Buongiorno from Bergamo

We did it! We ventured out from the hectic hustle and bustle of the city. We surprised ourselves because we have actually only have been here a little over a week and our adventurous, spontaneous drive was running a little low and was extremely worn from the Milan move, culture shock, and basic survival mode we have been in. Now the truth about our little excursion to Bergamo is…we did in fact venture out BUT it was in a way in which “Lauren likes to do it.” It was planned, mapped out, slightly controlled, and we partnered with English speaking; American friends we had met. But nonetheless, we did it!

And it only took us, a short walk from our apartment to the Metro, a ride on the Yellow Line to Centrale Station, and an hour Train Ride to the charming down of Bergamo. We had a map but hardly used it because our sole purpose was to simply explore and take in what this “country” town had to offer. It was far from the city, which added to its appeal. It had beautiful architecture with intricate details and the town was filled with historical landmarks, Cathedrals, statues, fountains, and cobble stoned alleyways. It was nothing like the city of Milan and it was everything a picturesque Italian town dreamt of being like.

Bergamo is in Northeast Milan in the southern foothills of the Alps and it crowns a very steep hill. (You will see a picture of us taking a Lift to the top.) Bergamo is divided into the medieval Citta Alta which is the upper town and Citta Bassa which is lower town. Citta Alta has a Medieval and Renaissance feel in its buildings' architecture and style. The views of the town were beautiful and although our vision was clouded by some fog, the quaint town’s homes and villas were still stunning to see from the top.

We made our way to the very top of the town and we walked our way to the very bottom. It took us over 5 hours and we just couldn’t stop taking pictures. Each new street provided a new “must take” picture opportunity. We enjoyed some authentic pastries when we arrived and sat down for a gourmet, late lunch at a fancy Restorante Café after we walked ourselves an appetite. We enjoyed getting away from the smog of the city and breathing in some fresh, open air. But we mostly cherished the time we spent sharing our stories and exploring a new Italian town together.