Gardasee - Die Kulturstadt Bergamo - Sehenswürdigkeiten Restaurants

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Bergamo

Bergamo's location is exceptional: the Città Alta lies on a hill, the Città Bassa on the plain below. In the former, you can stroll through the medieval alleyways and discover squares and buildings from the Renaissance and works of art such as the Colleone Chapel. In the Città Bassa, the Accademia Carrara art gallery and a number of churches with paintings by Lorenzo Lotto are particularly worth seeing.

Sights
Bergamo Alta & Castello di San Vigilio
Dom, Campanone & Palazzo della Ragione
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore & Cappella Colleoni
Restaurants
Events

1. Sights

The beautiful city of Bergamo is about an hour's drive from Lake Garda.

A cable car takes you up to the old upper town, Città Alta, which is surrounded by Venetian walls.

The current walls date back to the 16th century and include several bastions. The beautiful old town of Bergamo is vehicle-free, so you can stroll through the narrow streets at your leisure and explore the sights.

Link: https://www.visitbergamo.net/ - Tourist information about Bergamo

Link: https://www.museodellestorie.bergamo.it/ - Information about the museums of Bergamo

2. Bergamo Alta & Castello di San Vigilio

The centre of the historic upper town is Piazza Vecchia, where the medieval town hall Palazzo della Ragione with the Torre Civica or Campanone stands. Behind it, in Piazza del Duomo, is the Duomo di Bergamo and the Cattedrale di Sant'Alessandro Martire on the left. Right next to it is the Battistero di Bergamo.

How about a romantic moonlit walk in an atmospheric location? There is a place that has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2017 and has thus further underpinned Lombardy's leading position in Italy: the Venetian defences in Bergamo. These are imposing walls and bastions that were built around the upper town of Bergamo in the 16th century, when it was part of the territory of the Maritime Republic of Venice. The walls - Mura Venete - are more than six kilometres long and reach a height of 50 metres in some places. At weekends, the inner area of the walls is transformed into a huge pedestrian zone.

The San Vigilio cable car takes you from Bergamo Alta up to the San Vigilio hill. From up there, of course, you have a great view of the city and the surrounding area. There are also many lovely cafés with terraces where you can relax. The fortress Castello di San Vigilio itself is not necessarily spectacular, but you have a great view of the city below. The Castello di San Vigilio is one of the quieter places in Bergamo and also offers a fantastic view of the old town and the Bergamo Alps, making it the ideal place for a rest or a picnic away from the hustle and bustle of the upper town.

3. Dom, Campanone & Palazzo della Ragione

Piazza Vecchia - Here is the Palazzo della Ragione and the Biblioteca Civica Angelo Mai, as well as the mighty city tower. In the centre of the square is the Fontana del Cantarini from 1780.

If you are coming from Piazza Vecchia, walk under the portico of the Palazzo della Ragione, which connects Piazza Vecchia with Piazza del Duomo. Here stands the Cathedral of Sant'Alessandro (Duomo di Bergamo). This is the place where, according to legend, the martyrdom of St Alexander took place in 303 AD. The cathedral was built in 1688 according to a project by Carlo Fontana. The dome, designed by Ferdinando Crivelli, was completed in 1853 and the façade shortly afterwards. The cathedral houses important works inside, including paintings by Andrea Previtali, Giovan Battista Moroni and Giambattista Tiepolo. Among the paintings, the "Martirio di San giovanni Vescovo" by Tiepolo and the Madonna con il Bambino in Gloria e i Santi Caterina d'Alessandria e Gerolamo by Moroni stand out. The dome of the Cathedral of Sant'Alessandro was built by Berlendis in the 19th century. It is slightly higher than the church of Santa Maria Maggiore and features a copper statue of St Alexander by Broggi on the outside.

Next to Bergamo Cathedral is the Battistero, which was built in the 14th century by Giovanni da Campione. The Baptistery is not only a place of faith, but also of early church art. Among other things, you can see Giovanni da Campione's cycle on the life of Christ, a historical work of art that depicts various episodes of the life of Jesus Christ in reliefs.

