I played with various options for the title of this post, ranging from “Italy’s Most Hidden Treasure” to “Italy’s Best Kept Secret”. Really, any of those title would be apropos. Bergamo is all of those things and so much more. Ultimately, I went with “most underrated” because it seems that most people would rather bypass this northern Italian city for the sexier Venice, Florence or Rome. Heck, even neighboring Verona pulls more visitors than Bergamo. As a matter of fact, I had never even heard of Bergamo until I moved here and I had visited nearby Como plenty of times leading up to this adventure.
Città Bassa in Bergamo
Getting to know Bergamo was truly a blessing, because it is the type of place that we will continue to visit over and over. The distinguishing feature of Bergamo is that it is really two cities in one. There is the older, medieval city at the top of the hill (Città Alta) and the much more modern city (Città Bassa) below. Incidentally, I use the term “modern city” quite loosely… most notable development is still several hundred years old.
Julia enjoyed her day in BergamoThe older city at the top of the hillSecured roads allowed access into the ancient cityThe view from atop the hill extends for milesJulia enjoyed soaking it all inMore views…The main city gate, marked with the winged Venetian lion from the time Venetians ruled the city
On our first visit well over a year ago, we were drawn toward Città Alta. We spent most of our day wandering the cobblestone streets, soaking up the magical views the high city extends before you. We had been dying to come back to Bergamo and finally got the opportunity when Jen’s sister came to visit with Matt (first post HERE). I thought the mixture of old and new would be something unique for them to see, and the hour(ish) car ride from our home would allow an easy day trip. We loaded our car and headed east toward the city. Our first step was to ascend the hill toward Città Alta (also known as Città Vecchio or Old City) by means of finiculare (cable car). We had researched a good lunch place and in no time, we found ourselves settled outside on the patio of La Tana. After lunch, we spent quite a bit of time wandering around the cobblestone streets and settled in among the other tourists and locals in the centro (center) of town.
Streets centuries oldOne of the churches in the main piazzaJust outside the main piazzaJulia with a statue of a marble lionLa Tana – a fabulous restaurantJen’s sister, Jessica with JuliaThe waiter recommended a fabulous beer, produced locally. I’m still searching for where it’s sold
Eventually we descended to Città Bassa with plenty of daylight still above us. This gave us a perfect opportunity to enjoy an aperitivo (or two) in the sun. With our thirst quenched, we continued our tour of the lower city. This was the first time that Jen and I spent any notable amount of time down below and we were thrilled with what we discovered. The much more modern, lower city is just as special as the ancient city above.
We stopped for happy hourThe lower city has a charm that rivals the higher cityThe streets are full of shops and caffèsChurch tower in Città Bassa
My only regret is that my photos don’t do this special city justice. I urge you to spend a full day exploring Bergamo and come discover for yourself why this is Italy’s “most underrated city”.
Jennifer and I simply love outdoor markets. Jen holds on to the belief that she’s going to stumble across a vintage Louis Vuitton handbag or uncover that perfect piece for our future living room. I’ve got much lower (and more realistic expectations); I’m just thrilled that I get to eat “street food”. Nothing is better than a porchetta paninio (pork sandwich) from a food vendor with freshly fried zeppole(Italian donuts) for dessert. I love sandwiches, I love eating outside and I love feeding my entire family for less than €20!
Pack your bags, let’s check out the market!All of us at the Mercatone dell’Antiquariato
Jen has been trying to get to the Mercatone dell’Antiquariato del Naviglio Grande since we moved here nearly a year and a half ago. “What’s the big deal – why is it so hard to make it to a market”, you ask? Well, this particular market only takes place on the last Sunday of each month (except for July). For those of you that aren’t math wizards, that’s just eleven chances a year to make it to Milan for this 80-year-old Milanese tradition. Our first attempt was foiled – we set out one day in January of 2013, but got derailed when we couldn’t find parking. It was ambitious of me to try so soon after moving to Italy – had I known then what I know now, I would have just thrown my car on the curb like the hundreds of other locals. Instead, we stopped for lunch and found an amazing sandwich place, which I blogged about HERE. After lunch, we lost the motivation to go back and agreed, “we’ll try again as soon as we get the next opportunity”. Well, travel and other obligations delayed that opportunity fifteen more months.
