A Snapshot of Bergamo

41 Replies

A Snapshot of Bergamo

A while ago I said that I wanted to try and get to grips with my photo library and include some posts with more pictures than words, but since then I seem to have done the complete opposite. With that in mind, I’ve decided to do something about it, and Bergamo seems as good a place as any to start with, mainly because I don’t know the town well enough to write very much about it.

For those who don’t know it at all, Bergamo is a city of around 120,000 people in the Lombardy region of Italy, about 25 miles (40km) north-east of Milan. There are two parts to it – the old walled Citta Alta (Upper City) and the Citta Bassa (Lower City), and during our short stay here, for practical reasons, we opted to stay in the Citta Bassa, but at least our hotel was close to a bus stop that would whisk us directly up to the Citta Alta, but whoever decided to put the bus stop under some conker trees should be made to stand and wait for the 1A to see what it feels like to be bombarded by conkers for 20 minutes. It’s the only bus stop I know where you need a crash helmet just to take a bus ride.

The Conker Bus Stop

It wasn’t just conkers that gave us a pelting in Bergamo either: As soon as we got off the bus at Colle Aperto, day turned into night, the street lights came on, and the heavens absolutely opened up. Fortunately, it was just a flash storm and we were soon able to walk through the narrow streets of the Citta Bassa where its buildings reminded us that this was the westernmost outpost of La Serenissima (or the Venetian Republic if you’re not Italian).

Colle Aperto is Dry one minute
... And Flooded the next

As promised, I’m going to let the pictures do the talking for a change, so just sit back and enjoy this selection of pictures from a very underrated town, although my good blogging friend Luisa Zambrotta tells me that it has just become the Italian capital of culture (along with Brescia) for 2023 – and it’s not difficult to see why.

POSTED – APRIL 2023

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Originally posted 2023-04-11 14:42:21.

41 thoughts on “A Snapshot of Bergamo”

  1. Thom

    Thanks. I am in the early stages of a virtual walk through Italy and have just reached Bergamo .. so delighted to find your post.

    Regards Thom

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  3. Toonsarah

    I loved my visit to Bergamo for the VT meet some years ago! It’s a beautiful city with so much history and it’s great to see it again through your eyes 🙂 I stayed in the Citta Alta but it was May so no problems with conkers at bus stops! In any case, I mostly used the funicular to travel between the two – more fun than a bus I reckon 😀

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    1. Easymalc Post author

      I like using them too. In fact we did use it to come back down. I knew that there was a VT meet there, but I’ve a feeling it happened just before I joined up, and as you say, it’s a lovely city to visit 🙂

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  4. Alli Templeton

    This one’s definitely going on the list, Malc. I’ve never heard of Bergamo but it looks gorgeous, and quite medieval in many ways. Love the look of the Rocca! Again, there’s clearly masses to do, and it looks as though it’s dripping in history. Very much my sort of place, although if I do get there I think I’ll give the bus a miss! Someone in the town’s transport department is evidently a sadist! 😀 I’m really enjoying these picture posts, so keep ’em coming.. 🙂

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    1. Easymalc Post author

      Thanks Alli. I’ll be keeping the picture posts going while I’m working on more in-depth articles.

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  6. VT Teardrop Travelers

    All of your images are description enough to tempt a visit from anyone traveling the general area. I especially liked the ones taken from a higher vantage point and sunset (I presumed). It looks like an easy city to navigate – not to large and with an interesting variety of streets and buildings. It would be a nice overnight side trip for visitors to Tuscany. Stewart

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    1. Easymalc Post author

      Thanks Stewart. It’s a very likeable town with the advantage that it slips under the radar for many visitors to Italy.

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    1. Easymalc Post author

      LOL. Thanks Pat. They are Horse Chestnut seeds, which we used to play with as kids in a game called Conkers. You can look it up on Wikipedia if you feel so inclined.

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  8. Suzanne

    Nothing not to like about Bergamo. We have been to a few places in Italy that have left an everlasting good impression on us. The food, the language and the architecture, a stunning country.

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  9. Eunice

    I love Italy but have never been to Bergamo so thank you for giving me a taste of what it’s like. The view towards the fortress is lovely and your description of the conker bus stop made me laugh 🙂

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    1. Easymalc Post author

      You’re welcome Eunice. Bergamo is definitely worth visiting, especially outside of the conker season

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  10. valenciartist

    Bergamo! Beautiful! Wonderful pictures Malc! Another one that I will keep for when I travel there. Greetings from the Mediterranean my friend, a good evening and all the best!

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    1. Easymalc Post author

      Thanks Francesc. It’s overlooked for the more obvious locations, but it has an appeal all of its own.

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  12. gabychops

    This post, Malc starts with with your usual humor and it is a good omen how interesting it will be, and it is. Although, mainly the pictures but they tell the story perfectly well. I didn’t know much about this town and now I can mention Bergamo in a conversation as if I was a seasonal traveler just like Malc. Thank you.
    The word “culture” is associated with this town for the reasons we can see in your excellent pictures, Malc.
    More such tours, please!

    Joanna

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    1. Easymalc Post author

      You’re an absolute gem Joanna. You always make me laugh too. Seriously though, I’m glad the pictures told a story that you can also enjoy, which is also good news for me 🙂

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        1. Easymalc Post author

          That’s what friends are for Luisa, and I’m sorry by the way, that I haven’t been able to keep up with your latest series 🤗

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