Why You Should Visit The Charming Town of Pisogne Italy

Ever visit a destination for just a few hours and think, “I really need to come back and spend more time here” ?

Pisogne, Italy is one of those places for me.

It’s a charming little town along the shores of Lago d’Iseo.

I know.

You may not have heard of either of these.

But I can guarantee you’ll want to visit — when we’re allowed to travel again.

Because Pisogne is beautiful and charming — and it’s a wonderful place to enjoy the joys of nature while still being able to have a delicious Italian meal.

And wine.

Sparkling wine.

We’ll get to that.

I promise.

So let’s start with the where.

 

Where is Pisogne?

Pisogne is located on the north end of Lago d’Iseo.

Lago d’Iseo is in the Lombardy (Lombardia) region of Northern Italy.

Specifically Pisogne is in the Brescia province.

It’s a small town of about 8000 and it sits right on the shores of the this gorgeous lake.

 

 

So why should I visit this town?

There are quite a few reasons to visit this charming town — even though it’s small.

Let’s start with one of the obvious reasons.

 

Pisogne sits in a beautiful location

Full disclosure — when I visited Lago d’Iseo in spring 2019 I had rainy weather.

In fact, Giulia, the owner of my B&B, kept apologizing and telling me that I must think I’m in Great Britain and not in Italy.

No I wasn’t treated to blue skies and sunshine.

However, I still think you get an idea of how beautiful the lake is.

Somehow the gloomy weather gave Lago d’Iseo an ethereal quality that captured my imagination.

Hopefully I’ll return and see it under sunshine.

You can still see that Pisogne is situated right along the shores of Lago d’Iseo and is backed by hills and mountains.

It’s really an amazing location giving you views of water and peaks.

So Pisogne is surrounded by nature — lots of gorgeous nature.

 

There is a lovely lakeside walk

Despite the rain, I walked along the path that runs beside Lago d’Iseo.

You can cycle this too.

The views are lovely to the lake and back toward Pisogne and to the peaks.

You’ll see the towns of Lovere and Castro across the water.

It’s a wonderful path to stretch your legs, take a run or even ride a bicycle.

 

You can visit a couple of churches

When in Italy …

Yes, the church — chiesa — is definitely a place to stop by in any town in Italy.

Pisogne has a couple worthy of time.

Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta is the main church in town.

I didn’t go inside this one but from images it looks stunning.

It’s an 18th century church so not particularly old by Italian standards.

I did visit Chiesa di Santa Maria della Neve which is on the Northeast part of the town.

This little church has frescos by Romanino who was a Renaissance painter — and quite a good one at that.

The frescos depict scenes from the Passion of Christ — or Jesus’ last days.

I’ll be honest, I had no idea these gorgeous works of art were in this church in this charming lakeside town, but I was completely wowed by them.

What a treat!

It’s worth the visit to Pisogne just to see these frescos.

 

It’s charming as hell

I know.

It’s Italy and every town in this country is charming.

But really, Pisogne has a lot of appeal.

There are some lovely surprises as you wander the streets.

A little piazzetta.

Art work along a wall.

A colorful door.

An ivy covered building.

There are also some sites such as the 12th century Bishop’s Tower and Market Square, the main town square that opens up onto the harbor.

And yes, there is the harbor area that makes a great spot to sit with a glass of wine to take in the views.

As I wandered the narrow lanes in the rain, I thought about staying here on my next visit to the area.

I thought about how delightful it would be to walk around in the evenings with the sun setting and the town beginning to light up.

 

Pisogne makes a good base for exploring the area

There’s more to the region than Lago d’Iseo, although, let’s face it, that’s probably the main reason you’re here.

Drive 30km south and you’ll find yourself in the Franciacorta vineyards.

This is the home of Italy’s answer to Champagne.

Seriously, this sparkling wine is delicious.

I had the pleasure of visiting one of the wineries — Ferghettina — and was incredibly impressed by this bubbly.

So if you’re a wine lover, be sure to spend a day in the vines.

Tour the wineries and taste some absolutely amazing sparkling wine.

You won’t be disappointed.

If you drive 30-50km north from Pisogne, you’ll find yourself in the UNESCO Val Camonica.

The Oglio River runs through this valley that is surrounded by mountains.

There are small villages here and there and some lovely walks.

But it’s the Neolithic carvings — petroglyphs — that are the star of Val Camonica.

This is the most extensive area of prehistoric and ancient petroglyphs in Europe.

I wish I would have had time to see these carvings as they look incredible.

Pisogne is a good base for visiting both of these very different destinations.

Both of these destinations can be found in Location Inspiration Guide: A Journey Through Italy.

 

Booking.com

 

Is Pisogne now on your list?

Have I sold you on this little town on the shores of Lago d’Iseo?

While I only spent a few hours here — and on a quiet, rainy Sunday at that — I fell in love with it.

The location, the churches (those frescos!), the path along the lake, the charm.

*Sigh*

I’d definitely go back — and stay much longer!

 

Please note that Wander Your Way does not recommend travel at this time due to the current global health situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, many destinations and attractions found on this website will not be operating. Please stay up to date using official sources like the WHO. I do plan to continue to write about incredible destinations and to offer tips on travel to Europe, so that you will find some solace in these posts — so you dream about travel and learn about travel. This way when we can all travel again, you’ll be ready to go! For now, stay home and stay safe!

 

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