Historic Brescia (March 13)

When we started our drive from Sirmione (at 09:00) to Brescia, I had programmed our parking as Parcheggi Fossa Bagnini, near the Castello di Brescia. However, when we arrived, we could not find it. Perhaps Google Maps has the wrong location.  (NOTE: Google Maps was terrible at navigating in Northern Italy, not explaining which exit to take during numerous roundabouts, and making other mistakes. We switched to Apple Maps and had better success.) We found some free parking nearby and walked from there to our first destination - Piazza della Loggia.

Piazza della Loggia, a large Renaissance square in the historic center of Brescia, was mostly empty, with a few restaurants (with large outdoor seating areas). The astronomical clock tower and the Palazzo della Loggia were the two impressive sights to see. I imagine that the square gets busier during the summer tourist season.

Built in the 15th century during Venetian rule, the square served as the political and commercial heart of the city. Its architecture reflects the strong influence of the Republic of Venice, which governed Brescia for several centuries.

Key things to see in the square:

1. Palazzo della Loggia
The elegant Renaissance palace dominating the square. It was built starting in 1492 and served as Brescia’s city hall. Today it still houses the municipal government.

2. Venetian-style arcades
Along one side of the square are long arcades with shops and cafés, built in the Venetian style.

3. The astronomical clock tower (Torre dell’Orologio)
A striking clock with two bronze figures—nicknamed “the Macc de le ure” (“the madmen of the hours”)—that strike the bell.

Our next stop was the Roman ruins (Capitolium or Tempio Capitolino). In the morning, when we walked by the ruins, they were blocked from direct access, but opened later in the day.

The Capitolium, also called the Tempio Capitolino, is the most important surviving Roman monument in Brescia. It was the main temple of the Roman city of Brixia and stood at the center of the Roman forum.

The temple was constructed in 73 AD during the reign of the Roman emperor Vespasian. An inscription on the building still commemorates his sponsorship of the project.

The temple replaced earlier religious structures and became the religious heart of Roman Brixia, a prosperous city in northern Italy.

Like many Roman cities, Brescia had a Capitolium, a temple dedicated to the Capitoline Triad—the three most important gods of the Roman state:

• Jupiter – king of the gods

• Juno – protector of the Roman state

• Minerva – goddess of wisdom and crafts

Inside the temple were three separate sanctuaries (cellae), each dedicated to one of these gods.

The temple was rediscovered in 1823 during archaeological excavations. Today visitors can see:

Roman columns and façade
The reconstructed white marble columns recreate the imposing front of the temple.

Original interior rooms
The three sacred chambers where the statues of the gods once stood.

Decorative marble floors and walls
Parts of the richly decorated Roman interior remain preserved.

Bronze statues discovered in 1826
In a hidden chamber nearby, archaeologists found a cache of Roman bronzes buried in late antiquity to protect them from destruction.

The most famous of these is the Winged Victory of Brescia, now displayed nearby and considered one of the finest Roman bronze statues ever discovered.

The Capitolium overlooks the remains of Brescia’s Roman forum, the central square of the ancient city. The whole area forms part of the Archaeological Park of Roman Brescia.

We decided to visit the famous Santa Giulia Archaeological Museum, and it was one of the main highlights of our visit to Brescia.

The Santa Giulia Museum is the main museum of Brescia and one of the most important historical museums in northern Italy. It is often called the “Museum of the City” because it tells the entire story of Brescia—from prehistoric times to the Renaissance—within a single complex.

The museum is housed inside a vast Benedictine monastery complex originally founded in 753 AD by the Lombard king Desiderius and his wife Ansa.

Over centuries the monastery expanded with churches, cloisters, and living quarters for nuns. After the monastery was dissolved in 1798, the buildings were eventually restored and turned into the city museum.

Today the museum covers about 14,000 square meters and contains over 11,000 artifacts.

Unlike a typical museum with just galleries, Santa Giulia is a complex of historic buildings you walk through. The exhibits are integrated with the original architecture, including:

• Roman houses and archaeological remains

• medieval churches

• Renaissance cloisters

• monastic rooms and chapels

This creates a continuous historical journey through the city’s past.

Highlights inside the museum

1. Basilica of San Salvatore
An 8th-century Lombard church that formed the core of the monastery.

2. Church of Santa Maria in Solario
A small Romanesque chapel where the monastery treasury was kept.

3. The Cross of Desiderius
A famous jeweled cross from the 9th century, one of the most important surviving works of Lombard goldsmithing.

