Summer Bergamo

92
OROBIE BERGAMASCHE

description

Bergamo Summer itineraries in Orobie mountains

Transcript of Summer Bergamo

Page 1: Summer Bergamo

CR

E8

(BG

)-©

Pro

vinc

iad

iBer

gam

o

NORD

Milano

Bergamo

Bergamo - Orio al Serio

Milano - LinateMilano - MalpensaBrescia - Montichiari OROBIE BERGAMASCHE

Bergamo - Lombardy - Italy

Gromo

Val Taleggio

Valle Imagna

Gandino - Corpus Domini

Urgnano

San Pellegrino Terme

Page 2: Summer Bergamo

CR

E8

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)-©

Pro

vinc

iad

iBer

gam

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NORD

Milano

Bergamo

Bergamo - Orio al Serio

Milano - LinateMilano - MalpensaBrescia - Montichiari OROBIE BERGAMASCHE

Bergamo - Lombardy - Italy

Gromo

Val Taleggio

Valle Imagna

Gandino - Corpus Domini

Urgnano

San Pellegrino Terme

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LAGO DI COMO

PIZZO DEITRE SIGNORI

2554 m

MORBEGNO

MONTEAVARO1650 m

ORNICA

PASSO DIS. MARCO

1985 m

MONTE PEGHEROLO2369 m

SAN SIMONE 20001670 m

FOPPOLO1600 m

MONTECADELLE

2485 m

CORNO STELLA2620 m

PIZZO DELDIAVOLO

2914 m

SONDRIO

VALTELLINA

CIMA SOLIVA PIZZO DIREDORTA

3038 m

SENTIERO DELLE OROBIE

PIZZO DICOCA3050 m

VALBONDIONE

BACINO DEL BARBELLINO1895 m

MONTE GLENO2882 m

MONTE TORENA2911 m

PASSO DELVIVIONE

1892 m

VALTORTA935 m

PIANI DIBOBBIO1662 m

BARZIO

CUSIO

AVERARA

SANTABRIGIDA

PIANI DI ARTAVAGGIO1637 m

RESEGONE1875 m

VEDESETA

PEGHERA900 m

PIZZINO

OLMO AL BREMBO

MEZZOLDO

LECCO S. OMOBONO

PIAZZATORRE900 m

MONTE TORCOLA1636 m

VALLEVE

PIAZZABREMBANA

LENNA

BARESI

CAMERATACORNELLO

S. GIOVANNIBIANCO

DOSSENA

BRANZI

CARONA1100 m

RONCOBELLO

PASSO BRANCHINO1821 m

OLTRE IL COLLE

ZAMBLA1100 m

VALPIANA MONTE ALBEN2019 m

SERINA

LAGOGEMELLI

1953 m

PASSO LAGHI GEMELLI2139 m

PIZZOARERA2512 m

VALGOGLIO

VALCANALE 1200 m

ONETA

GORNO

PONTE NOSSA

PARRE PIARIO

FARNO1278 m

CLUSONE

VILLA D’OGNA

ARDESIO

SPIAZZI1150 m

GROMO

VALZURIO

LIZZOLA1250 m

CIMA DITIMOGNO

2122 m MONTE FERRANTE2426 m

FIUMENERO

GANDELLINO

PIZZO DELLA PRESOLANA2521 m

PASSO DELLAPRESOLANA

COLERE1000 m

ROVETTA

FINODEL

MONTE

CERETE

SONGAVAZZO

ONORE

CASTIONEDELLA PRESOLANA

DORGA

BRATTOMONTE PORA

1500 m

VILMINORE

TEVENO

PIZZO CAMINO2498 m

PER EDOLO

ANGOLOTERME

DARFO

SCHILPARIO1134 m

AZZONE

DEZZO DI SCALVE

LAGO DILECCO

CALOLZIOCORTE

CARENNO

TORRE DE BUSI

VALCAVA1250 m

FIUME ADDA

SOTTO IL MONTEGIOVANNI XXIII

COSTA IMAGNA

PONTIDA

ALBENZA

BREMBILLA

ALMENNOVALBREMBO

PONTE SAN PIETRO

BR

EM

BO

CANTO ALTO1116 m

BERGAMO249 m

SAN PELLEGRINOTERME

ZOGNO

ORIOAL SERIO EXIT SERIATE

EXIT DALMINE

SELVINO1050 m

AVIATICO

VERTOVA

GAZZANIGA

CENE

ALBINO

FIUME SERIO

TRESCOREBALNEARIO

GANDINO

GAVERINA

CASTELLICALEPIO

FIUME

SARNICO

COLLI S. FERMO1100 m

SPINONE

LAGODI ENDINE

ENDINE

MONASTEROLO

BOSSICO

LOVERE

RIVADI SOLTO

LAGO D’ISEO

TAVERNOLA B.

PREDORE

ISEO

MONTE ISOLA

FIUM

E BREMBO

MILANOBRESCIA

OGLIO

A4

A4

FIUME

1300 m

BOARIOTERME

TALEGGIO

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When we state that there are many good reasons to organise a holiday in theProvince of Bergamo, we are well aware that we are making a biased obser-vation, as we love this region and we are committed to developing tourismhere. But, in reality, it is an honest claim. We convince ourselves of this fact,merely by thinking of the wonder we feel each time we pass through thetangled streets of Gandino or Clusone, when we see traces of frescoes on thesides of houses, and doorways bearing the coats of arms of old noble fami-lies, whose men and women lived behind these walls, and walked throughthese rooms and streets. Good reasons to choose the Province of Bergamo.The sense of contemplation, almost of awe, which is inspired by the massivestructure of the Grand Hotel at San Pellegrino, with its ghostly ambience,with its huge domes and Art Nouveau friezes that speak of luxury, of the“belle époque”, of the joy of life and frivolity. The Grand Hotel and Casino ofSan Pellegrino amidst the hills that protect the town, dark green contrast-ing with the blue of the sky. Holidays in the hills, at Clusone, for example;spa holidays, at Sant’Omobono, Trescore, Bracca and Gaverina. Just a shortdistance from the mountains. The mountains in the Bergamo area alwaysfascinate us; each time they bring us closer to ourselves. The Orobie Prealpsand Alps. From the gentle hills surrounding Bergamo to the two-thousand-metre-high rugged ridge of the Alben, which seems like a witches’ castle, tothe splendid grandeur of the Arera group at an altitude of 2,500 metres, abovethe Valcanale, a gorge lined with fir trees and scattered with tiny old hamlets,where one can soak up a genuine alpine atmosphere and where, in the sum-mertime, we come across numerous flocks and herds. And then there are thequeens of the Orobie Prealps, with the Presolana, the Pizzo dei Tre Signori(Three Lords Peak), the Corno Stella and the Pizzo del Becco (Beak Peak) onone side, while on the other we find the great three-thousand-metre-highpeaks, the Coca, the Redorta and the Scais, with footpaths and small lakes,and itineraries winding across meadows, scree slopes and rocks, the thrillsof which are difficult to describe. Good reasons for a holiday in the Provinceof Bergamo. And now we start to think of pinewoods and the silence of theScalve Valley, a strip of land at the far end of the province; when we arrivehere, descending from the Presolana Pass or climbing up along the Via Mala,it is as though we enter a different dimension of time. These are all placeswhere a discreet form of tourism, which was once reserved exclusively for theelite, has existed since well before the beginning of the last century: San Pel-legrino, Clusone, the Presolana Pass, Schilpario... The allure of water againsprings to mind. The small and enchanting Endine Lake, walled in by themountains, with its cane thickets and the anglers camouflaged among them,and the rowing boats that plough lazily along its green shores. Lake Iseo,Lake Sebino, with Lovere, Predore, and Sarnico, the home of boat manufac-turing, the rare charm of Monte Isola, in the middle of the lake, the largestlake island in Europe. And then the rivers, certain stretches of which can stillbe enjoyed, such as the Brembo with its lido (beach) at Clanezzo, amidst theremains of medieval fortresses. We could talk about the beauty of the Prov-ince of Bergamo for hours, and fill books with reasons why you should spenda holiday here. You can get a good idea by reading this brochure.You’ll get an even better idea if you come here in person.

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Valle BrembanaValle Seriana Superiore

Valle di ScalveValle SerianaValle Imagna

SCHILPARIO, CIMON DELLA BAGOZZA

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Horse riding

Grass skiing

Ice skating

Bocce court (italianbowling), bowling

Summer toboggan run

Camp site

Refuge

Out-of-hours medical service

Emergency service

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SPA baths

Discothèque/night club

Gliding

Cycle tracks

Tennis court

Golf, minigolf

Swimming pool

Sailing

Windsurfing

Cinema

I.A.T. Tourist informationoffice

Historical remains

Museum

Nature reserve

Canoeing, rowing, kaya-king, rafting, hydrospeed

Attractions

Fishing

Waterskiing

Target shooting, claypigeon shooting

Rock climbing school

Walks, excursions,climbs

Hang gliding, paragliding

Gastronomic specialities

Alpine rescue

Alpine rescue corps

Elilombardia helicopter rescue service

Protected areas

Tubing run

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INFORMATION OFFICES

UFFICIO I.A.T. BERGAMO ALTAVia Gombito 13, - 24129 BERGAMOTel. 035.242.226 - Fax 035.242.994www.comune.bergamo.it - [email protected]

UFFICIO I.A.T. BERGAMO BASSAPiazzale Marconi - 24100 BERGAMOTel. 035.210.204 - Fax 035.230.184www.comune.bergamo.it - [email protected]

UFFICIO I.A.T DI VALLE BREMBANAVia S. Carlo 4 - 24016 S. PELLEGRINO TERMETel. 0345.23.344 - 0345.21.020 - Fax 0345.23.344 - 0345.21.020www.vallebrembana.com - [email protected]

UFFICIO I.A.T. DELL’ALTOPIANO DI SELVINO-AVIATICOC.so Milano, 19 - 24020 SELVINOTel. 035.765.959 - Fax 035.765.928www.comunediselvino.it - [email protected]

UFFICIO TURISTICO ALTO SEBINOPiazza XIII Martiri - 24065 LOVERETel. 035.962.178 - Fax 035.962.525www.comune.lovere.bg.it - [email protected]

UFFICIO I.A.T. BASSO SEBINOVia Lantieri, 6 - 24067 SARNICOTel. 035.910.900 - Fax 035.4261.334www.comune.sarnico.bg.it - [email protected] - [email protected]

UFFICIO I.A.T. VALCAVALLINAVia Suardi, 20 - 24069 TRESCORETel. 035.944.777 - Fax 035.944.777www.prolocotrescore.it - [email protected]

UFFICIO I.A.T. MARTINENGO e ComprensorioVia Tadino - 24047 MARTINENGOTel. 0363.986.031 (pro loco) - 0363.986.006 (Municipio)Fax [email protected] - [email protected]

UFFICIO I.A.T. TREVIGLIO e ComprensorioPiazza Cameroni 3 - 24047 TREVIGLIOTel. 0363.45.466 - Fax 0363.59.5559www.prolocotreviglio.it - [email protected]

UFFICIO I.A.T. SOTTO IL MONTE-ISOLA BERGAMASCAVia IV Novembre 1 - 24039 SOTTO IL MONTETel. 035.4376.798 - Fax 035.4375.239www.isolabergamasca.org - [email protected]

UFFICIO I.A.T. DEGLI ALMENNOVia Papa Giovanni XXIII - 24030 ALMENNO SAN BARTOLOMEOTel. 035.548.634 - Fax 035.548.634www.iatvalleimagna.com - [email protected]

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Alpe Corte, Baita Armentarga, Benigni, Ca’ San Marco,F.lli Calvi, F.lli Longo, Gherardi, Laghi Gemelli (Twin Lakes)

Piazza Brembana,S. Giovanni Bianco, Zogno

S. Giovanni Bianco

S. Pellegrino Terme

Carona, Foppolo, Moio de’ Calvi, Piazzatorre, PiazzaBrembana, S. Pellegrino Terme, Valleve, Zogno

Carona, Piazzatorre,S. Pellegrino Terme, Valtorta, Zogno

S. Pellegrino TermeAverara, Camerata, Ubiale-Clanezzo, Cusio,Piazza Brembana, S. Brigida, S. Giovanni Bianco,S. Pellegrino Terme, Sedrina, Valtorta, Zogno,Isola di Fondra

Harlequin’s House (Oneta)Ethnographical Museum in Valtorta and Zogno

Regional Natural Park of the Orobie Prealps

River Brembo: Ambria, Antea, Brembilla, Enna,Imagna, Pascante, Stabina, Valmora torrents

Moio de’ Calvi, Piazza Brembana, S. Pellegrino Terme

Foppolo, Isola di Fondra, Piazzatorre

Branzi, Piazza Brembana, S. BrigidaS. Pellegrino Terme

S. Giovanni Bianco, S. Pellegrino Terme,Sedrina, Ubiale-Clanezzo, ZognoPolenta taragna (with butter and cheese)Branzi Cheese, Formai de Mut

Three Lords Peak, Devil’s PeakBranchino and Publino PassLenna, S. Pellegrino Terme,Zogno (Climbing gymnasium)

Carona, Foppolo, Valleve

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BREMBANA VALLEY

LodiCrema

VALBONDIONE

COLERESPIAZZI

LIZZOLA

GROMO

ARDESIO

AZZONE

ValCamonica

SCHILPARIO

OLTRE-SENDA

CLUS0NE

PONTENOSSA

MONTEPORA

GANDINO

LEFFEENDINE

ONETACOLZATE

BRACCA

SERINA

OLTRE IL COLLE

SELVINO

CENE

GAVERINATerme MONASTEROLO

del Castello

Lago diEndine

ZOGNOSEDRINA

ALZANO L.VILLA

D'ALME'

GEROSA

VALCAVA

COSTAImagna

FUIPIANO

ALMENNOS. Salvatore

Valtellin a

PassoS. Marco

CUSIOORNICA

VALTORTA

LENNA

RONCOBELLO

PIAZZATORRE

CARONA

BRANZI

FOPPOLO

VALCANALE

Malpaga

MARTINENGO

ROMANOdi LombardiaCARAVAGGI O

MILANO

MILANO

DALMINE

SOTTO IL MONTEGIOVANNI XXIII TRESCORE

BALNEARIO

SARNICOBERGAMO

Rovato Brescia

VERONA

OLMO ALBREMBO

SAN SIMONE

ValCamonica

Passo delVivione

Passo dellaPresolana

VILMINORE

Lagod'Iseo

Monte Isola

LOVERE

LeccoTALEGGIOVEDESETA

ROTAImagna

TREVIGLIO

S. GIOVANNIBianco CASTIONE

d. PresolanaPEGHERA

BREMBILLA

S. PELLEGRINOTerme

SAN GIOVANNI BIANCO

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C arved by the River Brembo, thevalley soon becomes rather

wild, enclosed, mountainous and al-most inaccessible, thus differing con-siderably from the gentler and moreopen Seriana Valley. The River Brem-bo has a much higher flow rate thanthe Serio and less water is divertedfrom it for industrial purposes; there-fore, it normally proves to be moreabundant than its sibling. The Brem-bana Valley begins with wild and crag-gy landscapes. However, as we contin-ue on towards its source, we encoun-ter unexpected openings, magnificentand vast basins, new narrowings, andthe valley breaks off into countlesssmaller vales. Towns that can be re-garded as the valley’s “calling cards”include Villa d’Almè and, above all, Al-

menno and Clanezzo, localities situ-ated on the border between the Brem-bana and Imagna Valleys. Here, thelandscape is still hilly, but soon be-comes rocky. Fifteen kilometres fromBergamo we find Sedrina, which isconsidered to be the first town to trulybelong to the Brembana Valley. We areat the beginning, yet the valley is al-ready craggy, with steep rock faces,and the Brembo runs at the bottom ofa steep cliff. At Sedrina, visitors canstop off and visit the church, with itsfaçade designed by the architect Mau-ro Codussi in the 15th century. Thebuilding houses an altar piece byLorenzo Lotto. Just past Sedrina, wearrive at one of the most characteristicplaces in the whole Brembana Valley:we find ourselves at the Ponti di Se-drina (Sedrina Bridges), the point inwhich the Brembilla Valley mergeswith the Brembana Valley, and wherethe overhanging cliffs and rock facesare linked by four bridges from differ-ent historical periods. Sedrina was thebirthplace of Pacì Paciana, the Prov-ince of Bergamo’s most famous brig-and, a legendary figure who lived dur-ing the 18th century. After Sedrina wecontinue towards Zogno, the small ad-ministrative and economic capital ofthe Brembana Valley. Along the roadon our left is the entrance to theGrotte delle Meraviglie (Caves of Won-der), a genuine attraction, whose nat-ural chambers are adorned with fan-tastic stalactites and stalagmites. Zog-no is the most populated town in thevalley, with eight thousand inhabit-ants. In the historic town centre areseveral old shops and palazzos, includ-ing the one once owned by BortoloBelotti, the local historian and politi-cian. In Zogno, a visit must be made tothe Museo della Valle (Museum of theValley), which houses approximatelyfive thousand objects that documentthe evolution of civilisation in the val-ley during the course of the centuries.A section of the museum contains ar-chaeological finds that were discov-

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ered in several caves in the area: Busade l’Andrea, Busa de l’Edera and Busadel Pusù, in the proximity of the Se-drina Bridges. The caverns represent-ed tombs in the Bronze Age, and haveyielded human bones and remains inaddition to utensils. Mention shouldalso be made of several of the town’sbeautiful little hamlets, such as En-denna, Somendenna, Stabello andPoscante, extremely peaceful places,surrounded by woods and meadows,which are ideal for relaxing holidays.Beyond this vast green amphitheatre,the valley narrows once again and theroad, skirting the Brembo, arrives atthe tourist capital, San PellegrinoTerme, of which we will speak later.Past San Pellegrino, on the right, theroad climbs up to Dossena, which issituated one thousand metres abovesea level in a lovely position, and hasapproximately nine hundred inhabit-ants. The parish church dedicated toSt. John the Baptist is a veritable artis-tic gem and houses two huge polyp-tychs; one attributed to Palma il Vec-chio, the other to Francesco Rizzo daSantacroce. We also find paintings byCarlo Ceresa, Paolo Veronese and

