Brescia is a city in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy with a population of around 200,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after Milan. The city is at the centre of the third-largest Italian industrial area, concentrating on mechanical and automotive engineering and machine tools. Its companies are typically small or medium- sized enterprises, often with family managements. The financial sector is also a major employer, and the tourist industry is important as well, given the proximity of Lake Garda, Lake Iseo and the Alps. Brescia is the start and the arrival of the historical car race Mille Miglia that takes place every year in May.