4. Roman houses (Domus dell’Ortaglia)
Excavated Roman villas with mosaics and remains of ancient streets beneath the monastery.

5. The Nuns’ Choir (Coro delle Monache)
A large frescoed hall where Benedictine nuns attended Mass without being seen.

For lunch, we stopped by the ChatGPT-recommended Osteria Al Bianchi, where we were seated at a communal table, next to a lady from England (Exeter), who was driving to her home in southern France and stopped by in Brescia. We ordered the following items:

• Boris: Large Mixed Salad, Casoncelli (pasta), Red Wine
• Inna: Capu, Guancia, White Wine

The Capu was amazing, and the Casoncelli pasta was excellent too. Inna liked her Guancia (cheek of the cow) too. The house Red wine from Brescia was also very enjoyable (and I don't usually like red wine).

Capù (sometimes written capù bresciani) is a traditional peasant dish from the area around Brescia. It consists of small rolls made with cabbage or vine leaves stuffed with a savory filling, then slowly cooked in broth or butter.

Casoncelli (pronounced kah-zon-CHEL-lee) is a traditional stuffed pasta from the Lombardy region, especially associated with Brescia and nearby Bergamo. It is one of the most beloved regional dishes in northern Italy.

After lunch, Inna wanted to see Liberty. L’arte dell’Italia moderna — Art Exhibition in Brescia (2026), hosted at Palazzo Martinengo.

The show explores the Liberty style — the Italian version of Art Nouveau — which flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This was a period of great cultural and artistic transformation in Europe and Italy, marked by new ideas about beauty, design, and modern life. The exhibition highlights how this style influenced not just painting and sculpture, but also fashion, advertising graphics, photography, ceramics, applied arts, and even early cinema.

The exhibition brings together a selection of over 100 masterpieces — most of them from private collections and important Italian museums such as the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea in Rome and the Galleria Nazionale di Parma.

Highlights included:

• Paintings by leading Italian artists such as Vittorio Matteo Corcos, Gaetano Previati, Plinio Nomellini, Ettore Tito, and more.

• Sculptures in bronze and marble by masters like Leonardo Bistolfi, Libero Andreotti, and Edoardo Rubino.

• Colourful advertising posters (affiches) from the era.

• Period fashion, including elegant women’s dresses from early 20th‑century ateliers. 

Top 10 Paintings in the Exhibition

1. Giorgio Kienerk – Trittico (Il dolore, Il silenzio, Il piacere)
   A powerful triptych exploring emotions with expressive Liberty‑era style.

2. Vittorio Matteo Corcos – Ritratto della Marchesa Edith Oliver Dusmet
   A striking portrait of an aristocratic woman that exemplifies Corcos’s refined portrait style in the Liberty era.

3. Vittorio Matteo Corcos – Ritratto di Lia Goldman
   Another elegant Corcos portrait, typifying cultured, introspective figures of the early 20th century.

4. Plinio Nomellini – Bambini in giardino
   A lyrical scene with children in a garden, capturing nature and light in gentle Liberty‑style brushwork.

5. Mario Reviglione – Ritratto in nero (Ritratto della signora Levi Muzzani)
   A deeply expressive portrait with strong stylistic traits of the period.

6. Camillo Innocenti – Bianco e azzurro
   Known for its subtle color balance, merging decorative form with emotional expression.

7. Alessandro Battaglia – Mattino di Primavera
   A beloved piece with natural subject matter and delicate Liberty sensibility.

8. Gian Emilio Malerba – L’attesa
   A celebrated Liberty‑era painting that symbolizes anticipation, rendered in refined decorative style.

9. Felice Casorati – Persone
   A portrait or figurative work showing early 20th‑century modernist influences (listed among notable works in the show).

10. Enrico Lionne / Umberto Coromaldi / Cesare Tallone (representative works)
    While specific titles from these painters aren’t always published in advance, the exhibition includes important works by them reflecting Liberty’s blend of traditional skill and modern influences.

After the art exhibition, we rushed to see Duomo Vecchio:

The Duomo Vecchio (“Old Cathedral”), also called Brescia Cathedral (Old) or the “Rotonda”, is one of the most unusual medieval churches in Italy. It sits next to the newer cathedral in the center of Brescia.

What makes it special is its circular shape. Built mainly in the 11th–12th centuries, it is one of the best-preserved Romanesque round churches in Europe. The design likely replaced an earlier Early Christian basilica that stood on the site.

Inside, the church feels very thick, heavy, and medieval, with massive stone walls and relatively small windows.

