Bergamo and Brescia in northern Italy abound in cultural riches, but have long been in the shadow of their neighbors to the east, Venice, and west, Milan. But that may be about to change—the two cities have been designated Italy’s Capital of Culture for 2023, which is all the more reason to plan a visit to them next year.

Italy selects a culture capital annually, which can be a large city (Palermo), a smaller town (Ravenna) or even an island (Procida). This designation, which began at the behest of Dario Franceschini, the culture minister, in 2015, helps to shine a spotlight on locations deserving more attention from both home-based and international travelers.