Monday is market day in Bergamo center. Generally less expensive than the grocery store, this morning I bought half a kilo of kale, a white onion, a red onion and two carrots for 3.80€.
Underwear vendor — I found the store name most humorous 🤪😂Fresh pasta vendor — this morning we bought 300 grams of ravioli filled w/leeks and sausage for 6€Pasta selections
My husband has an intolerance to milk products so many cheeses are off-limits for him. This pasta vendor always has several selections that are “senza lattosio.” And for those looking to avoid gluten, he has those options too!
In addition to fruits and vegetables and fresh pasta, there is typically honey, cheese, meats and sausages, flowers, natural remedies, a variety of different articles of clothing, mattresses (yes, full size mattresses), candy, kitchen floor mats, table linens.
One of the cheese vendorsMums & cyclamens are about it this time of year
While Monday is the main market day for Bergamo Center, there are often smaller markets devoted more to art. More in another post about the more crafty markets around town.
Piazza Pontida — gathering place in Città BassaBergamo Coat of Arms
Why Bergamo? Invariably we’re asked by Italians where we’re from. Answering that we’re from here, from Bergamo, and explaining that we now live here, we now anticipate the next question: “Perché Bergamo?” “Why Bergamo?”
SIZE Data from citypopulation.de
With a population of approximately 120,000, it’s not too big, but not so small that everybody knows everybody else’s business. It’s large enough that we continue to discover new places, have a large variety of restaurants and shops, and continue to be surprised with new sights. There’s not an over-abundance of tourists (except for Città Alta) and we rarely hear English and even more rarely “American.”
LOCATION
Located in the north of Italy, Bergamo is well connected to the rest of Europe and points further away. It has its own airport — Milan Bergamo Airport/Orio al Serio — that is one of three main commercial airports in the Milan area. Orio al Serio is a Ryanair hub with inexpensive flights throughout Europe. It’s a 45” train ride to Milan and all that a big, international city has to offer. Milan’s main international airport, Malpensa, is an easy entry point for friends and family visiting from the United States.
ON A TRAIN LINE
Bergamo is on the Trenord train line which operates regional trains mostly in the northern Lombardy region. It’s an easy 45” train trip on Trenord into Milan where one can pick up the high speed trains traveling between Milan and points north, south and west. Traveling east it’s a straight shot through Brescia and Verona to Venice. The trains are relatively inexpensive and comfortable with no concerns about locating car parking at your destination.
Even the trash cans are stylish!On the side of the truck: “Facciamo di Bergamo La Capitale della Pulizia” — “ Let’s make Bergamo the Capital of Clean!”
CITY SERVICES FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY
From cleanliness to public transportation to bureaucratic efficiency (relatively speaking, of course, in Italy), things work pretty much the way one would expect them to. Trash is collected regularly and doesn’t pile up on the street. The buses are on time and easy to use with the possibility to pay contactless with a credit card onboard. With a basic understanding of Italian, it’s not too difficult to schedule appointments through an online portal with the key bureaucratic players to obtain residency, an identity card, a health card, etc. Having heard horror stories before moving here, we were pleasantly surprised at how smoothly we accomplished our transition.
Paolo enjoying the view of Lake Maggiore from the terrace of our vacation chaletMonte Misma in the Bergamasque Prealps — 3800 feet — a pleasant hike
PROXIMITY TO MOUNTAINS & LAKES
Bergamo is an easy day trip away from the northern lakes — especially the well-known Lake Como and Lake Maggiore and the lesser known and smaller Lake Iseo just north of Brescia. Lake Garda is a bit further to the east, but still an easy trip. Especially on Lake Como, the ferry system is well organized and it’s possible to buy a day pass allowing unlimited rides between the lakeside towns.
If hiking is your thing, the mountains around Bergamo do not disappoint. While not reaching the heights of the Dolomites or the Alps (not far though), the Bergamasche Prealps offer a wide range of trails from easy, family and kid friendly to challenging and requiring a degree of technical climbing/hiking skill. There are walks within the Comune itself and the passageways from the lower city to the upper city through the walls are especially beautiful with lovely views of the city.
