It’s a warm spring evening, just past golden hour and a light rain has started.
A light breeze plays with my hair; the humidity making it curl and stick up wildly. I love to sit out on the balcony and watch as the sun goes down. More than anything, I love the smell of the rain. A little feather lands on my notepad as I am scribbling away incoherent thoughts accompanied by thunder, church bells and the sudden crash of a crate falling somewhere nearby makes me jump.
Passers by start running for shelter as the rain gets heavier and heavier and I watch as my neighbours rush to put their laundry inside the house before it all gets ruined. I continue to sit and watch as the streets become empty and the rain turns into hail; all of this in the space of 10 minutes! two minutes later the skies clear.
Whenever it rains like this, I can’t help but smile because it reminds me of this one particular day, during a holiday visiting family in Colombia. I was around 8 I think; I remember it was raining so much! I remember tilting my head back and letting the rain fall down my face and thinking how odd it was that the rain felt so warm. It was the first time I had ever experienced tropical rain. I can’t remember whose house we were in, but I remember the small concrete tile patio surrounded by plants and feeling incredibly happy, there was so much excitement in the air. It is one of the happiest memories I have with my cousins. Playing in the rain barefoot; the endless laughter, splashing and silliness. Pure joy. I remember we had this little set of tin pots and plates which we filled with mud and mixed with rainwater that was by that point up to our ankles. We didn’t have a care in the world. All that mattered was that we were together, having the time of our lives.
Hope that my little ramblings bring a smile to your face and make you think of a time you felt as happy as I did that day in the rain. I would love to hear about it too if you don’t mind sharing 🙂
I love visiting Bergamo, specially Città Alta (the upper city). It’s a charming medieval walled city full of winding roads and beautiful architecture. Despite how busy it can get during the weekend, it still feels quite peaceful.
Usually, to get to città alta we would take the funicular from Bergamo Città Bassa (lower city); but this weekend, as the queue for the funicular was so long, we decided to walk. If you plan on doing this, wear comfortable shoes! I thought my sandals would be fine but because of the material my foot kept sliding all over the place and I had to walk at a snails pace!! You see, città alta is on a hill and walking up, there are parts that are REALLY steep, BUT the views are worth it. It’s like something out of a movie.
I wouldn’t advise walking up to Città Alta in the middle of summer as it is way too hot, so definitely take the funicular; but during spring and autumn it’s perfect. Something that I absolutely love about this time of year in Italy, is that jasmine flowers are in full bloom and they smell incredible. Walking up to the old town they were everywhere and I think that’s what kept me going. Make sure to take breaks to take photos and stay hydrated!!
Our first stop was the Piazza Vecchia – the heart of Città Alta!
Here, you’ll find restaurants, café’s and some of the most important buildings in Bergamo.
Piazza Vecchia – Palazzo della ragione
Piazza Vecchia in the evening seen from the other side
If you walk to the back of Piazza Vecchia, past the arches you will find the beautiful Cappella Colleoni and right next to it the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, which is definitely worth visiting. The beautiful and ornate interiors of the basilica were designed by Lorenzo Lotto, mostly known for his perceptive portraits and mystical paintings of religious subjects.
Capella Colleoni – Piazza del Duomo
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
To the left of the basilica is the Duomo, also known as the Cattedrale di Sant’Alessandro; and opposite the Duomo you will see the Battistero di Bergamo.
Duomo – Cattedrale di Sant’Alessandro
Battistero di Bergamo
Make your way back to the funicular for Upper Bergamo and go up Sant’Eufemia hill, it’s a 6 – 7 minute walk from the Piazza Duomo up to the Rocca Fortress which has some amazing views. Best place to enjoy the sunset in my opinion.
View from the Rocca Fortress in winter
Another great spot, not just for photos but for some great food is San Vigilio Hill. You can take the funicular up there and it only takes a few minutes.
Funicular to San Vigilio
Once you’re done in San Vigilio you can take the next funicular down to Città Alta and continue exploring the medieval town through its endless maze of cobblestone roads. Also, don’t miss the panoramic views from the Punto Panoramico di Colle Aperto, you can see the Orto Botànico from here as well as the mountains.
