Exploring the Historic Center of Biella
Walking Around Biella: From the Giardini Zumaglini to the Birreria Menabrea, Past Jewellery Shops, Historic Squares and Piedmontese Cuisine
Walking in the historic center of Biella reveals two distinct sides of the city: the elegant, commercial lower part and Biella Piazzo, the medieval village perched on the hill. In this post, we focus on Via Italia, the main street of Biella's lower part, from Giardini Zumaglini to the historic Birreria Menabrea.
This walk lets you experience a city with a calm atmosphere, where the industrial past and textile tradition's wealth are still visible in the architecture and urban identity.
Via Italia: what to see from Giardini Zumaglini to Birreria Menabrea
The walk starts at Giardini Zumaglini, one of the green spaces in the center. From here, you reach Via Italia, a long pedestrian street that runs through the city's heart to the Riva district.
The first thing I noticed was the calm. It wasn't a street crowded with shops, like many open-air malls. There are businesses, but not so many that they overwhelm the urban landscape.
I was especially struck by the jewelry and goldsmith shops, some of high quality. Among them is the historic Oreficeria Pivano, at Via Italia 42, one of the city's traditional businesses.
As you keep walking, you'll find 19th-century buildings, arcades, cafes, and small squares. It's worth taking time to admire the building facades, without rushing to the street's end.
Piazza Duomo is also very beautiful, with the Cathedral of Santo Stefano and the Romanesque Baptistery, adding to the charm of Biella's historic center.
Biella gives me the impression of a city that hasn't lost its identity and doesn't hide its wealthy origins. The wealth from the textile industry over the centuries is still felt, but not flaunted. It's not a city trying to change to attract tourists.
Heading north, you pass through the Riva district, where Via Italia keeps its historic character. A short detour takes you to Birreria Menabrea at Via Ramella Germanin 6. It's a nice way to end the walk.
The Menabrea brewery has been part of Biella's history since 1846. Nearby, you'll find the MeBo Museum, dedicated to the history of Menabrea beer and Botalla cheese.
Birreria Menabrea is also a restaurant and pizzeria. You can try local dishes with beer brewed in the city.
For me, the charm of this walk is in its simplicity. You don't need to constantly look for things to see. Just stroll along Via Italia, look at the buildings, stop at some shop windows, and enjoy the peace.
If you visit Biella, check out the alleys off Via Italia. You'll find great restaurants to taste Piedmontese cuisine. I dined at L'Arrugginita and found excellent value for money. The main courses, like ravioli del plin, red wine risotto with toma, and pappardelle with porcini mushrooms, were all 12 euros. Another pleasant discovery during my walk.
Biella seems strangely undervalued as a tourist spot, despite its beautiful historic center, elegance, and the tranquility you feel walking its streets.
