“Even as an old woman, Beatrice Locatelli would never forget the first time she ever set eyes on Bergamo. The sight of the town, nestled high on top of a hill, left her breathless and generated in her a whirlwind of emotions. She did not think it could be possible to feel awe, surprise, shock, curiosity, and even slight fear all at the same time; and yet she did!”
Chapter 4, Beatrice’s fate
You may know by now that ‘Beatrice’s fate’, my debut novel, is mainly set in Bergamo, a beautiful town in Northern Italy.
There are many reasons why I chose this town as the backdrop to my historical novel. Firstly, it is simply enchanting. The Città Alta, the upper town, with its narrow streets, old buildings, towers and palazzi is a true historical gem and almost seems frozen in time.
Apart from being stunning, Bergamo is also a town that is very close to my heart. I have a lot of happy memories linked to it. As a child, my parents often brought me and my brothers to Bergamo on Sundays. We would stroll along the narrow medieval streets and, even then, my young mind would start imagining stories of people living there in times gone by. I also went to university in Bergamo, where I studied Foreign Languages and Literature. Here, I made friends, laughed, learned a lot and spent three of the best years of my youth.
If you’ve never visited Bergamo, make sure to add it to your list of must-see places. Here is what you can’t miss during your visit there.
Bergamo is divided in two parts: Città Bassa, the “lower town”, and Città Alta, “the upper town”.
Città Bassa is vibrant, more modern, full of shops, cafés, restaurants as well as traffic.
Città Alta is the oldest part of the town. It is perched on a hill and entirely surrounded by Venetian Walls built in the 15th century. The walls are UNESCO protected. You can reach the old town by car (careful as on certain days access to the old town by car is limited to residents), by bus, on foot or using the ‘funicolare’, a great experience if it’s your first time in Bergamo.
The heart of Città Alta is Piazza Vecchia. I recommend going to the top of the Campanone, the civic tower, and enjoy a 360° view of the town. The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore is also very beautiful and if it’s open, pop into the Biblioteca Angelo Maj and go upstairs to check out the main reading room (it gives real old library vibes, a paradise for any bookworm). Interesting to visit is also Palazzo Moroni, decorated with stunning frescoes. Take a walk up to the Rocca, a military fortress which hosts the Museum of the Risorgimento. Stroll around its gardens and enjoy a view of Bergamo’s old town, its roofs and its towers. If you are interested in art, Accademia Carrara is the perfect museum for you.
There are lots of restaurants in Città Alta, many serving traditional food from the area, including Casoncelli, traditional ravioli filled with meat and served with melted butter, sage and bacon. My favourite are il Circolino (www.ilcircolinocittaalta.it) and Hotel Il Sole (www.ilsolebergamo.com). If you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss Pasticceria Cavour (www.cavour1880.com) and Pasticceria La Marianna (www.lamarianna.it) where the ‘Stracciatella’ ice cream flavour was invented.
For more info on what to see and where to eat when in Bergamo, check out www.visitbergamo.net or head into one of their Infopoints, where you can also purchase copies of ‘Beatrice’s fate’, my gripping historical romance set in 17th century Bergamo.
Camilla Galbiati
If you want to purchase ‘Beatrice’s fate’, click here