Where is it?
Northern Italy, a serene spot in the middle of Lombardy and an hour from Milan. Bergamo lies just west of the least frequented and most unspoilt of the lakes, Iseo, a relatively diminutive but charming stretch of water, bordering on the lush wine-growing region of Franciacorta.

What is Bergamo famous for?
Truthfully, not a lot. It has produced Giambattista Moroni, the Renaissance portraitist, and Gaetano Donizetti, the 19th-century composer who gave us Lucia di Lammermoor and Emilia di Liverpool; the painter Caravaggio was born nearby, to the southwest.

A bit of history
Though the earliest surviving buildings are pre-Renaissance, it was the period of Venetian rule in Bergamo (from 1428 until Napoleon intervened in 1797) that gave the city its unique flavour. Medieval and Venetian-style Renaissance architecture is delightfully blended, and many buildings, gates and fountains are branded with the mark of Venice: the lion of St Mark.

What is the city like?
Built on two levels; when its citizens became wealthy, in the 16th century, an overspill developed below the old upper town, called Bergamo Bassa. Today, these two are linked by a funicular railway. The original walled hilltop settlement, Bergamo Alta, is the more picturesque area, but the lower town also has its attractions: the 16th-century cloth merchants' palazzi on the Via Pignola; the Art Deco Post Office off Via Zelasco.

Highlights of Bergamo?
In the old town, the view from the 12th-century Torre Civica over the domes and towers of Bergamo. The gorgeous Piazza Vecchia, edged with the finest buildings in the city and blessed with a number of pleasant cafes and bars. The Academia Carrara, one of the country's finest art museums outside Rome. The extraordinarily ornate 15th-century Colleoni Chapel, designed by Giovanni Antonio Amadeo for the flamboyant two-tiered tomb of Bergamo's most renowned soldier of fortune, Bartolomeo Colleoni.

Out and about
A trip to Lake Iseo and a drive through the surrounding countryside is a must. If you fancy a bit of beach life – watersports and tourist tat – drive further east to enjoy the bustle of Lake Garda. Milan is an hour away by train, where highlights include the monumental Duomo and the city's other place of worship, Galleria Vittoria Emanuele II, a 19th-century shopping mall, domed and built in the shape of a cross. When you tire of Milan's holy fashion trinity (Prada, Armani and Gucci), there are plenty of upscale homewares stores to browse as well, including Alessi and Kartell, which has its design museum nearby in Noviglio.

When to travel
Daily budget flights go from several UK airports to Orio al Serio airport (see www.orioaeroporto.it), so discovering the delights of Bergamo has never been easier. Weather is good all year round; the Lakes enjoy moderate winters, though they can become misty. You might want to avoid the August crowd and delay your trip until lateish September, when good weather coincides with room to breathe. October is the time when Milan showcases the Spring fashion collections and, every April, Milan hosts the largest furniture event in the design calendar, like a fashion week for the interior, the Salone Internazionale del Mobile.

KATRINA BURROUGHS
OCTOBER 2007