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Brescia, a captivating city in Italy's Lombardy region, offers a rich tapestry of Roman ruins, medieval architecture, and vibrant piazzas. Less visited than nearby Milan or Verona, Brescia rewards curious travellers with a surprisingly deep cultural experience, from UNESCO-listed Roman remains to Renaissance squares full of local life. Walking through the city reveals layers of history that unfold across every street and monument.
This historic richness is matched by a modern vitality—you'll find markets, cafés, and museums nestled alongside ancient temples and cobbled alleys. Whether you're interested in archaeology, architecture, or authentic Italian city life, Brescia is an under-the-radar gem best explored on foot.
How to Get to Brescia
By Air: While Brescia doesn't have its own major airport, the city is conveniently served by nearby airports that make flying in easy. The closest is Milan Bergamo Airport (Orio al Serio), about 40 kilometers away, which handles many low-cost and international flights. Verona Villafranca Airport is another nearby option, roughly 70 kilometers from Brescia, offering a wider range of connections. From either airport, you can reach Brescia by shuttle bus, train, or rental car in about 40 to 60 minutes, making it a quick and convenient journey for travelers flying in. For the best deals and a seamless booking experience, check out these flights to Brescia on Booking.com.
By Train: Brescia is a well-connected stop on the Milan–Venice rail line, with frequent trains to and from both cities, as well as regional routes to Lake Garda, Bergamo, and Trento. The train station is about a 15-minute walk from the city centre, or a short local bus or taxi ride. Use Omnio to easily compare schedules, book train tickets, and find the best prices all in one place for a hassle-free journey across Italy.
By Car: Brescia is located just off the A4 motorway, making it easy to access from Milan (90 km west) or Verona (70 km east). The most convenient exits are Brescia Ovest and Brescia Centro. There are multiple paid parking options close to the historic centre, including Parcheggio Piazza Vittoria and Parcheggio Stazione FS. Driving too close to the historic centre is a little dangerous as the area between Piazza Loggia-Piazza Paolo VI squares and Corso Zanardelli is a pedestrian and restricted access (ZTL) area, monitored through video surveillance. Accidentally drive there and you can get a healthy fine. There is plenty of parking towards the train station. You can also go for parking in Freccia Rossa Mall. Buy something in the mall and parking is free! If you are looking to rent a car in Italy I recommend having a look at Discover Cars, first, as they compare prices and review multiple car rental agencies for you.
Where to Stay in Brescia
To make the most of visiting Brescia and this walking tour, it's best to consider staying overnight in or near the city center. This area allows you to be within easy walking distance of Brescia's historic sites, charming piazzas, and vibrant local life, making your exploration smooth and enjoyable. The heart of the city, around Piazza della Loggia and Via dei Musei, is a popular choice for visitors looking to immerse themselves in Brescia's rich history and culture. Here you can find comfortable and stylish options such as Hotel Vittoria, which offers elegant rooms right in the city center, or Hotel Igea, known for its welcoming atmosphere and modern amenities. For those seeking a boutique experience, Relais San Clemente provides a cozy, historic setting close to key attractions. Additionally, AC Hotel Brescia combines contemporary design with convenient access to the city's main sites and transport links. Staying in these central areas means you can easily return to your hotel to rest between stops on the walking tour, maximizing your time enjoying everything Brescia has to offer.
A Brief History of Brescia
Brescia, located in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, has a rich history that stretches back over 3,200 years. Its origins date to pre-Roman times, and it became an important Roman municipium known as Brixia. The city's Roman heritage remains visible in the Piazza del Foro and the Roman Theater, where remnants of ancient columns, arches, and structures testify to its early prominence as a regional center of commerce and governance. The civic heart of the medieval city developed around Palazzo Broletto and Piazza Paolo VI, which have long been gathering places for local government and public life.
