Brescia Walking Tour & Lunch at Palazzo Monti

The experience is led by Edoardo Monti — founder of Palazzo Monti and Fertile — born and raised in Brescia and a key figure in shaping the city’s contemporary cultural landscape. Through his personal perspective, you will explore the places, stories, and artistic energies that define Brescia today.

We begin at Fertile, a recently launched project set within a former glass factory. Here, you will be introduced to the current exhibition — a focused presentation of contemporary sculptural practices — and gain rare access to selected artists’ studios. Spaces like these are often only accessible by appointment, and the presence of artists working on-site makes this a particularly special opportunity.

From there, we continue to the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo, where we will spend time with a small selection of works, offering a more intimate way to engage with the collection while uncovering insights into its recent and distinctive restoration.

The experience culminates at Palazzo Monti, where art and hospitality come together in a truly unique setting. After visiting the palace’s exhibitions, collection, and artists’ studios — spaces not always accessible to the public — you will be welcomed into its private rooms for a special lunch. Prepared by Edoardo Monti himself, the lunch is conceived as an extension of the experience: a moment where taste, creativity, and atmosphere meet. Expect thoughtful pairings, seasonal ingredients, and a convivial, informal setting designed to encourage conversation, exchange, and connection among guests.

After graduating from Central Saint Martins in London and spending five years in New York working in Stella McCartney’s communications office, Edoardo Monti returned to Italy to breathe new life into his historic family home. Today, Palazzo Monti is an artist residency and contemporary art collection in the heart of Brescia. In 2025, he also launched Fertile, an exhibition and cultural space housed in a former glass factory, and Bunkervik, a more radical addition to this constellation — a former Second World War underground bunker currently being transformed into an experimental exhibition space.

Palazzo Monti is a cultural center in the heart of Brescia, founded in 2017 and housed within Edoardo Monti’s historic family home. Set in a 13th-century palace adorned with 18th-century frescoes, it brings together heritage and contemporary creativity in a uniquely vibrant way. Over time, its rooms have been transformed into studios and living spaces where artists from around the world come to live and work, engaging across disciplines — from painting and sculpture to photography and design — while drawing inspiration from the Italian context and its craftsmanship traditions.

To date, Palazzo Monti has welcomed over 250 artists from more than 50 countries, supporting the production of works across a wide range of materials, including ceramic, iron, bronze, marble, and wood. Founded, curated, and supported by Edoardo Monti, the residency remains entirely independent and is usually open by appointment only — making this experience a rare opportunity to access the space in a more intimate and exclusive way.