, teaching privately in fine arts subjects, along with Italian, Latin and history. From this experience there arose in Costanza a great passion for teaching, which she has continued both during short stays in London and more recently, in Prague, where she lived for four years while teaching Italian and art history to Czech students.
Costanza considers Prague her second home. She knows it very well since in addition to her teaching she was a manager and guide for an agency organizing tours of the city for Italians. It was in Prague where she met Richard, who shared her loves of the Italian language and the arts, and who has long had a fascination with Florence, hoping one day to bring the artbreak™ model to that remarkable city.
In 2021 Costanza returned to her Florence, mainly to be closer to her large family – she is the fourth of four children and aunt of two. She promptly obtained a Master’s degree in art management. Her thesis project involved installing museum displays inside an ancient Florentine monastic complex.
Costanza now works in the art world of Florence full time. She is actively involved in promoting the artistic activities of Florentine institutions, plus she simultaneously curates exhibitions by contemporary artists.
Throughout her life she has always been a sportswoman practicing modern gymnastics, skating, swimming and football. These days she loves running and trekking. In fact she spends a week every summer in Trentino Alto Adige with her brother Filippo, discovering new alpine trails. (The more difficult they are, the more stimulating they are for her.)
Being a true Italian she adheres to the real switch-off of relaxation. A perfect day can include sunning by the sea, taking a long bath and savoring a nice Italian “aperitivo” while watching the sunset.
Costanza is particularly sunny character. Many people define her cheerfulness as 'contagious'. She loves traveling, learning about new places and cultures, and making new friends
For her, life cannot be full without music. Her dream is to return to playing clarinet, which she played for years but unfortunately abandoned due to lack of time. Given everything she would like to do, a day should have 48 hours!