Brescia: Exploring Hidden Treasures with FAI

Hello everyone, dear friends of this wonderful community!

Today, I'm excited to share with you some photos I took during my visit to Brescia, which I had the pleasure of exploring yesterday. The reason I chose to embark on this adventure is that I had been to Brescia some time ago and wanted to rediscover this charming city, seeking new discoveries and a deeper immersion in the Brescian atmosphere, especially since it is the cultural capital along with Bergamo this year.

I seized the opportunity offered by the FAI Days, which take place twice a year, in spring and autumn. These special days grant visitors access to places that are normally closed to the public, an opportunity I couldn't miss, and Brescia had several open locations.

As I mentioned in previous posts, I've been a member of this association for about a year. The FAI, Italian National Trust, is dedicated to preserving Italy's cultural heritage, not only through restoration but also by acquiring properties and making them accessible to the public for cultural visits. In the end, it takes on a role similar to that of the government.

My day started early, allowing me to visit two exceptional palaces that are usually closed to the public. One of them now serves as the headquarters of a high school, where the students themselves acted as guides, explaining the palace's history and sharing fun anecdotes. In the school's foundations, a Roman domus was found, which serves to illustrate Brescia's ancient history (Brixia). The other palace was guided by an enthusiastic FAI volunteer who shared his knowledge of the building's history and the secrets it holds, although there weren't many rooms to visit as the palace had been modified after the war.

Next, I visited an ancient monastery which, in recent years, has become the headquarters of the University of Brescia's economic office. It was fascinating to see how this ancient building has been transformed and repurposed for academic use, preserving some rooms, such as those where the monks would retreat for prayer.

To complete my experience, I strolled through Brescia's beautiful squares and visited both the new and old Cathedrals. The city's vibrancy was palpable, especially because it was a Sunday, and the squares were bustling with people enjoying coffee or a leisurely aperitif.

I hope you have enjoyed my story and the images I've shared. If you have the opportunity, I encourage you to visit Brescia, a city that, in my opinion, is absolutely worth exploring. It takes nearly a couple of days to see all that it offers, and I couldn't even visit the castle that overlooks the hill.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for dedicating your time to reading my post, and I look forward to sharing more adventures and stories with you in my next post. Until next time, friends!

@hotspotitaly