Rubens, and a processional cross ingilded silver from the 16th century, oneof the most valuable of its kind in theBergamo area. Dossena is home to oneof the most important rustic carnivalsin the province. Going back down intothe valley, we carry on until we reachSan Giovanni Bianco, approximatelythirty kilometres from Bergamo, per-haps the oldest and most historicallyrich town in the valley. A small, sepa-rate section will be dedicated to SanGiovanni Bianco and Cornello dei Tas-so. Continuing on our way, we pass thejunction for the Taleggio Valley (sepa-rate chapter) before arriving at Camera-ta Cornello, which is particularly re-nowned for the hamlet of Cornello deiTasso, a centuries-old village that hasremained unchanged since the MiddleAges. It is the home of the celebratedfamily that invented the postal servicein the 13th century, and whose lineageincludes the famous poet TorquatoTasso. We continue our journey to-wards the heart of the Upper Bremba-na Valley and arrive at Lenna, whichstands at an altitude of 560 metres atthe confluence of the two mainbranches of the Brembo, which de-scend from Olmo and Fondra respec-tively. At this point, the valley opensinto a small plain, where a beautifulartificial lake lies peacefully in themiddle of the fir tree forests. The par-ish church with the Neo-Gothic façadehouses numerous works of art. Lennawas the birthplace of the 15th-centuryarchitect Mauro Codussi. At Lenna,the valley branches off in various di-rections: one fork climbs towardsBranzi before reaching Carona andFoppolo, another stretches towardsPiazza Brembana. From Piazza Brem-bana, other routes lead to Valtorta, theSan Marco Pass and Cusio along withMonte Avaro. We take the road thatrises towards Carona and Foppolo andarrive in Valnegra, a little town withjust 230 inhabitants, which lies on theslopes of Monte Torcola at 581 metresabove sea level. At 650 metres above

SEDRINA BRIDGES

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sea level we find Moio de’ Calvi (withapproximately two hundred inhabit-ants), the birthplace of the four Calvibrothers, three of whom died tragical-ly in the Great War, the fourth perish-ing on the Adamello mountain range.In the centre of the village, severalgroups of 14th-century houses, excel-lent examples of rustic architecture,still preserve their age-old character-istics. It is also possible to see severalVenetian-style buildings that dateback to the 16th and 17th centuries. The15th-century parish church is dedicat-ed to San Mattia. Further on, we reachthe junction with a road on the rightthat leads to Valsecca, where we findthe hamlets of Bordogna and Baresi,the towns of Roncobello and Ca-povalle. This charming valley, carvedby the Valsecca torrent, is home tocharacteristic rustic villages, many ofwhich have remained substantiallyunchanged. Roncobello was one of thefirst places in the Brembana Valley tobe discovered by tourists, thanks pri-marily to the outstanding beauty ofthe surrounding landscapes. Mentionshould be made of the rustic and aus-tere beauty of Capovalle, a now-aban-doned village of old houses. From Ca-

povalle it is possible to reach theBranchino Lake Pass, where you canpartake in an enjoyable excursion, de-scending towards the Alpe Corte Ref-uge: we are in the very heart of theSeriana Valley. Another excursionleads to the Laghi Gemelli (TwinLakes) Pass, then on to the refuge ofthe same name. Another interestingexcursion will take you to the Cima diMenna (Menna Peak, 2,300 metres).The next port of call is composed oftwo hamlets, Fondra and Trabuchello,which form the municipality of Isoladi Fondra, with approximately 180 in-habitants. Isola di Fondra’s economywas based on mining activity and itwas renowned for the production ofnails. From Isola di Fondra, the nu-merous mule tracks offer the possibil-ity of interesting walks to charmingplaces, such as the tiny hamlets on theslopes of Monte Torcola (1,636 m):Foppa, Cornelli, Forcella and Pusdos-so, at an altitude of approximately onethousand metres. Other excursionslead to the Tre Pizzi (Three Peaks,2,216 metres) and Monte PietraQuadra (2,356 metres), passingthrough lush valleys. We should alsomention the climb to the Pizzo Badile

BREMBANA VALLEY

CORNELLO DEI TASSO

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(Badile Peak, 2,044 m), with theMonte Colle Pass which descendstowards Valleve. We are now atBranzi (870 m - pop. 850); an impor-tant centre that is renowned for itscheese, it is situated at the conflu-ence of the Borleggia torrent andthe Brembo, and is the most highlypopulated village in this part of thevalley. Branzi is an extremely popu-lar tourist destination, mainly be-cause of its charming position be-tween the towering mountains, a

short distance from the wonderfulbasin of the Laghi Gemelli (TwinLakes). It has also developed a win-ter tourism industry, based on themagnificent Gardata cross-countryski trail. Branzi is further renownedfor the quarrying of slate, which isused for the characteristic stoneroof slabs that are typical of moun-tain dwellings. Holidaymakers canenjoy charming walks in the sur-rounding areas. For instance, thetwo-and-a-half-hour route thatleads to the Laghi Gemelli (TwinLakes), following the delightful Bor-leggia Valley and touching theCasere and Marcio Lakes. From theLaghi Gemelli (Twin Lakes), inter-esting excursions can be made to thePizzo del Becco (Beak Peak), the Avi-asco Pass and the Valle dei Frati(Valley of the Monks). From the Ge-melli, it is also possible to link upwith the Orobie Prealps Path. FromBranzi, excursions are also possibleto Monte del Tonale (2,425 m), fol-lowing the Scura Valley and the Car-nera Valley. Another outing will takeyou to the Pizzo Vacca (Cow Peak,1,914 m), passing the Tabia Chalet.We are now approaching the head ofthe valley. After Branzi we find thejunction for Carona (1,110 m - pop.450): well known for summer tour-ism, it is now also an important win-ter resort, given the large number ofski lifts. The village offers a beautifulartificial lake as well as several his-toric monuments, such as the little17th-century church of San Gottardoin the beautiful and characteristiclittle hamlet of Pagliari, situated onthe carriageable dirt road that leadsto the Fregabolgia Lake dam andthen on to the Calvi Refuge. Just af-ter Pagliari, you can admire a water-fall formed by the torrent that de-scends from the Sambuzza Valley.This is one of the most enjoyablewalks that the Bergamo mountainshave to offer: you set off just past thewaterfall in the locality of Forcella;SAN PELLEGRINO TERME

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BREMBANA VALLEY

CASINO OF SAN PELLEGRINO

you then pass through the lovelySambuzza Valley until you reach thelittle lake of the same name (2,085m), and from there, you climb up tothe Publino Pass (2,368 m), on theborder with the Valtellina. From Ca-rona, however, the most popular walksare those that lead to the Laghi Ge-melli (Twin Lakes), the Longo Refugeand, above all, to the Basin of the CalviRefuge, the starting point for unfor-gettable excursions to the Pizzo delDiavolo (Devil’s Peak), the ValseccaPass (on the Orobie Prealps Path),Monte Madonnino, Cabianca and nu-merous other locations. We now goback to the junction and back up thevalley until we reach Valleve, whichstands at an altitude of 1,141 metresand has a population of approximately170 inhabitants. The parish churchhouses works by Carlo Ceresa, GianPaolo Cavagna and Antonio Cifrondi.Also worthy of mention is the small17th-century church of San Rocco. Val-leve offers numerous walks for visi-tors, including those that lead to Mon-te Pegherolo (2,369 m), Monte Cavallo(2,223 m) and the Pizzo del Vescovo(Bishop’s Peak, 2,175 m). Just a fewkilometres from Valleve lies the coldBasin of San Simone, one of the ski re-sorts in the Province of Bergamowhere winter sports can be practisedfor a remarkable number of months,thanks to the unique climate. We leaveValleve, and climb up to the head ofthe valley where we find Foppolo, a ti-ny old village of farmers and herdsmenwho have successfully turned theirhand to the tourist industry. At 1,515metres, Foppolo is the highest lyingtown in our province. It is also an in-ternational tourist destination, offer-ing a vast ski area during the winterand guaranteeing a cool climate,green landscapes, peace and the pos-sibility of numerous excursions dur-ing the summer months. Excursionsinclude: Monte Toro (2,525 m), CornoStella (2,620 m) and Monte Cadelle(2,483 m). Descending from the Passo

del Porcile (Pigpen Pass, 2,290 m) wearrive in Valtellina, at the Laghi delPorcile (Pigpen Lakes, 2,095 m). Along and beautiful path leads fromFoppolo to the Casera di Carisole (arefuge), and then on to the SambuzzaValley. Heading back towards Lenna,we take the road that leads towards theother great branch of the BrembanaValley, the one that climbs up to Piaz-za Brembana, then to Olmo al Brem-bo, before splitting off in several otherdirections. Piazza Brembana is the lit-tle capital of the western branch of thevalley; it has approximately one thou-sand inhabitants and is situated at 553metres above sea level. Every year inSeptember, an important festival takes

LONGO REFUGE

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14

place dedicated to Formai de Mut, afine cheese produced in the valley.Several of the town’s historical cor-ners are still intact, splendid examplesof rustic, old-style valley architecture.Particular mention should be made ofthe Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall)and the 17th-century Church of SanBernardino, which houses a polyptychby Lattanzio da Rimini and wood carv-ings by Andrea Fantoni. During thesummer months, the town welcomesa steady number of holidaymakers,who come to enjoy the peace and tran-quillity. Excursions include those toMonte Torcola (1,636 m) and to thePizzo Badile (Badile Peak, 2,044 m).Olmo al Brembo (556 m - pop. 560) issituated at the confluence of the Sta-bina and Averara valleys with the west-ern branch of the Brembo. In the oldtown centre, which overlooks a beau-tiful little medieval-style piazza, it isstill possible to see old houses builtfrom square blocks of local stone.Many charming corners can be foundin the narrow lanes and beneath theporticoes. The 14th-century Church ofSan Pietro, in the hamlet of Cugno, isworthy of particular mention. Threebranches of the Brembana Valleystretch away from Olmo, culminating

respectively at Valtorta, at Cusio withthe Avaro (Miser’s) Plains and at Mez-zoldo with the San Marco Pass. Thefirst branch passes through the Stabi-na Valley, touching the municipality ofCassiglio (602 m - pop. 135), a tiny vil-lage that is home to the Church of SanBartolomeo, which has been renovat-ed since its construction in the 15th

century. Mention should be made ofthe Danza Macabra (Dance Macabre)painted on a wall of the Casa Milesi,which dates back to the 17th century.Cassiglio is the starting point of thewestern Orobie Prealps Path, a charm-ing eighty kilometre route which, viasix refuges, leads to the Calvi Refugebefore joining up with the more com-monly travelled Orobie Prealps Path.Walks from Cassiglio lead to the Cazza-niga Refuge (1,889 m), the Baciamorti(Kiss of the Dead) Pass at 1,540 metres,which leads down to the Taleggio Valley,to the Pizzo Baciamorti (Kiss of theDead Peak, 2,009 m), Monte Venturosa(1,993 m) and Monte Aralalta (2,020m). Ornica (922 m - pop. 300) is an-other little summer resort, the start-ing point for some of the most inter-esting excursions in the BrembanaValley. The parish church houses abeautiful 16th-century polyptych and a

MEZZOLDO, SAN MARCO PASS

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high altar in carved wood dating backto the same period. The sacristy con-tains frescoes painted by Angelo daAverara in 1485. A typical destinationfrom Ornica is the most magnificentmountain in the whole Brembana Val-ley, the Pizzo dei Tre Signori (ThreeLords Peak), a splendid massif thatrises to a height of 2,554 m.Another walk leads to the summit ofthe Camisolo at 2,157 metres. Val-torta (935 m - pop. 350) stands at thehead of the Stabina Valley, which istraversed by the torrent of the samename. In recent years, it has also be-come an important ski resort, linkedwith the Valsassina and in particularwith the Piani di Bobbio. The parishchurch houses two polyptychs, com-posed of various sections, which dateback to the 15th century. The beauti-ful little Romanesque church in thehamlet of La Torre is also worthy ofmention. Inside are interesting 15th-century frescoes. From Valtorta it ispossible to link up with the westernOrobie Prealps Path, from where youcan continue to either the CazzanigaRefuge or the Grassi Refuge; othersplendid walks through the greeneryand pine forests lead to the Ceresola

Chalet (1,600 m), the Pizzo dei TreSignori (Three Lords Peak) and to thePiani di Bobbio in Valsassina. Nowlet’s return to Olmo al Brembo andtake the road that climbs towardsCusio and the Avaro Plains. We ar-rive at Averara (650 m - pop. 400),the renowned district through whichthe Strada dei Mercanti once passed,the merchant’s road that stretchedas far as the San Marco Pass. Severalsplendid testimonies of those timesstill remain. One place that must bevisited is the porticoed street, wherethe merchants rested before the lastdifficult climb. The buildings and thefrescoes that adorn them can still beadmired today. In the parish church,on the façade and beneath the portico,are frescoes by Simone Baschenis,from the internationally renownedfamily of painters. A visit should alsobe made to the tiny hamlet of Redivo,which surrounds the centuries-oldChurch of San Pantaleone with itsRomanesque bell tower. Nearby, wecan observe the celebrated Venetiancustoms house with its unique archi-tecture and unusual external woodenstairways. The hamlet of Valmorescais also extremely charming. Further

BREMBANA VALLEY

CUSIO, PONTERANICA LAKE

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on, we find Santa Brigida (805 m -pop. 680), where we can still see theold parish church in the hamlet ofFoppa. Built in around 1000 AD, tes-timonies to its antiquity include the15th-century frescoes. The Oratory ofSan Lorenzo preserves a tombstonededicated to Flavia, a woman who diedin 435 AD. The area is rich in chalkquarries. There are walks to MonteAvaro (2,088 m), the Santa Croce Hill(1,718 m) and Monte Disner (1,330m), from where you can descend intothe Stabina Valley. At the head of thissection of the Brembana Valley wefind the small village of Cusio (1,050m - pop. 400). Cusio is not only a sum-mer holiday destination, but also awinter resort that takes full advantage

of the Avaro Plains, an area of greatinterest for both holidaymakers andbecause of its age-old farming tradi-tions: the plains offer splendid greenpastures at an altitude of 1,700 m. Avisit should be paid to the little Ora-torio della Maddalena (Oratory of theMagdalene) with its fascinating 14th-century frescoes. The historic heartof the town is also interesting, withthe Venetian customs building andseveral houses dating back to the 13th

century. From Cusio, beautiful walkslead to the Avaro Plains (served by acarriageable road), the PonteranicaLakes, Cà San Marco, the Pizzo deiTre Signori (Three Lords Peak) andthe Trona Peak (2,510 m), and to theCusio Peak (1,466 m). We are nowback in Olmo, ready to take the thirdbranch that leads to the San MarcoPass and beyond, into the Valtellina.The first village we come to is Piazzolo(700 m - pop. 120), a tiny agriculturalcentre and holiday resort surroundedby greenery, which offers pleasant ex-cursions to Monte Torcola (1,636 m),and from there to the other branch ofthe valley, descending towards Fondraand Branzi. You can also climb up to-wards Monte Zuccone (1,506 m) andMonte Faino (1,562 m). Piazzatorre(860 m - pop. 490), the most highlydeveloped tourist resort in the UpperBrembana Valley, lies approximatelyfifty kilometres from Bergamo andboasts various ski lifts and a coveredice-skating rink. Piazzatorre is thestarting point for numerous pleasantexcursions, including those to MonteTorcola, Monte Secco (2,293 m), andto the Forcolino di Torcola (1,856 m),a pass that leads to Branzi and to theCostone (Ridge, 1,565 m). The lastvillage in this branch of the valley isMezzoldo (830 m - pop. 339). Mezzol-do is a well-developed tourist resortthat is home to several historical land-marks, such as the 18th-century cus-toms house with its frescoed façade;numerous rustic houses were builtfrom stone that was quarried from theORNICA, OLD VILLAGE

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mountain and, as a result, the age-oldvillage blends in naturally with thesurrounding landscape. The porticoof the parish church features a frescofrom 1522. Inside, we find a centralaltar piece by Lattanzio da Rimini.The carriageable road continues pastMezzoldo until it reaches the delight-ful locality of Ponte dell’Acqua (TheBridge of Water), with the Madonnadelle Nevi (Madonna of the Snows)Refuge; it then climbs up to the CàSan Marco Refuge and on to the SanMarco Pass, before descending intothe Valtellina. These are places thatcan be reached by car or on foot, fol-lowing footpaths or the old mule trackknown as the Via Priula, which wasbuilt by the Venetian Republic in or-der to improve relations with the Val-tellina and Switzerland. The Cà SanMarco Refuge possesses an extraor-dinary evocative capacity, dictated bythe rock stones from which it is built,the solid vaults of its rooms and thefountain in the internal entrance hall,all elements that reflect the age-oldhistory of this building, which wascreated as a frontier post between theVenetian Republic and the Valtellina.Mezzoldo and the San Marco Pass are

starting points for unforgettable ex-cursions to Monte Ponteranica (2,378m), the Verrobbio Pass (at 2,026 mwith the First World War fortifica-tions), Pescegallo Lake (1,862 m) andthen to Gerola, in Valtellina, to MonteTartano (2,292 m).

