Province of Bergamo, Administrative province in Lombardy, Italy
The Province of Bergamo is an administrative division in Lombardy that extends from flatland to the mountain chains of the Prealps, covering several hundred municipalities in the northern Italian region. The territory links urban centers with rural valleys and shows different landforms from open plains to forested slopes.
During medieval times, the importance of this area grew through trade routes that led from the Alps into the Po plain and let several settlements rise along the way. In the 16th century, Venetian rulers built fortifications in the capital to secure the position in the region.
Communities across the territory speak dialects belonging to Bergamasque, a language form used by locals in daily life that differs markedly from standard Italian. In many towns, visitors find local markets where cheese from the Alpine valleys and handmade products from the villages are sold while residents gather in cafés and squares.
The easiest way to explore the territory is from the capital, where many connections to smaller places in the valleys and mountains can be found. Visitors should note that higher villages may be less accessible during winter and require a bit more travel time.
Many valleys in the northern parts still preserve cheese-making traditions practiced in small alpine huts for centuries and now visible to visitors. In some places, spring festivals take place when livestock is brought back to higher pastures after the winter break.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