Architecture highlights

• Circular plan (Rotonda) — uncommon for cathedrals in Italy

• Huge stone pillars supporting the dome

• Two levels: an upper church and a lower crypt area

• Thick Romanesque masonry, giving it a fortress-like feel

Things to see inside

• Roman sarcophagus of Bishop Berardo Maggi (14th century)

• Roman and early Christian remains in the crypt

• Medieval fresco fragments

After visiting the Duomo, we returend to our Opel Corsa  (a 15-minute walk to its parking spot) and started our return drive to Sirmione.

Brescia Trip Review

Highlights

• Exploring the amazing Santa Giulia Museum
• Visiting the Capitolium o Tempio Capitolino
• Seeing the Liberty Art Exhibition
• Visiting Duomo Vecchio
• Dining out at Osteria Al Bianchi
• Visiting Piazza della Loggia

Lowlights

• Problems finding parking

Links

• Attractions:
• Santa Giulia Museum
• Capitolium o Tempio Capitolino
• Castello di Brescia
• Piazza della Loggia
• Duomo Vecchio
• Liberty Art Exhibition
• Osteria Al Bianchi

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Picturesque Sirmione (March 12-15)

Thursday, March 12, 2026

From Bergamo's Parcheggio Citta Alta Bergamo parking, we drove about 75 minutes to the Grand Hotel Terme in Sirmione. There was heavy traffic in Bergamo, but it thinned out once we reached the tollway.

On arriving in Sirmione, we had to follow a special procedure to park our Opel Corsa. Once we reached the yellow barrier, we had to push a button and ask to be permitted in, explaining that we were staying at the Grand Hotel Therme. Then, we had to push another button at the Hotel's gate. We parked in a parking lot next to the hotel (but backing out may present some difficulties).

The Grand Hotel Terme is one of the most famous luxury hotels in Sirmione, located directly on the shore of Lake Garda, just steps from Scaliger Castle and the entrance to the historic town. It is known for combining 5-star hospitality with thermal spa traditions that have made Sirmione famous for centuries.

The hotel is part of the Terme di Sirmione wellness complex, one of Italy’s most historic thermal spa organizations. These facilities revolve around natural sulphurous thermal waters rich in bromide and iodine, which are valued for therapeutic and relaxation treatments.

The hotel occupies one of the most spectacular spots on the peninsula:

• directly on the lakefront

• views of Lake Garda and the castle

• a private dock and sun terrace over the water

Once we registered at the front desk, we were provided a tour of the property, showing us the L'Orangerie restaurant. When we arrived, there were no tables available for dining, so we decided to head to the nearby Barracuda, a few minutes away.

We sat down indoors (as it was cold outside), and ordered the following items:

• Drinks: Hot Black Tea with Lemon, Water
• Salad: Large Greek Salad
• Appetizer: Salmon Tartare
• Main: Trout (from Lake Garda)

The Greek Salad was huge, and we really enjoyed it. The Salmon Tartare was average (and can be skipped next time). The freshly caught Trout from Lake Garda was tender and juicy.

Friday, March 13, 2026

I had set the iPhone alarm for 07:00, showered, and dressed. When Inna was also ready, we walked downstairs for our first official breakfast at the Grand Hotel Terme. There were wonderful tables set up, and we were taken to a table, where we ordered two cappuccinos. This was a buffet-style breakfast, so we walked over to the buffet to select the following items:

• Boris: 
• Drinks: cappuccino, still water
• 1st plate: plain yogurt with strawberries, pineapple chunks, nuts, and honeycomb
• 2nd plate: scrambled eggs, sausage, small pastries
• Inna:
• Dinks: cappuccino, still water
• 1st plate: scrambled eggs
• 2nd plate: yogurt with berries

After breakfast, we decided to head to Brescia, about which I write in a separate blog post.

We returned to Sirmione at 17:00. Sirmione was busy with tourists already (even in early March), and we wondered what it's like during the summer (the peak season).

We changed out of our clothes into swimsuits and headed downstairs to the Terme's pool. We spent a few hours enjoying the warm, thermal waters (with a sulphur smell). After swimming for a bit, I went inside to rest and read my Kindle (The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro). Inna also checked out the fitness room, the steam room, sauna, and spa.

For dinner, we decided to try L'Orangerie, and I made reservations for 20:30. We ordered the following items:

• Drinks: Still water, 2 x Black Tea
• Boris: Bolognese-style ravioli, black truffle, sage, Castelmagno cheese
• Inna: Crusted seabass fillet, pine nuts, black cabbage, supreme sauce
• Dessert: Tiramisu (homemade)

Fine dining at L'Orangerie was excellent, with fast and efficient service and expertly prepared dishes (though quite expensive). My Black Truffle Ravioli was amazing, and Inna's Seabass was excellent. The homemade Tiramisu was probably the best Tiramisu I've ever had.