During the Renaissance and Baroque periods, Brescia saw a flowering of religious and civic architecture. The twin cathedrals, Duomo Vecchio (Old Cathedral) and Duomo Nuovo (New Cathedral), dominate the skyline with their impressive facades and interior artworks, while churches such as Santa Maria della Carità showcase the city's spiritual and artistic heritage. Piazza Loggia, with the Palazzo della Loggia, reflects the civic pride of Renaissance Brescia, serving as a symbol of governance and culture that has endured for centuries.
Brescia's cultural and historical significance is further preserved in institutions like the Civici Musei d'Arte e Storia Santa Giulia, which houses archaeological finds, art, and artifacts from the region, and Brescia Castle, a fortress that illustrates the city's strategic importance throughout the medieval and early modern periods. Walking through the streets of Brescia today, visitors can trace the city's evolution from Roman municipium to medieval stronghold, and then to a Renaissance and Baroque cultural center, with layers of history visible in its piazzas, churches, and museums.
Guided or Self-Guided Tour of Brescia?
While Brescia's compact centre makes it easy to explore on your own, a guided tour brings its fascinating history to life. This Private Guided Walking Tour leads visitors through key landmarks such as the Capitolium, Duomo Vecchio, and Piazza della Loggia. With a local guide, you'll gain insight into the layered past that shaped this often-overlooked city.
Your Walking Tour of Brescia
This guide touches on Brescia's major attractions, but as with any Italian city, much of its charm lies in wandering off-route—so take your time, enjoy a spritz, and discover its quieter corners.
Piazza Paolo VI is part of the historical centre of Brescia, previously it was also known as Piazza del Duomo due to the presence of the two cathedrals of the city, and it was named after Pope Paul VI.
Palazzo Broletto, which today includes the Civic Tower (Torre del Pegol) and Loggia delle Grida, located on the northeastern side of the square, dating back to the 13th century. Broletto is the symbol of the democratic-political power since the middle age although can seems rather insignificant besides the huge, stunning “new cathedral” and the early-medieval “old cathedral”. Today it houses the Prefecture, the Provincial Administration and some municipal offices.
Location: Piazza Paolo VI, Brescia, Province of Brescia, Italy
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On the eastern part of the square, we can also find the New Cathedral of Brescia (Duomo Nuovo), built between 1604 and 1825 (it took a while to build due to due to financial difficulties), in various architectural styles ranging from late Baroque to Rococo. It was designed by architect Giovanbattista Lantana and built on the remains of the old San Pietro de Dom church. It has a splendid Baroque façade in Botticino marble and it’s dome is the third tallest in Italy.
The Duomo Nuovo has eight chapels, although these are really no more than niches. The interior, a one-nave Greek cross design, is very monumental and contains several noteworthy works of art. Look out for the 15th century wooden crucifix on the first altar on the right; Isaac’s Sacrifice painted by Moretto in the lunette of the same altar; and St. Apollonio’s sarcophagus in the third altar (he was Bishop of Brescia in the 3rd century), made in 1510 and decorated with high-reliefs attributed to Maffeo Olivieri. In the Trinity Chapel, the altarpiece by Giuseppe Nuvolone is noteworthy; it’s a grandiose ex voto to celebrate the end of the plague in 1630.
The next structure is the Old Cathedral (Duomo Vecchio), known also as La Rotonda, an example of Romanesque architecture from the 11th century. Duomo Vecchio was built starting from 1100 by a very old Corporation of specialised masons. Also called “Rotunda” for its circular shape, it is the official co-cathedral of Brescia together with Duomo Nuovo.
Location: Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, Duomo Nuovo, Piazza Paolo VI, Brescia, Province of Brescia, Italy | Hours: 7.30am-noon & 4-7pm Mon-Sat, 8am-1pm & 4-7pm Sun
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Santa Maria della Carità, is also known as the Church of the Good Shepherd , and is one of the most exciting expressions of the Baroque in the city. This temple of art and spirituality was built in the 16th century to be rebuilt in 1640 and finished in 1825 with the raising of the large cross on the dome. The sculptural and pictorial ornaments on the facade date back to the first half of the 18th century.
