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Bergamo is an ancient city in Lombardy, located on the picturesque foothills of the Alps. It can offer both rich and diverse architecture, variety of exciting activities, sincere and open people, surprisingly clean and fresh air. In a nutshell, Bergamo has all those things that make the city a perfect destination for holiday with kids!
The article will help you to briefly get acquainted with the most interesting attractions in Bergamo that will please you and your kids.
Bergamo is one of four Italian cities with their centers completely surrounded by ancient walls. In fact, Bergamo is split into two parts. The upper part is the ancient city (Bergamo Alta) located on the top of the hill; the lower part is the modern city (Bergamo Bassa) that doesn’t represent anything interesting for tourists. You can reach the ancient city either by car or public transport, but there is much more interesting way – funicular railway.
Funicular railway
Trip in the funicular car is a little adventure for small kids and also a great opportunity to enjoy nice views of the city. The lower station is located on Viale delle Muraand the upper one is in literally two steps from the famous Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. The funicular can fit up to 50 people, so don’t let slip your turn, otherwise you’ll have to wait another car.
It’s interesting to know that tight orange cars of the Bergamo funicular have been operating since 1888 and originally they were drawn by horses. Funicular railway connecting upper and lower parts of Bergamo isn’t the only one in the city. In fact, there is another car able to take you from the Bergamo Alta to the very top of the hill.
Parco Faunistico Le Cornelle
It’s a scientific base of the University of Milan that is engaged in the problem of preserving grey parrots. Thus, apart from the usual walks among aviaries, Parco Faunistico Le Cornelle can offer the quite serious several hours excursion with a lot of fascinating stories about virtually every animal in the park.
Although the zoo isn’t very big, still it’s a real pleasure to spend time here. This tiny zoo has managed to gather various kinds of animals from guinea pigs to cheetahs. It has many cafes and restaurants as well as picnic areas equipped with tables and benches. So, if don’t want to spend the extra money on visiting cafe, you can simply bring some snacks with you and arrange little lunch in the open air.
You should acknowledge beforehand that it’s a really tough task to get to Parco Faunistico Le Cornelle from Milan without your own car. Even from Bergamo itself, the park is located in about 11 km. On the other hand, the park has a convenient parking zone, where you can safely leave your car.
ATB Transport Museum
ATB museum opens doors into the past and shows you how public transport of Bergamo has been changing for the last hundred years. The museum is designed in a modern way and is full of interactive displays and multimedia installations. The real pride of the ATB Museum is its “time-travelling funicular” offering its visitors an opportunity to discover history of transport in Bergamo through the windows of funicular car.
Natural Science Museum Enrico Caffi
Judging from the many reviews, the Natural Science Museum in Bergamo is very interesting for kids, but can’t offer something very exciting for adults. However, the museum enjoys great popularity among both locals and tourist and you’ll meet here a lot of parents with children.
The main exhibits are stuffed animals, ancient skeletons and fossils, different minerals and stones. In general, the exposition is quite interesting and includes even a small collection of mammals. Another great thing about the museum is that the entrance is free and the museum located in the historical center of Bergamo, so you can visit the museum during your city tour.
Discover the beauty of Bergamo surroundings
Rich historical heritage isn’t the only thing Bergamo is famous for. It’s hard not to notice the beauty of the nature of Bergamo province. Picturesque green valleys, serene clear lakes and magnificent mountains. All this is only in one hour drive from Bergamo. For instance, you can visit lakes Endine and Iseo that are in 30 km and 45 km respectively.
Lake Iseo
On the shores of the Lake Iseo, you can admire beautiful sceneries and incredibly diverse landscapes including rocky walls sprouting out of the water, olive groves, tiny coves and bays. The lake is literally framed with many small cozy towns, so you have a large selection of hotels to stay in. Local gastronomic traditions deserve special mention. Such delicious dishes and fine wine you won’t find anywhere else in Italy!
Lake Endine
Whereas Lake Iseo is very popular among tourists, Lake Endine is rarely visited even by locals. It is small, about 6 km in length and there aren’t large cities nearby. Most visitors of Endine come here for fishing or watching birds and enjoying silence and solitude.
However, there are small beaches on the shores of well-equipped with all needed stuff for a good rest. Here you and your kids can rent a boat or enjoy water bike ride.
Bergamo is a beautiful and charming city with very diverse and beautiful architecture. It’s a good holiday destination, but you shouldn’t forget that city tourism could be quite tiresome even for adults not to mention small kids.
Endless walking, hours of city tours and excursions – all this takes a lot of energy. Thus, try to solve transportation problem in advance. Spend a little bit more money on your vacation and allocate some funds to rent comfortable car for the whole family. Believe that in Italy, there is nothing to do without four wheels!
All the beauty of Italy lies in its cozy provincial towns surrounded by picturesque landscapes. Explore Italy in the most convenient way! Book a car at Bergamo Airport in advance to save money and get exactly that model you’re looking for.
Author Bio: Lily Berns is a writer who enjoys travelling and blogging about family entertainment spots while visiting different countries.
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