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City and comune in the region of Lombardy, Italy
Photo: Luca Giarelli, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Brescia is a rich industrial city in Lombardy between Lake Garda, Lake Iseo and the Val Trompia in the foothills of the Alps, about 100 km east of Milan, and the capital of the province of Brescia. Vintage car aficionados flock to Brescia to witness the start and finish of the Mille Miglia race, and wine lovers appreciate the local Franciacorta wines.
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A UNESCO World Heritage Site. A former monastery of Santa Giulia (it includes the earlier monastery of San Salvatore) now is a massive museum with a collection of art and archeology dating back more than 10,000 years and exploring the region's history from pre-history to Roman occupation to the Lombard settlement, etc. The museums also contain foundational remnants from various periods of Brescian houses with well preserved beautiful mosaic floors. The permanent collection of religious art is one of the best in northern Italy. Be sure not to miss the Vittoria alata di Brescia (Winged Victory of Brescia) — a true gem of the museum. It's a Greek statue of 3rd century BC, modified in the 1st century with adding the wings — a must see by your own eyes. Also not to be missed a collection of Ritratti romani bronzei di Brescia — a collection of six gilded bronze busts found in 1826 at the Capitolium of ancient Brixia.
Not to be missed for its magnificent frescos. Also there you'd find the Croce di Desiderio (Desiderius’ Cross) a 9th-century wooden processional cross covered with golden foil and adorned with 212 gemstones (50 of them are of antique origin) — the biggest and finest artifact of Lombard goldsmith of the period.
Brixia. Parco archeologico di Brescia romana
Said to be one of the best-preserved Roman public complexes in Italy (still it's not like in Pompeii), complete with a forum, amphitheatre and capitolium (Roman temple). Old Roman ruins, the last remains of what once was the city's forum during the Roman Empire, built by the emperor Vespasian.
Located at the place of the Roman Forum.
Museo delle Armi Luigi Marzoli e Museo del Risorgimento
Dating to pre-Roman times and last fortified by the Venetian overlords of the 16th century, the city's stronghold houses museums of armory and of the Risorgimento (Italy's first struggles for independence and unification), and provides excellent views of the Valtrompia, the Alps, and of the city. The Brescia Castle (also called "Falcone d’Italia") is a fortress built in the Middle Ages and perched on the Cidneo hill, close to the historic centre of the city. It dominates the Cidneo hill, facing the historic centre. The Cidneo is a block of Liassic rock (Médole domeriano). The castle is surrounded by a green quadrilateral covered with numerous trees and surrounded by defensive walls. The heart of the castle is the keep, built in the first half of the 14th century. The building has a rectangular base with crenellated walls. It houses the Luigi Marzoli Weapons Museum where you can see some unique pieces of artillery from the 15th and 16th centuries. The building was erected on the foundations and the remains of a temple Roman from the 1st century AD. To reach the keep you have to cross a drawbridge at the Torre dei Prigionieri. The castle complex includes several other towers: the Torre dei Francesi, so named because, after the explosion of a powder keg, it was rebuilt by the French who from 1509 to 1516 took the Venetian dominion over the city from the Venetians; the Torre Mirabella, cylindrical in shape, is commonly believed to be the only building from the municipal age; the Torre di Mezzo and Torre Coltrina attributed to the engineer Jacopo Coltrino from whom it takes its name, is in the northern area of the castle; cylindrical in shape with a high truncated conical base, it is arranged on two levels and is connected to a gunboat covered with a barrel vault. Inside the castle complex we also find the oil warehouses, dating back to the Roman period, the Piccolo and Grande Miglio, buildings erected between 1597 and 1598 and used as grain stores. The Grande Miglio is now home to the Civic Museum of the Risorgimento.
16th-century church, inside, there is one of the oldest organs in the world.
12th-century Town Hall
La Rotonda
The unique pre-renaissance church has a massive stone dome and 12th century crucifixes.
New Cathedral
The city cathedral, built 150 years ago, with the third largest dome in Italy. The local hero is Pope Paul VI (1963–1978), a native Brescian.
