Unforgettable settings, city charms and a genuine Italian lifestyle are only some of the things that Bergamo can offer to those who wish to discover its discreet allure and immerge themselves into its heritage of art, history and traditions. The medieval age, the splendor of the Venetian sixteenth century and the myths of modern times represent the pieces of a mosaic that makes the city unique and multi-faceted. The best destination for those who love Italian art and culture but prefer to discover them in small places with great beauty, less crowded compared to the larger cities, and in man-sized spaces.
Città Alta (the High City), the historical center, still displays the medieval sixteenth-century profile that history granted it, and nothing has been added in modern times to disfigure its face. Long and powerful walls protect it from the underlying plain while doors and bastions bear silent witness of the wars between Milan and Venice. Narrow paved roads climb uphill from the cable railway to Piazza Vecchia, with the Municipal Building, the Bell tower, the Cathedral and the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Without forgetting the jewel of the bergamasco renaissance, the Colleoni Chapel, and the Corsarola, the walk that crosses through the old village, with the shops, the bars and the aromas of Bergamo’s typical dishes.
The scenery is beautiful at any time of day, but becomes even more so when the sun start to set and the plain lights up. This is the time when making your way up to the stronghold of San Vigilio, perhaps to indulge in a candlelight dinner, can turn into one of the most truly romantic experiences worth remembering.

But to enjoy the city’s beauty to the fullest one must also climb down. Passing by San Michele at the white well and Via Porta Dipinta, the past is gradually left behind as you enter modern times and the Città Bassa (the Low City), the real commercial center. Following the winding Via Pignolo, with the art museums at the foot of the small stairs, walking by the patrician homes of a distant Bergamo, we cross Via Tasso and the beautiful Piazza of Santo Spirito to finally arrive to the Sentierone (the long path), the shopping walkway par excellence. Here, art treasures of inestimable value, churches and noble palaces are entwined with lighted shop windows, antique shops and cafes, which become crowded meeting points at night for the customary aperitif and during weekends.

Everywhere you look, boutiques and small shops, historical or recently opened venues are waiting to be discovered and appreciated. Not just clothing and accessories, but also art, antique items, food and wine and handcrafted products because Bergamo has not forgotten its origins, and the traditions can still be found alive and thriving in its extremely rich territory.

Valleys and plains, mountains, hills and lakes keep naturalistic entities intact, architectural and artistic jewels, proof of the past and of peasant life that has not completely disappeared. The itineraries are so many that it would be possible to list them all, like for example the many places worth mentioning, the castles, churches and medieval monasteries, the mountain refuges and small towns on the lakeside. Without counting the multitude of food and wine reserves of a genuine cuisine that enhances the flavors of an earth that has certainly been poor but also very generous.

Finally the city, a small gem set between the Pre-Alps and the Lecco and Iseo lakes, easy to reach and pleasant to live in, is a strategic point for visiting Milan, which is very close, and the entire Lombardy region. The city is also an ideal starting point for short trips to the most beautiful areas and cities in Northern Italy (Venice, Verona, Padua, Vicenza, Turin, Mantua, the Cinque Terre, the Trentino region...)
Discovering Bergamo now, as it wakes up from the sleep that has kept it far way from the big-time tourist routes, as it discovers attractions that it did not even know it had, may be a unique experience, capable of explaining the genuineness of values found in this corner of the Lombardy region, an area that is not just industry and labor, but also pride in traditions, history, art and culture.