My trip to the Lombardy region included a visit to Brescia, a small-to-medium sized city located in the north of Italy. Before I went it was a place that I knew absolutely nothing about (well except that one of my hero’s Roberto Baggio spent four years playing for their football team!) but after spending the day there I was seriously impressed. Nestled at the foot of the Alps, just a few kilometres from the Lake Garda and Lake Iseo and filled with an astonishing range of impressive monuments, it makes an ideal day trip from the lakes or a short, under-the-radar city break. Here’s what to see and do when you get there…
A city with two cathedrals
A trip to Brescia is not complete without stopping at Piazza Paolo VI, a square that was once known as Piazza del Duomo. This ancient place dates back to the Middle Ages boasts not one but two cathedrals or (Duomos/Duomi if you were to go with the local lingo)! The square is also home to a good number of restaurants, cafes and bars which are perfect for kicking back and people watching for a while.
Whilst the size of the New Cathedral is impressive, the Old Cathedral (locally known as Duomo Vecchio) is truly incredible. It was built during the eleventh century but during the nineteenth century there have been numerous additions to the Medieval building – and sadly the only original part that is still there is San Filastrio’s crypt. The construction of the ’New Cathedral’ started in 1604 and was completed an eye-watering 201 years later! The facade is a beautiful balance of baroque and neoclassical and significantly the interior dome is an incredible 91 metres making it one of Italy’s tallest domes. I would suggest going into the old cathedral first to soak up the history and then on to the new one to get a true sense of the size of the building.
Piazza della Loggia
Piazza della Loggia is one of the city’s most famous squares and is battling with Piazza del Duomo to have the label of number one best piazza in the small city! It’s a beautiful and elegant square surrounded with Venetian style buildings and is also blessed with having the Palazzo della Loggia, a Renaissance palace, as the main focal part of the square. Although unfortunately and surprisingly the square does have some sad history – back in 1974 a right-wing group bombed the square which sadly saw eight people die and over 100 people injured.
Tempio Capitolino
One of the most spectacular monuments in Brescia has to be the Tempio Capitolino which is still standing despite being built in 73 A.D by Emperor Vespasian. The legend states that it had three cells that were dedicated to the Gods Juno, Jupiter and Minerva. Incredibly (and rather surprisingly) you can still see six of the ancient columns still stand as you approach the site.
For those who want to find out more about this unique place, there are standard audio guides available but for something a little bit different then opt for the very cool Epson ‘Moverio smart glasses’ which are made with a patented Augmented Reality allowing you to see what this phenomenal ancient site originally looked liked – this is something that will keep tech adoring adults and children both interested and amused for quite a while!
Museo di Santa Giulia
Another must-see stop in Brescia is the UNESCO site Museo di Santa Giulia which is home to an impressive collection of over 11,000 exhibits. The stop-off can be visited on either a wet day or if it’s a hot, then it’s also a good place to escape the blazing sun for a while- either way, this museum should not be missed. One of the most famous pieces and one that the locals are incredibly proud of is the ‘Winged Victory’ which is a bronze statue that is understood to date back to 100AD.
As you wander around the museum you will be amazed at the intricate artwork inside the Monastero di Santa Guilia and the Basilica di San Salvatore with the wonderful paintings and medieval jewels battling to be the highlight of the museum. Personally the beautifully decorated walls in the Nun’s Choir were my favourite! Whenever you visit the museum you are likely to find a visiting exhibition on show – during our stay it was the remarkable Christo and Jeanne-Claude Water Projects.
Brescia cuisine
After a day of site-seeing, next copy the locals and sit down to relax and enjoy some delicious food! Wander down one of the many winding back streets (just make sure to dodge the many cyclists going about their day!) and choose from one of the many excellent eateries on offer. After living in Italy for many years I know if you stay away from the major tourist cities you’ll struggle to find a bad meal. We went to Osteria Al Bianchi where we enjoyed a very tasty traditional Italian lunch.
