A prosperous city just northeast of Milan, Bergamo (pop 120,000, metro area 500,000) is known for its UNESCO World Heritage upper town Bergamo Alta, a relic for 350 years of rule by the Venetian Republic, and was founded as a Celtic settlement in the 5th century BCE. 

And now jointly with Brescia, next door just a half hour away, Brescia is getting a special year in the sun as this year's national "Capital of Culture", a programme which began in 2014, meaning a wide menu of cultural offerings even beyond the usual. This year's themes are: "The City of Hidden Treasures"; "Nature City"; "The City that Invents"; and "Culture as Care".

More info on Bergamo Brescia 2023 here.