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Bienno


Ancient medieval village in the Val Camonica, Bienno is known for the Market Exhibition, an event that attracts visitors from all over Northern Italy who wish to taste life in small villages to discover ancient traditions and priceless views. Called the "artists' village", Bienno is full of wonderful views and picturesque courtyards, surrounded by the green of the mountains. Tourist destination for thousands of people who take a break between historic buildings and museums, frescoed churches, corners of nature and excellent local food.
  • Village with park
  • Suitable for disabled people
  • Most beautiful villages in Italy
  • Orange Flag Countries
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A look at Bienno
A look at Bienno

About the village

Bienno is an ancient medieval village in the Val Camonica, whose territory rises in the Val Grigna. Called "the village of the Magli", the valley in which Bienno rises is known for the traditional working of wrought iron by means of hammers driven by water wheels. Rich in wonderful views and picturesque courtyards, surrounded by the green mountains, Bienno has become famous as it is one of the "most beautiful villages in Italy" and "Orange Flag Country".

Every year Bienno is a tourist destination for thousands of people who take a break between historic buildings and museums, frescoed churches, corners of nature and excellent local food.
Among the palaces and historic buildings of the village stand out the Palazzo Simoni Fè, now home to the art gallery, the Renaissance Palazzo Francesconi Rebajoli and the combined Mulino & Fucina Museum, original nuclei of the Ethnographic Museum of Iron, Popular Arts and Traditions of Bienno. The Casa degli Artisti or Casa Valigia, home to exhibitions and workshops, is also of great interest. Spirituality is one of the fundamental building blocks of Bienno. Walking through the streets of the historic center you can admire: the birthplace of Santa Geltrude Comensoli, the Church of Santa Maria, the Parish Church, the Hermitage of S.s Pietro e Paolo and the Colle della Maddalena with the mighty statue of Christ the King.

In August, every year, the Bienno Market Exhibition returns to Valle Camonica, a highly appreciated event that attracts visitors from all over Northern Italy. At the center of the event is the small medieval town. A point of reference for all those who wish to taste life in small villages to discover ancient traditions and priceless views.
And it is precisely on the occasion of the exhibition that courtyards, streets and squares of Bienno come alive with various forms of art and with the beauty of the crafts of the past. The public has the opportunity to admire sculptors, painters and artisans at work in their workshops to create unique and original artifacts and give an unexpected dip into the past. Ample space also for the typical products of the area, with the best dairy and food and wine companies in the province. Moments of great appeal are the live demonstrations of ancient crafts. From the mill to the forging, from the forge to the sawmill, visitors are enchanted by the magic of activities now supplanted by large industrial processes.

Among the typical features of the village we find the Casoncelli, ravioli of considerable size stuffed with boiled or roasted meat, sausage, bread, grated cheese, eggs, salt, parsley. They are seasoned with melted butter, sage and plenty of grated cheese. Polenta is also typical of the area, a very tasty flour-based product usually accompanied by the most varied dishes, often based on meat and in particular game. The traditional dessert is Spongada, a soft focaccia of flour, eggs, butter, sugar, salt, milk, yeast. Furthermore, do not miss the local dairy production. In Bienno summer pasture is still practiced; there are many sorceresses in the mountains of the municipality that host impressive herds in the summer. In these traditional structures the most delicious butter and cheeses are produced, obtained with milk produced in the malga.

Villago of Bienno
Municipality of Bienno

Province of Brescia
Lombardy region

Population: 3,847 biennesi
Altitude centre: 445 m s.l.m.

The Municipality is part of:
I Borghi più belli d'Italia
Paesi bandiera arancione
Unione Antichi Borghi di Vallecamonica
Comunità montana di Valle Camonica

Acknowledgments
Orange Flag - Italian Touring Club

Protected natural areas:
Parco regionale dell'Adamello

Municipality
Piazza della Liberazione 1 - phone +39 0364 40001

= distances as the crow flies

BY CAR

  • From Milan: Take the A51 highway and follow the direction of Tangenziale Est, continue on the A4 highway, exit at Ospitaletto, continue on the SP 19 towards Concesio / Valcamonica / Paderno / Lumezzane, near Rodengo-Saiano turn onto the SS 510 / SP 510 in the direction of Edolo / Valcamonica, continue to Pian Camuno, continue on the SS 42, past the town of Esine continue following the signs for Bienno.
  • From Bologna: From the A14 Adriatica motorway, continue on the A1 Autostrada del Sole, follow the Cremona - Brescia direction, continue on the A21, exit at Brescia Centro, continue on the SP BS11 towards Centro / Tangenziale Sud, exit towards Milano / Bergamo , reach the SS 510 / SP 510, continue for Pian Camuno, continue on the SS 42, pass the town of Esine and continue for Bienno.
  • From Genoa: From the A7 highway, follow the direction to Piacenza, continue on the A21 highway, exit at Brescia Centro, continue on the SP BS11 towards Centro / Tangenziale Sud, exit towards Milano / Bergamo, reach the SS 510 / SP 510 , continue for Pian Camuno, continue on the SS 42, pass the town of Esine and continue for Bienno.
  • From La Spezia: From the Cisa A15 motorway, follow the direction of Milan, continue on the A1 Autostrada del Sole, follow the signs for Cremona, continue on the A21 motorway until the Brescia Centro exit, continue on the SP BS11 towards Centro / South ring road, exit in the direction of Milan / Bergamo, reach the SS 510 / SP 510, near Pian Camuno take the SS 42, after passing the town of Esine continue following the signs for Bienno.
  • From Brescia: Take the SP BS11, exit towards Milan / Bergamo, reach the SS 510 / SP 510, near Pian Camuno take the SS 42, pass the towns of Darfo-Boario Terme and Esine, continue following the signs for Bienno.

BY PLANE

  • Bergamo airport
  • Brescia-Montichiari Airport
  • Milan Linate Airport
  • Milan Malpensa Airport
  • Parma airport
  • Weekly Market: every friday, in Via Aldo Moro;

Sleep, eat, buy...

= distances as the crow flies
= distances as the crow flies
= distances as the crow flies
= distances as the crow flies

Events

saturday
15
february, 2025

Saints Faustino and Jupiter

Our news about Bienno

When we talk about Casoncelli we immediately think of the typical dish of Bergamo, whose version is the oldest in Italy dating back to 1366, and Brescia. In reality, there are numerous local variations of these crescent-shaped ravioli, which, although slightly different from each other, retain some basic characteristics. In Val Camonica, for example, the typical casoncello provides a filling made with boiled or roasted meat, sausage, bread, grated cheese, eggs, salt and parsley then served with melted butter, sage and abundant grated chee...
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Great emotions yesterday at Palazzo Ducale in Genoa: only 227 villages all over Italy received the Orange Flag, a well-deserved recognition for their commitment, for the daily work of attentive and innovative administrators, for the excellence of their territory, for the events held and for the constant tourist appeal. The Italian Touring Club's Orange Flag is a mark of quality and excellence that distinguishes small villages for the protection of the...
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