Bergamo
One of the most beautiful cities in Lombardy, Bergamo is situated on the fringes of the Lombardy plane, where the Brembana Valley and the Seriana Valley meet. The city is divided into two parts: Bergamo Bassa (Low) (249 m, modern and busy) and Bergamo Alta (High) (365 m, nestled in the hills, medieval and silent).

The centre of various centuries of traffic and trades, Bergamo has the most ancient of origins. A legend says that the Ligurians founded it, and archeological finds and ancient literary sources (Pliny) testify to the presence of a village on the hill of Bergamo between the V and the VI century BC. The Romans transformed it into a flourishing city.

A free municipality in the mediaeval era, it was much sought after by The Viscontis and Venetians. Bergamo has managed to draw immense advantage from its location, becoming a meeting point between the Lombardy and Veneto cultures. The historic periods which left the greatest impressions on the the city are the Medieval and Renaissance.

Bergamo has maintained its tradition of industriousness and wealth on the threshold of the XXI century. An important industry and fair centre, the city is the site of museums and numerous cultural exhibitions as well as home to the pictures and sculptures from the 19 hundreds by Giacomo Manzu'.
Curiosity: Bergamo is renowned for having given birth to the famous character from the "commedia dell'arte" Arlecchino.

Bergamo and its province can rightly be considered a casket holding art, nature and culture treasures. In Bergamo and its surroundings people can discover monuments and artistic objects of uncommon beauty, as well as important historical and cultural witnesses, hidden among hills, mountains, country landscapes, rivers and lakes.

In our province, nature and culture combine in charming itineraries which lead the visitor far from the overwhelming stream of everyday life, giving him the opportunity to become part of an atmosphere which evokes past times, where the passing of the days and men’s actions recover their original meaning.

Located on a hill and surrounded by sixteenth century fortifications, the upper Bergamo is certainly the place the most typical and suggestive of the town. It would be better, more pleasant and more respectful for historical and artistic environment to reach it with public means of transport or on foot, especially in festival days when the area is closed to the urban traffic in certain hours.

Upper town on foot
The pleasure to reach the Upper Town on foot (or by bike) is priceless: this pleasure changes in every season and every hour of the day. In addition to the classical ascents through the Boccola, the Noca and Porta Dipinta street, Sant'Alessandro street, you must discovery the little staircases network: Santa Lucia, Paradiso, More, Scorlazzino and Scorlazzone and the hills' routes. Let you tempt yourself. You can take refreshment with an ice-cream or a small fountain. The Municipality, with ASM, has published a guide-book on how to use the little staircases: it is a mine of discoveries

Cable railways
The connection between the lower town and the upper town is also guaranteed by the cable railway that starts from Vittorio Emanuele avenue, goes through the Mura and reaches Mercato delle Scarpe Square.
There is also San Vigilio cable railway that starts from Sant'Alessandro door (just out of Colle Aperto) and reaches San Vigilio suburb, where there is the castle. It can transport bicycles, for who doesn't succeed in going up by bike, but likes the descent


http://www.comune.bergamo.it/servizi/menu/2_dinamica.aspx?ID=2913
http://www.turismo.regione.lombardia.it/tema.html?x=0&IDTema=184&IDSezione=3&IDRisorsa=2350&provincia=BG&mtd=doRisorseDetail&locale=en&order=nome&urlStart=/tema.html&isMarcato=false&x=0