Bergamo and Brescia together for the Italian Capital of Culture 2023

Two cities, two worlds close together but which normally travel apart, have decided to join forces and the beauty of their territory to give Italy and the world a more creative, sustainable and inclusive vision of the future. With the intention of launching a great gesture of hope and solidarity after a particular period like the one we have experienced.

Bergamo and Brescia, two cities and two territories rich in art, culture, nature, important artisan and industrial realities, have always represented the excellence of Made in Italy, of know-how and of living well. Places characterized by contrasts and great beauties, by strong and proud people who love to work and create, innovate and combine life with the nature that surrounds them.

For the first time in such an important initiative as becoming the Italian Capital of Culture 2023, Bergamo and Brescia are planning a new future together, in which environmental sustainability meets the modern needs of people, in which the territory is enhanced together with the potential of industry and the rediscovery of local craftsmanship, in which cities and environments finally become on a human scale.

For those who love Made in Italy and the great beauties of our country, visiting Bergamo and Brescia is an essential step. Not only to visit the cities, but also to appreciate the natural richness offered by these territories.

The city of Bergamo is characterized by a strong dualism, precisely because its architecture develops between the Upper Town and the Lower Town. Two ways of experiencing the same urban structure, which offer us the opportunity to admire enchanting views of the landscape and appreciate the passage of time. Both "cities of Bergamo" give visitors strong emotions, having been built in different eras.

The lower part of the city, of more recent construction, testifies to the industriousness of the local population, the desire to expand the area to create an easy and laborious city, full of wide spaces, beautiful churches, tree-lined avenues and large squares. Bergamo Alta, a favorite tourist destination in Lombardy, attracts visitors with its characteristic medieval architecture, narrow alleys and with its position perched on the hill defended by a mighty wall, easily reachable on foot with a walk or by funicular to have a wider view of the surrounding landscape and a different perspective on the lower city.

Brescia is also a city rich in art, history and culture. A place full of monuments, museums, archaeological remains and historic palaces. In Brescia, the visitor is enchanted by the majesty of the Roman ruins of the Archaeological Park which has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site and which manages to catapult us into an ancient time when the Romans had conquered the territory and enriched it with magnificent temples, basilicas and monuments. The medieval part of the city, on the other hand, is full of surprises, including the castle perched on Colle Cidneo, the Cathedral and the ancient squares.

Visiting Bergamo and Brescia during 2023, when together they will be the Capital of our Culture, will be an unmissable opportunity to appreciate the two cities, but also the surrounding areas, the villages and the natural beauty of the mountains and peasant valleys.

The cultural project that will accompany Bergamo and Brescia in a year-long event aims to underline the dualism typical of these lands, the contrast between city and countryside, center and suburbs, industry and craftsmanship, innovation and art.

"The illuminated city" is the theme of the intense program of events and initiatives that will bring thousands of visitors to know the many realities of the two provinces united in one capital. The common inspiration is light, understood as energy, flow of ideas, vitality of the territory and its people. 

Light that sees Culture as the unifying element of many different stimuli, but which also wants to be a beacon of hope in an increasingly complex world. 

Culture is conceived as a cure for the evils that afflict modern society, as a theme of inclusion and well-being that brings the person to the center. And it does so through the enhancement of health, sport and good food, so strongly characteristic of our country and these two cities.

The territory of the cities and small villages will then be enhanced by cultural events, exhibitions and initiatives that will highlight the great artistic and historical attractions and above all the hidden treasures that enrich this land.

The city understood as a place in which to rethink spaces to become more suited to the contemporary needs of environmental and social sustainability is also at the center of numerous initiatives that will be able to combine urban living and suburbs with the nature that surrounds them. Not only green in the city, but also knowledge of the natural environment of both provinces, in an area full of splendid places where you can spend your free time outdoors and have fun with physical and hiking activities designed for all lovers of nature and sustainability.

Culture that wants to combine innovation and craftsmanship, industry and art. Bergamo and Brescia have always been two very important centers of industrial and artisanal production, the real beating heart of the economic activities of northern Italy. Planned for next year, therefore, are also the rediscovery of the great local manufacturing tradition, the enhancement of design as an art form, the culture of entrepreneurship and the industrial process as an integral part of the social fabric and wealth of the country.

Organizing a tour between Bergamo and Brescia in 2023 will therefore be a unique and unforgettable experience, the perfect opportunity to fall in love with the area and all it has to offer, a real dive into the most genuine and generous Made in Italy.