AVION TOURISM #79 Special Edition for Milan Bergamo Airport

A JOURNEY TO BERGAMO BETWEEN ART,

NATURE AND FLAVOURS

Discover the historical beauties of the Upper Town, explore the landscapes of the Orobie Alps and the Lakes of Endine and Iseo,

Taste local food and wine specialties and participate in international sporting events.

Bergamo is exactly in the center of Northern Italy, in the heart of Lombardy. It is a destination to be discovered that offers you a perfect combination of culture, nature and food and wine and enchants visitors in every season.

The city is located just 15 minutes from Milan Bergamo airport. Start your exploration at the medieval village of Città Alta, a Venetian fortress surrounded by more than 6 km of walls inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage Lists . Walking through the cobbled streets you will find yourself in the splendid Piazza Vecchia where you can admire architectural masterpieces, such as the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore or the Colleoni Chapel. For a view from above, you can climb to the top of the Campanone, with its breathtaking panorama. Every detail will tell you the history of the village.

After discovering the old town and walking along the Venetian Walls, you can devote yourself to the most modern part of the city, called the Lower Town. You will be welcomed by elegant neighborhoods with intense vitality: you can get lost among the local craft shops, fashion and the characteristic aperitif bars, a daily moment of all-Italian conviviality.

You can devote yourself to discovering the Borgo d'oro, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, with the Accademia Carrara, an important art gallery that preserves masterpieces of Italian art and the GAMeC - Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Throughout the year Bergamo hosts several international festivals such as the Donizetti Opera Festival, dedicated to the great composer from Bergamo, the International Piano Festival of Brescia and Bergamo, the Bergamo Jazz Festival or the Masters of the Landscape, not to be missed - for a journey into taste - Forme, an event dedicated to food and wine and in particular to cheeses.

You may not know that Bergamo is a Unesco Creative City for food and wine precisely because of its dairy heritage. It is considered the European Capital of cheeses: as many as 9 PDO cheeses out of 52 in Italy have their homeland here.

In Bergamo you will discover an ancient and genuine culinary art.

We recommend tasting Casoncelli, a stuffed pasta typical of the area that is seasoned with melted butter, sage and bacon or a good steaming polenta , with rabbit or with a delicious braised meat.

To accompany this journey into taste, the wines of Val Calepio, an exceptional production area, together with the excellent Moscato di Scanzo, a red grape raisin wine, grown on an area of only 31 hectares.

And finally, the sweetness of Stracciatella, the famous ice cream that was invented in Bergamo by a brilliant pastry chef, in the early 60s of the last century.

In addition to the city, you will discover that the land of Bergamo is rich in mountains, valleys and waterways. A naturalistic heritage that extends along the arc of the Orobie pre-Alps, where biodiversity and the beauty of the landscapes abound.

Val Brembana, Val Seriana and Val di Scalve are enchanting places. Perfect for hiking, skiing or for regenerating trips in contact with nature or to discover the characteristic historic villages scattered throughout the area.

In 2025, from 3 to 9 February, the spotlight will be on Schilpario, a town in the Val di Scalve, famous for cross-country skiing where the Nordic World Ski Championships will be held. It will be a special opportunity to discover the valley and the surrounding ski areas, including the Colere ski lift which has been recently renovated and offers priceless descents. Also not to be missed are Monte Pora and Lizzola, in the adjacent Seriana Valley.

Summer, on the other hand, is the season for hiking in the Bergamo Orobie Park, 70000 hectares of protected pre-Alpine area in which it is possible to walk the Orobie Trail. A trek that can last up to two weeks between refuges, ponds and breathtaking views.

A short distance from the city, the two lakes of the province are worth a visit, Lake Endine, a small and delightful gem set in the hills of Val Cavallina, overlooked by villages and castles and the larger and better known Lake Iseo, surrounded by the lush green of the pre-Alps, where you can devote yourself to the discovery of small villages, food and wine and water sports.

Parco dei Colli Bergamo Foto: Copyright © Alessio Guitti per Visit Bergamo

Not to forget: two adventures to be experienced on foot and by bicycle, a legacy of Bergamo Brescia, Italian Capital of Culture 2023. The Via delle Sorelle, a 130 km walk in 6 stages that connects Bergamo to Brescia and the Bergamo Brescia Cultural Cycle Route, a bidirectional route of 76 km, plus as many 70 km of cultural rings. Two adventures to be experienced on the move.

2025 will be the perfect year to visit Bergamo, a special year, because in addition to the Nordic ski championships, the 99th edition of the International Six Days of Enduro (ISDE) will be hosted . Bergamo becomes the capital of world Enduro. For the third time this important event will be held in the Orobic land after the two editions held in San Pellegrino in 1968 and 1986.
From 24 to 29 August, over 600 drivers from more than thirty nations will compete on exciting tracks. An opportunity not to be missed to visit the area and watch these exciting races live.

With its artistic, cultural and food and wine heritage and major sporting events on the horizon, Bergamo is ready to give unique and unforgettable emotions to all its visitors.

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