Reaching Città Alta is very easy, and you can choose bus, taxi, or you can even walk. However, to fully enjoy the journey back in time that we’re about to undertake, we highly recommend using the funicular – starting point: Funicolare for Città Alta Bergamo. Once you’ve completed the panoramic ascent on this magic machine, you will suddenly find yourself in another dimension.
At this point, you’ll be in Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe and, especially on a beautiful day, a tough choice will present itself: turn right onto Via Porta Dipinta, grab a couple of take-away beers, and head down to Parco della Fara to enjoy the sun and the view lying on the grass… or start the tour. We assume you’ll opt for the second scenario.
The first stop of significant historical interest is the Rocca di Bergamo. Here you can visit the museum, or simply have a walk in its park and, of course, take breathtaking photos. Being an elevated area compared to the rest of Città Alta, it offers one of the best panoramas in town.
Walking back the same way, you return to Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe and from here, take the right onto Via Gombito, the central street. A tip: slow down and let yourself be inspired by the numerous shop windows where you can find excellent food, clothing, and crafts. Look around but also look up, because every corner can hold a surprise.
When the cobbled street opens up to the light of a beautiful square, you can’t go wrong: you are in Piazza Vecchia, the main square of the city. It is worth stopping here, not only to have a coffee or an aperitif in the chic venues overlooking the square but also because there is a collection of buildings of great importance to the city.
On the right side of the street you are walking on, there is the Palazzo Nuovo housing the Angelo Maj Library, a neoclassical structure entirely covered in white marble. On the left side is the beautiful medieval square. Here is the view that will appear before you.
The tower that you see on the corner is the Campanone (or Civic Tower), adjacent to the Palazzo del Podestà (former political authority building) and the Palazzo della Ragione (former courthouse). On the facade of the latter, recalling the city’s Venetian past, the white lion of San Marco. These buildings are now visitable and serve as museums.
In front of them, in the middle of the square, is the Contarini Fountain. Behind them, accessible by passing underneath a majestic portico, is Piazza del Duomo. Noteworthy here are the Cathedral of Sant’Alessandro (Duomo of Bergamo), the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore sided by the Colleoni Chapel, and the Baptistery. It is worth at least taking a look inside all of them, but be careful not to get lost in so much beauty…
Head back, not forgetting to admire the monumental sundial on the floor under the portico that divides the two squares. At the library, turn left onto Via Bartolomeo Colleoni. Immediately on the left is the Teatro Sociale, and further along the street, there are numerous places to eat and drink. Walking along the street, you will reach a clock tower, and passing through the gate at the base of the building, you will be in Piazza della Cittadella. Here you will suddenly be transported back to the 1300s when the Milanese Visconti family ruled over Bergamo. In addition to its historical and architectural importance, the square houses the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Natural Sciences.
Beyond the citadel, you will find yourself in Colle Aperto, a pleasant place to admire the valley that opens up before you and, in the background, the Orobie Alps. For nature lovers, a little higher up, you can visit the Lorenzo Rota Botanical Garden. We recommend trying the delicious stracciatella ice cream from La Marianna, which was invented right here.
At this point, walk up the Viale delle Mura until you reach the Parco di San Giovanni with a beautiful specimen of a sundial. It will not be difficult to realize that you are close to the Venetian Walls, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Slowly walk along the path admiring the majesty of this defensive structure and, naturally, the awesome panorama of the city below. On the clearest days, from here you can see the Duomo and the modern skyscrapers of Milan, and even further, the Apennine mountain range.
Continue until you reach the first opening in the defensive walls, Porta San Giacomo. We close our tour in beauty with this spectacular gate – one of the four along the entire perimeter of the walls – covered in white marble. Beyond this wonderful structure, a descending panoramic road that seems to plunge into Città Bassa. Note that coming from the walls you will not see it white, but rather of gray stones. Only by passing through you will be able to admire its best profile.
Eventually, to return to the starting point, walk the first part of Via Sant’Alessandro until the cobblestones end. Turn left onto Vicolo San Carlo and then immediately left onto Via Salita della Scaletta. Here a characteristic downhill cobbled path amidst greenery will bring you back to the foot of the funicular.