Bergamo
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Bergamo is a town in Lombardia, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The commune is home to c. 117,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Bergamo Orio al Serio International Airport (ICAO code: LIME), which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent Milan. The foothills of the Alps begin immediately north of the town.
Widely acclaimed as a city of rare beauty, Bergamo is famous for its wealth of artistic treasures and enchanting medieval atmosphere. It is a real life tale of two cities: “Città Bassa”, the busy and modern lower city, and "Città Alta", the upper city with its rich heritage of art and history.
Bergamo holds the title of Città dei Mille (Town of the Thousands) because more than 100 out of the 1000 people following Garibaldi in his expedition to unify Italy where volunteers from Bergamo.
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CouchSurfing in Bergamo
Couchsurfing helps you to travel around the world, find a place where to sleep during your stay and, more important, to meet new people. To improve the possibility of new friendship during your travel, a good idea is joining the local group. And if you want to meet new people from Bergamo, you have to join Bergamo and check all the posts to know when it'll be the next meeting.
Bergamo has some active couchsurfers ready to host visitors and friends, as well as a local community fairly active in organizing mostly small meetings. Surfers can find out dates and participants checking forum entries in the city group. There is one Couchsurfing Country Ambassador living there, Stefano. Bergamo is the most active CS city in Lombardia after Milan.
Meetings
If you are hosted by a Bergamo group's member, ask him to propose a meeting, like an aperitivo. Or, more simply, you can leave a post where you explain that you want to meet some local couchsurfers! We love meeting new people, and we are sure you'll enjoy our company!
Asking for hospitality
Remember that Couchsurfing is not a free hostel website. That means that you can be ready to sleep in a bed or in a couch or in maitress on the floor. Who knows? But you can be sure that your future host will explaine to you what he/she has to offer to you (if it is not written yet on his profile page). Also, most of Bergamo's Couchsurfers work, so if you are hosted in midweeks, maybe you have to wake up early in the morning. But, also, you have the possibility to meet the city and the people living there, have parties with your host and live unforgettable experiences. This is the Couchsurfing philosophy.
So, before sending a request:
- remember how to write a CouchRequest, there are tips that can help you for choising your host.
- It's better if you use the Couchsearch! button. Because you can check the profiles and ask the CouchSurfer you prefer. In this way you’ll have the chance to know better who your potential host is (we are sure it is your concern to know where you’ll end up sleeping!). And the hosts enjoy more if they are chosen. It's better than leaving a message saying: "hi, i'm coming next month. who wants to host me?", because it looks like it doesn't matter who will host you, but it looks like you care only about have a couch.
- Once you've selected some people, be clear in your request; specify when you will be arriving and when you will be leaving.
- Be sure you thoroughly read your potential host’s profile. Do not ask for things that are already included in it!
- Have your own profile properly filled, including some picture. Let your perspective host be able to understand what kind of person you are.
- Explain your plans. Are you coming for a cultural visit or to enjoy the nightlife? Do you intend to sleep late or wake up early? ... These types of information will help the host decide whether he/she will take you in or not.
- Write your couch request with the right advance. Some people write requests several months before they arrive (it can be too much) or just a couple of days before (too short notice). A 2-4 weeks notice would be ideal.
- If you want to surf together with your partner or friends, specify if they are registered at CS as well, and eventually add a link to their profiles.
- Obviously, if you are in troubles or you haven't found a couch and the time of your departure is coming short, let's try to leave a post on the Bergamo Group, as your last chance. Maybe someone will be able to help you!
Visiting Bergamo
The town has two centres: "Città alta" (upper town), a hilltop medieval town, surrounded by 17th century cyclopic defensive walls, and the "Città bassa" (lower town). The two parts of the town are connected either by funicular/cable car and roads, however parking spaces are very limited in the upper town and the traffic is blocked on most Sundays.
Città alta
The upper city, surrounded by Venetian walls built in the 17th century, serves as the historic centre of Bergamo.
It includes several historical monuments:
- Piazza Vecchia (old square), the heart of the old town, displaying a mix of medieval and Renaissance architecture.
- Palazzo della Ragione. It was the seat of the administration of the city in the communal age. It is now seat of exhibitions. Erected in the 12th century, it was rebuilt in the late 16th century by Pietro Isabello. The façade has the St. Mark's Lion over a mullioned window, testifying the long period of Venetian dominance. The atrium has a well-preserved 18th century sundial.
- Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Main St. Mary Basilica). It was built from 1137 on the site of a previous religious edifice from the 7th century. Construction lasted until the 15th century. Of this first edifice remains the external Romanesque structure and the Greek cross plan, while the interior was widely modified in the 16th and 17th centuries. Noteworthy are the great Crucifix and the tomb of Gaetano Donizetti. The dome has frescoes by Giovanbattista Tiepolo.
- Cappella Colleoni (Colleoni Chapel), annexed to Santa Maria Maggiore, a masterwork of Renaissance architecture and decoration art, hosting the tombstone of the warlord Bartolomeo Colleoni.
- The Rocca (Castle), a walled stronghold which houses a museum. It was begun in 1331 on the Sant'Eufemia hill by William of Castelbarco, vicar of John of Bohemia, and later completed by Azzone Visconti. A wider citadel was also added, but it is now partly missing. The Venetians built a large tower in the Rocca, as well as a line of walls (Mura Veneziane) 6,200 metres long.
- Biblioteca Angelo Mai (Palazzo Nuovo), designed by Vincenzo Scamozzi.
Museums
- The Archeology Museum (Museo Archeologico)
- The Science Museum (Museo Civico di Scienze)
- The Donizetti Museum (Museo Donizettiano), Via Arena 9. Devoted to one of Bergamo's most famous sons, the composer Gaetano Donizetti
- The Accademia Carrara, one of Northern Italy's most important collections of medieval, Renaissance and Baroque paintings.
- GAMeC, the city's gallery of modern and contemporary art, which usually hosts several interesting exhibitions.
Città bassa
The lower city, having expanded rapidly during the 20th century, is the modern centre of Bergamo.
Of artistic relevance are the Pinacoteca dell'Accademia Carrara (picture museum of Carrara academy), known as "Accademia Carrara" and the nearby Galleria d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (gallery of modern and contemporary art), known as GAMEC. The lower part of the city is divided into many boroughs: Colognola, Valtesse, Redona, Borgo Palazzo, Celadina, ...
Surroundings
- San Vigilio - a small hilltop village that can be reached on foot or by a second funicolare from Città Alta. It offers walks with spectacular views, and a ruined castle.
- The Romanic route at Almenno
- Via Mercatorum and Strada Priula
- Crespi d'Adda, a planned industrial city between Bergamo and Milan. It has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List
- Lake Iseo and Lake Endine, two of the smallest and less touristy among the Northern Italian lakes, but still enchanting.
The Alps
Bergamo is a great starting point to visit the Alps. The mountains lying north of Bergamo, between the lakes Como and Iseo, are called "Prealpi" and constitute the first line of the Alps, reaching 3000 mt. heights. There are many other shelters on the mountains nearby Bergamo: you can find them here and on the forum The paths are checked by CAI (Italian Alpine Club), on the left bar of their website you can find the maps ("cartina"). The shelters are usually open with restaurant service on weekends; on winter weekdays it should be open with the winter shelter (in self-management by hikers). Unfortunately, almost nothing is in English in those websites :( The villages from where to start walking to mountain shelters can be reached by public transportation from Bergamo Bus Station, with SAB bus company
Getting to Bergamo
By Plane
If you are going to/from the Airport, check ATB for timetables, prices and route. The bus is the number 1-Airport. Fare from airport is "3 Zone", 1,70 €. There is no train station at the airport. The 1-airport bus to Bergamo city, taking around 30 minutes, leaves you just in front of the train station. Cabs will take about 15mins and cost around €15 (€21 after 21:00 in the evening)
By train
Bergamo is directly connected by train to Milan, Brescia and Lecco. Trains for and to Milano go almost one per hour. There are actually two railways from Bergamo to Milan: one goes through Treviglio: it is longer (60km) but newer and faster (45-50 min), and it costs 4,20 € one way; trains usually stop in Milano Centrale. The other goes through Carnate-Usmate, it's shorter (50 km) and cheaper (3,60 €), but it takes a bit more (1h05) and trains usually arrive at Milano Porta Garibaldi ("P.Gar.") train station. Some trains goes to Milano Greco Pirelli ("Gr.P."), on the Carnate line, but passing through Treviglio. Such trains cost 4,20 € one way, and it is recommeded for you to get off at Milano Lambrate, since there's no subway station at Greco Pirelli.
Timetables and fares can be checked on Trenitalia. There is no left luggage office at the train station, only at the airport.
By car
Bergamo is on the A5 highway, which is part of the Eurocorridor 5 Lisbon-Odessa. The part between Brescia and Milan used to be the most trafficked part in Italy, but the situation got better since the opening of the 4th lane in the late 2000s. The highway ticket from Bergamo to the Milan Stop Barrier is 2,50 €. If you have a navigator system, you can get out at Agrate Brianza, spending only 1,20 €, and from there reaching the Tangenziale Est (A51) at Carugate in 10 minutes on SP 121 (viale delle industrie)
Getting to Milan
Regular buses to Milan depart from Bergamo Orio Airport (BGY). You can check schedules and fares on the website of Autostradale. The trip takes approximately one hour, depending on traffic conditions.