Jen’s sister Jessica along with Jen and JuliaMatt and JessicaAnother family photo along the Alzaia Naviglio Grande
We had been casually referring to the market as “Milan’s Antique Market”. Certainly, there is some truth in referring to the Mercatone dell’Antiquariato as an antique market, but perhaps flea market is a more apt description. The products sold range from old shoes to mid-century furniture. You can acquisition antique coffee makers or art by local artists. The best part about paying a visit to this unique bazaar is that you’ll never know what you need until you find it.
Tables full of treasureSome old photography equipmentLoved this old record playerJust in case you need some new framesThe stores also sell antiques – here is a classic espresso maker once used in a coffee bar
Roughly 380 vendors wind their way up Alzaia Naviglio Grande, placing their backs to the canal. This trendy neighborhood in Milan features many cafes and bars that call to the younger, artistic crowd. Jen and I had been hoping to get away from the centro (center) of Milan and visit this particular area for some time. Well, two birds… as they say. As lunch time approached, we picked a great pizzeria in a former factory – the space was as great as the food. If you find yourself in Milan near the last weekend of the month, be sure to carve out some time for the Mercatone dell’Antiquariato.
Vendors display along the canalThe neighborhood is full of artists and street art
INFORMATION
WHAT » Mercatone dell’Antiquariato del Naviglio Grande
WHEN » Last Sunday of every month (except July)
WHERE » Milan
ADDRESS » Strada Alzaia Naviglio Grande, via Valenza, South TRANSPORT » Metro Porta Genova/bus 59, 74, 169 Tram 2, 3, 9, 14, 15, 29, 30
Have you ever wanted to sound like the world’s biggest a-hole and alienate multiple friends, all in one fell swoop? If so, pay close attention and do exactly as I say. Kind of roll your eyes a little bit in an exaggerated act of annoyance and say the following words with the smug impatience of someone who thinks they’re as classy as Ivanka Trump (but really only has as much class as her father, ‘The’ Donald). Repeat after me:
“Ugh. We have to go to Venice… again?! Bleeeehh.”
Do that, and you are sure to land on the top of most people’s sh*t list! At the risk of losing blog readers, friends and maybe even a few family members… that is exactly how we felt recently when we went back to Venice. I can fully appreciate this is a ridiculous thought to have and even more obnoxious to share… but hey, this is a blog that delivers brutal honesty. When we booked our cruise with Celebrity Cruises a little while back, we did it despite the fact that the ship spent two days at port in Venice. Don’t get me wrong, Venice is a beautiful city with a unique charm found nowhere else in the world. If you’ve visited Venice before, you may reminisce about the romantic gondola rides, the charming cafes and the stunning churches. But when you’ve faced with a visit to Venice for the fifth time, you are more likely reminded of the crowded piazzas, overprices restaurants and long lines full of pushy tourists.
See… “First World Problems Girl” gets it!
Venezia (Venice) has an alluring history that I find to be more fascinating than nearly any other city in the world. I mean, the entire city has been floating on water for centuries, for Pete-sake! I detail a brief explanation of how Venice came to be in this blog post (definitely worth a quick read).
Doge’s Palace with San Marco Campanile in the backgroundThe Lion of San Marco perches atop a tall pillar outside of the piazza
Even though we weren’t very excited at the prospect of squaring off against millions of other tourists in a space not much larger than the Mall of America, we abandoned our original plans to stay on the ship and instead ventured onto Venice’s shores. We were sure glad that we did! Over the next two days we rediscovered a new Venice; one with more magic and charm than we ever realized was possible. What’s the difference, you ask? We were walking around in the off-season.
