This little town was a real gem of a place to visit. With everything close by it was great to be staying in the heart of Bergamo’s Città Alta (Upper Town). We didn’t even know it when we booked but our hotel (Gombit Hotel) was actually attached to the Torre del Gombito, a stone tower dating back to the 11th century! What a treat.
And speaking of treats, right next to the hotel was a small pasty shop where they claim to have invented the famous Stracciatella ice cream. Of course, we had to try that out more than once. They also had a delicious traditional pastry wrapped in marzipan. We had to try that a couple of times too. Mmm!
First a shoutout to the Gombit Hotel. All the modern conveniences in an 11th century tower and footsteps from the main square, Piazza Vecchia. Definitely a great choice if you’re thinking of visiting Bergamo in Northern Italy.
Exploring Bergamo’s Upper Town
In the old square you can buy a combo ticket to see most of the attractions in Bergamo’s Città Alta. This is well worth it as it saves about half of the fees of individual tickets and also saves you time waiting and paying at the cash.
We started our visit by climbing to the top of the Campanone for great views of the area. The Civic Tower was built in the 12th century, but an elevator has been added for convenience. On the first floor there is small museum showing the ancient vestiges of the city.
Be sure to visit the 12th century Palazzo della Ragione and see the many frescoes on the walls of the huge room. Over the years this palace served as a town hall, a courthouse, and even as a theater.
There are three churches in the main square and all are must-sees.
Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
The ornate interior of the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica was a feast for the eyes. Here, we sat down for a while and just took it all in. The more we looked the more we saw.
The exterior is simpler, but we liked the marble portico with two lions guarding the entrance. Built in the 1100s the basilica remains to this day one of the most important churches in Bergamo.
Colleoni Chapel
Annexed to the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica the Colleoni Chapel is a 15th century funerary chapel built by and for Bartolomeo Colleoni. We loved the intricate colored marble exterior. The interior was lavishly decorated with a frescoed ceiling (sorry, no photos allowed).
Bergamo Cathedral
The Cathedral of Sant’Alessandro also known as the Duomo was huge but low key in comparison to the basilica. It’s an important church and the seat of the Bishop of Bergamo. Construction started in 1459 but many modifications have been made to the cathedral over the years.
See the museum under the Duomo to view the excavated vestiges of the old cathedral as well as the remains of an ancient Roman town.
Also, in Piazza del Duomo there is a small chapel, the Battistero di Bergamo.
Rocca di Bergamo
Just a short walk up the hill is an impressive 14th century fortress with a tower, canons and ramparts offering panoramic views.
On site there is also a small museum about the history of Bergamo. This fort is easily accessible on foot from Piazza Vecchia in the heart of Città Alta.
On the way back down from the Rocca fortress we also visited the Palazzo Maroni but there was really just one dark room to see and we would skip it if one was limited in time.
Torre Castello San Vigilio
This second fort requires taking a short funicular ride up the hill. There are also some restaurants up there with some nice views but we opted to come back into town for dinner. We almost choose to stay up near the fort but after visiting we were glad we were in town closer to the attractions.
One last evening in Bergamo’s Città Alta
That evening we found a nice restaurant in Bergamo’s main square where we also discovered some delectable custard cones (pastry shells that are freshly filled with custard when you order). Yum!
We loved the town and the people. Everyone was smiling and genuinely happy it seemed. A very friendly place and one of our favorites on our Northern Italy adventure.