Bergamo

Travel Guide
Bergamo
Torre di Gombito
Bergamo
Citta Alta
Rocca
Bergamo is famous for its clear division into two parts: the modern lower part and the higher walled upper part on top of a hill. Our holiday in Bergamo tells the story of the city through its buildings, boroughs and squares, as well as through the beauty of its churches that showcase art from different periods. An ancient city made for walking, it's lovely to stroll amidst its attractions, but Bergamo is also a modern city with an international airport and avant-garde buildings. This city is a perfect mix to be discovered thanks to our reasonably priced holiday offers to Bergamo.

As mentioned before, Bergamo unfurls on two levels: Bergamo Alta, on the hilltop, enclosed by mighty stone walls, and Bergamo Bassa, spread across the surrounding flatlands. The best way to see everything is to begin at the bottom, gradually ascending towards the ancient noble heart of the city. In the northern part of Bergamo Bassa stands the Accademia Carrara, a Neoclassic building commissioned by Giacomo Carrara that houses one of the most important art galleries in Italy. Leaving the Accademia, you head onto Via San Tomaso, which at one time was the main road leading to Val Seriana and Val Brembana. You can admire sixteenth and seventeenth century buildings along Via Pignolo and glimpse their quiet elegant courtyards. Continuing straight on, you'll find the Church of Sant'Alessandro della Croce, the Church of San Bernardino and the fourteenth century Church of Santo Spirito. If you happen to get hungry, definitely take the opportunity to stop in at the renowned Ristorante Vittorio, whose food merits its fame. In the summer, you can enjoy lunch in the open air.

After a delicious feast, the itinerary continues onto Piazza Matteotti. To its southern side (Largo Porta Nuova), the Sentierone boulevard runs through the opening in the city walls. Created in the seventeenth century to open up communication between between the eastern and western parts of the city, it was renovated in the 1920s, becoming the best place in Bergamo for a stroll. The Sentierone culminates with the Baroque façade of the Church of San Bartolomeo, which houses the Madonna with Child and Saints by Lorenzo Lotto. On the nearby Via Sant'Alessandro, the Church of Sant'Alessandro in Colonna houses masterpieces by Lotto, del Bassano and del Romanino. Further along, you have the chance to visit Artificio, an unusual novelty shop full of unique pieces created from recovered and recycled materials. From there you can make your initial approach into the ancient heart of Bergamo, taking a precursory stroll through Piazza Duomo and Piazza Vecchia. It's worthwhile stopping off at the historic Bar del Tasso on Piazza Vecchia, a special place considering the fact that it's been around for five hundred years.

So prepare to get to know the heart of Bergamo, which pulses in its most celebrated squares. Piazza Vecchia and the even older Piazza Duomo are just a stone's throw away, heading down Via Donizetti, which boasts an authentic example of a Renaissance home: the Casa dell'Arciprete, with its decorative marble façade. In the distance, you can glimpse the Piazza del Duomo, with its elegance and surprising asymmetry embracing the Duomo, symbol of religious power and witness to intrigue and disputes. To the side, stands the Colleoni Chapel, commissioned between 1472 and 1476 by the Bergamasco leader Bartolomeo Colleoni to be a mausoleum for himself and his daughter, Medea. In the square you can see the left side of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, which has conserved its primitive Romanesque form on the outside. On Piazza del Duomo, in the garden of the Vescovado, stands the octagonal Baptistery, built by Giovanni da Campione in the mid-fourteenth century.

Next to the Piazza del Duomo is Piazza Vecchia, age-old headquarters and symbol of civic power. There's a fountain at its centre, donated by the Venetian mayor, Contarini. The oldest building on Piazza Vecchia is the Palazzo della Ragione (dating back to the 12th century) with a central balcony and a window topped by the Lion of St. Mark, the work of Pietro Isabello, a master Renaissance architect from Bergamo. To the right of the Palazzo della Ragione is the Torre del Comune, which has been modified multiple times, especially at the top. Here, too, you'll find the sixteenth century Palazzo Nuovo, today home to an important library and the Palazzo del Podestà Veneto, which houses the University of Bergamo.

Where to stay in Bergamo

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Città Alta

4.5/5(17 area reviews)

Unique features of Città Alta include the historical sites and restaurants. Make a stop by Rocca or Piazza Vecchia while you're exploring the area.

Città Alta
Bergamo

Citta Bassa

4.5/5(36 area reviews)

Shopping, historical sites and lake views are some highlights of Citta Bassa. Make a stop by Largo Porta Nuova or Via XX Settembre while you're exploring.

Citta Bassa
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Stazione

4.5/5(7 area reviews)

If you're spending some time in Stazione, Centro Congressi Giovanni XXIII and Monumento al Partigiano are top sights worth seeing.

Stazione
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Borgo San Leonardo

If you're spending some time in Borgo San Leonardo, Piazza Pontida and Via XX Settembre are top sights worth seeing.

Borgo San Leonardo
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Villaggio degli Sposi

While Villaggio degli Sposi may not have many sights to explore, venturing just a little farther will lead you to top things to see and do like Piazza Pontida and Via XX Settembre.

Villaggio degli Sposi
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Grumello Del Piano

While Grumello Del Piano isn't home to many top sights, Piazza Pontida and Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista are some notable places to visit nearby.

Grumello Del Piano

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