Brescia

Brescia, also called the Lioness of Italy is a lovely city with a lot to offer. Here is a small guide to our favorite places.

Roman Brescia

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A good place to start is the Via dei Musei, where you can find the Capitolium, the Roman Theatre and the Santa Giulia Museum. These sites brought the UNESCO World Heritage acknowledgement to the city. The Roman ruins give you a sense of the city’s ancient history, which was called Brixia back then.

The Falcon of Italy

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If you don’t mind a little walk, the Castello di Brescia is a great spot. Known as the “Falcon of Italy”, it sits on a hill overlooking the town. The walk up winding paths is quite scenic, and once you are there, you are rewarded with a nice view over the city rooftops. You can enjoy the sunset from one of the towers. The way up can be shortened, as car parking is available right in front of the pedestrian access.

City Center

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Back in the center, you can stroll through the main squares. Piazza della Loggia has a distinct Venetian feel with its clock tower. Nearby at Piazza Paolo VI, you’ll find something quite unique: the Old romanic Duomo, with an atypical circular outline, and the neoclassic New Duomo standing side by side.

Fun fact: the Italian word for stutter (tartagliare) was born in Brescia. In 1512, the mathematician Niccolò Tartaglia was hurt on his lip with a knife in the Old Duomo. Besides his speech impediment, he is also known for Pascal’s triangle.

Also worth seeing is the Teatro Grande, built in the 17th century in Rococo style. Even outside of performances, the building can be admired by visiting the theater’s café. The café is only open on weekends between 10 AM and 8 PM. A music video by the Italian rock band Måneskin, who won the Sanremo Festival and the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021, was filmed at the Teatro Grande.

Culture

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For museums, we recommend the Santa Giulia Museum. Housed in a monastery, it tells the story of the city from pre-Roman times to the present day. The mosaics of an old Roman house (Domus Ortaglia) and the treasure of the Langobards are probably the highlight of the permanent exhibit. The museum also hosts changing art exhibitions.

Essential Tip

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When you want to take an afternoon break, try a Pirlo. It’s the local version of the Spritz, but typically made with still white wine. Just find a table at a bar in one of the squares and enjoy the atmosphere. The word Pirlo translates to curl (when the Campari gets poured in the glass) or to fall (when someone enjoys too much of it).

Monte Maddalena

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The Via Panoramica climbs directly from Brescia in 13 hairpin bends up to Monte Maddalena, gaining nearly 700 meters of elevation. Alternatively, you can take bus line 6. From the summit you can enjoy a pleasant circular hike or just a short stroll, and on clear days you can see as far as Lake Garda to the east and Monte Rosa to the west. You also get a direct view of the marble works of Botticino.