Ciao, Italy. Part 5: Bergamo
Bergamo is an ancient city located 30 km from Milan. He ended up on the route solely thanks to the airport from which our flight departed. I can say with confidence that by this lucky chance we have discovered a wonderful land that is definitely worth a visit, and probably even more so than Milan.
But first things first. Bergamo is divided into two cities: upper and lower. The upper part is an example of a perfectly preserved medieval city. The lower part is modern, full of wide streets, buses and shops. A funicular lifts tourists to the upper city (one-way ticket - 1.25 euros). The upper city is located on a mountain and is completely surrounded by a fortress wall. It has the charm of real Italy: its old stones, carved church facades, narrow streets and lanes, consisting entirely of steps. Tourist life here is almost inaudible: everything in the city breathes peace and antiquity.
The city center is Piazza Vecchia, traditionally full of cafes and surrounded by elegant palazzos. Towering over the square is the Torre del Campanone tower, on which a bell rings every day at ten in the evening. A little further from Piazza Vecchia is Piazza del Duomo with a baroque cathedral. The cathedral is dedicated to St. Alexander, the patron saint of the city, a martyr who died for the faith. The ensemble of Piazza Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is completed by Cappella Colleoni, as if carved from white stone.
For a closer acquaintance with the city, you need to use another funicular, this time leading to the hill of St. Vigilius. The length of the line is 630 meters, the trailers are raised to the castle, from which a view of both parts of Bergamo opens. From here, in clear weather, Milan can be seen, the roofs of the upper city are reddening below, and the lower city is spread out a little lower.
It was at the top of the hill of St. Vigilius that we "tallyed the results" of our journey. It's only been a week, but it felt like a month.
As if especially for us, at parting, the sun was shining, the weather was fine, the slopes were strewn with trees painted in the bright colors of autumn, the mountains were not at all severe, but rather majestically towered very close ...just about, and reach out with your hand. In Italy, we met almost nothing of what we were warned about - no arrogant locals, no crowds of tourists, no fastidious weather. I agree, we arrived not at the peak of the season, of course, we were very lucky with the weather, but I think it's not just about luck. Italy has a beautiful soul, versatile, ancient and modern at the same time. Flying away, we left a piece of our heart in this fertile land .. .
