Brescia,Italy

Urban sprawl, a seedy bus and train station area, and the odd skyscraper don’t hint at Brescia’s fascinating old town, which serves as a reminder of its substantial history.

Brescia already had centuries of (now-obscure) history behind it when the Romans conquered the Gallic town in 225 BC. The Carolingians took over in the 9th century, and were followed by a millennium’s worth of outside rulers including the Venetians. As revolutionary fervour sweptEurope in 1848–49, Brescia was dubbed ‘The Lioness’ for its 10-day attempted uprising against Austria in a prelude to its participation in the movement towards Italian unification a decade later.

Legacies of Brescia’s past include significant Roman ruins, two cathedrals and a vast medieval castle. As a result, the town is filled with gaggles of kids on school excursions (if you’re here during term time, you’re bound to encounter them).

Northwest of Brescia is the little-visited but beautiful Lago d’Iseo, while heading northeast brings you to Italy’s largest and most popula r lake, Lago di Garda.