BREMBANA VALLEY

AVERARA PARTICOES

AVERARA, REDIVO HOUSE

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Algua, Costa Serina, Serina, Dossena

Path of flowersArera botanic garden

Regional Natural Park of the Orobie Prealps

Torrents: Ambria and Antea

Rifle-range in Serina

Cornalba, Oltre il Colle

Polenta and rabbitPolenta and osei (birds)Casonsei (typical ravioli)

Cornalba (free climbing)

Oltre il Colle, Serina

Algua, Cornalba, Costa Serina, Dossena, Oltre il Colle, Serina

Serina

Orrido di Bracca

Oltre il Colle, Serina

Serina

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SERINA VALLEY

LodiCrema

VALBONDIONE

COLERESPIAZZI

LIZZOLA

GROMO

ARDESIO

AZZONE

ValCamonica

SCHILPARIO

OLTRE-SENDA

CLUS0NE

PONTENOSSA

MONTEPORA

GANDINO

LEFFEENDINE

ONETACOLZATE

BRACCA

SERINA

OLTRE IL COLLE

SELVINO

CENE

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del Castello

Lago diEndine

ZOGNOSEDRINA

ALZANO L.VILLA

D'ALME'

GEROSA

VALCAVA

COSTAImagna

FUIPIANO

ALMENNOS. Salvatore

Valtellin a

PassoS. Marco

CUSIOORNICA

VALTORTA

LENNA

RONCOBELLO

PIAZZATORRE

CARONA

BRANZI

FOPPOLO

VALCANALE

Malpaga

MARTINENGO

ROMANOdi LombardiaCARAVAGGI O

MILANO

MILANO

DALMINE

SOTTO IL MONTEGIOVANNI XXIII TRESCORE

BALNEARIO

SARNICOBERGAMO

Rovato Brescia

VERONA

OLMO ALBREMBO

SAN SIMONE

ValCamonica

Passo delVivione

Passo dellaPresolana

VILMINORE

Lagod'Iseo

Monte Isola

LOVERE

LeccoTALEGGIOVEDESETA

ROTAImagna

TREVIGLIO

S. GIOVANNIBianco CASTIONE

d. PresolanaPEGHERA

BREMBILLA

S. PELLEGRINOTerme

SERINA

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A fter Zogno, we turn to the rightand begin climbing, entering a

sort of tunnel between the mountains,dark rock faces, precipices and carvedsolid rock, where the road runs along-side a torrent. A frightening gorge,which is referred to as “orrido” (mean-ing both “ravine” and “dreadful” in Ital-ian). This is the contradictory callingcard of a valley which, a little furtheron, widens into a vast, green, sunnybasin, with two branches that climb to-wards Selvino and towards Serina andZambla. The huge basin is enclosed bythe peaks of the Alben, the Arera andthe Menna. The valley boasts a long andimportant history: it was traversed bythe old merchants’ road, which linkedBergamo and the Seriana Valley to theBrembana Valley. The Serina Valley was

the administrative centre of the wholeBrembana Valley. At the beginning ofthe valley we find the locality of Ambrawith Ponte Merlo. Further ahead, onthe left, is Bracca (620 m - pop. 680), alocality that is renowned for its springsand mineral water. At the junction, oneroad leads towards Selvino, the other toSerina. We head towards Selvino, and ar-rive in the village of Algua (432 m - pop.720). A trip should be made to the parishchurch in the hamlet of Pagliaro, whichcontains interesting frescoes and one inparticular, attributed to Lorenzo Lotto,which depicts St. Francis. Visits shouldalso be paid to the parish church in thehamlet of Frerola and to the Perellosanctuary, which was built in 1580 uponthe mountain of the same name. Thechurch of Rigosa is also interesting,with its early 16th-century frescoes. Fur-ther up, the ascent leads to the Selvinoplateau, to which a separate chapteris devoted. We return to the bottom ofthe valley and set off on the road thatclimbs up towards Serina. The first vil-lage on the right is Costa di Serina (907m - pop. 910), which offers beautifulwalks in the surrounding forests and tothe summits of Monte Alben (2,019 m),Monte Suchello (1,505 m) and to theBlumen Pass (1,277 m), which leads tothe Riso Valley. After Costa di Serina, wepass several tiny hamlets before reach-ing Cornalba (900 m - pop. 300). Theparish church preserves three panelsfrom the 15th century. Painted shrines,known as “santelle”, are a character-istic feature that we can see on manyfarmhouses in the Bergamo mountains.One in particular, depicting the Deposi-tion, is painted on an old house. Walksinclude those listed for Costa Serina,plus one to the La Forca Pass (1,848m), which descends in the Riso Valley. Anatural rock gymnasium, equipped forfree climbing, can also be found in theCornalba area. As we ascend, we comeupon the tiny hamlet of Lepreno beforearriving in Serina (850 m - pop. 2,000),one of the most important tourist des-tinations in the Province of Bergamo

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and a village with a long and presti-gious history, as evidenced by the richarchitecture. There are many monu-ments and buildings to see in Serina.The 16th-century Fontana del Vicario(Vicar’s Fountain), and another simi-larly old structure, with three spiresand a lion’s mouth, from which waterflows into a basin (dating back to 1645).The Parish Church of the Annunciatawas rebuilt by the Caniana family in the18th century. Inside are frescoes by GianBattista Rodriguez (1750), stuccoesby Eugenio Camuzio from Lugano,the Pala del Redentore (Altar-Piece ofthe Redeemer) by Palma il Vecchio, agreat 16th-century painter and a nativeof Serina, and other works by Palma ilGiovane, the Fantoni family, FrancescoRizzo da Santacroce and Andrea Pre-vitali. Visits should also be paid to theChurch of San Rocco, the Monastery ofthe Santissima Trinità (Holy Trinity),the Casa del Vicario, (Vicar’s House),a 15th-century building with the lion ofSan Marco, the San Bernardino porticowith frescoes and the old route of theVia dei trafficanti (Merchants’ Road).The hamlets of Lepreno, Valpiana andCorone are also of interest. An impor-tant cattle fair is held in Serina everySeptember. Numerous walks are pos-sible in the surrounding countryside:Monte Alben, Menna, the La ForcaPass, Monte Zucco (1,336 m). A foot-path also leads to Dossena and theninto the Brembana Valley, through theCrocetta (little cross) Pass, at 1,051 m.From Serina, you can also reach MonteVaccareggio (1,474 m), Monte Castello(1,474 m) and the Pizzo Arera (AreraPeak, 2,512 m). Oltre il Colle is thelast village, and is made up of varioushamlets: Zambla Alta, Zambla Bassaand Zorzone. Oltre il Colle lies at analtitude of 1,030 m in a splendid basinsurrounded by the Alben, the Arera andthe Cima di Menna (Menna Peak). Skilifts can be found on the slopes of theArera. Oltre il Colle also boasts a mag-nificent cross-country ski trail. Duringthe summer, the area is populated by

RAVINE

COSTA SERINA, ASCENSION

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numerous holidaymakers. The parishchurch houses a canvas by Enrico Scurithat must be seen. At Zambla Bassa,the parish church possesses a paintingby Gian Paolo Cavagna. The churchof Zorzone is the work of the Canianafamily. The old and characteristic littlechurch of Grimoldo is dedicated to theSanta Croce (Holy Cross) and has fres-coes on its façade. Inside, we find a Ma-donna by Andrea Fantoni. Numerousbeautiful walks are possible from Oltreil Colle and Zambla. By setting off fromZorzone and crossing the Vedra Valley

and its pass (1,850 m), you can reachBranchino Lake and the Seriana Valley.From Zorzone, you can also climb up tothe Vindiolo Pass, at 1,974 m, and thendescend to Roncobello. Walks then leadto the Arera, with the Sentiero dei Fiori(Path of Flowers). From Zambla Alta,it is possible to climb up to the Cimadi Grem (Grem Peak, 2,049 m), arriv-ing at the Camplano chalet (1,826 m),before descending along the GorgolinaValley as far as Ponte Nossa. Anotherexcursion leads to the Nembrini biv-ouac, then to the Alben.

SERINA VALLEY

COSTA SERINA

Page 26: Summer Bergamo

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Regional Natural Park of the Orobie Prealps

Enna gorge (ravine)

Cheese, Taleggio cheeseand polenta taragna (with butter and cheese)

Taleggio

Monte Cancervo:“Cassiglio, Valtorta, Vedeseta, Taleggio” Oasis / Campocervo

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Enna and Brembilla torrents

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Page 27: Summer Bergamo

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Page 28: Summer Bergamo

26

TALEGGIO AND BREMBILLA VALLEYS

LodiCrema

VALBONDIONE

COLERESPIAZZI

LIZZOLA

GROMO

ARDESIO

AZZONE

ValCamonica

SCHILPARIO

OLTRE-SENDA

CLUS0NE

PONTENOSSA

MONTEPORA

GANDINO

LEFFEENDINE

ONETACOLZATE

BRACCA

SERINA

OLTRE IL COLLE

SELVINO

CENE

GAVERINATerme MONASTEROLO

del Castello

Lago diEndine

ZOGNOSEDRINA

ALZANO L.VILLA

D'ALME'

GEROSA

VALCAVA

COSTAImagna

FUIPIANO

ALMENNOS. Salvatore

Valtellin a

PassoS. Marco

CUSIOORNICA

VALTORTA

LENNA

RONCOBELLO

PIAZZATORRE

CARONA

BRANZI

FOPPOLO

VALCANALE

Malpaga

MARTINENGO

ROMANOdi LombardiaCARAVAGGI O

MILANO

MILANO

DALMINE

SOTTO IL MONTEGIOVANNI XXIII TRESCORE

BALNEARIO

SARNICOBERGAMO

Rovato Brescia

VERONA

OLMO ALBREMBO

SAN SIMONE

ValCamonica

Passo delVivione

Passo dellaPresolana

VILMINORE

Lagod'Iseo

Monte Isola

LOVERE

LeccoTALEGGIOVEDESETA

ROTAImagna

TREVIGLIO

S. GIOVANNIBianco CASTIONE

d. PresolanaPEGHERA

BREMBILLA

S. PELLEGRINOTerme

TALEGGIO VALLEY

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T he Taleggio Valley is accessedprimarily from San Giovanni

Bianco, or from Sedrina, passingthrough the Brembilla Valley. Thepoint of entry from San GiovanniBianco is particularly striking: theroad is narrow, carved into the moun-tain; in certain stretches, the solidrock practically transforms itself intoa tunnel; the adjacent precipice fallsinto the wild and foamy Enna torrent.Ice is commonplace in the winter,with frozen waterfalls, ice patches andicicles. There is also a succession ofcurves, bridges and cliffs. The valley isan oasis of quiet and greenery, a start-ing point for beautiful walks, ideal forthose who seek peace, tranquillity andrelaxation in the mountains. It is alsofamous for the cheese that takes its

name from Taleggio and which canstill be found today, despite the factthat stock-farming is not practicedas much in the mountains as it wasin the past.We climb up the road from SanGiovanni Bianco, and after approxi-mately eleven kilometres, we cometo four small hamlets: Olda, Pizzino,Sottochiesa and Peghera, whichform the municipality of Taleggio(700 inhabitants). Olda is the mostimportant of these localities. A visitshould be paid to the Sanctuary ofSan Bartolomeo, where, in oldentimes, a necropolis existed for thenoblemen of the Averara and Cas-siglio Valleys. It can be reached via thefootpaths that lead to the Baciamorti(Kiss of the Dead) Pass, the border be-tween the Taleggio and Upper Brem-bana Valleys and the Stabina Valley.At Peghera, the parish church housesthe most interesting work of art in thevalley: a polyptych by Palma il Vecchioin seven sections, which dates back tothe 16th century. Perched on a hillockat an altitude of 900 m, Pizzino towersabove the other hamlets and is, in allprobability, the oldest of these settle-ments: it lies on what was once the bor-der between the Republic of Venice andthe Duchy of Milan. The parish churchwas originally constructed in the 11th

century, but was rebuilt at a later date.Taleggio’s town hall is located in thehamlet of Sottochiesa, whose parishchurch contains an altar piece by An-drea Vicentino (1589). In Sottochiesawe find the “Fidelitas Taleggi” Column,which was erected in 1609 by the Vene-tian Republic to seal the oath of loyaltysworn to it by the people of the valley.It is also possible to admire a tower,dating back to the 13th century, whichwas part of a defence system. Recom-mended excursions include a twentyminute walk from Pizzino to Fraggio,a beautiful old agricultural village,which is now completely abandoned.Fraggio represents a splendid exampleof rural town planning and mountain

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architecture. The simple houses hadhigh, narrow and rather steep roofs,constructed from the heavy localstone. Among the many interestingand fascinating excursions is the onefrom the Ponte del Becco (Bridge ofthe Beak), which, before reachingSottochiesa, at an altitude of 593 m,leads via a long and changing footpathto the peak of Monte Cancervo, at analtitude of 1,835 m. This mountaincovers a vast area, where peaks androcks alternate with stretches of ap-parently flat ground. It is still inhab-ited by a wealth of fauna, includingroe deer, chamois and many otherspecies that are found in the OrobiePrealps. Next to the Cancervo standsMonte Venturosa, at 1,999 m. FromPizzino, it is possible to reach theBaciamorti (Kiss of the Dead) Pass,the route once taken by the cadaversof Cassiglio. From Pizzino, you canalso climb to Monte Aralalta (2,006m), the Cesare Battisti Refuge (1,685m) and to Monte Sodadura (2,010 m).The second town in the Taleggio Val-ley is Vedeseta (805 m - pop. 323),where you can admire tower houses

that bear witness to a bellicose past.Vedeseta belonged to the Ghibellinefaction, and there were often clasheswith the Guelfs from the neighbour-ing town of Taleggio. The municipal-ity is home to the Sanctuary of SanBartolomeo, built in around 1200.The church is immersed in nature andis the destination for various excur-sions, such as the traditional EasterMonday walk where a typical meal ofeggs, chicory and salami is eaten onthe grass opposite the edifice. FromVedeseta, you can reach the CulmineSan Pietro (1,260 m) and the subse-quent descent into Valsassina. Anoth-er destination is the Zuc di Valbona(1,546 m); you can also climb towardsthe beautiful sources of the Enna tor-rent and tackle the demanding ascentto the Resegone. From the Forcella diBura (Bura Col) at 884 m, we descendinto the Brembilla Valley, where wecome to Gerosa (760 m - pop. 430), avillage whose economy was based onstock-farming and which has todayopened itself to tourism in virtue of itsdelightful position and natural envi-ronment. The parish church was built

FRAGGIO, THE THREE BEECHES

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in the 18th century to a design by theCaniana family. Walks include thoseto the Castello della Regina (Queen’sCastle, 1,424 m), Monte Sornadello(1,580 m), the Zucco di Pralongone(1,503 m) and to the Madonna dellaFoppa Sanctuary. Another walk leadsto the tiny village of Blello, the small-est municipality in the Province ofBergamo with 107 inhabitants. It liesat an altitude of 900 m, close to theborder with the Imagna Valley. Blellohas been described as a piece of para-dise, a place where the frenetic rushof society seems decades away. Anuntouched corner. The parish churchis a small sacred building, typical ofthe modest religious architecturefound in mountain regions. It standson the hillock known as Monte Fag-gio, so called because a great beechtree (faggio) once grew there. It canbe reached in around half an hour.Brembilla (417 m - pop. 4,000) hasa rather different story. It is a largetown where craft and industry havedeveloped considerably. In 1443,Brembilla was subjected to a diaspora:the senate of the Venetian Republicdecided that all the local people wereto leave their hometown for havingsupported the Visconti family againstthe Serenissima. All citizens, young,

old and children alike, were giventhree days to leave. Most of them wentto Milan, the territory of the Visconti.In fact, Brembilla is still one of themost common surnames in the Milanarea. A visit should be paid to the ham-lets of Sant’Antonio Abbandonato andCatremerio, scarcely populated locali-ties with characteristic dwellings andmountain architecture.

BREMBILLA, ROMAN BRIDGE

TALEGGIO AND BREMBILLA VALLEYS

OLDA

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IMAGNA VALLEY

LodiCrema

VALBONDIONE

COLERESPIAZZI

LIZZOLA

GROMO

ARDESIO

AZZONE

ValCamonica

SCHILPARIO

OLTRE-SENDA

CLUS0NE

PONTENOSSA

MONTEPORA

GANDINO

LEFFEENDINE

ONETACOLZATE

BRACCA

SERINA

OLTRE IL COLLE

SELVINO

CENE

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del Castello

Lago diEndine

ZOGNOSEDRINA

ALZANO L.VILLA

D'ALME'

GEROSA

VALCAVA

COSTAImagna

FUIPIANO

ALMENNOS. Salvatore

Valtellin a

PassoS. Marco

CUSIOORNICA

VALTORTA

LENNA

RONCOBELLO

PIAZZATORRE

CARONA

BRANZI

FOPPOLO

VALCANALE

Malpaga

MARTINENGO

ROMANOdi LombardiaCARAVAGGI O

MILANO

MILANO

DALMINE

SOTTO IL MONTEGIOVANNI XXIII TRESCORE

BALNEARIO

SARNICOBERGAMO

Rovato Brescia

VERONA

OLMO ALBREMBO

SAN SIMONE

ValCamonica

Passo delVivione

Passo dellaPresolana

VILMINORE

Lagod'Iseo

Monte Isola

LOVERE

LeccoTALEGGIOVEDESETA

ROTAImagna

TREVIGLIO

S. GIOVANNIBianco CASTIONE

d. PresolanaPEGHERA

BREMBILLA

S. PELLEGRINOTerme

IMAGNA VALLEY

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T he gateways to the Imagna Valleyare the old and interesting towns

of Almenno and Clanezzo. AlmennoSan Salvatore and San Bartolomeoare situated on gentle, terraced hills atan altitude of around 350 m. Clanezzolies lower down, at the exact conflu-ence of the Imagna torrent and theRiver Brembo, in a landscape of me-dieval legend, with cliffs, escarpmentsand forests creeping over it; with thecenturies-old castle (now a restaurant)and the towers, fortifications that wereused to guard the bridges, where itwas once necessary to pay a toll; withfrescoes depicting armed warriors inarmour. One of the bridges was built atthe beginning of the last millennium,at the behest of Attone Leuco. Formany decades, the locality was the the-

atre of bloody clashes between Guelfsand Ghibellines. At Clanezzo, mentionshould be made of the characteristicfootbridge, made from wood and ironropes, that connects the two banks ofthe Brembo. A visit should also be paidto the old drop forge on the course ofthe Imagna, which seems like a housebelonging to the devil. In AlmennoSan Salvatore, a visit is recommendedto the Madonna del Castello church,which consists of three distinct build-ings: the crypt, the old church andthe Renaissance church. The cryptmay date back to the Longobard era,a period in which Almenno must havebeen an extremely important town.Testimonies of the Romanesque pe-riod can also be found in the beautifulChurch of San Giorgio, with frescoesdepicting six centuries of history andthe oldest wall paintings in the Prov-ince of Bergamo. A visit should alsobe paid to the Convent of San Nicola(now a restaurant), which was built inthe 15th century. At Almenno San Bar-tolomeo, a visit is recommended to theRotunda of San Tomè, a Romanesqueconstruction with a circular plan, builtin the 12th century. The parish churchhouses works by Gian Battista Moroni,Pietro Ricci, Bartolomeo Vivarini andCristoforo Caselli. Above Almenno wefind the town of Roncola, which lieson a plateau of Monte Albenza at analtitude of 900 m. Roncola is one ofthe most highly developed summerresorts in the Province of Bergamo.Above Roncola is the summit of theAlbenza (approximately 1,350 m) andthe Valcava Pass (1,250 m), with thetiny hamlet of the same name, whichis now practically unpopulated. It of-fers a magnificent view of the entire PoValley. We return to the Imagna Valley,and after Strozza and Capizzone wecome to a road on the left that climbsup to Costa Imagna (1,014 m - pop.635), a well-developed tourist resortthat still preserves examples of thecharacteristic constructions known asstal, a dwelling linked to a stall and a

