Today Blogoitaliano will talk about the main attractions of Brescia and the surrounding area, as well as how to get here.
Brescia is the second largest city in Lombardy, a province in northern Italy, located 100 km from Milan. It is located in the foothills of the Alps on a vast plain, at an altitude of 150 m above sea level.
Brescia is in every way a comfortable place to relax. Here everyone will find something different from historical architecture to modern shopping, from calm and quiet walks through narrow streets and medieval castles to active skiing and yachting.
How to get to Brescia from other cities in Italy
Brescia is a fairly large transport hub in northern Italy. It has its own airport, which receives flights from London, Barcelona, Rome, Naples, and other cities in Italy. From the airport, the center of Brescia can be reached by airbus or taxi.
Also nearby Brescia are other major airports:
- Orio Al Serio in the city of Bergamo (50 km from Brescia). From the airport to the city can be reached by bus “Orio Bus Express”.
- Valerio Catullo in Verona (60 km from Brescia), from where trains and shuttles Airshuttle Nord go to Brescia
- Milano Linate in Milan (100 km from Brescia). From the airport you can get to Brescia by the Airshuttle Nord bus line.
Despite which airport you have landed at, you can also rent a car for your trip to the province of Brescia. Italy's main highway — the A4 freeway — crosses the city of Brescia at three points at once. In addition, the car will allow you to easily ride around the region and see all the most interesting. To easily travel along the roads of Italy, we recommend reading the article “Car rental in Italy: everything you need to know when booking a car”
From major cities in northern Italy, you can also reach Brescia by train. So, you will spend about an hour on the road when choosing a trip from Milan, an hour from Verona and 2 hours from Venice.
5 things to do in Brescia not to be missed
Despite the fact that Brescia is a fairly large city, the main attractions are very compact and it will not be difficult to get around them in one day.
Monastery of Santa Giulia (San Salvador)
The monastery of San Salvador was founded by King Desiderius in 753 on the site of the once existing Roman settlement. Over the years of its existence, the monastery has undergone numerous changes. In the X century. it was renamed the monastery of St. Julia (Santa Giulia) in honor of the holy martyr Julia of Carthage, whose relics were stored for many years in the walls of this monastery, in the XII and XV centuries. It was significantly expanded and supplemented with new buildings.
Monastery of Brescia Santa Giulia is included in the list of UNESCO sites
Now in the huge monastery complex of Santa Giulia is located the main museum of the city, which tells about the 3000-year-old history of the city of Brescia. Here you can find unique exhibits and testimonies from different eras, for example, the statue of Aphrodite-Victoria from antiquity or the choir of nuns with magnificent 16th-century frescoes. In addition, an archaeological area with the remains of Roman buildings is open to visitors at the museum.
In 2011, Santa Giulia Monastery was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can find out the cost of tickets, as well as opening hours of the museum on the official website
Capitol and other attractions of Piazza del Foro
At the beginning of a new era, the ancient Roman settlement of Brixia existed on the site of Brescia. Its civic and religious center was located on the site of modern Piazza del Foro (Forum Square).
The Roman Capitol adorns the modern Forum area
The Capitol was located in the northern part of the square, from which a portal and several columns, as well as an amphitheater for 15,000 spectators, reached the present day, from the south the square was limited by a basilica or a Roman court, and the city market occupied the central part of the forum. The historical landmark of Brescia was discovered in the 19th century and partially reconstructed. You can see the Roman forum now.
To the left of the ruins of the Capitol is the no less famous palace in Martiniso Cesaresko in Brescia, dating from the 17th century. Now this building houses the city university and exhibition halls.
Cathedral Square
Piazza Duomo (the second name is Piazza Paolo VI, in honor of the Roman Pope Paul VI) is the central square of modern Brescia and one of its brightest sights. The architectural appearance of the Piazza Duomo began to take shape during the Middle Ages. In memory of the past, the Old Cathedral (Duomo Vecchio) built in the 12th century, resembling the shape of an early Christian basilica, has been preserved here. Inside, you can see the unique frescoes preserved from Roman terms, as well as the sarcophagus of the first citizen of the city and Bishop of Brescia, Berardo Maggi.
Old and new cathedral of Brescia
To the left of the Old Cathedral rises the New Cathedral (Duomo Nuovo). It is the religious center of modern Brescia. It was built for a very long time from the Middle Ages to the end of the 18th century, which is why it mixed many styles in its architecture. It is also noteworthy that the dome of the Duomo Nuovo in Brescia is considered the third largest in Italy after the Cathedral of St. Petra at the Vatican and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.
