2023 is the year of Bergamo and Brescia, named Italian Capital of Culture!
The choice was made in July 2020 by the Italian government, which supported the proposal put forward by the two cities by “illuminating” them with the title, a way to signify a light of hope and care.
The central theme is precisely the Illuminated City, a journey through culture and beauty, which aims to increase the appreciation and enjoyment of our tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
But what does it mean to become Italian Capital of Culture 2023? Let’s find out together!
365 days of events and initiatives
Italian Capital of Culture is… events for all tastes and ages!
Exhibitions, concerts, creative shows, special openings, and deeper knowledge of the cultural excellence of the two cities: the schedule of initiatives that will accompany us until December 2023 is very rich!
To learn about the upcoming events:
- Italian Capital of Culture 2023: events month by month
- Official website of Italian Capital of Culture 2023
- Visit Bergamo website
A world of experiences for you to enjoy
Bergamo Brescia Italian Capital of Culture 2023 saw the launch of new and adventurous opportunities from a cultural and tourism perspective, uniting the two cities with a symbolic thread.
1.Via delle Sorelle Way. The Brescia Bergamo Way
This is a slow walk in stages immersed in nature that joins the two provinces and follows a route rich in historical, artistic and cultural value, highlighting both famous locations and lesser-known places.
130 km long, it can be accessed from both ends and runs mostly along the hilly areas of the two provinces. The walk touches:
- the two capitals Bergamo and Brescia
- 34 municipalities
- 2 UNESCO sites (the Venetian walls of Città Alta in Bergamo and the San Salvatore-Santa Giulia monastery in Brescia)
- several natural areas including 2 regional parks (Parco dei Colli di Bergamo and Parco regionale Oglio Nord), 1 local park of supra-municipal interest (Parco delle Colline di Brescia) and 1 regional reserve (Torbiere del Sebino)
- 3 DOC-DOCG wine-growing areas (Franciacorta, Val Calepio, Terre del Vescovado)
- 2 Wine Routes (Strada del Vino di Franciacorta and Strada del Vino Valcalepio e dei Sapori della Bergamasca)
- the intersection with other important ways or routes: Antica Via Valeriana, Sentiero 3V, Cammino di Santa Giulia, Sentiero Verde dell’Oglio, Via Mercatorum, Cammino del Vescovado, Cammino di Carlo Magno, and Alta via Delle Grazie.
Learn more:
2.Bergamo Brescia Cultural Bike and Walk Trail
76 kilometers, 34 villages and historic centres, 872 historical and cultural sites, 23 cultural hubs: this is the new Ciclovia della Cultura bike and walk trail, linking Bergamo and Brescia!
A signature project of the Italian Capital of Culture 2023, where people can hop on the saddle and discover, at a slow pace and in a sustainable way, hundreds of artistic and architectural beauties scattered throughout the territory and often little known, including UNESCO World Heritage sites, castles and monasteries, natural areas and archaeological sites.
The project also includes 17 cultural loops leading to numerous additional stops, including vineyard-dotted landscapes, suspended footbridges, and the shores of Lake Iseo.
The inauguration of Ciclovia della Cultura is scheduled for late May 2023.
Bergamo Brescia 2023 means priceless artistic, cultural, food and wine treasures!
From UNESCO sites to squares, from fortresses and castles to opportunities to experience nature, from contemporary art to fine dining options, traveling among the beauties of Bergamo and Brescia engages all the senses while creating emotions that will remain indelibly carved in our hearts.
Discover the highlights of the capital
The project: restart from culture
The project The Illuminated City – intentionally singular, to emphasize the union between the two cities – was developed as a sign of possible rebirth through the conscious choice of culture as a central element for civic education, skills creation, employment, and social and economic resilience.
The project has led to the identification of four thematic areas, which create the framework for the initiatives and events that will accompany us throughout the year:
- The city of hidden treasures: to rethink, reinterpret and redesign the relationship with cultural heritage in relation to the environment, the values and the identity of the two areas
- Nature city: to redesign the relationship of people and businesses with natural resources by reviewing settlement patterns, forms of consumption, transportation systems, urban production activities, with the aim of reducing environmental impact
- The city that invents: where scientific and technological culture meets the artistic and humanistic spirit of Brescia and Bergamo, which have always been devoted to “making”, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Leading this thematic area are associations, institutions, Chambers of Commerce, universities and the best talents of the region
- Culture as care: this is the area that posits culture as a pivotal tool for prevention, socialization, and well-being, as well as an ideal means of achieving important goals of inclusion, welcoming, and building community relationships.
Structured in specific chapters, each area is practically designed to best express quality of infrastructure, services, and life, but also to highlight the potential of Bergamo and Brescia from the point of view of tourism, residential, and knowledge and skills development.
For all information about the project visit the official website Bergamo Brescia Italian Capital of Culture 2023
Bundle tickets for transportation and museums
To make visits and participation to events in both cities easier, you can take advantage of integrated solutions at advantageous prices!
Flat-rate travel passes are available for public transportation in the entire urban network of Bergamo and Brescia, as well as proposals including both transportation and free admission to museums.
For more information and a list of participating museums, visit the section: “Bundle tickets: mobility and museums”