Our cruise ship sailed in just as the sun was risingThe early morning light cast over the city of Venice is a stunning sight
The weather was cold and the droves of tourists were nowhere in sight. We were able to deftly weave betwixt the shops, restaurants, churches and museums with ease. The horrid memory of sweating in lines and pushing through crowds became a thing of the past. Strolling down streets and visiting historical sites became pleasant and stress-free. We fell in love with the city all over again. It was as if we had undergone marriage counseling with Venezia and came out stronger and more in love than ever before.
Gondolas on the waterSan Giorgio Maggiore ChurchDoge’s Palace
In the past, we had rushed from attraction to attraction, trying to “pack it all in”. Of course, this is impossible to do – the city boasts art and architecture in abundance. Combined with the heat and the dense crowds of the past, we have enjoyed Venice – but haven’t been in love with the city since our magical first visit. This time, it was completely different. Since we didn’t feel any pressure to see the main sites – we decided to take it slowly and just be in the moment. Our second day was even better when we opted only to see the attractions on the second and third pages of most guide books.
We were lucky to have such a beautiful day – spectacular weather
First, we spent a bit of time walking through the winding and narrow streets. Our goal was simple – to stay away from the main square, Piazza San Marco as long as we could, fearing the worst (we still didn’t know just how “wide open” the city had become). We stopped for a quick sandwich around 10:30am because Julia was hungry. We found a great little wine bar, far from the main “touristy” areas. We discovered locals coming in and enjoying glasses of wine at the bar. I thought…“well, why not?!” If the locals can enjoy a mid-morning wine and Julia can enjoy a mid-morning salami sandwich, why shouldn’t I join in the fun? I ordered a nice Valpolicella Ripasso – a wonderful wine local to the region. I got a nice big pour for €4. “Wait, so if you don’t crowd into the main spots – food and drink are priced reasonably?!”
A gondolier takes a break to feed his friendsHis craft was parked nearby awaiting a fareThe canals are always beautiful – any time of dayWe started to discover just how empty the city wasJulia insisted on stopping for a mid-morning salami sandwichJen and I stop for a photo on Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge)It was chilly, so we warmed up with some vin brulé
Eventually, we did wind our way into Piazza San Marco and found that our pleasant morning was a precursor to a pleasant afternoon. I have never seen the square so wide open. We walked right into Basilica di San Marco – something I thought was impossible without waiting for at least an hour or two! We took in the rest of the sites, including the Procuratie Vecchie, Campanile, Loggetta and Torre dell’Orologio. But the absolute peak of the day was when we fed the birds. We had a blast watching Julia get swarmed by dozens of pigeons. A highlight of the entire cruise, for sure! I can’t confirm any truth to the rumors that these pigeons inspired Alfred Hitchcock’s film, The Birds (mainly because I just started that rumor to suit this post’s title) – but being swarmed by dozens of these winged beggars felt like we were on the set of the movie itself.
Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs) is usually tougher to photograph with tourists pushing for positionI LOVED this guys photography poseYou’ve got to remain in a stylish pose while you check your workJen and I pose in front of the Canale Della GiudeccaWe were able to stroll right in to Basilica San MarcoJulia lights a candle and says a little prayerJen and Julia in Piazza San MarcoJulia loved being in the wide open piazzaShe took time to explore on her ownOnce again, she was a hit with other tourists who wanted to take photos with herShe decided to start feeding the birds“Whoa! Mom..Dad – I got one!”I showed her how to get more than one birdWhich worked out better than expected… that’s Julia hidden behind a wall of birdsThat was about the same reaction that Julia had
Buckle up, because our next stop is our second day in Venice. I think I’ll call it “Venice Like You’ve Never Seen Before”. We rise early to visit the fish market as well as the islands of Murano for a glass blowing demonstration, tour the painted houses of Burano and round out our visit with the ancient church on Torcello. Most people forget, Venice has more to share than just the main island!
An older building shows a unique beauty that only Venice can provideWe returned to our ship as a beautiful sun was setting on the Grand Canal
