Before last Sunday, I had never had a good look round the northern Italian city of Brescia and I’m very glad I did. If you are planning to visit Italy, you should add it to your list of places to visit.
Judging by the low number of tourists I encountered, I’d said that Brescia is not on many lists of places to visit in Italy. This is a pity because Brescia is beautiful and rather colourful too and, as is the case with many places in Italy, interesting food and wines are abundant too, so when you visit Italy, consider visiting Brescia too.
I spent the good part of a day getting to know the centre of this smallish Italian city, the origins of which date back 3,200 years.
Here are the photographs I took of Brescia, and its food, during my recent trip there.
Brescia is highly photogenic:
Here’s the Loggia in the city centre:
From the Loggia, the view is equally charming:
For lunch, I headed to the Osteria Al Bianchi which had been recommended to me by Brescia based Twitter follower Carlo Gianuzzi – who I later met up with for a chat. Many thanks for the coffee, the restaurant recommendation and the company, Carlo!
Lunch was very tasty and I kicked off with casoncelli, a form of ravioli.
I followed the pasta with la coppa ripiena, a plate of meat and polenta:
Both the pasta and the main course were very good. I wanted to round things off with the Osteria Al Bianchi’s apparently legendary zabaione mousse but, alas and alack, it had all gone. I had to settle for panna cotta with strawberry sauce:
I washed everything down with a rather nice house red although with hindsight, I should have gone for some of the area’s white Franciacorta bubbly. There’s always next time!
This was my lunchtime view:
After lunch and more exploring, I headed back to Brescia’s Market Square for a break and a cool beer:
Wonder the backstreets of Brescia and come across sights like this:
It’s rather lovely, isn’t it? I only really skimmed the surface, there’s the castle to see and its museum plus Roman remains, and more. Brescia is an undiscovered gem. Visit before it is discovered!
How to Get to Brescia
If you’d like to visit Brescia, it’s very easy to get to from Milan by train – the trip takes around 45 minutes by fast train – and just as easy to get to from Venice or Verona by train too.
Brescia would make a nice destination for a day trip if you happen to be staying at Lake Garda. Actually, Brescia would make a nice place for a weekend getaway.
If you’d like to pay a visit to Brescia, then Booking.com has a great selection of hotels and other accommodation for you to browse: Brescia Accommodation
Where I Ate
Lunch at the Osteria Al Bianchi (website in Italian) – Via Gasparo da Salò 32 – cost €37 and included first and second courses, dessert plus wine, water and an espresso coffee.
More Information About Brescia
Visit the Brescia Tourism website
Will I go back to Brescia? Yes, I certainly will! I don’t need to visit Italy – I live here 🙂
KareninCalabria says
Very nice, Alex! Tell me, the polenta would seem a little heavy on the stomach for a summertime lunch. I know of the “polentoni” moniker, but do they eat polenta all through the warmest of weather in northern Italy?
Alex Roe says
I was a little surprised at the polenta, Karen, but it wasn’t a large portion. As for polentoni all year round, not sure but it can get chilly up in the mountains even in the summer. Do you get polenta in your neck of the Italian woods?
KareninCalabria says
I haven’t seen it all that often, but never in hot weather. And you’re right – climate definitely comes into play, here!
Alex Roe says
Have been told not to eat chocolate in the summer but the “rule” can be bent – as is the Italian way 😉
Sounds as if poltena could be marketed better in Italy’s south in the winter!