Bergamo is one of northern Italy’s most beautiful and authentic cities — a tale of two levels: the Città Alta (Upper City), an enchanting medieval and Renaissance hill town enclosed by 16th-century Venetian walls (a UNESCO World Heritage site), and the Città Bassa (Lower City), a lively modern Lombard city whose Piazza Matteotti and elegant streets provide a striking contrast to the ancient world above. The funicular from the lower town to the Città Alta is one of the most dramatic urban entries in Italy — 16th-century bastions, terracotta rooftops, and, on a clear day, the distant peaks of the Alps and the skyscrapers of Milan, 50 kilometres to the southwest.

Quick Facts: Bergamo, Italy

• Best time to visit: Year-round; spring and autumn for the most pleasant walking; the Città Alta is especially romantic in the late afternoon when the Venetian walls glow pink
• How to get there: Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport (BGY) — a major Ryanair hub, ~15 minutes from the city; ~45 minutes from Milan by train; the funicular to the Città Alta runs every few minutes
• Don’t miss: The view from the Torre Civica (the bell tower of the Piazza Vecchia — the climb is worth it), the Cappella Colleoni (one of the most beautiful Renaissance chapels in northern Italy), and a walk along the Venetian walls at sunset

Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy with 120,000 inhabitants about 40 km northeast of Milan. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan. The foothills of the Alps begin immediately north of the town.

The town has two centres: “Città alta” (upper city), a hilltop medieval town, surrounded by 17th century cyclopic defensive walls, and the “Città bassa” (lower city). There are funicular/cable car, roads, and foot-paths between the two parts of the town. Parking spaces are very limited in the upper city.

Città Alta, surrounded by Venetian walls built in the 17th century, forms the historic centre of Bergamo. It is an extremely expensive place to live in, with properties being sold for a minimum of 2,000,000 euro.

Città Alta has numerous places of interest including:

• Cittadella, built by the Visconti in the mid 14th century
• Piazza Vecchia (old square)
• Palazzo della Ragione
• Palazzo Nuovo (Biblioteca Angelo Mai)
• Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Saint Mary Major)
• Cappella Colleoni
• The Battistero – an elegant octagonal building dating from 1340
• Duomo or Cathedral of Bergamo
• Rocca (Castle)
• San Michele al Pozzo Bianco
• Museo Civico Archeologico
• Museo di Scienze Naturali Enrico Caffi
• Orto Botanico di Bergamo “Lorenzo Rota” (botanical garden)

View Bergamo – historical city with modern life, Italy in a larger map

Have you taken the funicular to Bergamo’s Città Alta or discovered Lombardy’s walled hill town? Share your Bergamo discoveries in the comments! 🏛️

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