After dinner, at around 22:00, we decided to stroll past old-town Sirmione, over the bridge that connects the Castello Scaligero to the rest of the peninsula, and to check out the path to the Grotte di Catullo. We strolled through empty streets until we reached the ticket office.

Scaliger Castle (Castello Scaligero) is the dramatic medieval fortress that guards the entrance to the old town of Sirmione on Lake Garda. With its towers rising directly from the water, it is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Italy.

The castle was constructed in the 13th century by the House of Scaliger (also called the Della Scala family), who ruled the nearby city of Verona.

Their goal was to control the southern end of Lake Garda and protect the important trade routes that passed through Sirmione. What makes Scaliger Castle especially remarkable is its fortified harbor.

Key features include:

• High defensive walls and battlements

• Three main towers plus a tall central keep (mastio)

• A rare medieval dockyard where ships could enter safely inside the castle walls

• A drawbridge protecting the main entrance

Very few castles in Europe still preserve a medieval enclosed harbor, making this one architecturally unique. During the Middle Ages, whoever controlled Sirmione controlled a key position on Lake Garda. The castle allowed the Scaliger rulers to:

• monitor shipping on the lake

• defend against rival city-states

• control trade routes between northern Italy and the Alps

After the Scaliger dynasty declined in the late 1300s, the castle passed to the Republic of Venice. Under Venetian rule it remained a military garrison for several centuries before eventually losing its strategic role.

 

Saturday, March 14, 2026

I awoke at 07:00 to the alarm, showered, and dressed for breakfast at the L'Orangerie restaurant. We walked over to the buffet to select the following items:

• Boris: 
• Drinks: cappuccino, still water
• 1st plate: scrambled eggs, sausage, artichokes, small tomatoes
• 2nd plate: plain yogurt with strawberries, pineapple chunks, nuts, and honeycomb
• Inna:
• Drinks: cappuccino, still water
• 1st plate: scrambled eggs
• 2nd plate: yogurt with berries

After breakfast, we walked for about 15 minutes to the Grotte di Catullo. The ruins of the Roman villa were incredibly impressive, and we were astounded by its sheer size. They reminded me of our recent visit to Pompei, where numerous, well-preserved ruins were displayed. Our wish was to have a guide to explain all the rooms and building remnants found.

The Grotte di Catullo are the largest Roman villa ruins in northern Italy and one of the most impressive archaeological sites on Lake Garda. They sit at the very tip of the Sirmione peninsula, surrounded by water on three sides.

Despite the name, they are not actually caves. The word “grotte” (grottos) was used in the Middle Ages when people thought the vine-covered ruins were natural caves.

The complex is the remains of a huge luxury Roman villa built between the 1st century BC and 1st century AD.

Key facts:

• about 2 hectares (5 acres) in size

• built on a rocky promontory overlooking the lake

• likely owned by a wealthy Roman aristocratic family

The villa once included:

• large terraces overlooking the lake

• gardens and courtyards

• private baths

• living quarters and reception rooms

The design maximized panoramic views of Lake Garda, making it one of the most scenic Roman residences ever built.

The ruins are traditionally linked to the Roman poet Gaius Valerius Catullus, who was born in Sirmio (ancient Sirmione) around 84 BC.

In one of his most famous poems, he celebrates returning home to the peninsula:

“Paene insularum, Sirmio, insularumque ocelle…”
(“Sirmio, jewel of islands and peninsulas…”)

However, the current ruins were likely built after Catullus died, so the villa may have belonged to his family or later wealthy owners, rather than to Catullus himself.

Visitors walk through the massive stone remains of the villa, including:

• huge arched substructures that supported terraces

• remnants of Roman bath complexes

• sections of mosaic floors

• olive groves planted among the ruins

The site also contains the Archaeological Museum of Sirmione, displaying artifacts discovered during excavations.

The Grotte di Catullo is remarkable because it combines:

• spectacular Roman architecture

• dramatic lake views

• literary history connected to Catullus

Standing at the far end of the ruins, you can see nearly the entire southern basin of Lake Garda, which explains why wealthy Romans chose this spot for a grand villa.

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✅ Fun fact: The villa was so large that during the Middle Ages people thought it was the ruins of an entire ancient city, not just a single residence.