The city hall and center of regional government, this large and oddly shaped building presides over the city's central square, where you'll often see political demonstrations, concerts, and markets. You can enter the building and look around in the main halls, enjoying the architecture and decor, but it remains primarily functional. The Loggia (lodge) also marks the northern end of the city's retail shopping district.
Houses of Shrimp
Several buildings constructed in the mid-16th century probably by Lodovico Beretta between 1550 and 1555. The façades are decorated by a vast cycle of frescoes painted by Lattanzio Gambara, partly lost, partly moved to the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo, but still partly on site, albeit mostly severely degraded. The name "Gambero" is after the hotel Gambero, which was in the vicinity, south of Corso Zanardelli.
Gambero lane
A nice portico passage built in the 15th century near one of the oldest hotels in Brescia — Locanda del Gambero (now private apartments).
It is one of the oldest churches in Brescia: it was consecrated in the early 5th century.
32-metre-high 13th-century tower.
A mid-17th-century palace that houses the offices of the province and occasional exhibitions itineraribrescia.it/cultura/palazzo-martinengo-cesaresco-novarino.
A Renaissance church with bas-reliefs façade and peristilium. It is considered as one of the finest examples of architecture of this style in Lombardy.
The church contains the Averoldi Polyptych(1522), a masterwork of Titian.
It is a characteristic example of architecture 1930s, designed by Marcello Piacentini, one of the architects of the EUR district in Rome.
Built in 1932, at the facade there are two bas-reliefs by Angelo Righetti, the sculptor who was quite famous at the time after he created the sculptures for the Piazza della Vittoria.
Named after a Guelph hero of the defense of Brescia. It was established in 1173 as the first municipal square in the town.
A building with a notable sequence of porticos.
Opera House
Since 1912, the theatre is a national monument of Italy.
Palazzo Martinengo da Barco
The Mille Miglia, which started in Brescia, was one of the world's top automobile races until 1977. It is now a parade of refurbished and custom designed cars that slowly winds its way through 1000 miles of northern Italy, starting in May of each year. It is commemorated in a museum of automobile history in the monastic complex of Santa Eufemia della Fonte, whose foundation dates back to 1008. It is on the outskirts of Brescia. Two OM from 1929 on display were born from the experience of simple mechanics. Other exhibits include the 665 SS Corsa “Superba” and the 665 “Superba”, Alfa Romeo, BMW, Fiat, Maserati, Ferrari, and Mercedes-Benz.
Fast food. Has vegan options.
Fast food joint.
A small bar with an old proprietor who owns the copyright to his cocktails. It's a must in Brescia to try the Viselli's Champagnone (very good but very strong)
Quaint, local B&B. Very attentive owner and situated in the heart of the Brescia historical center. Close to cultural attractions such as the museums, Roman ruins and nightlife Piazza Arnaldo.
4-star hotel located only few steps from city centre of Brescia, on the main road that leads to beautiful Lake Garda. Friendly English-speaking staff.
Via Martiri della Libertà 267 Roncadelle Brescia. A renovated, modern and functional ambience here along with top quality services and excellent comfort.
This fairly standard NH is not as fresh as it used to be, but makes up for it with its location next to the train station and the usual NH breakfast buffet.
In an industrial estate right out of the city. A fairly standard, new and solid AC hotel, with typical upscalish simplicity aimed at business travellers.
Renovated in 2016 it is a typical Novotel, complete with an outdoor pool, garden and family-oriented amenities, situated in a business park within 15 minutes of the train station.
A solid if slightly uninspired choice in the north of Brescia.
– Via Triumplina, 66. The Park Hotel Cá Noa is four star hotel with 79 guestrooms, private bath, shower, internet connection, satellite TV and air conditioning. Also available: three meeting rooms and private parking.
The closest hotel to the Duomo
Upscale hotel with lush historizing decoration, reasonably close to the metro.
By train
You can reach Brescia by any train from the expensive Eurostars to the cheap and slow regionale commuter trains.
By bus
There are 2 bus hubs located near the railway station.
By car
Brescia is reachable using the following motorway:
The compact historical centre of the city has a bus system that works well for inhabitants and other commuters.
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