Parco dei Colli di Bergamo

Parco dei Colli di Bergamo is a protected nature reserve that extends across ten municipalities from Bergamo's edge toward the Alpine foothills of northern Lombardy. The terrain features a mix of woodlands, hillsides, and deep valleys carved by ancient pathways and stone steps.

The area became a protected park in 1977 as Lombardy's third regional reserve, with its territory expanded in 2007 to protect more land. The region had been settled by Benedictine monasteries since the 11th century, communities that permanently shaped the landscape.

The Road of the Benedictine Monasteries connects four medieval abbeys through the Astino and Valmarina valleys, where religious communities have shaped the land for over 900 years. Walkers encounter old stone walls and small chapels that reveal how monastic life once structured this territory.

More than 40 kilometers of marked trails offer options from easy walks to steep climbs through various zones. Conditions vary with the season, so spring through autumn provides the most reliable hiking weather and clearer views.

The reserve contains thousands of animal and plant species on terrain formed during the Triassic period hundreds of millions of years ago. This ancient geology creates specific soil conditions that support unusual habitats for less common species found nowhere else nearby.