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hayloft with a large internal courtyard.From Costa, excursions are possible tothe Valcava Pass, Monte Tesoro, the Al-benza, the Pertus and to the CornabusaCave, a sanctuary dedicated to the Ma-donna. We descend once more and gopast Bedulita. On the right, a road leadsup to Berbenno (750 m - pop. 2,474),one of the most highly populated townsin the valley. Interesting archaeologicalfinds have been unearthed in the area,particularly in the Bus del Cunì cave:these include human remains, jewelrymade from animal teeth and stone dag-gers from the beginning of the BronzeAge, approximately five thousand yearsago. The area is also extremely rich infossils. At Berbenno, on top of a hill atan altitude of one thousand metres, wefind the oldest church in the ImagnaValley; built in the 14th century, it isdedicated to Saint Peter and houses acanvas by Andrea Previtali, a native ofthis town. We descend again on thevalley road, passing Ponte Giurino andSelino Basso; we then take the fork thatleads to Corna Imagna, Locatello andFuipiano (1,019 m - pop. 233), the last

town in the valley. Fuipiano once stoodon the border between the Duchy ofMilan and the Republic of Venice. Thehamlet of Arnosto is extremely impor-tant; here, it is still possible to admirethe original local rustic buildings thatare related to the constructions foundin the Taleggio Valley. The Venetiansmall barrack stood in Arnosto and it ispossible to visit the little church, whichdates back to 1605. The present par-ish church of Fuipiano (built in 1739)houses numerous works of art by Gia-como Francia, Francesco Quarenghiand the Tiepolo school. There are alsosome extremely valuable locally madestatuettes from the 15th century. CornaImagna (750 m - pop. 984) has numer-ous hamlets, with paintings and “san-telle” (painted shrines) on the walls,which cover centuries of history. Here,we can again see the characteristicroofs constructed from the heavy localstone. Locatello (557 m - pop. 800). Aninteresting number of 15th- and 16th-century frescoes are preserved in thevillage, which are of great historicalas well as artistic value. On the otherfork of the valley we find Rota Imagna(700 m - pop. 883), with its two parts,Rota Fuori and Rota Dentro. Extremelyimportant archaeological finds, datingback to the Bronze Age, were unearthedin the Tomba dei Polacchi (literally“the Tomb of the Poles”). These findsare currently preserved in the Museumof Bergamo. Giacomo Quarenghi, thecelebrated architect and painter, wasborn in Rota Fuori in 1744. A typi-cal excursion from Rota Imagna is theclimb to the Resegone, the mountainthat overlooks the Lake Lecco. Anotherwalk leads to the Grotta dei Polacchi(Cave of the Poles), the Sant’Omobonosprings, the Pertus and to the Corna-busa Sanctuary. Beyond Rota Imagna,at the head of the valley, stands Bru-mano (913 m - pop. 99), on the slopesof the Resegone; immersed in nature,this little village has preserved its ar-chaic characteristics, the essence of thepast that concords perfectly with theCLANEZZO BRIDGE

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IMAGNA VALLEY

nature of the mountain. Walks are pos-sible to the Resegone, to the Pallio Pass(1,362 m), descending to Morterone inthe Boazzo Valley, to the Costa del Pallio(1,480 m) and to Monte Serrada (1,875m). Another branch of the Imagna Val-ley is the one that leads to Valsecca, in avast basin (630 m - pop. 410). Valsecca ishome to the old Venetian gendarmerie.The parish church dates back to the endof the 15th century and contains worksby Ceresa and Quarenghi. Next to itis the Cappella del Crocifisso (Chapelof the Crucifix), which houses a 17th-century crucifix by Fra’ Giovanni daReggio. It is a place of prayer that hasgreat significance for the people of thevalley. The feast is celebrated every fiveyears, in the month of July. The roadcontinues, linking up with the road thatdescends from Costa Imagna, beforearriving at Sant’Omobono Terme, themost important town in the area (450m - pop. 3,505). Sant’Omobono encom-passes the hamlets of Cepino, Mazzo-leni, Selino Basso and Selino Alto. Itis renowned for its springs, includingthe main source, known as “della Bet-

tola”. The spa resort’s star shone par-ticularly brightly in the second half ofthe 19th century. Skin and liver diseaseswere treated primarily. Today, the sparesort is a cutting-edge complex. AtSant’Omobono we also find the valley’smost well-loved sanctuary, which isalso renowned outside the province: theCornabusa Sanctuary, situated inside acave and dedicated to the Madonna whosupports the body of Christ. It was builtgradually over the course of the centu-ries, with work starting in the 1500s.Numerous miracles have been attribut-ed to the Madonna of the Sanctuary.

FUIPIANO

CORNABUSA SANCTUARY

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Page 40: Summer Bergamo

38

SERIANA VALLEY

LodiCrema

VALBONDIONE

COLERESPIAZZI

LIZZOLA

GROMO

ARDESIO

AZZONE

ValCamonica

SCHILPARIO

OLTRE-SENDA

CLUS0NE

PONTENOSSA

MONTEPORA

GANDINO

LEFFEENDINE

ONETACOLZATE

BRACCA

SERINA

OLTRE IL COLLE

SELVINO

CENE

GAVERINATerme MONASTEROLO

del Castello

Lago diEndine

ZOGNOSEDRINA

ALZANO L.VILLA

D'ALME'

GEROSA

VALCAVA

COSTAImagna

FUIPIANO

ALMENNOS. Salvatore

Valtellin a

PassoS. Marco

CUSIOORNICA

VALTORTA

LENNA

RONCOBELLO

PIAZZATORRE

CARONA

BRANZI

FOPPOLO

VALCANALE

Malpaga

MARTINENGO

ROMANOdi LombardiaCARAVAGGI O

MILANO

MILANO

DALMINE

SOTTO IL MONTEGIOVANNI XXIII TRESCORE

BALNEARIO

SARNICOBERGAMO

Rovato Brescia

VERONA

OLMO ALBREMBO

SAN SIMONE

ValCamonica

Passo delVivione

Passo dellaPresolana

VILMINORE

Lagod'Iseo

Monte Isola

LOVERE

LeccoTALEGGIOVEDESETA

ROTAImagna

TREVIGLIO

S. GIOVANNIBianco CASTIONE

d. PresolanaPEGHERA

BREMBILLA

S. PELLEGRINOTerme

SELVINO

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39

T he Seriana Valley traditionallyoffers two great possibilities

for tourists: holidays in the moun-tains and holidays in the hills. Moun-tain holidays can be taken in the Up-per Seriana Valley, where the townsand villages lie at moderate heightsabove sea level, i.e. around one thou-sand metres, and where walks andexcursions swiftly lead to places thatare located at considerable altitudes:the Upper Seriana Valley is home tosome of the Orobie Alps’ most daunt-ing peaks, which exceed heights ofthree thousand metres. The Lowerand Middle Seriana Valley offers gen-tler landscapes, yet the climate iscool and pleasant, making summertourism in the area an extremelyhealthful experience. Several locali-

ties in the Lower and Middle SerianaValley boast an established touristtradition. These include Monte diNese, Lonno, the Lujo Valley and theprestigious Selvino, which stands ona thousand-metre-high plateau nextto Aviatico. We are still on the out-skirts of Bergamo: the city is nomore than twenty kilometres awayfrom these localities, which can bereached from the bottom of the val-ley in just a few minutes. The lowervalley offers a delightful landscapeand still proffers various places of in-terest. The terrain is hilly and com-pletely covered in woodland; a greenand pleasant landscape, partly util-ised by man for agricultural purpos-es, where several slopes are terracedand cultivated with vines and fruittrees. The entrance to the lower val-ley from the plain is natural, wideand extremely easy to negotiate, un-like the narrow and enclosed Brem-bana Valley. The sentinels of the val-ley are two remarkable peaks: the1,146-metre-high Canto Alto, withits steep and rocky summit, which issurmounted by a towering cross, andMonte Misma, a gently slopingmountain shaped like a panettonecake, which reaches an altitude of1,160 metres. Both are extremelypleasant destinations for excursionsand offer unforgettable views overthe Alps, the valley bottom and thecity. The Canto Alto dominates bothvalleys, while from the Misma thepanorama encompasses the plain,the Orobie chain and, in the oppositedirection, the Endine lake and LakeIseo, two small, blue pearls on theprovince’s landscape. The green hillsof the lower Seriana Valley are com-posed of sandstone, marly limestoneand clayey materials. Economic de-velopment, based on small and me-dium-sized industry and a flourish-ing handicrafts sector, has broughtwealth and prosperity to this part ofthe valley, where, as a consequence,many interesting artistic works can

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also be found. We begin by speakingof Alzano Lombardo (304 m - pop.11,000), a municipality that lies justsix kilometres from Bergamo, butwhich, nevertheless, boasts a highlycharacteristic, centuries-old towncentre. Alzano is home to numerousworks of art, and is located at thebottom of a delightful basin thatstretches uphill towards Monte diNese, a tiny hamlet that sits at an al-titude of 800 metres amidst thegreenery of the pre-alpine hills.Monte di Nese offers an enviable cli-mate in the summer, as well as thepossibility of quiet and pleasant

walks through the forests and mead-ows. It also benefits from anotherimportant advantage: it is only fivekilometres from Alzano and twelvekilometres from the centre of Ber-gamo! It is therefore no surprise thatits number of inhabitants doublesduring the summer months. The ba-sin that lies above Alzano Lombardois also home to several other beauti-ful little localities, including the Bu-che di Nese, deep pools of sky-bluewater formed by the Anesa torrent,and the tiny hamlets of Burro andBrumano. With regard to Nese, men-tion should be made of the magnifi-

BASILICA OF SAN MARTINO

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SERIANA VALLEY

cent parish church, which containsnumerous works of art by Palma ilGiovane, Giampaolo Cavagna andCarlo Ceresa, as well as paintings byAntonio Cifrondi. More interestingstill is the hamlet of Olera, a verita-ble gem that lies in the basin, whereit is dominated by the summit of theCanto Alto. The village has preservedmany of its medieval characteristics:narrow lanes, dark entranceways,vaults and centuries-old stones.Mention should also be made of theparish church, which contains apolyptych attributed to Cima daConegliano. At the bottom of the ba-sin, Alzano Lombardo is definitelyworth a visit. The town lies in an im-portant position from the point ofview of communications: until thebeginning of the 17th century, it wasthe starting point of the mule tracksthat linked Bergamo and the SerianaValley to the Brembana Valley, climb-ing as far as Miragolo and Selvinobefore descending towards Zogno. Inthe heart of the old town centre wefind the Basilica of San Martino, achurch of early medieval origin thatwas completely renovated in the 17th

century, according to a plan by thearchitect Gerolamo Quadrio. Ithouses paintings by Palma il Vec-chio, Tintoretto, Cavagna and Appi-ani. Among the important workspreserved in the building is a pulpit,the result of a collaboration betweenthe Caniana family of Alzano and theworkshop of Andrea Fantoni fromRovetta. It is also necessary to men-tion the three church sacristies. Thefirst was realised by Grazioso Fanto-ni and his son Andrea in around1679. The vault of the second sacris-ty features a fresco by Cifrondi, whileon the side walls we can see the strik-ing wood carvings realised on threewardrobes by Andrea Fantoni andhis workshop: in a relatively smallspace we can admire 31 medals with116 angels, 57 martyrs, 78 putti and104 ornamental heads. On the side

walls of the third sacristy we can ad-mire the stalls realised by Giambat-tista Caniana, with the help of hisdaughter, Caterina. The pilasters arethe work of the Caniana family, andfeature fruit, flowers and animalsthat are characteristic of the Berga-mo area. The church offers numer-ous other elements of interest, in-cluding the treasury, a collection ofsacred vestments and finely craftedsilver furnishings that date back tobetween the 15th and 18th centuries.These treasures have an inestimablevalue. Another interesting exampleof religious architecture in Alzano isthe little church of San Pietro,known as the Sanctuary of the BeataVergine Addolorata (SorrowfulBlessed Virgin), a gothic-style edificedating back to the 15th century, withpointed arches and a coffered ceil-ing. The centuries-old Palazzo Pe-landi has a beautiful façade; it wasrenovated in the 17th century andstill preserves some interesting fres-coes. Visits should also be made to

CHURCH OF BURRO

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the house of the Caniana family, toCasa Carlessi, Casa Mottoni Moscaand to the castle known as Il Gru-mello at Nese, which is now a farm.Travelling towards the Middle Valley,we come to Nembro (309 m - pop.11,000), to the left of which we findthe road that climbs up to Selvino,one of the most important touristresorts in the Bergamo area; it liesclose to both the provincial capitaland to Milan, at an altitude of 1,000metres and at the beginning of apleasant plateau. But a separate sec-tion will be dedicated to this area.Further on, we arrive at Albino, atown characterised by the presenceof numerous hamlets, several ofwhich are of considerable interest.Mention should be made of the LujoValley, with the little villages of Fiob-bio, Vallalta, Abbazia and Casale thatlead to the Colle Gallo pass at 763 m,which links the Seriana Valley andthe Cavallina Valley; beyond the Col-le Gallo we find Gaverina Terme (400m - pop. 1,000), another importantlocal tourist resort. The Lujo Valleyis a gently sloping, green area with arather pastoral atmosphere. Of par-ticular importance is the church ofRomanesque origin that is located inthe hamlet of Abbazia. Originally aBenedictine Cistercian church, itwas founded in 1135 and renovatedover the course of the subsequentcenturies. Nevertheless, it still main-tains its antique aura of profoundspiritualism. In the hamlet of Fiob-bio, a visit should be paid to the littlechurch of the Trinità (Trinity), whichhouses 15th-century frescoes. Fiob-bio is a charming little village thatbecame rather well-known in recentyears due to the beatification of oneof its daughters, a young womannamed Pierina Morosini, who died inthe early 1950s. Above Vallalta wefind the renowned Altino Sanctuary,which was built after 1496 to com-memorate a miracle that took placethere: a charcoal burner’s prayers to

the Madonna caused water to gushforth from the rock. The Lujo Valleywas once well-known in the Berga-mo area for the production of bili-gocc, smoked chestnuts that aretraditionally sold for the feast ofSant’Antonio. In fact, the festivalknown as the “Sagra dei Biligocc” isstill held every January in Vallalta.Further up the Valley we come toCene (268 m - pop. 2,900); in 1973,in an abandoned quarry near thetown, fossils were found belongingto the oldest known flying reptile,the pterosaur. The fossils date backtwo hundred million years and arenow preserved in Bergamo’s Muse-um of Natural Sciences. Cene marksthe beginning of the Rossa Valley, aninteresting pre-alpine vale, greenwith forests and pastures, whichculminates at a pass known as theForcellino at 664 m. Further on, wedescend towards Bianzano and Ran-zanico, the panorama sweeping overthe Endine Lake. On Monte Bo (707m) we find the Buco della Volpe (lit-erally “the Fox Hole”), a strikingcave that is often visited by pothol-ers. Gazzaniga, Fiorano, Vertovaand Colzate are the four central

SAN PATRIZIO

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SERIANA VALLEY

towns of the Seriana Valley; beyondthem, the Upper Seriana Valley be-gins. In this area, mention should bemade of the splendid natural zone ofthe Vertova Valley, carved out overthe millennia by the Vertova torrent,a crystal-clear waterway that forms,along its course, the magnificentpools known as the Marmitte dei Gi-ganti (Giants’ Pots). The gentle,well-kept path that runs throughthe valley arrives at an altitude of1,200 metres on the slopes of MonteAlben (2,020 m), the first real, strik-ing mountain of the Orobie Prealps,with rocks and peaks that are out-lined against the sunset when seenfrom the Upper Seriana Valley, andagainst the dawn when observedfrom the Brembana Valley. Vertovais an extremely interesting placefrom an architectural and historicalpoint of view. It still preserves nu-merous medieval buildings: thetower house in Piazza Castello, thePaganessi fortified house, the towerin Via Santa Caterina, which is nowthe post office, and so on. The com-plex of the ex-convent, Casa Gueriniand Casa Donini are all from the Ba-roque period of the 17th century. An-other important place to visit is thehistoric centre of Semonte, whichdates back to the 15th century. In thearea, we can also find the ex-Con-vent with the Church of San Pa-trizio, perched on a steep crag abovethe River Serio, with its characteris-tic arches. A mention should also bemade of Orezzo, which lies aboveGazzaniga (600 m), in a panoramicposition: Orezzo is a holiday desti-nation during the summer months.From the village, it is possible toreach the Selvino Plateau, via abeautiful, narrow road that windsthrough the pre-alpine hills. In thisarea, there are also important ex-amples of industrial archaeology,which can be found from Alzano on-wards, and which are at times ratherstriking. VERTOVA VALLEY WATERFALL

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Gazzaniga

Rossa Valley, Monte Sparavera,Locality of Monte d’Avena-Montagnina, Monte Farno, Cross

Cazzano, Gandino, Leffe, Peia

Gandino, Leffe

Gandino

Casonsei, polenta and osei (birds), melgotto biscuit

Gandino

Cazzano, Gandino, Leffe

Monte Farno, Valpiana

Casnigo

Gandino, Leffe

Gandino

Little lake Corrado (Gandino)

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© copyright by bolzano

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46

GANDINO VALLEY

T o the east of Vertova lies a valleyof considerable economic, artistic

and touristic importance: the GandinoValley. Renowned for its textile industriessince the Middle Ages, the valley has re-tained this characteristic over the courseof the centuries. The valley became fa-mous for the production of panno grossobergamasco, an extraordinary coarse ma-terial that was both warm and extremelyhard-wearing, and which was utilised,among other things, to equip the troopsof various European countries. In the20th century, it was the birthplace of sev-eral major textile companies that wenton to be internationally successful. Theindustrial capital of the old land of wool-len fabrics is Leffe, while Gandino is therichest town in terms of art and history.Other towns in the valley include Peia,

VALPIANA DI GANDINO

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Cazzano Sant’Andrea and Casnigo. Thehistory of the valley is represented aboveall by the municipality of Gandino (552 m- pop. 5,550), which preserves documentsdating back to the year 830. The old towncentre is one of the most striking in thewhole province. It has numerous palaz-zos and churches, as well as several tow-ers. We can see the 15th-century Palazzodel Vicario (Vicar’s Palazzo), now thetown hall, with its portico, as well as thecloister of the retirement home, formerlya hospital and convent of the FranciscanFriars. Casa Franchina, Palazzo Ongaro-Frana and Casa Caccia all date back tothe 16th century. Palazzo Giovanelli wasbuilt in 1600, while the artistic façadeand the gateway were added in 1648: thefaçade features thirteen large windowswith wrought-metal gratings. The Palaz-

zo del Salone della Valle is also from theBaroque period. Other houses and palaz-zos can be found in the various streets ofthe town’s historic centre. The BaroqueBasilica of Santa Maria Assunta, whichstands in a small piazza in the centreof the town, is an extremely importantbuilding from the point of view of reli-gious art. Work began on the edifice inaround 1100, but it was rebuilt in 1420and finally transformed in 1649, accord-ing to a plan by the architect Gian MariaBettera from Peia. The façade is made oflocal stone, the baptistery dates back to1565, the bronze balustrade is from 1590and the confessionals are by GiambattistaCaniana and the Fantoni family. The ex-ternal baptistery, the recent work of LuigiAngelini, houses a baptismal font fromthe year 1500. Also of note is the BasilicaMuseum, which was inaugurated in 1929,then renovated in the early 1960s. Its col-lection includes Flemish tapestries, por-traits of Gandino’s most distinguishedcitizens from the 16th century to thepresent day, old tools for working wool,historical parchments, a velvet antepen-dium from the 15th century and anotherin gold brocade with the monogram ofthe Emperor Maximilian (16th century).The Gandino Valley offers pleasant walksfrom its towns to destinations such as theConca del Farno (Farno Basin), the PizzoFormico (Formico Peak), Monte Foga-rolo, Monte Pizzetto, the Piana Valley andthe Monte Sovere, from where you candescend towards Lake Iseo. A visit shouldalso be paid to the Santuario della Trinità(Sanctuary of the Trinity), which repre-sents a patrimony of exceptional impor-tance due to its architecture and frescoes.The church, from the 15th century, wasenlarged a century later and containsfrescoes from that period. On the presby-tery arch, a painting depicts the UniversalJudgement with dramatic and prominentstrokes. The last note regarding the val-ley: the interesting unused industrialbuildings, which represent an architec-tural heritage; an example of a cultureand of a manufacturing society that havenow been left behind.

