One of the greatest assets of the Bergamo area is the abundance of water. The great rivers Adda, Oglio, Serio and Brembo and the two lakes of Endine and Iseo.
The former constitutes a true wildlife oasis surrounded by reeds and forests, the more majestic latter is known for fascinating boat rides, water sports and charming lakeside villages.
Also part of this scenery are the enchanting bodies of water on the peaks of the Orobie Mountains, which result in a colorful landscape to be admired and experienced through the many sports disciplines.
Nestled between the provinces of Bergamo and Brescia at 180 meters above sea level you will find Lake Iseo, also known as Sebino. At its center is home to Montisola: the largest lake island in Europe, dominated by the mighty Rocca Martinengo fortress.
Climb aboard one of the many ferries that depart from the lake’s shores to reach it and discover its almost wild nature.
The lake is embraced by verdant hills with gentle slopes dotted with amazingly preserved medieval castles. To get to know these territories, we suggest some natural itineraries that you can take by car, public transport, bicycle or on foot.
The area, moreover, is rich in bicycle paths and trails.
Are you a sportsman, a lover of sailing or climbing? Lake Iseo is your ideal destination.
If, on the other hand, you like to relax, treat yourself to sunbathing at a well-equipped beach on the shores of the lake.
If you are a lover of good food, you will find trattorias and typical restaurants where you can taste the flavors of the lake. Tench, agoni and bleak are great paired with a good wine from Val Calepio, a not-so-distant land home to DOC and IGP marks.
There is no shortage of sites of cultural and artistic interest: theTadini Academy in Lovere, Lombardy’s oldest museum of the 19th century that holds works of great artistic value including those by Antonio Canova or the magnificent Art Nouveau villas scattered throughout the Sarnico area, the Conti Calepio Castle in the village of Castelli Calepio, the Romanesque complex of Sant’Alessandro in Adrara San Martino with its church dating back to before the 11th century AD.
One last suggestion: if you walk here and there and notice an unusual rowing boat, know that it has very ancient origins. Used since time immemorial by fishermen, in local dialect it is called “naèt” and is the star of a great race held every summer called “Naècc d’or.”
Cameo. Like an ancient jewel enclosed between verdant shores, it is the hidden treasure of the Cavallina Valley.
Lake Endine is ideal for those seeking the peace and quiet of a relaxing vacation. Although its shores are heavily frequented by tourists and citizens in the warm season, the lake is never overcrowded and maintains that atmosphere of intimacy and relaxation.
The area is also full of attractions during the rest of the year: tiny villages, tree-lined beaches, unspoiled corners of nature, restaurants and friendly locales compete to make for a pleasant stop and stay.
Arriving from Bergamo, one encounters San Paolo d’Argon, famous for its large Benedictine monastery; Trescore Balneario, known for its thermal baths and the Suardi Oratory, where Lorenzo Lotto left splendid evidence of his genius by frescoing the Stories of Santa Barbara; Entratico, known to scholars for the presence of Buca del Corno, where prehistoric burials have been found; Luzzana with its 13th-century castle; Casazza with important medieval remains. And of course Monasterolo, famous for its castle destroyed in medieval times and rebuilt around the 13th-14th centuries, then a stately residence and now also an event location.
Lake Endine is also popular with walkers and cyclists, thanks to the gentle shores that embrace its perimeter of about 20 kilometers. Particularly pleasant is the walk through the greenery between Monasterolo and the tiny hamlet of San Felice, along the eastern side.
Not to be outdone are the activities on the water, from rowing boats to canoeing, sup, and windsurfing, while trails and mule tracks allow for excursions on the slopes of the shores, among ancient crops and small churches.
These are the two main rivers that run through the Bergamo Alps (Orobie) and descend to the plains along the Brembana and Seriana valleys, once and even today very industrious.
Frequented in summer for the many resorts and in winter for the modern ski centers, with dozens of ski lifts, downhill and cross-country trails.
A network of trails (including the famous Sentiero delle Orobie) and refuges provide the ideal environment for hiking, trekking and mountaineering.
The magnificent landscapes along the banks of the Adda River inspired one of Leonardo Da Vinci‘s canvases, who stayed near Paderno as a guest of the Sforza family.
In that area, rocks, also called the Horns of the Virgin, emerge from the rapids of the river, which the great artist seems to have reproduced as the background for the Virgin of the Rocks.
The Adda and its banks offer ideal itineraries for hiking, biking and horseback riding especially along the towpath.
The Bergamo section of the river has no shortage of attractive features, from the ferry at Villa d’Adda, still in working order and developed from one of Leonardo’s designs, to the Iron Bridge at San Michele in Paderno, a masterpiece of industrial archaeology that dates back to the years when the Eiffel Tower was erected.
But that’s not all: right on the Bergamo side of the Adda River the village of Crespi d’Adda was built between 1890 and 1910, one of the most interesting and best-preserved working-class villages, which has become a World Heritage Site.
