Bergamo Day Trip
From Tracys Adventure! in Bergamo, Italy on Aug 16 '09
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Alright so after having been to Milan a few times (and now that some of my plans changed a bit, I will be there again Wed night), Dree and I decided for our Sunday day trip we were going to go to Bergamo. East of Milan we were told it had great landscapes and was a beautiful city so we were sold.
We left around 9 am on Sunday morning and didn’t get into Bergamo until a little after noon. The three hour commute was painless though, as it consisted of a walk, a bus, a metro ride, then a train ride to break up the time. Plus while we waited at the train station we were able to find information and time tables for both of our departures to our next farms.
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Bergamo is a city with two different town centers. There is the citta alta, (upper city) and citta bassa. Citta alta is Bergamos main attraction as it was built in the 17th century high in the hills over the rest of the city with gorgeous Venetian walls surrounding the city. We took a funicular (cable car to Dree and Gondola to me) to toe citta alta and once we stepped out into the city we both were immediately pleased with our decision to venture out.
The city is beautiful with these amazing tiny little cobblestone streets lined with little shops. It was a gorgeous sunny day (as most are here) and so Dree and I walked through the streets taking in all the adorable little stores and cafes. This pizza place looked amazing but we both wanted to sit outside with a glass of wine and people watch so we headed towards Piazza Vecchia (old square).
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Piazza Vecchia was exactly what we were looking for. The Cappella Colleoni (where the tomb of the condottiere Bartolomeo Colleoni rests) was at the head of the square and the rest of the piazza was lined with adorable little cafes. The architecture here still blows me away; no camera will ever be able to do justice to certain sites.
After walking around the piazza a bit and enjoying the sites and the sun, we picked one of the cute little cafes with outdoor seating for a glass of wine and some lunch. I have to say that sitting outside, shaded from the heat of the afternoon sun with a beautiful view, great company, and a delicious (and affordable) glass of wine, is one of my new favorite things to do. The wine was a great white from Tuscany that was amazing and refreshing. After a few year stint of not enjoying many white wines, Holly and Ali slowly reintroduced me to them and now I’ve rediscovered a love for them. Sitting outside on a hot summer day in Italy and beer just doesn’t sound right, also helped.
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Dree and I sat in that Piazza Vecchia for about an hour drinking our wine, eating lunch, talking, and people watching. We ended up comparing health care systems and Dree was telling me that her coverage, was very basic and was about $1,000 annually. With that, however, she gets about 40% reimbursements for her holistic and alternative medical treatments like acupuncture and different methods of massage therapy. Can you imagine asking an American insurance company for a reimbursement on acupuncture?!
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After lunch we decided to walk around some more and find a place where we could take in citta altas famous views. We came first to the end of the walls, but then after climbing quite a hill further up, we stumbled upon Orto Botanico di Bergamo "Lorenzo Rota" botanical gardens. It was gorgeous, aromatic, and had the most amazing views. Again, pictures do not do it justice. Dree and I were sooo happy we had ended up here and we walked around looking and smelling the different plants and flowers as well as the breathtaking sites. It was here where we both decided that Santa Brera and S. Giuliano is not where either of us want to spend an extended period of time and that we were missing out on so much scenic beauty this country has to offer by being there.
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From the gardens we ended up at a little café with a great view of the countryside where we each had a cappuccino and savored the relaxing afternoon. Another reason why Dree and I have gotten along so well and have had such a great time on these little day trips, is our travel compatibility. There are a few museums and lots of monuments etc in Bergamo that many others would have wanted to try to cram in all afternoon. We both picked a thing we each wanted to see (Piazza Vecchia for Dree and some views of citta bassa for me), then we do those, stumble upon whatever we may then have a cappuccino or glass of wine and people watch. Neither of us are in a rush for anything, and it just so happens sitting outdoor cafes people watching and enjoying the conversation and company of another in a gorgeous setting, happens to be at the top of both of our lists of favorite things to do. In addition, we are both the type of people who can be comfortable in silence. I’ve always kind of been, but increasingly so now, a more thoughtful quiet person when I am relaxed and at ease. Sometimes there is just no need to talk, but there are some people who aren’t comfortable with that. Dree having been on a 10 day silent meditation retreat in India, completely gets that, and so its wonderful to be able to sit, relax, and take in the sights, sounds, and smells together. I’m going to miss her!!
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