Bergamo Holiday, Visit Two Cities in One

Bergamo is an interesting mid-size city in northeast Italy. Located near Milan and the Alps Mountains, the city can be a great starting point for any adventure. That being said, do not forget to enjoy Bergamo and the city that has a unique feel all of its own. Bergamo is built on an ancient Celtic settlement and has been everything from an important outpost of the Romans to a city destroyed by Attila on the war path to a freed Italian city in the 1850's. The city has grown in to its modern feel but has held on to its ancient roots. The best way to experience this unique place is with the aid of a Bergamo car hire.

The city is separated in to two towns, the Citta Alta or upper city, and the Citta Bassa or lower city. Start your trip in the upper city. There is only local traffic on the weekends so you may have to park your Bergamo car hire. The Citta Alta is surrounded by 17^th century Venetian walls and constitutes the historic part of the city. Start at the Palazzo della Ragione. Building began in the 12^th century but was not completed until the 16^th century and the complete structure speaks to the city's Venetian past and houses various works of art. The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore was originally a 7^th century religious structure and the dome contains frescoes by Giovanbattista Tiepolo. Finish your time in the upper city with a walking tour of the Orto Botanico di Bergamo, a beautiful botanical garden filled mostly with Alpine specimens and also the site of an interesting museum.

Now take a drive down to the Citta Bassa. The lower city is the modern heart of Bergamo. As the city grew in the 19^th and 20^th centuries the lower city became the economic center. Drive your car hire to the Pinacoteca dell'Academia Carrara and see its beautiful selection of paintings. Then visit the Galleria d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea. Known by its abbreviated name, GAMEC, this museum of modern and contemporary art highlights perfectly the lower city's place as the modern center of Bergamo. Bergamo is also a perfect base for an Alpine adventure. During the summer you can take a ride in your car hire for a beautiful day spent hiking in the mountains. During the winter Bergamo can be a great place to start your skiing/snowboarding holiday. No matter what time of year it is or what you are in the mood for, Bergamo, Italy is a beautiful city with an amazing contrast between the past and the present.