Comune di Bergamo – Piazza della Cittadella
Street view
Palazzo Medolago Albani
Torre Civica – Campanone
Street view
What to eat
There are so many brilliant little bakeries and café’s you really can’t go wrong.
The two things that you should try whilst you’re here are the Casoncelli Bergamaschi which are pasta filled with a mixture of bread crumbs, egg, parmesan, ground beef, salami or sausage. These are usually served in a butter and sage sauce and are quite a simple dish but full of flavour. You’ll find this at pretty much every restaurant. Another thing to try is the polenta cake which I found a bit too sweet for me but still nice. If you like marzipan you will love this.
Another dessert to try, is the stracciatella icecream from La Marianna, it is where it was first created and they continue to make it in the same way.
La Marianna
Getting around
The funicular is the best and quickest option but you can also take the bus, numbers 1 and 1A take you to upper Bergamo. From Bergamo airport, you can reach the city by taking the Airport bus.
Upper Bergamo as well as the centre of Lower Bergamo are limited traffic areas. On Sundays and public holidays car traffic is prohibited from 10am – 12pm and 2pm – 7pm. With daylight savings time, access is also banned Friday and Saturday from 9pm to 1am.
Information point – the office is on Via Gombito, 13. It is open from Monday to Thursday 9am – 1pm and 1:30pm to 5:30pm; and Friday to Sunday from 9am – 5:30pm.
Today is the Festa della Repubblica in Italy (Republic day), it’s a national holiday and celebrates the day when Italians voted to abolish the monarchy in 1946 making Italy a republic.
And a day off work in Italy means another trip of course! We had initially planned on going to Parma but changed our minds last minute and headed over to Como. Glad we did! We found the most amazing jewellery museum/café called Lopez. It’s on Via Vitani, 32 for anyone that wants to go whilst you’re in Como.
As we walked in we were greeted by Maria Grazia and her son and the most amazing collection of antiques, jewellery and vintage fashion. I could not stop smiling, I was in heaven! Everywhere you look there’s a beautiful piece of history. What I loved the most about this place, was that it felt like you were being transported back in time to someone’s dressing room, someone’s lounge, someone’s life! and in a way, it is; it’s Maria Grazia’s life work and you can really tell how much she loves it. I felt so inspired by everything and above all, inspired by Maria Grazia.
Lopez is a family run business and not only do they manage the museum and café but also sell antique jewellery and they host tango lessons as well as conducting seminars on gemology. All of my favourite things in one place!
After a tour of the place we sat down for tea, cake and biscuits. Something that I really miss about London is going to beautiful café’s with my friends and doing things like this! There’s nothing quite like it.
Apart from being slighty worried about accidentally breaking something, it was definitely the best way to spend our afternoon in Como.
I’ll leave the link to their website here so you can have a look if you’re curious. Maria Grazia and her son were incredibly welcoming and everything was perfect. I can’t wait to go back again so I can spend more time looking at everything. Also, so that I can actually do all the touristy things so I can tell you all about it!
Following on from my recent post about Milan, I wanted to share this list of all the restaurants in Milan that currently have Michelin stars (as of 2021). I have included price ranges and the link to each restaurant’s website for ease.
And just in case you haven’t seen my previous posts, here are the links! 🙂
It is only right that my first travel guide on this blog should be about Milan as it is where my life in Italy began! Known for being one of the fashion capitals of the world, hello Milan Fashion Week! and famous for it’s architecture, it’s impossible to think about Milan without automatically thinking about the iconic Duomo di Milano, so that’s where we’ll start!
Day 1
Duomo di Milano
I remember the first time I saw the Duomo; it was as I came out of the station after my first italian lesson. I remember being shocked by how beautiful it was/is and thinking how small I felt standing infront of it. No amount of photos or videos do it justice. It is an impressive building. There are so many intricate details; to think that the construction of the Duomo began in 1386 and the final details were not completed until 1965 is crazy.
You can purchase tickets at the ticket office which is to the right of the Duomo but I would advise you to book them online. Specially during the summer; it gets really hot and you do not want to be standing in a queue in that heat! Also make sure to take something with you to cover your shoulders otherwise you’ll have to buy an extremeley flattering Harry Potter style cloak to go over your “insta-ready” outfit! You’ll find all the details and ticket prices in the link below.
