Brescia is set at the feet of the Alps and is lapped by the Cidneo hill, an offshoot of Mount Maddalena (874 mt.) which stretches out eastward. Walking the panoramic and scenic pathways, known as Ronchi, which climb up the slopes of the heights, covered with mediterranean vegetation, is a real sensory experience. The wide ring roads, which replaced the ancient town walls, link the various boroughs and make the city traffic smooth, despite the daily hectic business activity. Nowadays Brescia has 200.000 inhabitants and is the second largest and most industrialized city of Lombardy, the beating heart of Italian economy, with a greater area of one million residents. Brescia is both a modern and very efficient city and a vibrant cultural, historical and artistic municipality. You can stroll through the roman and medieval streets of the old center which has been carefully and thoroughly revamped and redecorated through a number of environment requalifications: vast pedestrian areas, green collective spaces attentively refurbished, residential areas respectfully restored in the vicinity of one of the largest museum areas in Italy the “Santa Giulia-Museo della Città”, exactly where our campus is located. The museum opened to the public in 1999, it boasts an exhibition area of over 12.000 square meters and has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2011 with the Serial Site “Longobards in Italy. Places of the power (568-774 AD)” Brescian nightlife can offer a wide range of proposals for amusement and party lovers.
The typical Brescia’s aperitivo!
No appetizer can be set in motion without the original Brescian drink: the “Pirlo”, the classic aperitivo drunk in all Brescia wine bars and pubs and winner of the special New York Times prize in 2017. The recipe is very simple: still white wine, Campari (or Aperol, but for many this it’s pure heresy!) and then soda, the whole thing is then garnished with orange slices. All along downtown alleyways you will find numerous bars, pubs and restaurants. Note down these venues: Piazza Duomo, Via Beccaria, Piazza Loggia, Piazza Vittoria, Via X Giornate where you can sip long happy hours. If the above whereabouts are not enough, you can walk to Piazza Arnaldo, the very epicenter of the local “Movida” where stylish and contemporary cafes and wine bars abund. Getting there will require you to stride along Corso Magenta, another typical street dotted with characteristic tiny and cozy clubs. Another ideal venue for aperitifs is the Carmine multiethnic neighborhood, boasting art galleries, restaurants and clubs, awarded in 2013 best nightlife area in Italy.
Distinctive restaurants
All of these downtown areas feature classic restaurants where you will savour the Brescian cuisine delicacies. Every street, every corner and angle is a precious culinary hideaway fit to welcome you: even apparently deserted streets conceal enjoyable and pleasant surprises. If you then feel tired of the hustle and bustle of the city, you can head towards the attractive and charming small towns by the two main lakes (Garda and Iseo) trying to discover the star studded Michelin restaurants.
The cultural scene
Local theaters and cinemas enjoy very invigorating shows: the Teatro Grande and Centro Teatrale Bresciano regularly feature operas, ballets, dramas and comedies and Cinema Nuovo Eden has a rich program of original language films which during the summer is moved to the outdoor Castello Arena.
Street festivals and live performances
The main piazzas and alleys, typically in the Carmine borough, are lively characterized by concerts, parties, performances from many different artists, featuring a wide array of music, from indie to urban, from rap to blues and jazz.
Dance clubs and nightlife
The most popular clubs are situated outside the city center and particularly on the shores of the Lake Garda, where distinctive and charming little towns like Sirmione, Desenzano, Lido di Lonato and Padenghe are considered the top amusement sites of northern Italy.
CULTURE
In Italy art is everywhere. Besides the top cultural destinations like Rome, Florence and Venice the smaller towns combine the top quality life off the beaten tracks with distinctive historical treasures. Particularly in the northern regions, you may find real and unique architectural gems featuring a real center/north European environment, mindset and atmosphere.
LUXURY AND DOLCE VITA
Brescia is a very trendy city and has a very contemporary and continental lifestyle, with beautiful shops and restaurants which make it a real contemporary style capital.
CITY LIFE & SURROUNDINGS
Brescia is second only to Milan in Lombardy and the GDP produced by its enterprises is reflected in the glamour of its inhabitants, pubs, clubs, restaurants and boutiques. The city is a human scale one, its downtown is homey and cheerful, elegant and smart, just a stone’s throw away from Lake Garda and its holiday resorts full with cosmopolitan clientele, the Lake Iseo and the famed Franciacorta with its unique champenois wines and vineyard, second only to Tuscany and the Alps and glaciers of Mount Adamello, right in the heart of the Alps.
