Starting from the old village of Breno, where Metalcam has its Headquarters, customers are guided through to the amazing discovery of the surrounding territory and its thousand-year old culture.
The old village of Breno
The old village of Breno (Bré in local dialect) has Neolithic origins. Today it has 5.014 inhabitants and is located in Valle Camonica, province of Brescia. The road “del tonale e della Mendola” goes through the town along three tunnels and it has one of the main train stations of the historic Brescia-Iseo-Edolo railway line.
The town has the most important administrative centre of Valle Camonica and hosts the head office of Comunità Montana della Valle Camonica.
Breno lies between the Castello hill and Corno Cerreto, in a natural gorge which was probably the old river (Oglio) bed, which today is located farther east.
San Salvatore cathedral built in the seventeenth century rises up in the historical centre, with fresco paintings by Antonio Guadagnini and Romanino. Even the gothic church of Sant’Antonio hosts remarkable works of art, among which are significant fresco paintings by Romanino.
The sixteen-century church of Santa Maria al Ponte lies next to an old roman temple dedicated to Minerva. In the medieval town one can notice various tower houses. Breno castle overlooks the town from the top of the hill. This military building was the most important site for the control of Valle Camonica up until the XVII century.
The town hall hosts the Museo Civico Camuno in which works by Callisto Piazza, Romanino, Procaccini, Caravaggio school, Francesco Hayez and many other art masters from the XIV up to the XX century are gathered.
Valle Camonica
Breno is located in the heart of Valle Camonica which is not only famous for its rock engravings but also for hosting the Roman Civitas Camunnorum.
Valle Camonica, full of castles, fortresses and towers is also the native land of various art masters and their schools. Wood carvings were born here, with superb wood sculptures and engravings such as via Crucis in Cerveno as well as iron art. Almost like a challenge against time, in Valle Camonica people still collect potatoes with ploughs similar to those engraved on prehistoric rocks.
People can practice different mountain sports and activities such as mountain climbing, rock climbing, free riding, snowshoe climbing, cycling, trekking and “vie ferrate” (mountain routes which are equipped with fixed cables, ladders, and bridges).
Iseo lake, Monte Isola and Franciacorta
Iseo lake is within easy reach. An excellent olive oil is produced here. From Iseo, entering the “wine road”, one can reach Franciacorta, an enchanting area of vineyards, wine cellars, historic villages and old noble residences.
Various sports can be done on the lake such as swimming, windsurfing, game fishing, diving, sailing, as well as playing golf and car racing.
The lake shore offers a variety of landscapes, from little towns to orchards, olive groves and chestnut trees, always surrounded by mountain ridges.
Paratico and Iseo are the two most prominent tourist towns by the lake.
Clusane is famous for its “tinca al forno”, a culinary tench dish.
Bus del Quai, in Covelo, is a set of caves and rock faces where one can practice rock-climbing.
Pilzone is famous for its fig-tree which stretches out of the bell tower of its church.
Sulzano è paese di pescatori e approdo per i traghetti verso Monte Isola e Sale Marasino.
In Marone and Zone one can visit the nature trail of eroded pyramid rocks, a curious geological wonder.
Stretches of bathing beach can be found form Sarnico to Predore. Further down, the landscape becomes wilder with sheer drops and rock spurs – the “bogn” of Castro and Zorzino are a must see, nonstop drops that come one after the other interrupted only by small mountain streams of the adjacent valleys.
The Accademia Tadini in Lovere is not to be missed. Costa Volpino is located upon the convergence of the Oglio river into the lake, followed by Rogno, the last town of the Alto Sebino area, and the first of Valle Camonica.
Monte Isola, the largest lake island in Europe rises up in the middle of the Iseo lake. It has a typically Mediterranean vegetation, with broom blooming in spring and heaths in autumn. On its mountain top lies the sanctuary of Madonna della Ceriola (600 metres a.s.l.), which can be reached on foot along an easy hiking path or by a small bus. Motorized vehicles are forbidden on the island, with the exception of public ones. People can reach the island by ferries which leave from different points on the Bergamo shore (Sarnico, Tavernola, Lovere) as well as Brescia (Iseo, Sulzano, Sale Marasino).