Lumezzane Playbook: Football, Feasts and Alpine Beauty in Val Trompia

Tucked into the Val Gobbia, a narrow side valley of the Val Trompia about 20 kilometres north of Brescia, Lumezzane rarely appears on football travel itineraries.

That is exactly why it deserves a place on yours.

This is a working town of around 22,000 people, built on metalwork and manufacturing, where the local club is followed with the kind of loyalty only small communities produce.

Founded in 1946, Lumezzane reached professional football in 1993 and stayed there for more than two decades, moving between Serie C1 and Serie C2 and lifting the Coppa Italia Serie C in 2009-10.

Then the story took a hard turn: relegation to Serie D in 2017, a second drop and the collapse of the old club in 2018.

Football in the valley survived through ValgobbiaZanano, an amateur side that took on the Lumezzane name and identity and started climbing again.

Back-to-back promotions in 2022 and 2023 brought the Rossoblù back to Serie C after six years away, and Girone A has been their home since.

Their real home is the Stadio Tullio Saleri, a compact ground with a capacity of a touch more than 4000.

With the hills of the valley as a backdrop, it is the kind of stadium where you are never far from the action, and where families, long-time regulars and youngsters all share the same red and blue.

Where To Stay

Accommodation in Lumezzane itself is limited, so most visitors split their weekend between the valley and Brescia, around half an hour away by car. In town, Malù23 is a recently renovated B&B with a small bar. It provides a practical base if you want to stay close to the Saleri.

Further up the Val Trompia, Albergo Ristorante Marcheno is a renovated, family-run hotel a few kilometres from Gardone Val Trompia. This kitchen has been a reference point for Brescian cooking for more than 50 years and, since 2026, the restaurant is reserved for hotel guests, which makes a night here the only way to try its spiedo and casoncelli. Spiedo (see below) is prepared on request, so ask for it when you book your room.

For more choice, Brescia is the natural base. Hotel Vittoria is the classic option in the historic centre, while AC Hotel Brescia by Marriott and DoubleTree by Hilton, about 2 km from the centre near the university, cover the modern end of the market.

Airbnb and Booking.com offer plenty of apartments in Brescia and across the valley, often the best value for groups.

Where To Eat

Food in this corner of Lombardy is hearty, mountain-influenced and built around a few essential dishes: casoncelli alla bresciana with butter and sage, polenta and, above all, spiedo bresciano. Skewers of pork rolls, chicken, ribs and rabbit roasted slowly for hours, spiedo is less a dish and more of an event, and the valley takes it very seriously.

Just down the road in Sarezzo, Osteria Vecchia Bottega is a classic Val Trompia trattoria, with terracotta floors, stone walls, five small dining rooms and a winter garden. The menu sticks to Brescian, valley and Lombard tradition, making it the most natural sit-down meal before or after a match at the Saleri.

In Lumezzane, Sampei is one of the town’s best-reviewed restaurants, with pizza alongside a full Italian menu. It is a reliable choice for a relaxed group dinner without leaving the valley.

In Brescia, Osteria Al Bianchi is the place to start. Documented since 1880 and tucked into the old streets a few steps from Piazza della Loggia, it has a long counter at the entrance that recalls the bars of another era, two small dining rooms and a handful of outdoor tables. Order casoncelli, spinach malfatti with butter or manzo all’olio, the slow-cooked beef that is one of the province’s signature dishes. Seating is limited, so book ahead and check opening days before you go.

On the western side of the city, La Commedia delle Pentole is a welcoming, family-style trattoria focused on Brescian specialities and one of the go-to venues for spiedo. As with most places that cook it properly, ask in advance.

For something sweet before heading up the valley, Brescia is home to Iginio Massari, widely regarded as one of Italy’s greatest pastry chefs. A coffee and a pastry at his Pasticceria Veneto is a small pilgrimage.

Where To Drink

Brescia has its own aperitivo ritual, the pirlo: white wine, Campari or Aperol and a splash of sparkling water. Order one wherever you stop and you will fit right in.

Beer lovers should not miss Fermento in Via Orzinuovi, named among the 11 best birrerie in Italy in Gambero Rosso’s 2024 guide. The tap list alone justifies the detour.

Mondo Liquido, in Largo Torrelunga by the Parco dell’Acqua, is one of the most popular aperitivo spots among young Bresciani. There is plenty of space inside and out, and its pirlo and tagliere deals make it an easy stop for groups.

A few steps away, Piazzale Arnaldo is the heart of Brescia’s nightlife, a redeveloped square on the eastern edge of the old town built around the arcades of the former grain market. El Sobrinho is one of its best-known bars and a good place to start a post-match evening.

For a more informal pint, Xander Beer on Via Dalmazia has a long beer list, young and knowledgeable staff and giant wooden cable reels for tables. Look for the huge beer-themed mural nearby. Check before you go as at the start of October it was open only in the evening and closed on Sundays.

Don’t Forget

Lumezzane tickets are sold through DIY Ticket, online and through its sales network. Prices can vary for bigger matches but they are normally €10- €15 plus fees, with €5 tickets for ages 14 to 17 and over 60, while Tribuna VIP costs €40.

Serie C schedules are released progressively during the season, so confirm kick-off times before booking travel.

Bring ID and allow extra time for the drive up the valley and for parking, especially in winter. 

Did You Know?

Before winning the Champions League with Inter and the Premier League with Manchester City, Mario Balotelli came through the Lumezzane academy, having grown up in nearby Concesio.

Off the pitch, Lumezzane is a heavily industrialised town known for metalworking, taps and valves, and stainless steel housewares, which you will find on sale in shops across town.

If you have time, the medieval Torre Avogadro, which watches over the only access to the valley, and the Parco del Colle San Bernardo are both worth a stop.

Getting There

Lumezzane is best reached by car. From the A4 Milan-Venice motorway, head for Brescia and follow signs for the Val Trompia, take the valley road to Sarezzo and then climb into the Val Gobbia to Lumezzane. The stadium is on Via Magenta.

By train, Brescia is on the main Milan-Venice line, with fast connections from Milan and Verona. Regional buses run from Brescia up the valley to Lumezzane, but services are thinner at weekends and in the evening, so check timetables carefully or budget for a taxi.

The closest major airport is Milan Bergamo, roughly an hour away by car, with Verona and Milan Linate also within reach.

Need Another Football Fix?

Few areas in Italy can match the province of Brescia for Serie C football right now. In 2026-27, four of its clubs are in Girone A: Lumezzane, Union Brescia, Ospitaletto Franciacorta and newly promoted Desenzano. That means plenty of local derbies. Union Brescia, beaten by Ascoli in last season’s promotion play-off final, started the season as favourites, and their meetings with Lumezzane are the dates to circle. Ospitaletto sits in the Franciacorta wine country, while Desenzano offers the chance to combine football with a day on Lake Garda. And with AlbinoLeffe and Atalanta around an hour away in the Bergamo area, a trip to the valley can easily become a full Lombard football weekend.