In the city of Bergamo, in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy

 “When life gives you twists and turns, Chique Yourself Up in Italy!”

― Barbara Conelli
=====================================================================
(in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy) The city of Bergamo lies in the southern foothills of the Alps between the Brembo and Serio rivers, northeast of Milan. Originally the center of the Orobi tribe, it became a Roman town ("Bergomum)" in 196 BCE. Rebuilt after destruction by Attila the Hun, it was later the seat of a Lombard duchy and became an independent community in the 12th century. Ruled by the Milanese Visconti family after 1329 CE, it passed in 1428 to Venice until 1797, when the French took control and then included it in the Cisalpine Republic (established by Napoleon). In 1815 it became Austrian and, in 1859, part of the Italian kingdom. The city is divided into the upper (alta) and lower (bassa, or piana) towns, linked by a cable railway. Notable landmarks in the older upper town include the Romanesque cathedral, the 15th-century Cappella (chapel) Colleoni, the12th-century Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the 14th-century baptistery, and the Palazzo della Ragione. The Rocca, a 14th-century castle, houses the Roman and Risorgimento museums, and the old citadel has a museum of geology and natural history. The birthplace of the composer Gaetano Donizetti is preserved as a museum. The modern lower town, the community center since the 19th century, has a fine collection of paintings in the Carrara Academy.

+ Bergamo is located about 40 km (25 mi.) northeast of Milan, and around 30 km (19 mi.) from Switzerland (and the alpine lakes Como and Iseo), and some 70 km (43 mi.) from Garda and Maggiore. (The Bergamo Alps begin immediately north of the city.) It is the seat of the Province of Bergamo. (The Bergamo metropolitan area is also part of the broader Milan metropolitan area.)

+ The city of Bergamo is composed of an old walled core, known as Città Alta ("Upper Town"), nestled within a system of hills, and the modern expansion in the plains below. The Upper Town is encircled by huge Venetian defensive systems that were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. Bergamo is well connected to several cities in Italy, by the motorway (A4) on the axis between Milan, Verona, and Venice.

+ In summary, Bergamo is a northern Italy treasure. Its two centers: the Alta (upper) city and the Bassa (lower) city, are connected by a funicular and walking trails. For historic sites, go to Alta for the Piazza Vecchia,the Cattedrale di Bergamo e Battistero, and the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Baptistry. (Bassa is more modern and residential, and boasts Via 20 Settembre -- the shopping district.) Be sure to also make time for a stroll down the Sentierone, a Bergamasque rendezvous since the 17th century with porticos, tree-lined piazzas, and the Gaetano Donizetti Theater, a grand opera house dedicated to the composer and Bergamo native. Stop by the magnificent Piazza Vecchia, once the city’s civil hub, and marvel at the Palazzo della Ragion.