Visiting the city of Bergamo: the unmissable places

Bergamo, always divided into two parts, "Bergamo Alta" and "Bergamo Bassa", can easily be visited during a romantic weekend of relaxation.

It is an Italian city that has been underestimated for too long and that has nothing to envy the nearby cities of Lecco and Como.

Natural landscapes and breathtaking views meet during the ascent, visible through the large windows of the funicular.

Once at the top, the view and the peculiarities of the historical center will conquer you and invite you to continue the exploration.

But let's go deeper and find out what are the most beautiful monuments and places to visit in Bergamo, the places that deserve an immediate visit when you arrive in the city for the first time.

What to see in Bergamo

The real beating heart of Bergamo is Piazza Vecchia, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful squares in Italy.

Balanced, architecturally perfect, a quiet place where cars are not allowed. You can enjoy the view without interruption, observing the Contarini Fountain - beautiful with its sphinxes - and the imposing Palazzo del Comune.

Then we go to the Angelo Mai Library, famous for its incredible ancient volumes. There are more than 600 of them, all preserved with dedication and utmost care by the librarians.

The next inevitable stop, always in Piazza Vecchia, is the "Campanone". The real name of this building is Torre Civica, characterized by the presence of a very old bell tower of almost 53 meters.

Every evening, at exactly 10 pm, the bell tower rings 100 times to signal the closing of the gates of the upper town. The tradition has been maintained despite the fact that the gates no longer close, but the inhabitants are now too attached to this incredible moment.

The tower can be visited inside and it is possible to climb to the top to admire all of Bergamo and its surroundings from above.

From Piazza Vecchia, we go to Piazza Duomo, the second most important square in the city of Bergamo. Here you can see the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, built around 1133.

One of the most characteristic elements of the church is the absence of a door in the main façade. The entrance, or rather the beautiful four access doors, is located on the sides.

Between the two main gates it is possible to observe a peculiarity: the signs of two ancient units of measurement, the "Brachium" (53.1 cm) and the "Capitium Comunis Pergami" (2.63 meters), used by the ancient merchants to measure the fabrics to be sold. This strange positioning is linked to the ancient face of Piazza Duomo, once the commercial center of Bergamo.

Not far from the church of Santa Maria Maggiore is the Colleoni Chapel, built by Bartolomeo Colleoni as a personal tomb. The Renaissance, the historical period in which the chapel was built, influenced its style and appearance. The imposing entrance staircase, completed by red and white marble columns, delimits the entire space.

Speaking of the Renaissance, it is impossible not to mention the Accademia Carrara, one of the most interesting and characteristic museums in Bergamo. Here are collected works by important Renaissance painters and sculptors who left their indelible mark on the city. Among the most important works, we remember the "Madonna with Child" by Titian and "San Sebastiano" by Raphael.

The journey to discover Bergamo ends with the city walls, which are miraculously intact compared to the original construction.

A 6 km long wall surrounds Bergamo Alta and can be walked along. The itinerary allows visitors to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the past and imagine life when Bergamo was still a medieval village.