One of many stairs through the old Venetian walls from the lower city to the upper cityView of Città Alta (Upper City) from Città Bassa (Lower City)Porta San Giacomo — one of the four main gates through the old Venetian walls
BEAUTY & HISTORY
Bergamo never fails to disappoint when it comes to beauty. Whether it’s the old, especially Città Alta, or the more modern, there is much that pleases the eye. A medieval city, one can find cobblestone streets, old buildings and palaces. But the history of Bergamo dates even further back to 49 BC, when it was established as a Roman city. Through the years it has been ruled by the Milanese, the Venetians, the French and the Austrians. Each has left its mark.
These are but several of the many reasons we chose to relocate to Bergamo — a few answers to the question “perché Bergamo?” We continue to discover new things to like, confirming for us that we made the right choice. When relatives from the United States come to visit we see Bergamo afresh through their eyes and are grateful for our lives here. It keeps us fresh, always learning something new (especially the language)!
View of Cittanova from Cavallica Ranch, a cowboy themed pizzeria popular with the locals
We may be expats in Bergamo, but my husband’s roots are in the far south of Italy, the toe of the boot. His maternal grandfather left the small town of Cittanova in 1905, returning only once to retrieve his wife and young son and escort them back to Pennsylvania.
Cittanova is in the far southern region of Calabria in the Province of Reggio Calabria across the Straits of Messina from Sicily. Situated at the foot of the Aspromonte mountain range, it has a current population (2022) of just under 10,000.
Our first visit to Cittanova was in 2011 and had a two-fold purpose. First, although we had made many trips to Italy, we had never visited my husband’s ancestral home. Second, we needed to visit the Comune to clear up some discrepancies in my application for citizenship by marriage. Our bed and breakfast hostess, Manolita, graciously offered to accompany us to the Comune to translate as we spoke no Italian at the time.
Comune di CittanovaRegistry Office at the Comune
Imagine our surprise when, at the Comune, we were asked if we wanted to meet my husband’s relatives! We had no knowledge of relatives still living in Cittanova. Twenty minutes later my husband’s second cousin and her husband arrived at the town hall.
My husband with his second cousin, Maria Teresa, moments after first meeting at the town hall. Their grandfathers were brothers — my husband’s grandfather, when leaving for the USA, left his house to his brother who remained in Cittanova.Home of my husband’s maternal grandfather in Cittanova — Maria Teresa’s father was born in this houseAnd the rendering of the house in a painting on wood by an American artist (commissioned by a family member) done many years ago. This painting hung in our house in Virginia and is now in Bergamo. There are at least seven other versions in the homes of American relatives, all slightly different aspects and sizes.
We spent the next 12 hours with the new found relatives. With true Southern Italian hospitality, we were shown around not just Cittanova, but all its surrounds. At the time I spoke no Italian at all. Aided by two friends of the family who spoke French (my French used to be passable before learning Italian) and English (a Cittanova man returned from Boston where he had owned a pizzeria) we managed to communicate. And so our relationship began.
First meeting 2011 on the shore of the Tyrrhenian Sea
Over the years we’ve returned many times with American friends and family to enjoy the hospitality of Maria Teresa and Mario and to learn more about Cittanova.
The day after our arrival on our current trip we visited the Comune to clear up another discrepancy in my registry data. While the consulate in Philadelphia had me correctly registered as married (how else could they have given me citizenship by marriage?!), my data in the National Registry listed me as single. With the help of Maria and Alessandro in the Registry Office we were able to clear up the matter, paving the way to successfully register our apartment in Bergamo.
Clearing up discrepancies in my registry data at the Comune di Cittanova
With the “official” part of our visit cleared up, we proceeded to enjoy wandering through the Friday market. Held every Friday morning throughout the year, it’s common to encounter acquaintances — even for us! Sprawled across several streets there are fruit and vegetable vendors, cheese, meat, clothing, household goods.
Friday market in Cittanova
Walking through the Villa Comunale (city park) offers a cool respite from the heat. Cittanova is perhaps best known for this lovely park and also for its processing of the local specialty, stocco. Stockfish (or cod) is sourced from Norway where it is caught and dried and shipped to Cittanova where it is processed by the company Stocco & Stocco.
Villa Comunale di Cittanova
And we encounter a friend of the family, Rocco.
Enjoying a spritz with Rocco at Bar Baconchi across from the park
This evening, Saturday, is the wedding of Francesca and Antonio, beginning with the marriage ceremony in the park and followed by a reception in Taurianova. It’s the reason for our current visit and will be our first Calabrian wedding experience (first Italian wedding experience was a celebration in Puglia in 2019 for Francesca’s sister).
