Almè: Historical Traces Between Hills and Cycle Paths

Almè lies at the foot of the northernmost foothills of the Bergamo hill, in a predominantly flat area. This contrast shapes the way the area is experienced: on the one hand, there is the open, flat landscape; on the other, historic buildings and paths point to the town’s long history. If you would like to combine culture with peaceful scenery and cycling experiences during your trip to Italy, Almè offers several different ways to do so.

Historical Traces in the Townscape

The Torre di San Fermo is considered a squat, massive tower. It includes a wayside chapel that once contained a painting commemorating the capture of Saint Fermo. This painting was later replaced by a mosaic. The Torre d’Oro stands on the street of the same name leading towards the Roman Ponte della Regina.

Borghetto e Baluardo is also part of the older townscape. The old settlement centre lies on the road to the church, has largely been restored and preserves several historically evocative corners, particularly along Via Borghetto. In the Borghetto district, the remains of ancient fortifications can also be seen. As a result, a walk through Almè does not lead through one single, self-contained museum site, but rather along a series of tangible traces distributed across streets, settlement centres and individual buildings.

Churches and Historic Architecture

The Church of San Michele in Almè is first mentioned in the Codex Diplomaticus. In 1174, it was granted a baptismal font, or baptistery. The parish church of San Giovanni Battista e Santa Maria Assunta preserves paintings by Ceresa and Palma il Vecchio, which were salvaged from the old church.

The Casaforte Piazza Giovanni Battista also features characteristic architectural details. Its corners are made of dressed and rusticated sandstone blocks; inside, river pebbles are arranged in a herringbone pattern. Castello di San Michele stood to control the Roman access route to the Brembo River. Together with the remains of the fortifications in Borghetto, these historic sites show how closely buildings, transport routes and the control of important access points were interconnected.

Cycle Paths, Running Route and Landscape

The historic Corsa sulla Quisa is a 10 km fun run. Its route passes through the municipalities of Almè, Paladina, Valbrembo and Bergamo, through the Parco Regionale dei Colli di Bergamo and along its cycle paths. A new section of cycle path dedicated to Felice Gimondi was intended to connect Bergamo’s existing cycle paths in the Parco dei Colli with the cycle path north of Zogno. The Ciclovia dei Colli e del Brembo passes through natural areas, cultural sights and religious sites, and leads to unique viewpoints.

This reveals two different perspectives for planning your trip: the historic sites lead through churches, towers, settlement centres and the remains of fortifications, while the cycle paths take in natural areas, religious sites and viewpoints. When choosing a hotel in Almè, you can therefore tailor the focus of your stay to your travel group’s interests—whether the town’s history, the scenic sections or a combination of both.

For the overall travel overview: Bergamo.