GANDINO VALLEY

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Regional Natural Park of the Orobie Prealps

Oneta

Riso torrent

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50

LodiCrema

VALBONDIONE

COLERESPIAZZI

LIZZOLA

GROMO

ARDESIO

AZZONE

ValCamonica

SCHILPARIO

OLTRE-SENDA

CLUS0NE

PONTENOSSA MONTE

PORA

GANDINO

LEFFEENDINE

ONETACOLZATE

BRACCA

SERINA

OLTRE IL COLLE ONETAGORNO

SELVINO

CENE

GAVERINATerme MONASTEROLO

del Castello

Lago diEndine

ZOGNOSEDRINA

ALZANO L.VILLA

D'ALME'

GEROSA

VALCAVA

COSTAImagna

FUIPIANO

ALMENNOS. Salvatore

Valtellin a

PassoS. Marco

CUSIOORNICA

VALTORTA

LENNARONCOBELLO

PIAZZATORRE

CARONA

BRANZI

FOPPOLO

VALCANALE

Malpaga

MARTINENGO

ROMANOdi LombardiaCARAVAGGI O

MILANO

MILANO

DALMINE

SOTTO IL MONTEGIOVANNI XXIII TRESCORE

BALNEARIO

SARNICOBERGAMO

Rovato Brescia

VERONA

OLMO ALBREMBO

SAN SIMONE

ValCamonica

Passo delVivione

Passo dellaPresolana

VILMINORE

Lagod'Iseo

Monte Isola

LOVERE

LeccoTALEGGIOVEDESETA

ROTAImagna

TREVIGLIO

S. GIOVANNIBianco CASTIONE

d. PresolanaPEGHERA

BREMBILLA

S. PELLEGRINOTerme

RISO VALLEY

ONETA, SANCTUARY

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T he Riso Valley opens up at themouth of the Upper Seriana

Valley, climbing away to the left. It istraversed by the Riso torrent, wherewater always flows abundantly, andfaces the east wall of the Alben, withits dramatic, overhanging rocks. TheRiso Valley climbs upwards for ap-proximately fifteen kilometres untilit reaches the Colle di Zambla, a 1,260metre-high pass that connects theUpper Seriana Valley and the SerinaValley, which then opens onto theBrembana Valley. The Riso Valleyhas a green, enchanting landscape,rich in beech and fir woods. In thefirst part of the valley the landscapeis relatively vast and flat; then, afterthe junction for Chignolo and Gorno,the road starts to climb noticeably,

though the slopes of the mountainsremain in the distance, resulting ina wide-open panorama. We pass onlytwo small towns, Gorno (475 m - pop.2,100) and Oneta (740 m - pop. 800),as well as numerous little hamlets.The valley has a total population ofapproximately 3,000 inhabitants. Thegroups of houses are neat and well-kept. Particular mention should bemade of the little church square inOneta, with its scaled-down spacesand Lilliput-esque proportions. Be-fore the discovery of tourism, thevalley’s economy depended partly onlivestock breeding, partly on emi-gration, but primarily on hard workin the mines. From Roman timesonwards, numerous zinc and leadmines were worked in the Riso Val-ley. The tunnels still exist to this day,along with the remains of the miners’shacks, furnaces and mineral wash-ing plants. In this area, it is obviouslypossible to find interesting miner-als and fossils, especially near theAlben, and those who love walkingmay see deer in the woods, or cham-ois at higher altitudes. There are alsohedgehogs, foxes and badgers. To con-clude our description of this enchant-ing and unspoiled valley, we shouldmention the Madonna del FrassinoSanctuary; situated on a knoll on theslopes of Monte Alben, it was built fol-lowing the apparition of the Madonnaon 2 July, 1501. A magnificent ashtree (“frassino” in Italian) stood atthe exact point of the manifestation,and was cut down to make way forthe sanctuary. The little church hasa nave and two aisles and preservesnumerous works of art from the 16th

century, including a large polyptychby Gerolamo da Santacroce. Variousfestivals take place during the courseof the year, the most important beingthe Sagra, which is celebrated on thethird Sunday of July. An auction takesplace in which devotees bid for theright to carry the statue of the Ma-donna during the procession.

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Castione, Clusone, Onore, Valbondione

Albani, Alpe Corte, Baita Cernello, Brunone, Coca, Con-soli, Curò, F.lli Calvi, Magnolini, S. Maria in Leten

Castione, Clusone, Gromo

Clusone

Castione, Clusone, Gromo,Rovetta, ValbondioneCastione, Clusone, GromoValbondioneArdesio, Castione, Clusone,Fiorano, Gromo, RovettaFantoni House Museum in Rovetta, Drop Forge Museumat Ponte Nossa, History - Ethnographical - ReligiousMuseum in ArdesioRiver Serio waterfalls (scheduled opening)

Polenta and birds , polenta and roe, casonsei, salumi

Clusone

Clusone

Aviatico, Castione, Cornagera (free climbing)

Castione

Ardesio, Castione, Clusone, Gandellino, Gromo, Oltressenda,Parre, Rovetta, Songavazzo, ValbondioneCastione, Clusone

River Serio:Acqualina, Bondiole, Borlezza, Nesa, Valgoglio, Valzurio torrents

Castione, Valbondione

Castione

Clusone

Spiazzi di Gromo

Sedornia valley

Page 55: Summer Bergamo

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© copyright by bolzano

Page 56: Summer Bergamo

54

UPPER SERIANA VALLEY

LodiCrema

VALBONDIONE

COLERESPIAZZI

LIZZOLA

GROMO

ARDESIO

AZZONE

ValCamonica

SCHILPARIO

OLTRE-SENDA

CLUS0NE

PONTENOSSA

MONTEPORA

GANDINO

LEFFEENDINE

ONETACOLZATE

BRACCA

SERINA

OLTRE IL COLLE

SELVINO

CENE

GAVERINATerme MONASTEROLO

del Castello

Lago diEndine

ZOGNOSEDRINA

ALZANO L.VILLA

D'ALME'

GEROSA

VALCAVA

COSTAImagna

FUIPIANO

ALMENNOS. Salvatore

Valtellin a

PassoS. Marco

CUSIOORNICA

VALTORTA

LENNA

RONCOBELLO

PIAZZATORRE

CARONA

BRANZI

FOPPOLO

VALCANALE

Malpaga

MARTINENGO

ROMANOdi LombardiaCARAVAGGI O

MILANO

MILANO

DALMINE

SOTTO IL MONTEGIOVANNI XXIII TRESCORE

BALNEARIO

SARNICOBERGAMO

Rovato Brescia

VERONA

OLMO ALBREMBO

SAN SIMONE

ValCamonica

Passo delVivione

Passo dellaPresolana

VILMINORE

Lagod'Iseo

Monte Isola

LOVERE

LeccoTALEGGIOVEDESETA

ROTAImagna

TREVIGLIO

S. GIOVANNIBianco CASTIONE

d. PresolanaPEGHERA

BREMBILLA

S. PELLEGRINOTerme

ARDESIO

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The Upper Seriana Valley opens outat Ponte Nossa and immediately

branches off into two large areas nearPonte Selva: on one side we have the Up-per Seriana Valley proper, with Villad’Ogna, Piario, Oltressenda, Ardesio,Valgoglio, Gromo, Gandellino and Val-bondione, the last town, which lies fiftykilometres from Bergamo. On the otherside, climbing away to the right, is theClusone Plateau, and then the Presola-na Basin with the Borlezza Valley. Sepa-rating these two vast areas is a doubleridge of mountains, which culminate inthe Presolana massif. With the UpperSeriana Valley we pass from hill holi-days to out-and-out mountain tourism.The various towns and hamlets do notlie at particularly high altitudes (i.e. be-tween 600 and 1,200 metres), but the

landscape is dominated by rocks andmountains that reach heights of 3,000metres. The first part of the upper valleyis embodied by the basin of Ponte Nossa,where the landscape can be described asboth hilly and mountainous. Premolo,for example, lies in green and hilly sur-roundings; a pleasant little town of ap-proximately 1,000 inhabitants with nu-merous small hamlets. A little furtheron we find Parre, which is set on asmall, sun-soaked plateau. Parre (640 m- pop. 2,500) boasts a thriving economybased on handicrafts and industry. Itwas once an extremely important sheep-farming town, and the practice is stillvery much alive today. The town’s cus-toms reflect a deep-rooted concept ofthe past, and many traditional activitiesstill take place. Over the last decade,several interesting discoveries havebeen made in the locality of Castello:archaeologists have unearthed numer-ous finds dating back to the Bronze Ageand the perimeter walls of an ancientsettlement, leading them to surmisethat Parre may have been the capital ofthe ancient Celtic people known as theOrobi. Above Parre, we should mentionthe small church dedicated to the Trin-ity, with its distinctive portico. At PonteNossa, tourists are advised to visit theNossana Valley with its characteristicdrop forges, whose work is documentedin the museum situated next to thecourse of the torrent. We climb upalongside the River Serio, which flowsabundantly at this point and offers scen-ery of intense beauty, its banks linedwith fir trees. On our left, we will see thelittle town of Piario, which borders thegreat pinewood of Clusone, and thenVilla d’Ogna (Ogna’s little piazza is averitable gem). Higher up, a splendidlittle valley opens out before us, framinga handful of old houses belonging to thehamlets of Nasolino and, further on,Valzurio: the two localities form thetown of Oltressenda Alta. We then ar-rive at Ardesio, the most highly popu-lated town in this branch of the valley.The historic centre is extremely inter-

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esting, with the Oratory of San Pietro,the Caniana parish church and the “Ma-donna delle Grazie” Sanctuary, the des-tination of a devout pilgrimage on thefeast day, 22 June. The municipality ofArdesio encompasses by one of the Se-rio’s side valleys, which is among themost striking in the entire province, itsbeauty in no way inferior to the austeredolomitic panoramas. This is the Valca-nale, carved by the Acqualina torrent, awide valley surrounded by high moun-tains of dolomite rock, whose fir-cov-ered slopes rise to the edge of the crags,the dramatic ridges soaring up like awave of stones above the numeroushamlets that are scattered throughoutthe area. These tiny localities are wellworth a visit: you will discover a uniqueworld with a distinct antique flavour,parts of which are unpopulated and der-elict. The most important hamlet is Val-canale itself. Above the ski lifts we find afootpath, which winds along a splendidroute and through a forest, as far as alarge plateau at 1,450 metres, whichleads to the Alpe Corte Refuge. Valca-nale marks the beginning of the charm-ing Orobie Prealps Path, an eight-stage,80 kilometre route that leads to some ofthe most inaccessible and seductiveplaces in the Orobie Alps. We now re-turn to the bottom of the valley. AfterArdesio, the valley narrows and be-

comes rather dark, with the Serio run-ning between the rocks. After crossingthe Ponte Nuovo bridge, we suddenlycome to a vast, wide open space, at thecentre of which stands the centuries-old town of Gromo, renowned for itsmedieval centre, perhaps the most im-portant one of its kind in the Bergamomountains. This little town (pop. 1,300)definitely deserves a visit. Its little piaz-za with the Ginami Castle and thePalazzo Comunale (Town Hall), datingback to the 14th and 15th centuries re-spectively, leaves a lasting impressionon visitors. The medieval centre is com-pleted by its high houses and narrowlanes.TheParrocchiale (ParishChurch)is an artistic gem, which in its presentform still features Romanesque ele-ments that have been superimposed bysubsequent works. Inside, it is possibleto admire 15th-century frescoes, the16th-century baptistery with numerousother frescoes and a wooden altar by theFantoni family. Several of Gromo’shamlets are worth a visit, including Ri-pa Alta, the starting point of the ancientRoman mule track that led to the Por-tula Pass before descending into theBrembana Valley and, on the oppositeside, the hamlet of Boario, a tiny oldfarming village edged by dense fir woodsthat climb as far as the pastures of Mon-te Timogno. Valgoglio (929 m - pop.600) can be found at a higher altitudethan the other towns; it lies in a sunlitposition, on a gentle slope amid pas-tures and woods that descend fromMonte Agnone. Valgoglio is the startingpoint for spectacular excursions to Sel-va d’Agnone, the Sanguigno Valley, thelakes area (Nero Lake, Aviasco Lake,Succotto Lake...) and the Cernello Ref-uge, at an altitude of approximately2,000 metres. Back in the town, a visitshould be paid to the parish church, thewalls of which are completely coveredwith frescoes from the 15th and 16th cen-turies. Also of interest are the hamletsof Novazza and Colarete; in the latter wefind the little Church of San Michele,which is also completely frescoed, andGROMO

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which features an extremely beautifulcoffered ceiling dating back to the 16th

century. The penultimate town in thevalley is Gandellino (682 m - pop.1,100), with the large hamlet of GromoSan Marino. This little town is situatedin a lovely part of the valley. It is thestarting point for numerous, beautifulwalks, which lead, in one direction, tothe Sedornia Valley and, in the other, tothe little lakes of Cardeto. Beyond Gan-dellino we find the municipality of Val-bondione (750 m - pop. 1,700), the lasttown in the valley. Just before thetown we find the characteristic ham-let of Fiumenero, the starting point ofa footpath that leads to the BrunoneRefuge at 2,295 m, before continuingon to the summit of the Pizzo Redortaat 3,038 m. We are now in the heart ofthe alpine kingdom, with its history, itsshepherds and its wild animals, whichmove among the rocks. From the townof Valbondione, a mule track leads tothe beautiful little hamlet of Maslana, a30 minute walk; and a little further on,several times a year, it is possible to en-joy the spectacle of the Serio waterfall, a315 metre-high cascade with three ma-jestic drops. Valbondione marks the be-ginning of several footpaths that lead tostriking alpine valleys, where the vari-ous outposts are the only evidence ofman’s existence: it is possible to reachthe Coca Refuge (1,892 m) and the CuròRefuge (1,915 m). From these refuges,it is possible to climb up towards smallalpine lakes, valleys and the highestpeaks in the Orobie Alps, such as thePizzo di Coca (3,050 m), the Scais (3,038m) and the Gleno, with its little glacier.One of Valbondione’s most importanthamlets is Lizzola (1,250 m - pop. 300),at the bottom of a large amphitheatre ofmountains where important ski liftscan be found. We leave the area knownas the Upper Seriana Valley and enterthe Clusone plateau. A separate sectionwill be dedicated to this town. Othertowns on the plateau include Rovetta(660 m - pop. 2,100), the home of therenowned Fantoni family, sculptors and

artists who worked with wood and laterwith marble; active from the 15th cen-tury onwards, their residence wastransformed into an extremely inter-esting house museum. Pleasantly situ-ated amongst the greenery of the pla-teau, the hamlet of San Lorenzo is anold farming village where livestockbreeding is still practised. The munici-pality of Fino del Monte (700 m - pop.820) borders with Rovetta and is divid-ed from it by a short bridge. Beforeclimbing any further, we turn right in-to the Borlezza Valley, in which we findthe towns of Songavazzo and Cerete:the valley then descends as far as So-vere and flows into Lake Iseo. In CereteAlto, it is still possible to admire piecesof centuries-old art, such as the fres-coes in the Marinoni Chapel and theCrucifixion in one of the town’s piazzas.In Cerete Basso, a visit should be paidto the old mill, where grain is stillground with stone millstones, whichare turned by a large wheel driven bythe stream. We are now in the Presola-na Basin, with the towns of Castionedella Presolana (870 m - pop. 2,800)and Onore (700 m - pop. 700). The Ba-sin climbs up as far as the PresolanaPass, through a vast, green landscape ofpastures and forests where the sunshines all day long. It can come as nosurprise that this charming place wasvoted the leading mountain holidaydestination in the Province of Berga-mo. We shall speak of Castione dellaPresolana later on.