After we finished with the Grotte, we returned to our room in Sirmione and dressed for a bicycle ride along Lake Garda. I put on workout shorts (as pedaling in jeans would be uncomfortable).

Our Grand Terme hotel had multiple city bicycles (with baskets) available to freely use (with locking cables provided). I adjusted a seat on my bike, though it shifted during cycling.

I had planned to cycle westward to Desenzano, but Inna had earlier decided to bicycle to Lugano, with a stop in Spiaggia Punta Gro (Punta Gro Beach). We followed Inna's cycling plan, from our Grand Terme hotel) to Lugano and then Punta Gro. Part of the ride consisted of biking with cars, but on reaching Via Brescia, a separate bicycle lane made the ride more enjoyable. At Punta Gro Beach, we touched the water of Lake Garda, and it was warmer than expected. Perhaps, it could even be swimmable (though the swimming season really starts in May and runs until September).

Bicycling around Sermione presents some challenges (especially with the constant roundabouts) and bike lanes switching sides of the road. However, most drivers were quite courteous, and we did not run into any issues. I always prefer to cycle in a designated bike lane, and there were many bike lanes just outside Sermione.

Since the weather forecast called for rain at 14:00, we decided to return quickly to avoid getting soaked. I saw lots of dark clouds on the horizon and gusts of wind (to warn about the upcoming low-pressure system).

After returning to Grand Terme and dropping off the bicycles, we decided to head to Sermione downtown for lunch. Inna decided on the Al Torcol restaurant. We sat down outdoors and ordered the following items:

• Appetizer: Tartar di trota (Trout)
• Pasta: Casoncelli
• Main: Salmerino (Char)
• Drinks: Mogri Groppello Red Wine, white wine, still water
• Olive Oil: Patenti Olio

We were provided with free bread (breadrolls, breadsticks) and olive oil. The bread was delicious, and the deep yellow Olive Oil (Pententi Olio) was amazing! The olive oil in the U.S. looks and tastes a few grades lower in quality. How do we purchase Pententi Olio in the US?

The Casoncelli was excellent (but the portion was very small), and the Salmerino (Char) was also delicious. The service was fast, but the pasta and main plates came out very slowly, and we spent a lot of time waiting for the next plate. We would have preferred a bit faster serving speed (It took us 90 minutes for lunch). I was a bit of a clutz and spilled my red wine, but fortunately, I did not ruin anything valuable.

After lunch, we strolled around various shops in downtown, and then I returned to the Grand Terme hotel to enjoy the thermal pool some more (and to continue reading my Kindle). Inna decided to explore the various shops in downtown Sermione.

We stopped by a local men's store to look at MooRER jackets. They looked and felt excellent (made in Verona) but were very expensive (1000 euros).

While in the thermal pool, it started to rain quite heavily at times (with large gusts of wind). I was hoping that Inna was able to find some shelter in downtown shops.

Inna wanted to try the afternoon tea at 17:00, and I called the front desk to make reservations. When she returned at 17:00, we walked to the bar for our afternoon tea. We were the only ones there, and we were served a couple of small sandwiches and small desserts, along with hot black English breakfast tea. It was a bit underwhelming & overpriced (at 30 euros/person). It did not compare favorably to afternoon tea in London or Edinburgh.

When we finished the tea, we returned for a rew more hours to the thermal pool.

We thought about eating dinner, but I was not hungry, and Inna did not want to walk far in the rain. We decided to skip dinner altogether.

Sunday, March 15, 2026

I set the alarm for 07:00, as I had to pack for our hotel checkout after breakfast and drive to Abano Terme in Padua (with a stop in Verona).

For breakfast, we sat down and selected the following from the buffet:

• Boris: 
• Drinks: cappuccino, still water
• 1st plate: plain yogurt with strawberries, pineapple chunks, nuts, and honeycomb
• 2nd plate: scrambled eggs, sausage, small pastries
• Inna:
• Dinks: cappuccino, still water
• 1st plate: scrambled eggs
• 2nd plate: yogurt with berries

Sermione Trip Review

Highlights

• Enjoying the thermal waters of the Grand Hotel Terme 
• Walking around the amazing Grotte di Catullo
• Eating a delicious breakfast at Grand Hotel Terme 
• Bicycling to Lugano

Lowlights

• Rain on Saturday, March 14
• Large tourist crowds (even in March)

Links

• Grand Hotel Terme, Sirmione
• L'Orangerie Restaurant
• Castello Scaligero di Sirmione
• Grotte di Catullo
• Barracuda Restaurant
• Al Torcol

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