Bornato

In the Franciacorta wine country near Lake Iseo, the town of Bornato with its famous castle as a crowning touch. It is a mix of medieval and modern, making it easy to get around, and the whole town sits squarely amidst miles of grapevines. It is administratively part of the town of Cazzago San Martino, but has been known and identified with the Castello di Bornato for centuries.

It started out as a Roman outpost. In the Middle Ages the was a Lombard settlement in the foothills, then it became the seat of the Pieve of Bornato, a monastery around which a town grew. It was the seat of the Bornati family who descended from the noble Bergamo family, the Mozzi. They were given the land in the 10th century and built the castle in the 1200s. It was passed to the Cazzago family in the 1300s who fortified the structure, but the castle was destroyed during the war of the Wuelphs and Ghibellines. The Brescia territory around Bornato was battled over by Venezia and other rivals and was passed around among different conquerors and nobles for centuries.

It is located roughly between Brescia and Bergamo, just south of Lake Iseo. It is also in reach of Lake Garda.

The ancient Pieve church was replaced in the 17th century with the current parish church (though the remains of that old church still stand.) The church is dedicated to St Bartolomeo and holds some prized paintings. The saint feast day is August 24, with great festivities and religious observations as well as civic fun and entertainment. However, the town's patron saint is San Francesco di Paolo, and his celebration is observed on the second Sunday following Easter.

The Palazzo Bornati is a villastone portals -with the stone coming from Sarnico (on the shore of Lake Iseo.) it is still being used for several things, including the pharmacy and civic halls. In nearby Cazzago, the Renaissance-era Palazzo Oldofredi was built by the Bornati and is worth a visit as it holds the town hall.

Villa Monte Rossa is a Renaissance villa with gardens, and a winery. While it is often the location for weddings and festivities, it is also an operating winery that you can visit.

Obviously, there is no lack of wineries in the area that you can visit and enjoy tastings. (See our Travel Guide for a few suggestions!)

Nearby is the Sebino Nature Reserve where you follow wooden bridges and paths through a watery world of acquatic birds and flora, peat bogs, lagoons and meadows. It is a special kind of wetlands reserve.

Lake Iseo and its water sports, boating, fishing and tranquil views and quiet spots also beckons.