La Citte Alta, the old city, is high above the new city, and it's definitely the crowning glory of Bergamo, which unfolds beneath a backdrop of snow-capped mountains.
Sean and I arrived via a suffocating(ly) hot train from the central station in Milan, and discovered that no one spoke English. Not a syllable. I was able to gain directions to our B and B from a woman who spoke Spanish-Italian, and we set out.
After walking for about 2o minutes with our heavy luggage, I remember saying to Sean: "This is the point at which normal people would hire a taxi." Not us, of course. We were walking in entirely the wrong direction, and it took, indeed at least another hour before we did find the B and B.
It was lovely, and not too much of a hike up to the old town, although there was a funicular if we
wanted to take it.We've found throughout Italy that people -- contrary to the stereotype and warnings we received -- have been very friendly and helpful. True, we're not in the major centres, like Florence, Rome, Sicily or Venice, but I tend to think that people are the same everywhere you go: essentially good.
I loved the walk up to the old town. This seems a very elegant and wealthy city.
We only had one night in Bergamo. We picked up our rental car from the airport the next day, and drove (only about 20 minutes, once we left Bergamo) through a valley to Leffe.
This is one of the four ancient gates into the old city of Bergamo.
Bergamo rooftops, as we climbed up to La Citte Alta. Mountain in distance.
This is the typical architecture in Bergamo. I love the shutters. I also loved the temperature here ... about 20 or 22 degrees.
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