We’re headed to Calabria. Having driven to Southwestern France to visit friends in April, I knew I was not up for another 12ish hour road trip. Although Bergamo has a Ryanair hub with inexpensive flights to a long list of destinations our dog Paolo, at 10 kg, is too large to fly in cabin. So the train it is!
Stazione Bergamo
Our journey began at the train station in Bergamo — a very easy train station to navigate. It’s about a 10” walk from our apartment in city center. It’s along the Train Nord rails and travels a regular route between Bergamo and Milan. At a cost of €6,60 (about $7.50 at the current exchange rate), it’s about a 45” ride. Paolo makes himself comfortable! Summer travel is free for domesticated animals. While the rule is to muzzle dogs, I have seldom seen dogs muzzled. I am sure, however, to always have a muzzle handy in case I need it.
Paolo!
Our night train departs Milano Centrale at 20:10 so we have about 2 hours to wait. This was intentional to ensure we arrived on time (trains are notoriously in ritardo — late — in Italy) and unstressed. Shortly after arrival we found ourselves at Bistrot Milano Centrale with drinks aperitivo. Another thing to love about Italy is that dogs are welcome nearly everywhere!
Paolo is waiting for some ham!
We have a track assignment!! On the train!!
Settling in
The porter is very friendly, showed us to our cabin. We have a double with a bathroom. Air conditioned — but it is HOT!! They brought us water — naturale as well as frizzante, prosecco, toiletries. We pulled out of the station about 20” late, but moving fast now.
On the train and underwayOur cabin is outfitted with our own bathroom, complete with private toilet, sink and shower.
After a semi-restful night, I woke to discover an email informing me that our train is in ritardo — at this point 110 minutes. The same email told me that I was entitled to a 25% refund for trains arriving more than 59 minutes late and a 50% refund for trains at least 120 minutes late!! Included were instructions on how to secure my refund. Would be nice if air travel was this transparent!!
Easy to follow along with the Trainline appArrival at Stazione Lamezia Terme
Challenge #1 — navigating the night train with Paolo — complete. It was a long journey, a bit cramped, but we had our own quarters. And best of all — we weren’t driving!!
Challenge #2 — locating the car rental agency which was supposed to be within meters of the station. Fifteen minutes of wandering up and down the street, not a single one of the ten people I asked for directions knew where it was. We ended up catching a taxi — 10€ — to the airport 10” away. Where we found the car rental agency and they were able to pull up my reservation (even though my reservation indicated pickup at the train station!). Note to self — do not reserve a car near the train station in Lamezia Terme! It’s too frustrating after 14+ hours on the train.
Finally on the last leg of the journey en route to Cittanova for Joe’s cousin’s wedding celebration.
Chiusi per Ferie — Closed for the holidays See you in September
Emperor Augustus, in 18 B.C., established the holiday of Ferragosto. Originally celebrated on the 1st of August, it was a day of rest for agricultural workers during the hottest month of the year. Later the holiday was moved to August 15th to coincide with the Catholic celebration of the Feast of the Assumption.
Italians today celebrate with anything from a single day off (August 15th) up to taking the entire month of August off — shuttering shops and restaurants in the cities — and heading to the mountains and the beaches seeking relaxation and cooler weather. Thus, the beaches and popular mountain vacation sites experience their high seasons with large crowds while the cities empty out.
This August marks the first August that we’ve been in Italy for the entire month. Granted, we visited in 2019 for a family wedding in Puglia, but we were on vacation with the rest of the Italian population. This August we had little choice other than to remain in town while we secured permanent housing and settled in to our new apartment.
Although I was well aware of the holiday, perhaps I failed to realize its true significance and implications. Living in Bergamo, a Northern Italian city with a population of 120,000, it quickly became apparent that a large part of the residents vacated the city. The normal pace of the city slowed, typically crowded locales thinned out, and store hours were shortened and/or closed for part or all of the month.
All this combined with pretty miserable heat. We look forward to rain along with cooler weather for a day or two. We are especially looking forward to the end of August and the beginning of September and a return to “normal” life. But before the beginning of September, we’ll be able to enjoy a brief August vacation ourselves to Calabria where we will join in the wedding celebration of a cousin.
AMERICAN IMMIGRANT IN BERGAMO 