HMS visit to the Brescia, N Italy region

Fri 25 to Sun 27 September 2026

 

Prices and booking

Single room: £260

Double room: £530

Double room as single: £325

Family room (3 beds): £750

Visit dinner (Sat): £30

Prices include hotel + breakfast for 2 nights (Fri-Sat), entries to all sites, bus transport on Sat and Sun, and presentations on Sat.

Prices are per room. Important: there are only 8 single rooms available. When these are sold out, single occupancy of a double room is an option, if more costly.

Tickets for the event dinner are optional and need to be booked separately.

Please go to Eventbrite to book your tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hms-visit-to-northern-italy-tickets-1988749176322?aff=oddtdtcreator . Bookings end on 31 July.

The visit is organised for members of the Historical Metallurgy Society; at least one person per booking is expected to be an HMS member. To become a member of the Society, please follow https://historicalmetallurgy.org/membership-and-donations/ 

 

Programme

Friday 25 September

Arrival at Diana Hotel, Darfo Boario

https://www.hoteldianadarfoboarioterme.com/ 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/yDLueH8H83iAZgcR6 

 

Saturday 26 September

  • Roman to modern lead/zinc mines of Gorno. Museum + site visit
  • Hammer mills of Bienno, the main place where the 'Brescian iron' was processed during Medieval and Renaissance times. Museum + guided tour in the town
  • Presentation by local researchers. presentation tbc
  • Dinner at Hotel Dianna

 

Sunday 27 September

  • Preserved 15th-century 'Brescian' blast furnace at Tavernole
  • Brescia
    • Castel Museum: products of the Brescian iron industry
    • Capitolium: 2m-high 'Winged Victory', one of the most famous bronze statues of Antiquity

 

Getting there and away

  • The obvious airport is Milan - Bergamo, which caters mainly for Ryanair and WizzAir
  • There are local buses from Milan - Bergamo airport (Orio al Serio Airport) to Darfo Boario Bus Station (last stop), about 300m from Hotel Diana. Buses from the airport depart at 9.40, 14.40 and 19.15 and arrive about an hour and a half later https://www.bergamotrasporti.it/percorsi/invernale/linea-bs1.pdf 
  • There are more frequent buses, every half hour throughout the day from Seriate, via Italia 45, a short taxi drive from the airport. Last bus at 17.45 though. Here the time table till June (will upload new one when available) https://www.bergamotrasporti.it/percorsi/invernale/linea-c.pdf 
  • There are multiple transport options from Brescia to Milan - Bergamo Airport on Sunday

 

Includes

  • Hotel
  • Bus transport on Saturday and Sunday
  • Museum entries and guided tours
  • Presentations

 

Optional

  • Visit dinner on Saturday

 

Not included

  • Flights
  • Transport from airport to hotel (Fri)
  • Transport from Brescia to airport (Sun)
  • Lunches + tea/coffee (Sat/Sun)