Inside, the sumptuous high altar stands out , one of the most beautiful in Brescia, with the image of the Virgin of the Terragli placed in the second half of the seventeenth century and behind which a chapel similar to the Holy House of Nazareth was built , the original of which is kept in Loreto, and the splendid octagonal floor with polychrome marble.
The result is a perfect integration with the stuccoes and frescoes of the walls and with the architectural perspectives of the dome.
Location: Santa Maria della Carità, Via dei Musei, Brescia, Province of Brescia, Italy
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Piazza del Foro, adjacent to Via Musei.
The Piazza del Foro is one of the oldest squares in Brescia, as it was the centre of the political life of Roman Brixia. The square is framed by ancient palaces and residences. From Roman times date the Tempio Capitolino and the Basilica, which served as a courthouse at that time. The Roman columns that are still standing, used to be in front of shop spaces. The Palazzo Martinengo is graced by the Fountain of Neptune and the statue of Cesare IV Martinengo.
Opposite the Capitolium Theatre are the small Baroque church of San Zeno al Foro and the remains of the porches that ran around the square perimeter. The ground level at the time was much lower than today‘s and these remains give a great perspective of where the city was in those old days. By the square, surrounded by historic aristocratic residences, stands Palazzo Martinengo, built in the 17th century and used today to host temporary exhibitions. It also contains a wooden scale model of the whole area giving you a true window over the past of the city.
Location: Piazza del Foro, Brescia, Province of Brescia, Italy
Read more about Piazza del Foro and Roman TheaterSanta Giulia Museum is one of the main tourist and cultural attractions of Brescia. Also known as “City Museum”, its important historic displays and fascinating location make it a unique site. It’s an exceptional example of former monastery turned into a museum. It hosts incredible collections from Prehistory to the present day and temporary exhibitions of international relevance.
Together with the Capitolium archaeological area and the San Salvatore monastery complex, Santa Giulia Museum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Location: Museo di Santa Giulia, Via dei Musei, Brescia, Province of Brescia, Italy | Hours: 9am-5pm Tue-Fri, 10am-9pm Sat, 10am-6pm Sun
| Price: adult/reduced €10/7.50, combined ticket incl Tempio Capitolino €15/10 | Website
Read more about Civici Musei d'Arte e Storia Santa GiuliaBrescia’s Castle stands perched on Cidneo hill and many Brescians consider it the symbol of the city. The castle still bearing the traces of the various dominations of the past. The Mastio, the fortified keep on the top of the hill, with its mighty Torre dei Prigionieri (Tower of the Prisoners), the drawbridge and the Mirabella Tower, the last trace of the church of Santo Stefano in Arce overlooking the town, bear witness to the communal period and the Visconti domination. The imposing bastions, with their monumental gate, are testaments to the power of the Republic of Venice – La Serenissima – that ruled the city for about four centuries.
Location: Castle of Brescia, Via del Castello, Brescia, Province of Brescia, Italy | Hours: 8am-8pm
Read more about Brescia CastlePiazza Loggia, one of the three main squares in Brescia. Palazzo della Loggia is a beautiful palace built in Renaissance style in Brescia, located in the square of the same name, today the seat of the city’s Municipal Council. On the east side of the square are elegant porches with the Clock Tower surmounted by two automatons who strike the hours.
Palazzo Loggia was built between 1492 and 1570, like the square that hosts it, it presents itself in its grandeur and at the same time with a simple and clean style. The façade, made of Botticino marble, has columns and pilasters with rich sculptural decorations. In the lower part you cannot fail to notice the large portico , accessible from three sides through three large arches and today often used for events and musical moments. Also under the portico there are two fountains also made in Botticino marble.
Location: Palazzo della Loggia, Piazza della Loggia, Brescia, Province of Brescia, Italy
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