Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio is, without doubt, one of the most celebrated painters in Italy, whose fame is universal.

He was born in 1571, his place of birth is much disputed, being either Caravaggio on the plains of Bergamo Province or Milan, but his family origin is established in this village close to Bergamo.

After time as an apprentice in Milan, he firstly achieved success in Rome and soon became an artist of great renown.

Because of his unruly character, he was often involved in fights and arguments, which led to arrests and trials. After the umpteenth fight, he fled from Rome and began a vagabond existence, staying in various cities where he created masterpieces that marked his career as an extraordinary artist. Some of his best known sojourns were in Naples, Malta and Sicily. He died in Porto Ercole.

There are no paintings in the area of Bergamo, but the places where Michelangelo Merisi began his career, in Caravaggio and the surroundings, are also well worth getting to know, being rich in art and with many interesting places to stay.