Bergamo – Italy’s two-tiered city

Bergamo in Lombardy is a city based on a clever idea: why build one city when you can have two stacked on top of each other? And so there’s Città Bassa, the Lower Town, and Città Alta, the Upper Town. Between them is quite a drop in elevation, a lot of steps, and the realisation that perhaps that last gelato wasn’t such a good idea after all. By Sigrid Riewe-Scholz

If you’d prefer to skip the walk up to the upper town, there’s always the option of the funicular. Città Alta, Bergamo’s historic heart, is not to be missed. Its narrow streets, old houses, small squares and imposing Venetian city walls instantly make you feel as though you’ve stepped into a historical film – albeit with far more tourists and ice-cream sundaes.

Piazza Vecchia, the main square, is a great place to sit and take in the impressive architecture, while watching other tourists try and fail to get a photo without anyone in the background. Bergamo Cathedral, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and the magnificent Cappella Colleoni are especially worth seeing, as the city has spared no expense in adorning them.

Of course, no visit to Bergamo would be complete without trying the food. Look out for Casoncelli alla Bergamasca – stuffed pasta with a hearty sauce. This is perfectly complemented by polenta, which is practically considered part of the family in this region.

There’s no need to plan every moment of your time in Bergamo in advance: the best approach is to simply meander through the streets of the upper town, enjoy an espresso in a piazza or savour the view over the Lombard plain from the old walls.

At some point while you’re sitting there, gazing at the historic houses, you’ll think to yourself, “I could get used to this”. Until you stand up and remember you’ve to face all those steps again on your way back. Bergamo is simply a city with character – and plenty of elevation.

Thankfully, there’s the T1 tram line. It connects the Bergamo FS station with Albino, providing some relief for tired legs over its approximately 12.5 kilometres. However, it won’t get you up to the historic upper town – for that, you’ll need to climb the steps or take the funicular.

Bergamo doesn’t always make things easy for you, but that’s all part of its charm.