One day in Brescia, 2023 European Capital Culture

Brescia has four distinct ways to experience it by–in one day: hidden wonders, monumental awe, fashionable gaiety, and unique flavors.

One day in Brescia

Brescia has four distinct ways to experience it by–in one day: hidden wonders, monumental awe, fashionable gaiety, and unique flavors.

The 2023 European Capital of Culture, Brescia can be experienced from a variety of perspectives:
Those that lift your gaze up to the sky as a world of wonder is overhead;
Secret facets, where you can discover unique and precious treasures;
Fashionable facets, because shopping is ultimately a pastime and a thought-stopper;
Gastronomic delights, because no one can resist good food.

Here are our suggestions for spending a day in Brescia surrounded by wonder, glamour, pleasure, and amazement.

Monumental Brescia: elevate your gaze towards the sky in wonder, among domes, towers, clocks and the castle.

When you arrive in the city's heart, Piazza Vittoria, you can't help but look up at the domes, bell towers, and the castle.

         Brescia's squares open up to incredible monuments, such as
         ● the Duomo Nuovo, with the third highest dome in Italy,
         ● the romantic Rotonda, the Romanesque-style Duomo Vecchio,
         ● the magnificent Loggia, the city's living room under the spectacular blue dome. Next to it, the incredible artistry of a clock where zodiac signs and the "Macc de le Ure" mark time.

          That's why when you arrive in Piazza Vittoria, whether by subway or by car, you can't help but look up, because the wonder opens right above your head. Watching over all this beauty is the city's castle, Castello della Città. You can see it from almost every corner of the city center, with its mighty walls watching over everything from the green Cidneo hill.


Secret Brescia: the most beautiful treasures are guarded by ancient walls and hidden corners.


Brescia, the Capital of Culture, has a secret to be discovered: the most beautiful treasures waiting to be discovered within its monuments, its massive city walls, in its maze of ancient streets….

From Piazza Duomo, enter the city's historic center. When you reach the Capitoline Temple, you'll be astounded by its majesty. Climb the Stairway of Honor to see the Winged Victory, an all-bronze statue that has endured the ages, handed down to us in all its delicate preserved beauty.

After passing the Capitoline Temple, take the old Roman road to Santa Giulia, which houses the city's museum. Here, you can see the Cross of King Desiderius, a priceless example of the goldsmith's craft, housed within the museum's walls. The cross is kept in the museum's Romanesque oratory of Santa Maria in Solario. The stories of St. Julia and St. Benedict are exquisitely frescoed throughout the oratory, and if you raise your head just enough, the starry sky will leave you breathless.

The Domus dell'Ortaglia, a collection of luxurious Roman villas that dates back thousands of years, is the second treasure. It will make you feel as though you are traveling back in time. Get an up close look at the mosaics' vibrant colors and their intact architecture. If you look carefully, you might also find Dionysus, the cordial god of wine.

Fashionable Brescia: the shopping areas, which include both fashion and antiquarian shops.

Palaces surpass the crowded shopping arcades where you can indulge your shopping whims for anything from accessories to fashion to books. Starting from Piazza della Vittoria, our recommendation is to travel to the Church of San Francesco, a fine example of a Romanesque structure with a lovely rose window and cloister. From here, you can stroll along the Corso Palestro and peruse antique shops, trendy clothing stores, shops with modern design and objects, uniquely interesting fountain pens, kimonos, exotic jewelry, and small shops selling stylish and colorful clothing.

Continue on from Corso Palestro to Corso Zanardelli to enter the high-end shopping district, which is home to boutiques selling jewelry, finely crafted and refined shoes, and bespoke clothing. You can stop for a coffee on top of the terrace overlooking the city after indulging all of your shopping urges on Coin's many floors.

Tasty Brescia: from simplicity to luxury, 6 places to savor the true Brescian flavors.

Discover the flavors of this city to get a true sense of it. If you like traditional places and cuisine, try the well-known casoncelli at Trattoria Bianchi or the traditional fare at Porteri, where you eat "Chèl che passa el convent" (what passes the Convent). Two unassuming places, but ones that can let you experience both the authentic cuisine and the true spirit of Brescia.

If you prefer something more refined and elegant, there is Veleno in an amzing frescoed palace and the Classico garden and palace—two perfect places to amaze and be amazed. These two restaurants bring together traditional fare with an appetite for experimentation and innovation.

Brescia's unofficial snack is a savory pizza known as the pizzetta di Birbes. Another well-known snack is Mrs. Barbara Posio’s renowned krapfen, to whom we owe the highly guarded secret recipe of the famed pizza.

The perfect finale to your one-day in Brescia should include a dash of la dolce vita in Piazza Arnaldo, the city's most glamorous square. And while you are there, try the typical Brescian aperitif, the Pirlo. It's similar to a Venetian spritz, but stronger, and it's how the Bresciani toast to the end of the day.

Directions to Brescia

The most convenient way to arrive is by train. From the Desenzano train station, not far from the Park Hotel, you can take a train directly to Brescia, with the fast direct Frecciarossa, or a multiple stop regional train. Once you arrive at the train station in Brescia, take the subway to the "Vittoria" stop, in the heart of the city. If you prefer to drive, you have the option of taking the highway or the more local provincial road. Convenient parking is found in the Piazza Vittoria or Piazza Arnaldo underground parking lots.

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