The Duomo Pass Lift at €20 is the best option if you want to see everything. If you’re just looking to go up to the rooftop for photos I would suggest taking the lift unless you’re feeling brave and want to walk up the 251 steps to the roof and then back down again!
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
To the left of the front entrance to the Duomo you’ll see the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. A stunning shopping arcade that oozes Milanese style and wealth. With its beautiful mosaic floors and a magnificent archway into its portico-covered “streets” you’re going to want to spend a little time here and take it all in. In the centre of the gallery you’ll see that the floors are decorated with the coats of arms of Turin, Florence, Milan and Rome. Take a closer look and you might notice tourists spinning on their heels over Turin’s coat of arms; to be more specific, the poor testicles of Turins bull. Apparently it brings good luck to step on the bulls testicles and spin three times! Another thing to look out for is the Leonardo Da Vinci museum which is towards the back of the shopping arcade and worth visiting.
Naviglio Grande
Once you’re done at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele it’s time to head over to Naviglio Grande, it’s one of my favourite spots in Milan, specially for aperitivo or dinner and is absolutely magical at sunset. There are so many nice restaurants around the Navigli area but try to go to a Trattoria, that’s where you’ll find the most authentic food and at great prices.
As for what to order, try one of the local dishes! – Cotoletta alla milanese (breaded veal cutlet pan-fried in butter) – Cassoeula (stewed pork rib chops and sausage with savoy cabbage) – Ossobuco (braised veal shank served with a condiment called gremolata) – Risotto alla Milanese (with saffron and beef marrow) – Busecca (stewed tripe with beans) – Brasato (stewed beef or pork with wine and potatoes)
Famous Milanese cheeses are gorgonzola, mascarpone, taleggio and quartirolo. For me, it’s all about the mascarpone in desserts.
Breakfast in Italy is usually a cornetto and a coffee, very simple but delicious. Some of my favourite cafe’s are Marchesi 1824 which is incredibly beautiful, overlooks the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and has amazing cakes; Pave, which is another amazing place; Orsonero Coffee which always has brilliant reviews; and if you’re a Wes Anderson fan then you need to go to Bar Luce, designed by the man himself. Another cafe that I absolutely love and not just for coffee but also for evening drinks is 10 Corso Como Cafe, it has a great atmosphere and you can also have a little wander of the art gallery and shop whilst you’re there. It’s a hidden gem in the heart of the city.
Bosco Verticale
Not far from 10 Corso Como Cafe is the Piazza Gae Aulenti which leads onto the Bosco Verticale. Bosco Verticale are two stunning residential towers covered in plants, trees and shrubs. In spring the towers and the surrounding park is filled with wild flowers and greenery. A great place to take a break.
Bosco Verticale
Brera
Next stop is Brera! I love Brera, it’s part of the historic centre and the artistic heart of the city. Brera is full of antique shops, art galleries, boutiques and cute cafe’s and restaurants with outdoor seating. On the third Sunday of each month there’s an antiques market called Mercatino di antiquariato e brocantage, in my opinion it’s the best way to start a Sunday followed by brunch at one of the local cafe’s. Whilst you’re here you might want to also stop by the Pinacoteca di Brera and Botanical gardens.
La Pinacoteca di Brera
Brera
Sforzesco Castle Not far from Brera is the Sforzesco castle and Arco della Pace. The castle is open from Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:30 and you can book your tickets online. Tickets are 5 euros.
The courtyard area is free to access and great for people watching on a Sunday with a coffee in hand; everyone in their Sunday best is out for a walk or having a little picnic on the lawn.
Castello SforzescoArco della pace
Art galleries
There are so many great art musuems and galleries in Milan but currently, top of my list is the Fondazione Prada Milano which I am dying to visit, for anyone that loves architecture or contemporary art this one is a must. Also on my list are Pirelli Hangar Bicocca, Armani Silos, Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna and MUDEC – Museo delle Culture.
I still have so much to see and as I discover new things to do and see I will update these guides. Milan is such a beautiful city by day and even more magical at night so hopefully once the current curfew lifts we can go back to fully enjoying every aspect of the city.
Amparo's Travels & Musings 