Going around
By bus
ATB (Azienda Trasporti Bergamo) is the public company that organizes public transportation in Bergamo. It operates the town bus lines and the two funiculars. In dealing with hinterland lines, ATB cooperate with other companies such as Zani and Locatelli. Normal ticket costs 1,05 € and is valid for 75 min since clipping on any bus in town. Getting to the airport requires a three-zone ticket, costing 1,70 €.
By car
You can hire a car at the airport. Anyway, the city centre has only payment parking places and is a bit crowded in weekdays. Città Alta is mostly forbidden to cars, and the same entry is forbidden on weekends. If you want to park your car near Città Alta, you'd better look on the area of the Swimming Pools (rotonda Santa Lucia) or near the Stadium and then get up by foot with the stairways.
By taxi
Taxis are kind of expensive here, compared to other parts of Europe. If you're a foreigner, beware of the bill, as some taxi drivers try to take advantage of the language gap. So, better take the public transportation or go by walk!
By foot
The town is not large, and most of the sights can be seen comfortably on foot. To get from the Città Bassa up to the Città Alta can be quite tiring on foot, though, due to the steep and winding streets, but there is a funicolare (a kind of tram) linking the two parts of the town.
By bike
Bergamo is going to have its own bike-sharing system in spring 2009. Let's wait and hope..
Places
Sleep
- Sleeping at the airport with mattress and sleeping bag is allowed and commonly practiced by Ryanair travellers. The airport has one section open all night long, with guards watching over the site, so it is safe. You will just need some nightmask to avoid the light. Be careful with your belongings - money and documents - anyway!
- Ostello Città di Bergamo, the official AIG hostel in the Monterosso outskirt borough. It can be reached from the city centre with the bus n.3, which also connects it directly with Città Alta.
- Central Hostel, a privately-owned hostel, opened in 2008, very central.
Eat
- Il Circolino is a cooperative pub, in the old complex of St.Agata, once a church and a jail. In the summer afternoons, old locals here play bocce, while in the evening young people come for a lanterna, a 1 lt. drink of beer with a glass of campari rosso plunged inside. It serves the most typical traditional dishes, such as polenta e osei and casoncelli.
- Via Colleoni, the main street in Città Alta, offers many place to rest and have a break. You will find traditional shops with meat, cheese and everyday food, slice-pizza shops (Nessi is the most well-known) and pastry shops. Gelateria "Marianna", in Colle Aperto, next to Porta Sant'Alessandro, makes the best ice-cream in town, along with "Golosia" in via Broseta, lower town.
- Kebab shops are mostly found in the surroundings of piazza Pontida and Borgo Palazzo. They are usually owned by Middle-Eastern immigrants and serve bread with kebab for 3,50 €. One of the best is "Berni", in via Broseta, owned by an indian and managed by bolivian helpers.
- Piadinerie are also nice as snacks. Some are found in via Broseta, via Palma il Vecchio and via Borgo Palazzo.
Drinks
- Il Circolino, as above
- Birreria Pozzo Bianco in Città Alta, via Porta Dipinta
- Agorà Polaresco, as below
- Ritual Pub, an Irish pub right in the centre of the town
- McGuire's, an English pub in via Previtali
- Beach Bar, a Bikers'-stile bar in via Palma il Vecchio
- Tanjia, a middle-eastern atmosphere bar in via Borgo Palazzo
- Bertoldo e Bertoldino, a typical pub near Accademia Carrara
Parties
- The Erasmus student scene is getting more and more on the move in the last years, thanks to Aegee, with open-buffet aperitivo and DJ-set, with two weekly meetings, on tuesday and on thursday.
- Agorà Polaresco is a pub managed by some young people in a municipal historical building in the Longuelo borough. It hosts a tuesday chill-out evening with herb-teas and cakes, live concerts and week-ends with dj-set.
Internet
There are several internet points, some coupled with immigrant-targeted phone centres. [1] [2]
In Città Alta, in via Colleoni, you'll be able to find some pubs offering free wi-fi connections. This is anyway not common, since the Italian tlc law is very - stupidly - strict and doesn't allow anonimous wi-fi connection in public places. You will also find some open wi-fi connections in other places: one is reported at the benches on the west side of Piazza Pontida, in Città Bassa.
