Bergamo: Discover Città Alta, history and regional cuisine

Bergamo between urban history and landscape

Bergamo combines a distinctive historic city center with green hills and a strong regional cuisine. Città Alta is situated on seven hills and presents itself as a medieval village with cobbled lanes, historic palaces and squares. This combination of cityscape, history and landscape makes Bergamo appealing to travelers who want to experience culture not in isolation, but in connection with its surroundings.

You can also take this character into account when choosing your accommodation. First decide whether your days should be shaped mainly by squares and museums, walks along the fortifications, nature or culinary discoveries. This allows you to choose a hotel in Bergamo that suits your personal travel rhythm, without reducing the city to just one aspect.

Piazza Vecchia and the landmarks of the Upper Town

Piazza Vecchia is the heart of Bergamo Alta and brings together the Fontana Contarini, Palazzo del Podestà, Biblioteca Angelo Mai, Palazzo della Ragione and the Campanone. The bell tower rises 52.76 meters high there and offers panoramic views of the old town. Even today, the Campanone strikes more than one hundred times every evening at 10 p.m. It was built from the mid-12th century onward by the Suardi-Colleoni family for defensive purposes and for reasons of political and military prestige.

Further historical insights are offered by the Museo Donizettiano and the Torre dei Caduti. The Museo Donizettiano displays an extensive collection of scores, letters, portraits and objects from the life of Gaetano Donizetti. After a short restoration period, it reopened in 2015 and was equipped with audio and interactive stations for listening to Donizetti’s works. The Torre dei Caduti houses an exhibition on the development of Bergamo’s Piacentinian center and the modern city; an observation terrace is located at its top.

Architecture and sacred history also meet at the Convento di San Francesco. The monastery has cloisters and a chapter house with fresco cycles from the 14th to the 17th century. From its observation terrace, you can see the confluence of the Brembana and Seriana valleys. The Rocca di Bergamo is a 14th-century fortification on the Colle di Sant’Eufemia. Its Venetian tower offers views of Città Alta, the Orobie Pre-Alps, the Bergamo plain and as far as Milan. A church in Bergamo was built in 1137 out of gratitude following a vow to the Madonna to bring an end to the plague, and was expanded over the following centuries.

Museums, gardens and unusual perspectives

The Museo Civico di Scienze Naturali Enrico Caffi displays mineralogical, geological, paleontological, zoological and ethnographic collections. Playful and educational activities are also offered along the visitor route. The Museo Archeologico di Bergamo presents sections on prehistory and early history, the Egyptian collection, the Gauls, the Romans, the lapidarium and the Early Middle Ages.

The Orto Botanico di Bergamo Lorenzo Rota is dedicated to conserving endangered plants and supports projects to reintroduce endangered species into the wild. With reservations made a few days in advance, the Orto Botanico offers private guided tours for a fee, including in other languages. The Astino section of the Orto Botanico is called Valle della Biodiversità and can be reached on foot from Città Alta in 25 minutes.

Another cultural highlight is housed in an exhibition venue in a 19th-century monastery. The 1,500-square-meter venue combines a permanent collection with temporary exhibitions by international artists and experimental projects. Together with the Accademia Carrara, which presents more than 300 paintings and sculptures spanning five centuries of Italian art from the Renaissance to the 19th century, this creates a broad spectrum ranging from classical art and urban history to nature and contemporary art.

Venetian Walls and paths through Bergamo

The Venetian Walls extend for more than six kilometers and are associated with the UNESCO World Heritage List. The fortification was built in 1561 by the Republic of Venice as an example of Renaissance military architecture. You can explore the walls on foot or by bicycle while enjoying views of the plain, the Orobie Pre-Alps and the city.

For a more guided historical experience, there is the two-hour pilgrimage along the walls, which reveals the secrets of the Venetian fortress. The two-hour Wall Walk is considered suitable for all age groups and can be undertaken at any time of year. During events and as part of guided tours, you can also visit the gun galleries of San Giovanni.