UPPER SERIANA VALLEY

ALPE CORTE REFUGE

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Albani, Cima Bianca, Tagliaferri

Colere, SchilparioVilminore

Clusone

Vò Valley

Regional Natural Park of the Orobie Prealps

Schilpario

Schilpario, Vilminore

Colere, Schilpario, Vilminore

Azzone, Colere, Schilpario, Vilminore

Schilpario, Vilminore, Azzone, Colere

“Via Mala” Ravine

Schilpario

Pelacor: cold polenta boiled with milk. Local cheeseand salumi, “formaggella” (soft cheese) of the Scalve Valley,Casonsei, Scarpinoc, Donkey stew, San Bartolomeo Cake

Colere, Schilpario, Vilminore

Three Lords Peak, Devil’s PeakBranchino and Publino PassLenna, S. Pellegrino Terme,Zogno (Climbing gymnasium)

Carona, Foppolo, Valleve

Colere, Schilpario

Vilminore

Schilpario

© copyright by bolzano

Page 61: Summer Bergamo

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SCALVE VALLEY

LodiCrema

VALBONDIONE

COLERESPIAZZI

LIZZOLA

GROMO

ARDESIO

AZZONE

ValCamonica

SCHILPARIO

OLTRE-SENDA

CLUS0NE

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MONTEPORA

GANDINO

LEFFEENDINE

ONETACOLZATE

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CENE

GAVERINATerme MONASTEROLO

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Lago diEndine

ZOGNOSEDRINA

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D'ALME'

GEROSA

VALCAVA

COSTAImagna

FUIPIANO

ALMENNOS. Salvatore

Valtellin a

PassoS. Marco

CUSIOORNICA

VALTORTA

LENNA

RONCOBELLO

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CARONA

BRANZI

FOPPOLO

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ROMANOdi LombardiaCARAVAGGI O

MILANO

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DALMINE

SOTTO IL MONTEGIOVANNI XXIII TRESCORE

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Monte Isola

LOVERE

LeccoTALEGGIOVEDESETA

ROTAImagna

TREVIGLIO

S. GIOVANNIBianco CASTIONE

d. PresolanaPEGHERA

BREMBILLA

S. PELLEGRINOTerme

CAMPELLI DI SCHILPARIO

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T he most striking alpine val-ley in the Province of Ber-

gamo opens up beyond the Preso-lana Pass, a landscape of wild, un-touched and varied beauty. A vastarea, where just four small townshave sprung up over the courseof the centuries and which is nowhome to a total of approximately4,500 people.For centuries, the economy ofthese towns was based on mining,historical evidence of which canbe seen in the museum at Schil-pario. There are dozens of ironore and barite mines. On one side,the Scalve Valley is dominated bythe rocks and dramatic cliffs of thePresolana, while on the other it is

closed in by the dolomitic peaks ofthe Pizzo Camino (2,491 m), withits needles and pinnacles that arereminiscent of witches castles, andby the Cimon della Bagozza (2,409m), the Campelli Pass (1,892 m),the Vivione Pass (1,828 m), and bythe black walls of Monte Venerocolo(2,590 m) and Monte Gleno (2,882m). The Scalve Valley can be ac-cessed via two carriageable roads:the one that descends from thePresolana Pass, and the one knownas the Via Mala, which climbs upfrom Boario Terme. A link with theValcamonica is also guaranteed bythe road that runs from Azzone toBorno before descending to theoutskirts of Breno. The VivionePass is also practicable in the fineweather season. The last town inthe valley, at the beginning of theclimb that leads to the Vivione Pass,is Schilpario (1,124 m - pop. 1,300),which lies 66 kilometres from Ber-gamo and is the furthest corner ofthe province. It boasts a rich his-tory of tourism, being perhaps oneof the first towns to systematicallyaccommodate numerous holiday-makers from the beginning of thelast century onwards. The natureoffered by these localities is beyondcompare: peace, quiet, greenery,walks, the possibility of practisingsports and a rhythm of life made tomeasure for humankind are typi-cal of Schilpario and, indeed, of thewhole Scalve Valley. The town hasan extremely interesting ethno-graphical museum, which offers awealth of material. It is set up insidethe building that housed the mill-ing machines and the drop forge,which were powered by paddlesdriven by the water of the Dezzotorrent. Numerous excursions arepossible from Schilpario for hik-ing and mountaineering aficiona-dos (the Vo Valley, the Venerocololittle lakes, the Pizzo Camino, theCimon della Bagozza, etc.), but also

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for mushroom hunters (the valley’sporcini are famous) and for fish-ing enthusiasts, in the torrents andlakes. During the winter, Schilpariooffers one of the best cross-countryski trails in the whole of northernItaly.Throughout the centuries, Vilmi-nore di Scalve (1,019 m - pop.1,800), has played the role of asmall capital in the valley; today,its economy is still based in part onlivestock breeding and on cheeseproduction. Mention should bemade of Scalve’s Latteria Sociale,a dairy that manufactures a host ofmouth-watering products. Thereare many interesting things tosee in Vilminore’s historic centre,particularly the Palazzo Pretorio(Praetorian Palace), a buildingthat dates back to the 14th century.Vilminore offers numerous walks,including a climb to the remainsof the Gleno Dam, the scene of thetragedy of 1923, one to the ManinaPass from the hamlet of Nona, andanother to the Tagliaferri Refuge(2,320 m). Colere, a summer holi-day and winter sports resort, issituated on the slopes of the northwall of the Presolana, in the MiddleScalve Valley, in a setting of strik-ing, austere beauty. In the summer,Colere gives you the opportunityto experience every aspect of themountain: trekking on tradition-al trails and on the Orobie path,climbing on the “vie storiche” (his-toric routes), the oppressive beautyof the Spigolo Nord (North Ridge),exploring the mountain pastures.Colere provides all this and muchmore, completing its offer with tra-ditional activities such as tennis,football, quiet walks and outings.The recently established PresolanaMining Ecomuseum features fos-sils and minerals, as well as oldtools and machines that were usedfor mining work. On the other sideof the valley, in a sunny location,

VILMINORE

AZZONE

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63

we find Azzone (973 m - pop. 500),the smallest town in the Scalve Val-ley, with 500 inhabitants dividedbetween the hamlets of Dosso andDezzo. The presence of the Gio-vetto Reserve and of the new woodmuseum, which has been set up inthe old Furfì sawmills, underlines

the importance of the forests andwood in the Azzone area.In all three localities, the holi-daymaker can experience the in-tense atmosphere of the mountain,which stems from the rocks, thestone walls of the houses and fromthe expressions of the local people.

SCALVE VALLEY

PRESOLANA

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CAVALLINA VALLEY

LOWER SEBINO

UPPER SEBINO

Casazza, Trescore

Predore, Sarnico

Riva di Solto

Lovere

Trescore

Sarnico

Regional Natural Park of the Oglio north-side

Magnolini

Costa Volpino, Lovere

Lovere

Riva di Solto, Lovere, Solto Collina

The Tadini Academy In Lovere

Spring of cold sulphureous mineral water(Tuf valley)

Berta Fauna Reserve, Valle del Freddo(The Cold Valley)

Lovere

Costa Volpino

Costa Volpino, Lovere

Lovere (Rowing and Rafting)

Bossico, Costa Volpino, Lovere, Riva di Solto

Lovere

Rice and turnip,Bernia (dehydrated mutton), lake fish

Bossico, Casto, Costa Volpino, Fonteno,Lovere, Riva di Solto, Solto Collina

Lovere (free climbing)

Sarnico

Sarnico

Chiuduno

Predore

Lovere

Gaverina Terme

Grone, Ranzanico, Trescore

Predore, Sarnico

Grone, Trescore

Sarnico

Monasterolo, Spinone

Sarnico

Lake fish

Stuffed tench

Casazza, Endine, Grone, Monasterolo, Ranzanico, SpinoneTrescore

Sarnico, Vigolo

Regional Natural Reserves of Valle del freddo(The Cold Valley) and Valpredina

Spinone al lago

Trescore

Spinone

vv

vv

vv

v v

Tavernola, Parzanica

Endine-Iseo Zones, Colli di San Fermo,Basso e Colle Giogo, Lake Iseo

Casazza, Endine, Monasterolo, Spinone, Trescore

Adrara S. Martino, Predore, Sarnico, Tavernola

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THE LAKES© copyright by bolzano

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66

THE LAKES

T ourism in the Province of Ber-gamo is not confined solely to

the mountains; holidays may also betaken on the shores of several splen-did lakes, vast expanses of fresh waterthat stretch out between the OrobiePrealps. We begin with the charmingEndine Lake in the Cavallina Valley, adelightful stretch of water with anelongated form that is typical of pre-alpine lakes of glacial origin. Approx-imately five kilometres long, with amaximum width of 700 metres and aminimum width of 100 metres, it hasno important tributary but is fed bytorrents from the side valleys. Its ef-fluent is the River Cherio. The end ofthe Endine Lake marks the begin-ning of the small but picturesque Ga-iano Lake, which is 200 metres long

LAKE ISEO AND MONTE ISOLA

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and 100 metres wide. Before the En-dine Lake, we find the towns of Casaz-za and Gaverina Terme (500 m – pop.831). The former is the home of theMuseum of Valle Cavallina, whichstudies the relationship betweenman and the environment through-out the history of the valley. Gaverinais composed of four hamlets: Fonti,Trate, Gaverina and Piano. In addi-tion to the important springs, themunicipality is also home to the 14th-century Suardi tower, which is locat-ed in the hamlet of Piano. Climbingfurther up we reach the Colle Gallo at753 metres, then the Lujo Valley andthe Seriana Valley. Nearby, we findthe Colle Gallo Sanctuary with theMadonna dei ciclisti (Madonna of Cy-clists) Museum. After Gaverina and

Casazza we come to Spinone, wherethe Endine Lake begins. At Spinoneal Lago there are several lakesidebeaches, cane thickets and restau-rants, as well as opportunities forboat trips and fishing. In the town avisit should be made to the smallchurch of San Pietro in Vincoli,which dates back to the 11th century.The church was slightly enlarged inaround 1420. Of particular interestare the frescoes in the presbytery de-picting prophets and sibyls, whichdraw inspiration from the painting ofLorenzo Lotto. At Spinone we alsofind the renowned San Carlo Springs,where San Carlo Borromeo is said tohave sought refreshment during hisvisit in 1575. Climbing up the TufValley, we reach a delightful settingthat is home to an extremely well-known spring, which yields cold, sul-phureous mineral water. On the op-posite side of the lake to Spinone wefind Monasterolo del Castello. TheEndine Lake has this unique charac-teristic: wherever you look, you willbe rewarded with beautiful views,which encompass natural land-scapes, lakeside villages and fortifiedstructures. At Monasterolo, it is im-possible not to stop at the medievalcastle, which dates back to the 13th

century but has been enriched byvarious 16th and 17th-century addi-tions. In the Parish Church of theSantissimo Salvatore (Most HolySaviour) we find works by Carpinoni,Sanz and Andrea Fantoni. Climbingup from the left bank, we come to thetown of Endine Gaiano (380 m – pop.2,800). The town offers the beautifullittle Church of San Remigio, whichhouses works by Carpinoni. A routethat follows the course of the FerroValley (literally “The Iron Valley”)torrent, on the other hand, leads to apeaceful locality with a picnic area anda fitness trail. Mention should also bemade of the other towns that overlookthe lake: Ranzanico and Bianzano.Both preserve important traces of

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their long history. The 15th-centuryOratory of San Bernardino stands inRanzanico, while in Bianzano we findthe14th-century Suardi Castle. Thosewho find themselves in the vicinity ofthe Endine Lake and Lake Iseo shouldvisit the Freddo Valley (literally “TheCold Valley”), a protected area thatoffers spectacular nature. The valleystretches along the slope that de-scends towards Riva di Solto at ap-proximately 400 metres above sealevel; it is home to high mountainvegetation due to the cold air thatemerges from the substratum. Here,it is even possible to find rhododen-drons and edelweiss, not to mentionsome veritable rarities. It should beconsidered that the ground tempera-ture rarely exceed 4-5 degrees, evenduring the summer. The area is pro-tected, but guided tours are available.After Endine, we enter the vast basinof the Sebino, where we find LakeIseo, which is surrounded by tower-ing peaks. The lake is fed by the RiverOglio; it boasts a maximum depth of251 metres, a width of two and a halfkilometres and a perimeter of ap-proximately sixty kilometres. At itscentre stands the largest lake islandin Europe: Monte Isola, a veritablegreen gem scattered with tiny dis-tricts and sober aristocratic villas.Lake Iseo is an extremely importantholiday destination, which offersbathing, boating, windsurfing andfishing; there is also the possibility toenjoy walks, and to sample the peaceand quiet of the localities that lie be-tween the lake and the green of themountains. The lake is divided, withshores in the provinces of both Bres-cia and Bergamo. In the Province ofBergamo, the main towns that over-look the lake are Lovere, Castro, Rivadi Solto, Tavernola, Predore and Sar-nico. With regard to tourism, particu-lar mention should be made of Lovere,with its numerous palazzos, monu-ments and churches, and its medi-eval town centre that stretches down

BOSSICO, MAGNOLINI REFUGE

PREDORE

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69

towards the lake. The Renaissance-style Basilica of Santa Maria inValvedra was built in 1473. The inte-rior was partly rebuilt in the Baroqueperiod, and contains works by Moro-ni, Moretto, Cavagna, and Carpinoni.Also of interest is the old parishchurch dedicated to Saint George.Mention should also be made of theTorre del Comune (Municipal Tower,14th century), the Torre Soca (SocaTower, 13th century), and the churchof San Giorgio Martire (St Georgethe Martyr, 14th century). A visitshould be paid to the art gallery inPalazzo Tadini, a driving force be-hind the town’s cultural activities.The edifice was built at the beginningof the 19th century in neoclassicalstyle by Count Luigi Tadini, who en-trusted the design to the architectSebastiano Salimbeni. It housesworks by Jacopo Bellini, Parmigiani-no, Pitocchetto, Antonio Cifrondi,Tiepolo, and Van Dijck. Inside themuseum we find a sculpture by Cano-va, porcelain pieces from Sèvres andCapodimonte, Renaissance bronzes,medieval armour and numerous oth-er interesting objects. At the foot ofMonte Cala, it is still possible to see

the remains of a Gallic fortress,which dates back to the 4th centuryBC. Today, Lovere has a host of res-taurants and meeting places, as wellas many boating, sailing and wind-surfing clubs. Located in a uniquesetting, the Lovere Marina is one ofthe most modern and well-equippedlakeside nautical facilities in Europe.Situated in an ideal position and sit-ting on the cutting edge from a func-tional and technological standpoint,it is the perfect mooring post both forthose who wish to enjoy a beautifuland charming lake like the Sebino,and those who wish to visit and dis-cover the wonders of the hinterlandand the nearby islands. Its stylisticand architectural beauty, the qualityof the materials, the vast natural, rec-reational and commercial areas andthe numerous opportunities for sportmake this a modern facility that issuitable for high-level boating and aplace where it is possible to enjoy thebeauty of the landscape in a sophisti-cated and relaxing atmosphere. Nearto Lovere, at an altitude of 900 me-tres, the town of Bossico is the idealplace for a visit or a holiday; lying ona beautiful green plateau and un-

THE LAKES

MONASTEROLO, CASTLE

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TAVERNOLA

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touched by thoughtless building de-velopments, this peaceful locality of-fers numerous possibilities for de-lightful walks and flying visits to thelake. With regard to tourism, otherimportant localities include the holi-day towns of Castro, Predore and Sar-nico. At Castro it is possible to admirethe little port, which is bordered byhouses. The road that begins here israther striking in places; carved intothe rock, it follows the western shoreof the lake to Tavernola, before con-tinuing to Predore and Sarnico. Abovethe lake we find several extremelybeautiful summer resorts such asVigolo (600 m), a hill town and Taver-nola, where a visit must be paid to thehamlet of Cambianica with the littleRomanesque church of Saint Michael,and Predore, where numerous handi-craft businesses and boatyards flour-ish, together with tourist businessesrelated to the pursuits of bathing andfishing. One of the most importantlake resorts in the Province of Berga-mo is undoubtedly Sarnico, with itsnumerous hotels and eating/drinkingestablishments, beautiful lakesidepromenade and shopping centre fullof bars, shops and boutiques. The ar-

chitect Sommaruga left his mark onthe town during the Art Nouveau pe-riod. Sarnico can also boast a well-established boat manufacturing in-dustry and various races and speedcompetitions take place on the lake.The town’s history is lost in the mistsof the centuries. It is known that in1102, the Emperor Henry IV spoke ofprivileges regarding Sarnico and Iseo.And it was at Sarnico that a steamboatappeared for the first time in Italy, inthe mid-19th century. The craft,named the “Arciduca Leopoldo”(Archduke Leopold), was launched in1841. At the beginning of the last cen-tury, the lake was linked to the rail-way network by a short stretch oftrack that connected Paratico toPalazzolo, a line that still exists tothis day. A ferry boat service was es-tablished on the lake, which trans-ported railway carriages to the vari-ous towns in the area. A visit shouldbe paid to the little Romanesquechurch dedicated to the saints Roccoand Nazario, situated just above thehamlet of Castione and dating back tothe 12th century (the portico is fromthe 15th century).

THE LAKES

BIANZANO

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Taleggio Valley, Pizzino

Castle of Marne

Avaro (Miser’s) plain - Three Lords Peak group

LOCALITIES

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LOCALITIES

LodiCrema

VALBONDIONE

COLERESPIAZZI

LIZZOLA

GROMO

ARDESIO

AZZONE

ValCamonica

SCHILPARIO

OLTRE-SENDA

CLUS0NE

PONTENOSSA

MONTEPORA

GANDINO

LEFFEENDINE

ONETACOLZATE

BRACCA

SERINA

OLTRE IL COLLE

SELVINO

CENE

GAVERINATerme MONASTEROLO

del Castello

Lago diEndine

ZOGNOSEDRINA

ALZANO L.VILLA

D'ALME'

GEROSA

VALCAVA

COSTAImagna

FUIPIANO

ALMENNOS. Salvatore

Valtellin a

PassoS. Marco

CUSIOORNICA

VALTORTA

LENNA

RONCOBELLO

PIAZZATORRE

CARONA

BRANZI

FOPPOLO

VALCANALE

Malpaga

MARTINENGO

ROMANOdi LombardiaCARAVAGGI O

MILANO

MILANO

DALMINE

SOTTO IL MONTEGIOVANNI XXIII TRESCORE

BALNEARIO

SARNICOBERGAMO

Rovato Brescia

VERONA

OLMO ALBREMBO

SAN SIMONE

ValCamonica

Passo delVivione

Passo dellaPresolana

VILMINORE

Lagod'Iseo

Monte Isola

LOVERE

LeccoTALEGGIOVEDESETA

ROTAImagna

TREVIGLIO

S. GIOVANNIBianco CASTIONE

d. PresolanaPEGHERA

BREMBILLA

S. PELLEGRINOTerme

CLUSONE, S. LUCIO

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75

CLUSONEThe little capital of the Upper SerianaValley stands at an altitude of 648metres and has approximately 8,000inhabitants. The town’s tourismindustry was already established bythe beginning of the last century. Atthat time, Clusone was a resort forthe elite: the people who could affordto take holidays were few and far be-tween. Clusone, located on a delight-ful plateau in the heart of the valley,was easy to reach: the 33 kilometrejourney from Bergamo took about anhour on the Seriana Valley train. Witha coach and horses it took at leastthree times as long. Clusone’s hotelsbegan to appear during this period.Nowadays, the tourism business is

based primarily on holiday homes,which are either owned or rented.The town offers an enviable climate, apinewood of exceptional importance,pleasant walks and an extremelyinteresting historic centre. First ofall, we must mention the PalazzoComunale (Town Hall), which datesback to the year 1000; its façade isdecorated with numerous frescoesdepicting secular life and several oth-ers of a religious nature. Moreover,nearly all the façades in the old towncentre must have been frescoed in thepast: traces can be seen everywhere.The Palazzo Comunale also featuresthe wonderful Fanzago AstronomicalClock, which since 1583 has shownnot only the time, but also the day,the month, the signs of the zodiacand even the seasons and the moons.A work of extraordinary importance.In the medieval style quarter we cansee old aristocratic buildings suchas Palazzo Marinoni Barca, PalazzoFogaccia, Carrara Spinelli, etc.A visit should be paid to the littlechurch of the Disciplined, with itsimportant cycle of frescoes datingback to circa 1470, which depict themain evangelical scenes. Above thepresbytery we find a work of funda-mental importance: a richly detailedcrucifixion which, due to its dramaticforce, represents a true work of artfrom the 15th century. On the façadewe can see a work of internationalsignificance: the three-part frescowith the Danza Macabra (DanceMacabre), the Trionfo della Morte(Triumph of Death) and the Destinodei Beati e dei Peccatori (Fate of theBlessed and the Sinful), the work ofan unknown artist, which dates backto 1485. Visits should also be paid tothe Romanesque Chiesa del Paradiso(Church of Paradise); Sant’Anna,with its frescoed façade; the church ofSan Defendente, which is rich in 15th

and 16th-century paintings, and tothe great Basilica from the end of the17th century, with the 15th-century

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baptismal font, the altar by AndreaFantoni and works by SebastianoRicci, Cavagna, Cifrondi, Querenaand Carpinoni. In the pinewood,a visit should be made to the 17th-century Cappella dei Morti Vecchi(Chapel of the Old Dead), whichwas built on the old valley road; thelatter is now a mule track that runsthrough the pinewood to the hamletof Fiorine, amidst a natural land-scape of rare beauty. From Clusone,numerous walks are possible in thelush greenery of the plateau or in theshadowy and fragrant pinewood. Al-ternatively, you can climb the pathsthat lead to San Lucio (1,000 metres)or to Pizzo Formico (Formico Peak,1,637 metres) or to the Fontaninodella Mamma (literally “Mother’sLittle Fountain”), or to Monte Blum,continuing until you reach thePresolana.