We didn’t manage to get to the main city castle but we were told the Castello di Brescia (which was built by the Visconti family and can be found on top of a hill) was also another Brescia highlight. If you are staying in the evening then you will be in for a treat – especially in the summer months – as this is when the squares are filled with locals enjoying the fantastic array of restaurants and trattorias while drinking crisp white wine late into the night! A perfect, but little known Italian city break!
21 Comments
Gary Francis
9 January, 2020 at 11:21 pmBrescia looks great. We’re always on the lookout for places in Italy that are a little off the tourist trail. I thinks it’s a gateway to Iseo as well, and we’re near there in May. Thanks for the article.
Susanne
14 November, 2019 at 4:32 pmI am living in Italy now and was in Brescia several times. It is indeed a lovely place and very close to Milano Malpensa airport. So easy to reach. They also have a nice french fries place, where they double fry the French fries like in french-fries-mother country Belgium. So yummy. I know, not very Italian, but well…
Kalyan Panja
19 October, 2019 at 4:39 pmGreat list. Gotta love Italy. There are so many things to do in our compact country. Brescia is an amazing city. We took it all in, the street art, history, local culture and atmosphere. We cannot wait to return one day.
chakrr ota
18 October, 2019 at 1:47 pmHi Scott,
Thanks for enlighting us. Your post are great. This is a hidden gem in Italy. I would definitely go there.
Tyya
26 February, 2017 at 1:19 amGorgeous photos on a gorgeous city destination!
Roshan
5 July, 2016 at 9:35 amLooks great!
Scott Balaam
7 July, 2016 at 12:19 amIt really was …
Rav M
22 June, 2016 at 9:39 pmAwesome looking destination, will be adding it to the list!
Scott Balaam
7 July, 2016 at 12:19 amI loved it – I was very pleasantly surprised by it! A lovely spot.
Emma B
22 June, 2016 at 8:14 pmWow this is the sort of place me and my husband love to discover – off the beaten track places! Looks so pretty too 🙂
Scott Balaam
7 July, 2016 at 12:20 amIt was great … I expected it to be nice but maybe a bit industrial but it was a lovely place with lots to do.
Shariq
15 June, 2016 at 4:30 amLooks like a very beautiful place and you’ve captured it so well in your photos 🙂 Fab post!
Scott Balaam
7 July, 2016 at 12:22 amThanks so much Shariq … glad you liked it.
Shawna
12 June, 2016 at 3:53 amNever heard of this city before, but it looks pretty awesome! I booked a flight deal to Rome for October, so now I have a place to add to my itinerary when I’m there. Just hope it’s not too cold since it’s near the mountains!
Scott Balaam
7 July, 2016 at 12:24 amIt was fantastic.
In October it should be okay for weather but by the end of the October and the start of November I would expect it to get colder.
Rome will be fun – is it your first time?
Top tip … when you go to St Peters go and visit it at 6.30/7am … so special!
Agness
8 June, 2016 at 7:35 pmI’ve never heard of Brescia, so it’s so nice to see that it’s a city with two cathedrals because I love exploring cathedrals! 🙂
Scott Balaam
7 July, 2016 at 12:25 amI was really surprised with it.
It was so cool and yes TWO cathedrals … I preferred the old one!
Cinzia
2 November, 2016 at 10:14 amBrescia is the “The Leonessa d’Italia” (Lioness of Italy) and
the Old Cathedral is also known as “La Rotonda”.
What a pity you can’t visit the Castello di Brescia (“Falcone d’Italia”)
Saluti da una bresciana
Mariagrazia
29 December, 2016 at 2:50 pmTwo cathedrals, two town halls, two patron saints, two spirits of the place (Venitian and Lombard)…
Riley Rose
7 June, 2016 at 1:20 pmNice post Scott. Beautiful architecture and the artwork in the Museo di Santa Giulia looks breathtaking. You captured an awesome experience.
Scott Balaam
7 July, 2016 at 12:26 amThanks so much – I really enjoyed the city and would certainly go back.
The museum was really interesting – I would recommend the glasses as well … a very interesting experience.