Lake Iseo and Val Camonica

<< Lombardy

At the western end of the Province of Brescia is Lake Iseo, a popular tourist destination with various lakeside resorts. One of these is Lovere, which is part of the Province of Bergamo. North of Lake Iseo is Val Camonica, a long alpine valley known for its several historic sites and beautiful mountain towns.

Iseo

Iseo is a town located at the southern end of Lake Iseo, in the Province of Brescia. The town has ancient origins and it features some historic buildings, but it is best known as a tourist destination thanks to its position.

Pieve of Sant’Andrea

The Pieve of Sant’Andrea is an ancient church in Iseo. The structure can trace its origins to the Paleochristian age, but the current church was erected around the 11th century. The church features Romanesque decorations, while its interiors are adorned with 19th-century Neoclassical frescoes and artworks. The small medieval Church of San Silvestro is located in front of the Pieve of Sant’Andrea, and it features an ancient Danse Macabre.

Oldofredi Castle

The Oldofredi Castle is a castle erected during the Late Middle Ages in Iseo. Later restored and expanded, it was turned into a monastery in the 16th century. After the monastery was closed, part of the building was turned into private houses, while other areas now serve as museum and public library.

Provaglio d’Iseo

Provaglio d’Iseo is a small town located just south of Iseo in the Province of Brescia. The town forms part of the historical region of Franciacorta, known for wine production.

Torbiere del Sebino

The Torbiere del Sebino are a marshland and natural reserve extending between Provaglio d’Iseo and Iseo. The area features a rich fauna, and it is visited by many different species of birds. The Monastery of San Pietro in Lamosa is located just outside the Torbiere del Sebino. This medieval monastery was founded in the 11th century and expanded various times, and it features some ancient artworks and frescoes.

Monte Isola

Monte Isola is an island in Lake Iseo, and a municipality in the Province of Brescia. The island has been inhabited since ancient times, and it was the site of small fishing and shipbuilding villages. Now it is a popular tourist destination.

Sanctuary of Madonna della Ceriola

The Sanctuary of Madonna della Ceriola (Santuario della Madonna della Ceriola) is a sanctuary located on the highest point of Monte Isola. Founded in the Late Middle Ages, the church was reworked a few times, with the addition of various frescoes and artworks. The sanctuary also features various ex-voto. Thanks to its position, it offers a great view on the lake and the surrounding mountains.

Lovere

Lovere is a small town located on the northwestern shore of Lake Iseo in the Province of Bergamo. A town of ancient origins, Lovere has been a flourishing center for a long time. Now a popular tourist destination, it ranks among the most beautiful towns in Italy.

Accademia Tadini

The Accademia Tadini is a fine arts academy founded in Lovere in the 19th century. Its art gallery features a rich collection, which includes works by Canova, various archaeological finds, and numerous porcelains. The main feature of the museum are the many paintings, spanning from the Late Middle Ages to the 19th century. Another section of the museum houses various memorabilia of the Italian Risorgimento.

Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Valvendra

The Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Valvendra is a church built in the late 15th century in Lovere. Originally erected in Gothic style, it was later reworked with Renaissance additions. Its interiors house various artworks and decorations.

Val Camonica

Val Camonica is one of the largest valleys in the Italian Alps and it is almost entirely located in the Province of Brescia. The valley is crossed by the Oglio river flowing toward Lake Iseo, and it is a popular tourist attraction thanks to its beautiful environment, archaeological sites, and historic attractions. In prehistoric times, Val Camonica was inhabited by the Camuni, a Rhaetian tribe that left hundreds of thousands of petroglyphs. The area was later settled by the Romans, and it was contested between local powers for centuries. Ruled by Brescia, Milan, and Venice, the valley later followed the history of the rest of Lombardy until today.