CASTIONE DELLA PRESOLANAThe most important tourist area inthe Seriana Valley and the entireProvince of Bergamo. Just considerthat as many as 83 percent of thedwellings in Castione della Presolanaare used primarily as holiday homes.

The Presolana Basin, dominated bythe “queen mountain” of the OrobieAlps, is first and foremost a naturalenvironment of incomparable beauty,worthy of comparison with the morefamous dolomitic panoramas. Pin-ewoods, modestly-sized mountains,hollows and streams can be foundin the Basin, in a vast, pleasant area.The Basin’s attractions are of an es-sentially naturalistic kind, relatedto the climate, the landscape and tothe walks and excursions. First ofall, mention must be made of thePresolana Pass at 1,297 metres, withthe area of hotels, the pinewoods andthe place known as Salto degli Sposi(Lovers’ Leap), with its view of theScalve Valley. The Pass is the startingpoint for walks that lead to the sum-mit of the Presolana and to severalother mountain localities, such asthe Grotta dei Pagani (Pagans’ Cave),the Rino Olmo Refuge (belonging tothe Italian Alpine Club of Clusone)and Monte Visolo. The PresolanaPass marks the end of the traditionalOrobie Prealps Path. Other footpathsin the Basin include the one known asthe Via del Latte (Milky Way), whichpasses chalets and huts where cheeseis produced, and the one that leadsto Monte Varro and to the delightfulTede Valley, Cima di Campo and theMalga Bassa di Pora (a hut). MontePora (1,879 metres) is extremelyimportant for winter tourism in theBasin: it is home to some of the mostrenowned ski lifts in the Provinceof Bergamo. In the summer, a typi-cal walk is the one that leads to theMagnolini Refuge (1,612 m), situatedon the plateau that offers a splendidview of Lake Iseo. In Castione, a visitshould be paid to the Parrocchiale(Parish Church), which is home tovaluable paintings by Carpinoni andsculptures by the Fantoni family. InDorga, mention should be made ofthe Santuario delle Grazie (Sanctu-ary of Grace) in Lantana, at the footof Monte Pora, a building that dates

CLUSONE, DANCE MACABRE (DETAIL)

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back to the 15th century, but whichfeatures an 11th-century sculpture onits portal, depicting Saint Sylvester.Also of interest are the numerous“santelle” (painted shrines) on thewalls of the chalets and farmhouses.

SAN PELLEGRINO TERMETouched by the charming and deca-dent art nouveau style of the early20th century, San Pellegrino has ex-perienced the extravagances of themost prestigious form of tourism,which even appealed to the royalfamily. Between the end of the 19th

and the beginning of the 20th centu-ries, this little town in the BrembanaValley enjoyed its greatest tourismboom, as can be seen by the buildingsand transport systems that were con-structed during this period: the state-ly and striking Grand Hotel, the luxu-rious casino, the railway and the littlestations scattered along the valley,all built with particular architecturalprecision. San Pellegrino owes itsfame to its position amidst the green-ery of the valley, which is dominatedby modest peaks and offers manypleasant walks, to its water, which isrenowned throughout the world, butabove all to its spa baths, which aretemporarily closed while plans aredrawn up for their renovation and re-

opening. The first written evidence ofthe existence of the waters dates backto the municipal charters of 1452.The Dissertazioni sull’acqua di SanPellegrino (Treatises on the Water ofSan Pellegrino) by the doctor AlbertoAstori were written in 1740. A centu-ry later, the waters of San Pellegrinowere recommended for the treatmentof lithiasis of the urinary tract, hype-ruricaemia, lymphatic diathesis, obe-sity, diseases of the liver and biliarysystem and diseases of the digestivesystem. The first spa baths were builtin around 1840.But the most important buildingworks date back to the early 1900s:the Casino, the Grand Hotel, the newSpa Bath and Treatment Buildingand the hydropinic treatment room.The locality, situated at 358 m abovesea level in the Brembana Valley, of-fers the tourist much more thanthe spa baths; San Pellegrino boastshotels, eating/drinking establish-ments, minigolf, grass skiing, tennis,a swimming pool, clay pigeon shoot-ing... a host of tourist infrastructures.There is even a funicular, though it istemporarily out of service. Built in1909, it climbs up to the Vetta (Sum-mit), a natural terrace that lies atan altitude of 650 metres, where the“Grotte del Sogno” (Dream Caves)were discovered in 1931. Sadly, thelittle valley railway, which travelledfrom Bergamo to Piazza Brembanaand had its main station at San Pel-legrino, no longer exists: it was notonly a means of transport, but also atourist attraction. During the sum-mer, numerous cultural and enter-tainment events take place in SanPellegrino: concerts, festivals, exhi-bitions and so on. Tourists can takeadvantage of a fitness trail and thereare also numerous walks, such asthose to Sant’Antonio Abbandonato,the Pizzo Cerro (Cerro Peak), MonteSornadello, Monte Gioco and MonteZucco, peaks that range from 1,000 to1,600 metres above sea level.

LOCALITIES

S. PELLEGRINO, CASINO

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S. GIOVANNI BIANCOAND CORNELLO DEI TASSOSan Giovanni Bianco, with Har-lequin’s house and the hamlet ofCornello, is the holiday destinationin the valley that is richest in history,olden-day ambience and testimoniesof former times. San Giovanni Biancolies at 450 metres above sea level atthe confluence of the Enna torrentand the River Brembo, at the junctionbetween the Taleggio and BrembanaValleys. The town straddles the riverand evidence of its antiquity can beseen in both its layout (narrow lanes,houses leaning one against the other,unexpected and irregular open spac-es) and its architecture (stone houses,portals, porticoes with cross vaults,bridges). In San Giovanni Bianco,mention should be made of PiazzaZignone, with the monument to thesoldier Vistallo Zignone who, in 1495,presented the town with a thorn fromthe crown of Christ. The thorn hadbeen presented to Zignone by the Ve-netian Republic, as an acknowledge-ment of his heroic actions during thebattle against Charles VIII of France.Formerly preserved in a chapel in Par-is, the thorn is now housed in the par-

ish church. After visiting the strikingpiazza, the surrounding lanes shouldbe explored; but, above all, visitorsmust witness the spectacular sight ofthe bridges over the Brembo and theporticoed street that stretches on theother side of the river, which was themain road into the valley until 1882.In that year, a new road was built, thepresent-day one, which was obtainedby demolishing a part of the town’shistoric centre. The house that sup-posedly belonged to Harlequin, thenative of Bergamo who emigrated toVenice, can be found in the tiny ham-let of Oneta. In reality, it belonged tothe famous actor Giovanni Ganassa,of the troupe Compagnia dei Gelosi(Company of Jealous Ones), who reg-ularly played the character. The househas maintained its antique character,a unique blend of rustic and Venetian.A few kilometres after San GiovanniBianco, we park the car and climb themule track which, in five minutes,leads us to Cornello dei Tasso, an oldfortified village built on a green slope,which appears as it did five centuriesago. You will enjoy an evocative visit.A completely porticoed street, whichwas once lined with stalls and inns,

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a delightful little piazza and a littleRomanesque church with a leaningbell tower. Cornello dei Tasso was animportant stop for the merchants whotravelled up the valley with their mulecaravans. These places ooze withhistorical charm. Europe’s first postalservice was established here by theTasso family, whose lineage includesthe poet Torquato Tasso.

SELVINOThe Selvino Plateau, after thePresolana Basin, is one of the mosthighly-developed tourist areas in theProvince of Bergamo. The main cen-tre of this thriving tourist industry isundoubtedly Selvino, an old farmingvillage that suddenly enjoyed greatsuccess in this sector, thanks to thedelicate beauty of its hills, which lieat an altitude of 1,000 metres. Thereare various tourist infrastructures,including a swimming pool, tennisand bowls courts, two football pitches,numerous restaurants, pizzeriasand bars. Selvino and its plateau arelocated on the hills that act as awatershed between the Seriana Val-ley and the Brembana Valley. Oneof the important roads that used toconnect Bergamo to the BrembanaValley passed this way, thus favouringthe town’s development The touristtrade concerns all the localities inthe area, starting with Aviatico (1,100m – pop. 500), whose economy wasbased for centuries on sheep farmingand livestock breeding. The parishchurch houses canvases by Giambat-tista Moroni, Antonio Cifrondi, EneaTalpino and Pietro Gualdi. Variousworks of art are preserved in the par-ish churches of the delightful littlehamlets of Amora, Ama and Ganda.Numerous walks are possible fromSelvino, including one that descendsthrough forests and meadows tothe Maresana, before continuing toBergamo (a charming and gentlepre-alpine route), one that leads toMonte Podona (1,228 metres) and to

Monte di Nese, and another that leadsto Monte Rena (1,145 metres), a para-dise for hang-gliding and paraglidingenthusiasts. From both Aviatico andSelvino it is possible to climb up toMonte Poieto, to the beautiful naturalrock gymnasium of the Cornagera.Aviatico also offers beautiful walks toMonte Suchello (1,505 metres) andthen to the Alben (2,020 metres); andto Monte Cedrina (1,125 metres), de-scending in the Vertova Valley.The tiny hamlets are also pleasantplaces for a holiday, as they provideeven greater peace and tranquillity.From Ganda and Amora, a beautifulwalk leads to Orezzo.

OUTSIDE THE TOURIST CIRCUITThere are many places which, for vari-ous reasons, play an important role inthe local holiday industry, but whichlie outside of the traditional touristareas. A good example is the Valbrem-bo Airport, where gliding enthusiastscan observe the flight of these ultra-light aircraft or enquire about enroll-ing on one of the special courses. Aninteresting visit can also be paid tothe Fantasy World-Minitalia ThemePark at Capriate San Gervasio, onthe road to Milan, a miniature ver-sion of Italy with extremely detailedscale reproductions of its cities andmonuments, and with a large park,refreshment bars and entertainment.Mention should also be made of theParco delle Cornelle, where it is pos-sible to see dozens and dozens of ani-mal species roaming freely in vast ar-eas with modern facilities. Our mainrecommendation to tourists visitingthe lakes or valleys is the Parco deiColli di Bergamo (Park of the Ber-gamo Hills), a nature reserve wherethe greenery lives in perfect harmonywith the old human settlements, thusdrawing comparisons with the Tuscanhills. The park primarily encompassesthe municipality of Bergamo, but alsostretches to neighbouring localities:Almè, Sorisole, Mozzo, etc. An oasis

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of greenery, footpaths and old narrowroads at the foot of the Orobie Pre-alps. And we should also rememberthe Fontanile Brancaleone reserveat Caravaggio, right in the middleof the Po Valley, where the chan-nelled springs, a phenomenon thathas existed since Roman times, arean extremely striking feature. Situ-ated on the border of the Province ofBergamo, the rock engravings park atCapodiponte (BS) is of internationalimportance. Leisure time can bespent at Aquasplash, not far from Sar-nico, a water park with exciting slidesand rides. Religious tourism woulddeserve a chapter of its own.Here, we will mention just Sotto ilMonte, the birthplace of Pope JohnXXIII, for years the destination of acontinuous and substantial pilgrim-age, and Caravaggio, with the Sanc-tuary of the Madonna, whose spring,the tangible sign of the miracle thattook place back in 1432, provides wa-ter for millions of pilgrims.

REFUGESNumerous refuges can be found alongthe paths of the Bergamo mountains.The highest ones are the Brunone

Refuge in the Seriana Valley (2,295 m)and the Nani Tagliaferri Refuge in theScalve Valley (2,328 m).Some of the main refuges are the onesthat are found along the route of theOrobie Prealps Path: Alpe Corte (1,410m), Laghi Gemelli (1,968 m), FratelliCalvi (2,015 m), Brunone (2,295 m),Coca (1,892 m), Curò (1,915 m), Alba-ni (1,939 m). The Western Orobie Pre-alps Path, which stretches throughthe Brembana Valley, passes the fol-lowing refuges: Gherardi (1,647 m),Cazzaniga (1,889 m), Grassi (1,987m), Benigni (2,222 m), Cà San Marco(1,830 m), Calvi (2,015 m). The twoOrobie paths are an extremely im-portant attraction for mountain lov-ers. They are divided respectively intoeight and seven stages, making it pos-sible to cover only specific parts of theroutes. The traditional Orobie PrealpsPath begins in Valcanale, winding foreighty kilometres as far as the CuròRefuge above Valbondione, beforecontinuing to the Albani Refuge andthe Presolana. The Western Path setsoff from Cassiglio in the BrembanaValley, climbs up to the Gherardi Ref-uge and then continues to the CalviRefuge, above Carona.

TWIN LAKES

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SPA RESORTThe Province of Bergamo also pres-ents opportunities for spa holidays.In the Brembana Valley, the Braccaspa offers low mineral content-alka-line-lithia waters, which are used inhydropinic treatments for diseasesof the digestive system, for disordersinvolving alterations in the metabo-lism and for kidney stones. The sul-phate-bicarbonate-alkaline waters ofthe renowned San Pellegrino spa aresuitable for hydropinic, inhalationand irrigation treatments. Here, it ispossible to enjoy baths, hydromas-sages and mud baths. Treatments rec-ommended for diseases of the kidneysand the urinary tract, the metabolism,the digestive system, the liver and ofthe biliary and respiratory systems.At Sant’Omobono we find sulphurouswaters, which are used in hydropinic,inhalation and irrigation treatmentsfor the digestive system, the liver, theurinary tract and for respiratory andskin diseases. At Trescore Balneario,the spa offers sulphurous-sodium-chlorinated waters that are rich in sul-phurated hydrogen. They are used forinhalation treatments and mud bathsand are recommended for diseasesof the respiratory system. The mudbaths of Trescore are used to treatforms of arthritis and rheumatism.The Gaverina spa is characterised by

bicarbonate-alkaline-sulphurous wa-ters, with hydropinic treatment forgastro-intestinal diseases, for biliaryand renal disorders and diseases andfor the treatment of gout.

NATURE RESERVES AND PARKSThe Province of Bergamo boasts na-ture reserves of all shapes and sizes.To begin with, we have the Parcodei Colli di Bergamo (Park of theBergamo Hills), which is extremelyimportant as it encompasses a vastzone surrounding the city, a hilly areawhere forests, footpaths, farmhousesand roads built by man up until thebeginning of the last century are stillintact, coexisting in perfect harmony.The park is traversed by numerouscharming footpaths, in a lush naturalenvironment where it is possible tosee interesting fauna and flora. An-other important area in the provinceis the Giovetto nature reserve in theScalve Valley, where a wonderful firwood is home to the renowned formi-ca rufa ant, a balancing factor in thewoodlands due its ability to eliminatevarious parasites from the trees, in-cluding the pine processionary moth.Next, we have the delightful Barbelli-no-Belviso Reserve, which begins atthe Curò Refuge above Valbondioneand incorporates an extremely vast ar-ea, descending into the Valtellina andcovering the provinces of Bergamo,Sondrio and Brescia. A veritable fau-nal paradise, which is home to thou-sands of chamois, ibexes, mouflons,red deer, roe deer, eagles, marmotsand ermines. In the area of Cenatewe must also mention the Valpredinaregional nature reserve, a WWF oa-sis, characterised by the presence ofa botanical garden in which Mediter-ranean vegetation has been artificiallyintroduced, adapting excellently tothe favourable climatic conditions. Itcontains pines, olives, cypresses, ar-butuses, camphor trees, pittosporumsetc., as well as fauna typical of the pre-alpine area, including many species

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of passerines, raptors, badgers, beechmartens, hedgehogs, squirrels, etc.The Parco delle Orobie Bergamasche(Bergamo Orobie Prealps Park) lies onthe Bergamo side of the Orobie moun-tain chain, which is characterised bypeaks that soar to altitudes of between2,000 and 3,000 metres, and by deepvalleys that feed the province’s mainrivers. In terms of expanse and variety,the forests are one of the park’s fin-est features, and as we climb throughthe various altitude belts towards thesnowy and rocky areas, we encounterbeech woods, spruce and silver-fir for-ests, larch woods and high mountainpastures and meadows. There is a con-siderable presence of characteristicalpine fauna, including some particu-larly rare species, such as the ptarmi-gan and the golden eagle. The ibex hasrecently been reintroduced.We now move on to the Parco Fluvialedel Serio (Serio River Park), whosecharacteristic element is water andwhere the presence of a rich and var-ied landscape is a fundamental factorin the presence of numerous ecosys-tems that give rise to flora and faunathat is suited to specific environmen-tal conditions. In the Municipality of

Valbrembo we can also find the ParcoFaunistico delle Cornelle (CornelleFauna Park), a lush green area thatis home to dozens of animal speciesfrom throughout the world. BetweenApril and September, the area can bevisited every day, from 9.00 am to 7.00pm, while from October to March itis open from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. Theinternationally renowned Sentiero deiFiori (Path of Flowers), in the towns ofOltre il Colle and Zambla, is an itiner-ary of major scientific and naturalisticimportance; set in a striking moun-tain environment, it is home to plantsof prehistoric origin that survived theIce age. Finally, we must not forget theFreddo Valley nature reserve, which ismentioned elsewhere.