The Campanone or Torre Civica is a 55 metre high observation tower with a fantastic view of the Piazza Vecchia below and the entire old town of Bergamo. A visit to the tower is highly recommended. There are 230 steps to the top or you can take a lift. The entrance fee also includes a visit to the museum in the Palazzo del Podestà.

The Accademia Carrara is also worth a visit. It is located in Bergamo Bassa (lower part of Bergamo), in Piazza Carrara 82. The origin of the Accademia Carrara can be traced back to Count Giacomo Carrara, a patron and collector who left a generous inheritance to the city of Bergamo at the end of the 18th century. In 1810, a new building was erected in neoclassical style to a design by the architect Simone Elia. Over the course of time, the museum was able to increase its collection through acquisitions and donations. In 2006, it had 1,800 paintings from the 15th to the 19th century, including works by artists such as Pisanello, Botticelli, Bellini, Lotto, Mantegna, Raphael, Moroni, Palma Giovane, Baschenis, Fra Galgario, Tiepolo, Canaletto and Piccio.

4. Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore & Cappella Colleoni

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore stands on the cathedral square against the magnificent backdrop of Bergamo's upper historic centre with its many narrow alleyways and picturesque corners. It was built in the second half of the 12th century and looks typically Romanesque on the outside, while the interior is decorated in a brilliant Baroque style

The Cappella Colleoni in the historic centre of Bergamo is a funerary chapel commissioned by the condottiere Bartolomeo Colleoni in 1471. The elaborately designed chapel is an outstanding example of 15th century Lombard architecture. The façade of the Colleoni Chapel with multi-coloured marble stone forms a harmonious and unmistakable decoration, framed by pilasters with medallions, in the upper part is a small box with columns and statues. It contains the tombs of the mercenary leader Colleoni (1400-1475) and his daughter Medea, who died in 1470 at the age of twelve.

Sant'Agostino - The deconsecrated church with a sandstone façade in late Gothic style was once part of a convent. Today it frequently hosts art exhibitions and cultural events. The Porta di Sant'Agostino is located nearby. Built at the end of the 16th century, the city gate with the huge fountain in front of it forms the eastern entrance to the Città Alta.

5. Restaurants

Bergamo has an excellent regional cuisine. The region is known for its large number of cheeses, including the most famous varieties such as Gorgonzola, Stracchino and Taleggio. Paella, pasta, ravioli and polenta are also specialities. You should also try the sparkling wine Franciacorta (a special grape variety).

Osteria Al Gigianca

Somewhat unfavourable location outside, but cosy ambience in which typical seasonal dishes of the region are presented with dedication.

Address Via Broseta 113, Bergamo

Telephone +39 035 568 49 28

Rest day Sunday

Al Carroponte

This lively restaurant knows how to satisfy all guests with its culinary and oenological delights. Top quality and food at the highest level.

Address Via Edmondo De Amicis 4, Bergamo

Telephone +39 035 24 06 40

Rest day Sunday

La Caprese

This is a little insider tip in Bergamo. Restaurant Caprese is a fish restaurant - fairly well hidden in a residential area to the west of Bergamo. There is also a terrace for the summer.

Address Via Giuseppe Garibaldi 7, località Borghetto, Mozzo

Telephone +39 035 437 66 61

Rest day Monday

Roof Garden

The view is breathtaking. The service is very courteous, polite and unobtrusive, and the food is excellent. Good value for money.

Address Piazza della Repubblica 6, Bergamo

Telephone +39 035 36 61 59

Rest day Sunday

Baretto di San Vigilio

Characteristic bar-restaurant in the small square in front of the cable car station. Good summer service on the terrace with a marvellous view. Delicious food, colossal view, great service.

Address Via Al Castello 1, San Vigilio, Bergamo

Phone +39 035 25 31 91

N.O.I.

A small, authentic restaurant with good cuisine.

Address Via Alberto Pitentino 6, Bergamo

Phone +39 035 23 77 50

Lio Pellegrini

In the midst of hundreds of decorative items, you can enjoy a wonderful dinner here. Small but excellent menu and friendly service.

Address Via San Tomaso 47, Bergamo

Telephone +39 035 24 78 13

Day off Monday