Here on Cathedral Square is the Palazzo Broletto - the oldest public building in Brescia. Now it houses the prefecture and the administration of the region.
Piazza della Loggia
In memory of the authority over the city of the Republic of Venice in Brescia, another striking landmark has been preserved - Piazza della Loggia, which is often compared with St. Mark's Square in Venice.
Loggia's Venice Square in Brescia (Italy)
Piazza della Loggia is famous for the beautiful palace of the Renaissance - the Palazzo della Loggia, which served for several centuries to city officials. The palace is decorated with exquisite sculptures and astronomical clocks of the 16th century. In addition to the palazzo in the square, you can see other buildings of the 16th century in the Venetian style.
Brescia Castle
Another interesting attraction of Brescia lurking on the top of Cidneo hill is the medieval Visconti castle, built at the beginning of the 15th century on the ruins of a Roman temple.
The medieval castle is one of the main attractions of Brescia
The oldest part of the castle is Mirabella Tower (13th century). The remaining buildings were repeatedly destroyed and then restored again.
Now the castle has lost its defensive function. Two famous Brescia museums are located here: the Museum of Arms and the Museum of Risorgimento, which tells the difficult story of the unification of Italy.
Around the castle there is a cozy park, and from the top of the hill a bewitching view of the city opens.
TOP 5 attractions in the vicinity of Brescia
A lot of interesting and unusual places to stay can be found in the vicinity of Brescia, in the region of the same name. There is history and archeology, romance and amazing nature, wellness and outdoor activities.
Lakes Garda, Iseo and Idro
Brescia is a lake region. In the vicinity of the city are some of the most famous lakes in northern Italy. The largest lake - Garda - is fascinating with romantic landscapes and incredible beauty of coastal towns, which we mentioned a little here.
Iseo Lake
No less picturesque are the sickle-shaped lake Iseo and the high-mountain Idro. Around these freshwater reservoirs there is silence, tranquility and a romantic mood. In addition, all lakes in the region are well-suited for active sports.
You can get to the lakes from Brescia by car or by rail.
Petroglyphs of Val Camonica Valley
In the Brescia region, 80 km north of the city of the same name lies the valley of Val Camonica. In 1979, this valley was taken under the protection of UNESCO thanks to hundreds of thousands of stone-carved images left by ancient people in the period of 6000 years BC. - 500 AD Petroglyphs can be found throughout the valley, however, their largest number is concentrated near the communes of Capo di Ponte, Nadro, Darfo-Boario Terme, Paspardo and Chimbergo.
Val Camonica Valley has Europe's largest petroglyph cluster
If you have only 1 day left, we recommend choosing the Nacuane National Park in Capo di Ponte. You can get here in 2 hours by rail or in 1.5 hours by car.
Franciacorta Region
Franciacorta is the region where the famous white and pink sparkling wines Franciacorta DOCG and Curtefranca DOC are produced. On the hills of Erbusco, 20 km west of Brescia is one of the most famous wineries in Italy Ca'del Bosco, which is one of the three best producers of Italian wines. In this region you can try not only sparkling wines, but also unique Brescia cuisine with clear German accents.
Francacorta Region - Homeland of Italian Sparkling Wines
By the way, tourists from Milan can also taste Franchacort wines. Our Milanese guide Oksana organizes excursions to Brescia for wine tasting. Contact Oksana and book a tour here
Thermal Resorts Brescia
Among the attractions of the Brescia region, one can distinguish numerous thermal spas, which allow not only excellent rest, but also improve health. The most famous of them are Angolo (Angolo Terme), Boario (Terme di Boario) near Lake Iseo, Sirmione (Colombare di Sirmione) on the shores of the picturesque Lake Garda and Vallio (Vallio Terme).
Ski complex Adamello Ski
And finally, we will please fans of outdoor activities. In the province of Brescia, there is the famous Adamello Ski complex, where all the conditions for a winter family vacation are created. 30 lifts, about 100 km of slopes of various difficulty levels are suitable for both beginners and extreme sports.
In addition, the Adamello Ski complex also captures the territory of the Presena Glacier, located at an altitude of 3000 meters above sea level, so you can ride here even in summer.
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