Bergamo: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through the Hilltop Old Town

This self-guided audio walking tour explores Bergamo’s historic heart, from its elegant lower city entrance to the art treasures beyond the Venetian walls. It will especially appeal to first-time visitors who enjoy medieval streets, grand churches, civic landmarks, and a mix of local history and art. The route begins at Porta Nuova, the neoclassical gateway that opens toward Bergamo’s upper town, then moves through Centro Piacentiniano and past the Fontana del Tritone. From there, you climb toward Città Alta through Porta San Giacomo, one of the city’s most striking gates, and continue into lively squares and old stone lanes, including Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe, Fontana del Gombito, and Torre del Gombito. In the upper town, the walk leads to Fontana Contarini, the Biblioteca Civica Angelo Mai, the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, Palazzo della Ragione, and the richly decorated Colleoni Chapel. The tour then continues east to San Michele al Pozzo Bianco and Saint Augustine Gate before ending in Bergamo’s art district at GAMeC and the Accademia Carrara Museum. Along the way, traveler will enjoy sweeping views from the hilltop gates, the contrast between Bergamo Bassa and Città Alta, the atmosphere of quiet cobbled streets, and unforgettable encounters with Romanesque, Renaissance, and modern artistic masterpieces.