MUSEUMSThe city of Bergamo offers numerousinteresting exhibitions, but there isalso a host of museums in the prov-ince. Several museums are extremelywell known, such as the AccademiaCarrara and the city’s other collec-tions, the Tadini Gallery in Lovere, theGandino Basilica Museum and the Af-rican Village in Urgnano; others havea more local character and revolvearound specific themes; others stillare small collections of art and histor-ical objects that are jealously guardedby various communities. At AlmennoSan Bartolomeo we find the Tino SanaCarpentry Museum, where it is pos-sible to admire tools, utensils, recon-structions of workshops and of otherobjects, such as several carriages, asection dedicated to puppets and theMuseum of the Bicycle, which tellsthe story of the top racing cyclist Fe-lice Gimondi. In Ardesio, the Ethno-graphical Museum presents miningand metalworking tools, implementsused by woodcutters and charcoalburners and utensils associated withthe cultivation and processing of flax.Also of interest is Calcinate’s Museumof African Art and Culture, which fea-tures a life-size reconstruction of an

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African village. There is also the Na-tivity Scene Museum in Dalmine, theBasilica Museum in Gandino, the Ta-dini Academy of Fine Arts in Loverewith its rich exhibition of paintings,the Drop Forge Museum at PonteNossa, which is set up, as the namesuggests, inside an old drop forge thatis still operational, and the FantoniHouse Museum in Rovetta, where it ispossible to see objects, drawings andtools that once belonged to the greatfamily of wood sculptors. At Schil-pario we find another important eth-nographical museum that chronicleslife in the valley. At Sotto il Monte wecan visit the Museum of Pope JohnXXIII, and at Gandino the Museumof the Basilica of Santa Maria Assun-ta. Zogno is home to the Museum ofthe Valley, which features collectionsof an ethnographical nature concern-ing civilisation and life in the valley,and at San Pellegrino Terme we findthe Brembana Valley of Natural Sci-ences. Moreover, throughout theprovince there are countless othercollections of sacred art and mono-graphs that incorporate the master-pieces of Bergamo’s artistic history;hundreds and hundreds of works,

paintings, sculptures, drawings, fab-rics, goldwork objects, ceramics andbronzes. A body of inestimable value,which demonstrates the local peoples’extraordinary appreciation of beautyand its manifestations. Most of themuseums in the province have origi-nated from private collections, thefruit of the generous commitment ofenthusiastic collectors who were ableto reconcile their passion and theirinterests with the desire to favour thegrowth of public culture.

ART AND FOLKLOREThe province of Bergamo has to con-tend with a chief city that boasts oneof the most important artistic patri-monies in the country. At this point,it is impossible not to mention thesplendours of Città Alta and the dis-tricts of Bergamo. These districts arehome to one of the most interestingart galleries in Italy, the AccademiaCarrara, a huge collection in whichworks by Raphael stand next to onesby Moroni, Titian and Canaletto. Aquick roundup follows of the remark-able treasures that can be found in theprovince. In the Seriana Valley, visitsshould be paid to the parish church of

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Alzano, with the sacristies by the Fan-toni and Caniana families, the historiccentre of Gandino, with the churchand the museum, and to the Santuariodella Trinità (Sanctuary of the Trin-ity) in Casnigo, which dates back tothe 15th century and features cycles offrescoes from the same period. In theUpper Valley we can see the jewels ofClusone, which include the Palazzodel Comune (Town Hall), the Fan-zago Astronomical Clock, PalazzoFogaccia, the fresco of the DanceMacabre and the little church of theDisciplined with the 15th-centuryfrescoes depicting the life of Christ.At Rovetta, a visit is recommendedto the Fantoni House Museum, thecelebrated wood sculptors who wereactive between the 15th and 18th centu-ries. In the Brembana Valley, we findthe little 12th-century temple of SanTomè at Almenno, and the remainsof the village of Clanezzo, from themedieval period. San Pellegrino’s nu-merous artistic testimonies includethe Grand Hotel and the Casino, bothin early 20th-century art nouveaustyle. At San Giovanni Bianco we findPiazza Zignone and the Via Porticata(porticoed street); another exampleof the latter can be seen in Cornellodei Tasso, a striking village that hasremained unchanged since the MiddleAges and which is still not served by aproper carriageable road. At Averara,we find another stretch of the porti-

coed merchant’s road and the old Ve-netian customs building. In Serina,you are advised to make a quick tripto the historic centre and visit theChurch of Santa Maria Assunta. Inthe lakes area, Lovere preserves nu-merous testimonies of the past, mostnotably the Tadini Academy and thebeautiful old town centre. Manifes-tations of folklore, the link betweenart and popular tradition, can be seenthroughout the province of Bergamo.We will mention just some of them.The traditions of religious belief findexpression in the great processionsof Gandino (for Corpus Domini) andVertova (Good Friday). Secular andprofane tradition is represented by theScassada del Zenerù, that is to say,the banishing of the terrible monthof January, which takes place on thestreets of various mountain villages,but in particular at Ardesio, on the 31st

of that month. Tin buckets, cowbells,

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rattles and anything else that makesa noise are used to banish the frostand celebrate the coming of spring. AtCarnival time we can witness the Dos-sena costume parade, while mid-Lentmarks the period of the Rasgamentodella Vecchia, when bonfires are lit invarious towns in the province in or-der to burn things that are no longerwanted. Various folklore festivals takeplace in the province of Bergamo.

ARCHAEOLOGYFirst and foremost, a visit must bepaid to Bergamo’s well-stocked ar-chaeological museum, located in thehistorical setting of Piazza Cittadella.In the province, local archaeologicalfinds dating back to various periods,particularly the Bronze Age, can befound in the Museum of the Valleyat Zogno; also featured are objectsthat were unearthed in caves suchas the Busa de l’Andrea, the Busa de

l’Edera and the Busa del Pusù, whichcan be found between Zogno and Se-drina, not far from the Grotta delleMeraviglie (Cave of Wonders). Otherareas of archaeological interest canbe found at Parre where, over the lastten years, in the locality of Castello,objects from the Iron Age have beendiscovered, along with the remainsof a village dating back to the sameperiod. Sites of historical interest canalso be found at Clanezzo, at the be-ginning of the Imagna Valley, and atRota Imagna, in the same valley. AtRota Imagna we find the Tomba deiPolacchi (Tomb of the Poles), whereceramic objects and human remainshave been unearthed. In the SerianaValley, interesting finds were madeat Castione della Presolana, in theGrotta della Mandibola (literally “theMandible Cave) and in the Riparo del-la Lancia (literally “the Shelter of theSpear”). In the Cavallina Valley, the

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Buco del Corno (Hole of the Horn)is famous for prehistoric objects andhuman remains.

CASTLESNumerous testimonies remain of abellicose past, dating from the Mid-dle Ages to the 19th century: castles,strongholds and fortifications can befound in Upper Bergamo and through-out the province. The Bergamo plainis home to the most interesting cas-tles. Solidly built, steeped in historyand well preserved, these edifices area precious and striking reminder of anera that is associated primarily withthe name of the great warlord Barto-lomeo Colleoni. The renowned castleof Malpaga, a hamlet of Cavernago,dates back to the 15th century andhas a moat and a drawbridge. Insideis a large courtyard with an open gal-lery, while the beautiful halls containbeautiful frescoes dating from the 15th

to the 18th centuries. Bartolomeo Col-leoni acquired the ruined castle in1456 and rebuilt it, transforming itinto his home. From 1470 onwards,the beautiful fortress at Cavernagowas also owned by Colleoni; in the16th century it then passed into thehands of the Martinengo family, whoconverted it into an elegant residence.At Urgnano it is possible to visit theVisconti stronghold, the Castello deiConti Albani (Castle of the AlbaniCounts), which dates back to 1354.Built on a square plan, it features twotowers at the main entrance, a moatand battlements of Ghibelline inspira-tion. Inside are frescoes from the 17th

century. The stronghold that stands atRomano di Lombardia is still in a goodstate of preservation; it has two inter-nal courtyards and a well, and we canalso see the remains of frescoes. TheVisconti family fortified it in the 14th

century; it was owned by the Sforzafamily before being taken by Colleoni.It is now the seat of the town library.At Pagazzano we find the Castello Vis-conteo (Visconti Castle), which may

have been built before the year 1000.It was rebuilt by the Visconti familyin the second half of the 15th century;five towers were added, three of whichstill stand. It is still in good conditionand is now home to a farm. We mustalso mention the Visconti Castle ofBrignano Gera d’Adda (18th century),a sumptuous country seat with a beau-tiful courtyard of honour, the SuardiCastle in Bianzano with its frescoesand the Castello dei Conti Calepio(Castle of the Calepio Counts) in thetown of the same name; of medievalorigin, it was converted into a resi-dence in the 15th century and stands ina striking setting, in a quarter that alsoboasts a remarkable Carolingian for-tress complex, which is located nearto the parish church. At Costa di Mez-zate, the beautiful Camozzi VertovaCastle is still inhabited and boasts nu-merous works of art. It was originallybuilt to defend Bergamo against theattacks of Frederick I. In the valleys wecan also find Clanezzo Castle, whichstands in a delightful natural setting,Ginami Castle in Gromo and the 13th-century Castle of Monasterolo on theEndine lake.

TYPICAL WINE AND FOODPRODUCTS FROMTHE PROVINCE OF BERGAMOThe Province of Bergamo, due to thecharacteristics of the land and theability of its entrepreneurs, possessesa huge variety of agricultural and foodproducts, which are characterised bytheir traditional and natural qualities:the fruit of a production system thatcombines high quality standards withtraditional manufacturing processesrelated to the territory’s rural culture.The practice of buying directly fromfarms and cooperative stores is be-coming increasingly popular.Locally produced foodstuffs offer or-ganoleptic qualities and flavours thatare virtually unknown to the generalpublic, given its tendency towardsmass consumption.

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LOCALITIES

PhotographsArchive of the Province of Bergamo,Archive of the Circolo Marianese,Tino Rovetta

Publishing coordinationProvince of Bergamo - Tourist Service

TranslationsStudio First, Bergamo

Graphic design and layoutCRE8, Bergamo

PrintingCormar, Bolzano 4212

© Province of Bergamo - 2009www.provincia.bergamo.it

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BRANZI844 m

SOTTO IL MONTEGIOVANNI XXIII BERGAMO

A4

MILANO

PIZZO DEITRE SIGNORI

2554 mPASSO DI S. MARCO

1985 m

VALTELLINA

SAN SIMONE1670 m

FOPPOLO1600 m

VALLEVECARONA

1100 m

CORNOSTELLA2620 m

PIZZO DELDIAVOLO

2914 m

PIZZODI COCA

3050 m

BACINO DEL BARBELLINO1895 m

MONTETORENA

2911 m

PASSO DEL VIVIONE1892 m

VALCAMONICA

PIZZO CAMINO2498 m

SCHILPARIO1134 m

VILMINORE

AZZONE

DEZZO DI SCALVE

TEVENO

LIZZOLA1250 m

VALBONDIONE

FIUMENERO

GANDELLINO

GROMO678 m

VALCANALE1200 m

VALGOGLIO

ARDESIO

VILLA D’OGNA

PIARIOPARRE CLUSONE

647 m

ROVETTA

FINODEL MONTE

CERETE

ONORE

CASTIONE870 m

DORGABRATTO

PASSO DELLAPRESOLANA

1300 m

PIZZODELLA PRESOLANA

2521 m

COLERE1000 m

LOVERE

DARFO

COSTA VOLPINO

ROGNO

ANGOLO TERME

CASTRO

PIANICOSOVERE

BOSSICO

MONTE PORA1500 m

CANTONIERA DELLAPRESOLANA

RIVADI SOLTOLAGO

DIENDINE

ENDINERANZANICO

MONTE FARNO

GANDINO

BIANZANO

PONTE NOSSA

PREMOLOGORNO

CAZZANOSANT’ANDREA

ONETA

ZAMBLA1000 m

BRACCA

ALGUA

COSTA SERINA

CORNALBA

SERINA823 m

OLTRE IL COLLE

VALPIANAMONTE ALBEN

2019 m

MONTE ARERA2512 m

ISOLA DI FONDRA

MOIODE CALVI

VALNEGRA

PIAZZABREMBANA

536 m

LENNA

CAMERATACORNELLO

S. GIOVANNIBIANCO

DOSSENA

OLMO ALBREMBO

PIAZZOLO

PIAZZATORRE900 m

MEZZOLDO

MONTEPEGHEROLO

2369 m

AVERARA

SANTA BRIGIDA

CUSIO

MONTE AVARO1650 m

ORNICA

CASSIGLIO

VALTORTA935 m

PIANI DI BOBBIO1662 m

BARZIO767 m

LECCOLAGO DILECCO

TALEGGIO

VEDESETA

PEGHERA900 m

SAN PELLEGRINOTERME

BREMBILLA

BRUMANO

FUIPIANO

ROTA IMAGNA

VALSECCABERBENNO

GEROSA

BLELLO

LOCATELLO

CORNAIMAGNA

S. OMOBONO

BRESCIA

LAGO D’ISEO

ISEO

ROVATO

A4

ROVATO

PONTE OGLIO

PALAZZOLO

PALAZZOLO

CHIARI

CASTREZZATO

SERIATE

DALMINE

COSTA DIMEZZATE MONTELLO

CHIUDUNO

GRUMELLO

CASTELLICALEPIO

CREDARO

VILLONGO SARNICO

DALMINE

BERGAMO

AZZANOS. PAOLO

STEZZANOZANICA

URGNANO

MALPAGA

GHISALBA

CALCINATE

BOLGARETELGATE

MORNICO

PALOSCO

CIVIDATE AL PIANOCORTENUOVA

MARTINENGO

ROMANO DI LOMBARDIA

COVO

BARBATA

ANTEGNATE

FONTANELLA

PUMENENGO

TORRE PALLAVICINA

CALCIOURAGO D’OGLIO

MOZZANICA

FORNOVO S. GIOVANNI

BARIANO

ISSO

FARA OLIVANACON SOLA

TREVIGLIO

CALVENZANO

VAILATE

ARZAGO

CASIRATE

MISANOGERA

D’ADDA

CARAVAGGIO

SANTUARIODI CARAVAGGIO

PAGAZZANO

BRIGNANO

LURANO

MORENGO

COLOGNO

SPIRANO

POGNANO

CASTELROZZONE

ARCENE

VERDELLOVERDELLINO

LEVATE

LALLIO

TREVIOLO

CISERANO

ZINGONIA

BOLTIERE

PONTIROLONUOVO

FARA GERA

CANONICAD’ADDA

CASSANOD’ADDA

RIVOLTAD’ADDA

MELZO

CAMBIAGO

CAVENAGO

TREZZOSULL’ADDA

BREMBATE

CAPRIATE

FILAGO

ZOGNOCANTO ALTO

1146 m

PONTERANICAVILLAD’ALMÈ

SORISOLE

RANICA

AVIATICO

SELVINO1050 m

ALBINO

NEMBRO

VILLADI SERIO

SERIATE

PEDRENGOALBANO

TORREDE’ ROVERI

SCANZOROSCIATE

CENE

PRADALUNGA

CAZZANIGA

FIORANO

LEFFE

VERTOVA

COLZATE

SPINONEMONASTEROLO

COLLI DIS. FERMO

1100 m

FONTENO

PARZANICA

VIGOLO

PREDORE

TAVERNOLABERGAMASCA

MONTEISOLA

VIADANICA

ADRARAS. MARTINO

ADRARAS. ROCCO

MONTE TORREZZO1378 m

FORESTOSPARSO

GANDOSSO

CARROBBIODEGLI ANGELI

ZANDOBBIO

GORLAGO

ENTRATICO

VIGANO

BORGO

BERZOS. FERMO

GRONECASAZZA

GAVERINATERME

LUZZANA

TRESCOREBALNEARIO

CENATESOTTO

CENATESOPRA

MONTE MISMA1160 m

S. PAOLOD’ARGON

BRUSAPORTO

BAGNATICA

GRASSOBBIO CAVERNAGO

FIUM

E SE

RIO

FIU

ME

BR

EM

BO

OSIO DI SOTTO

OSIO DI SOPRA

CURNO

MOZZO

VALBREMBO

PALADINA

ALMÈ

PONTE S.PIETRO

BONATESOTTO

BONATESOPRA

MADONE

PRESEZZO

MAPELLO

BREMBATEDI SOPRA

BARZANA

GOLFALMENNO

S.BARTOLOMEO

ALMENNOS.SALVATORE

SEDRINA

UBIALECLANEZZO

STROZZA

CAPIZZONE

PALAZZAGO

VALCAVA1250 m

PONTIDA

AMBIVERE

TERNO

MEDOLAGO

SUISIO

BOTTANUCO

CHIGNOLOD’ISOLA

SOLZA

CALUSCIO

CARVICO

FIU

ME

ADDA

LAGO DIOLGINATE

OLGINATE CALOLZIOCORTE

MONTEMARENZO

MERATE

ATRUNOVILLA

D’ADDA

BRIVIO

CELANA

CAPRINO

CARENNO

TORRE DE’ BUSI

VERCURAGO ERVECOSTA

IMAGNA

RONCOLA

BEDULITA

SANTUARIOCORNABUSA

CAPRIATE

CAVENAGO-CAMBIAGO

TREZZO

BOARIOTERME

RESEGONE1875 m

LAGHI GEMELLI1953 m

CULMINES. PIETRO

1270 m

LAGODI COMO

CUSANO

AUTOSTRADA A4

CANALE

MUZZA

DELLA

COMUN NUOVO

SERIO

FIUME

ALZANO

GORLE

TORRE BOLDONE

RONCOBELLO

OG

LIO

FIUME

AUTOSTRADA A4

OSPITALETTO

OSPITALETTO

MARONE

EDOLO

OGLIO

FIUME

SOLTO COLLINA

CASNIGOPEIA

GRUMELLO

ADRO

BORNO900 m

SONGAVAZZO

SPIAZZI

OLTRESSENDAALTA

LAGO DIGARLATE

MARNE

MOGGIO

PARATICO CLUSANE

PISOGNE

SALEMARASINO

SULZANO

249 m

PIANI DI ARTAVAGGIO

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Gromo

Val Taleggio

Valle Imagna

Gandino - Corpus Domini

Urgnano

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Bergamo - Lombardy - Italy

Gromo

Val Taleggio

Valle Imagna

Gandino - Corpus Domini

Urgnano

San Pellegrino Terme