✪ Rock Drawings in Val Camonica

Hundreds of thousands of ancient rock drawings can be found around Val Camonica. These petroglyphs mostly date between the Paleolithic and the Iron Age, and they constitute one of the largest collections of rock engravings in the world. These rock drawings depict people, animals, and symbols such as the Camunian rose (rosa camuna), which is found throughout all the valley. The Rock Drawings in Val Camonica (Incisioni Rupestri della Val Camonica) were recognized as the first UNESCO World Heritage site in Italy in 1979. There are various archaeological parks in the valley that allow visitors to see thousands of these ancient rock engravings. Three of these are located around Capo di Ponte: the National Park of the Rock Engravings of Naquane (Parco Nazionale delle Incisioni Rupestri di Naquane), the Cemmo National Archaeological Park (Parco Archeologico Nazionale dei Massi di Cemmo), and the Archaeological Park of Seradina-Bedolina (Parco Archeologico di Seradina-Bedolina), which houses the Bedolina Map (Mappa di Bedolina), an engraving depicting one of the oldest known topographic maps. Other archaeological areas hosting the rock engravings of Val Camonica include the Rock Art Natural Reserve of Ceto, Cimbergo and Paspardo (Riserva Naturale delle Incisioni Rupestri di Ceto, Cimbergo e Paspardo), located south of Capo di Ponte, the Archaeological Park of Anvoia-Asinino (Parco Archeologico di Anvoia-Asinino) near Ossimo, the Archaeological Park of Luine (Parco Archeologico di Luine) in Darfo Boario Terme, the Archaeological Park of Sellero (Parco Archeologico di Sellero) in Sellero, and finally the Coren de le Fate Plurithematic Park (Parco Pluritematico Coren de le Fate) near Sonico.

Boario Terme

Boario Terme is a small spa resort in Val Camonica, part of the municipality of Darfo Boario Terme. Knowledge of the hot waters of Boario Terme goes back centuries, but the area only became popular in the 19th century. The town was turned into a spa resort in the early 20th century, with the construction of an Art Nouveau building and a park hosting a decorated marble dome.

Bienno

Bienno is a small town in Val Camonica, considered among the most beautiful villages in the area. The main attraction in the town is the Church of Santa Maria Annunciata, which houses a large series of Renaissance frescoes, some painted by Romanino. Meanwhile, the Hill of Christ the King (Colle di Cristo Re), located near the town, houses a golden statue of Jesus Christ made in 1931. Bienno also houses the Ethnographic Museum of Iron, Arts, and Popular Traditions (Museo Etnografico del Ferro, delle Arti e Tradizioni Popolari), a museum of local history hosted in an ancient forge.

National Archaeological Museum of Val Camonica

The National Archaeological Museum of Val Camonica (Museo Archeologico Nazionale della Val Camonica) is a museum of history and archaeology located in Cividate Camuno. The museum is mostly focused on the Roman age, and it houses a collection of archaeological finds unearthed in the valley and dating from that era.

Archaeological Park of Cividate Camuno

The Archaeological Park of Cividate Camuno (Parco Archeologico di Cividate Camuno) is an archaeological site housing the ruins of the ancient Roman town of Civitas Camunnorum. The park features the ruins of an amphitheater and part of a theater, among various other buildings.

Breno Castle

The Breno Castle is castle erected during the Late Middle Ages on a hill in Breno. Expanded over the centuries and later abandoned, the castle still features a tower and a few other fortifications. The ruins of a prehistoric dwelling has been unearthed under the castle.

Camunian Museum

The Camunian Museum (Museo Camuno) is an art and history museum located in Breno, in Val Camonica. The museum houses a collection of artworks by local artists dating between the 15th and 20th century, as well as some archaeological finds.

National Prehistory Museum of Val Camonica

The National Prehistory Museum of Val Camonica (Museo Nazionale della Preistoria della Val Camonica) is an archaeological museum in Capo di Ponte. The museum displays the ancient history of Val Camonica, and houses various rock engravings and prehistoric archaeological finds.

Hydroelectric Energy Museum of Val Camonica

The Hydroelectric Energy Museum of Val Camonica (Museo dell’Energia Idroelettrica di Val Camonica) is a museum located in Cedegolo, in Val Camonica. The museum is hosted in a former power plant built in the early 20th century, and it features exhibits explaining how water is turned into hydroelectric energy.

Museum of the White War in Adamello

The Museum of the White War in Adamello (Museo della Guerra Bianca in Adamello) is a museum in Temù, at the northern end of Val Camonica. The museum is dedicated to World War I, especially the high-altitude Italian front along the Alps, also known as White War. The collection of the museum includes numerous weapons, memorabilia, and pictures from the war.