The development of urban mobility is also part of Bergamo’s history: the first funicular railway between Città Bassa and Città Alta was built in 1887. The Parco dei Colli di Bergamo encompasses the municipality of Bergamo and the medieval center of Città Alta. More than 40 kilometers of green hills extend from Città Alta toward Canto Alto. This creates a compact thematic setting in which historic urban exploration, viewpoints and landscape experiences exist side by side.

Typical cuisine and cheese culture

Typical dishes from Bergamo include Polenta Taragna, Brasato, Casoncelli, Creste Scalvine, Stracciatella and Torta Donizetti. You can sample Bergamo’s traditional cuisine in restaurants and traditional establishments; regional products can also be purchased in historic shops and at local food markets.

Bergamo is considered a major cheese capital of Europe and is associated with 30 traditional specialties, nine DOP cheeses and three Presìdi Slow Food. For planning your trip, this means that in addition to art and fortifications, it is worth setting aside time for regional dishes, cheese and everyday market and shopping culture.

Further places for individual trip planning

You can discover additional destinations individually via the following places: Chiuduno, Valbondione, Villa Dʼalmè, Stezzano, Stalettì, Selvino, Sarnico, San Pellegrino Terme, Predore, Orio Al Serio, Olda, Nembro, Medolago, Lovere, Leffe, Lallio, Cologno Al Serio, Clanezzo, Cavaglià, Castione Della Presolana, Bonate Sopra, Bergamo, Almenno San Bartolomeo, Fuipiano Valle Imagna, Rota D'imagna, Bagnatica, San Paolo D'argon, Ponteranica, Presezzo, Bossico, Osio Sotto, Treviolo, Cavernago, Roncola, Boltiere, Brusaporto, Fino Del Monte, Mozzo, Scanzorosciate, Vigolo, Bottanuco, Carvico, Ghisalba, Calusco D'adda, Martinengo, Brembate, Fara Gera D'adda, Montello, Verdellino, Dalmine, Castro, Calcinate, Albino, Rovetta, Trescore Balneario, Palazzago, Terno D'isola, Zanica, Valtorta, Grassobbio, Urgnano, Riva Di Solto, Cisano Bergamasco, Serina, Treviglio, Villa Di Serio, Costa Volpino, Branzi, Mapello, Bianzano, Piazzatorre, Foppolo, Fonteno, Almenno San Salvatore, Camerata Cornello, Romano Di Lombardia, Telgate, Endine, Selino Basso, Scano Al Brembo, Azzano San Paolo, Pontida, Sorisole, Seriate, Solto Collina, Canonica D'adda, Gromlongo, Cene, Sotto Il Monte Giovanni Xxiii, Bracca, Roncobello, Fiumenero, Sant'Erasmo, Bariano, Averara, Malpaga, Oneta, Villassio, Capriate San Gervasio, Monasterolo del Castello, Oltre Il Colle, Cenate Sopra, Ornica, Cassiglio, Palosco, Colognola, Costa Valle Imagna, Foresto Sparso, Zogno, Villongo, Ponte San Pietro, Vall'alta, Tavernola Bergamasca, Comun Nuovo, Brembilla, Vigano San Martino, Aviatico, Misano Di Gera D'adda, Colere, Valleve, Schilpario, Clusone, Carona, Costa Di Mezzate, Borgo Di Terzo, Gazzaniga, Paladina, Antegnate, Grignano, Bagnella, Entratico, Arcene, Parzanica, Grumello Del Monte, Gromo, Mozzanica, Torre Boldone, Pumenengo, San Pantaleone, Ambria-spino, Barzana, Spinone Al Lago, Locate Bergamasco, Marne, Verdello, Gandosso, Bonate Sotto, Alzano Lombardo, Adrara San Rocco, Carobbio, Mezzoldo, Colla-muggiasca, Piazza Brembana, Bordogna, Brumano, Zandobbio, Fontanella.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lombardy.