An engaging 3-day journey, from Bergamo to Peschiera to Palmanova, all on two wheels
The route we suggest starts from Lower Bergamo, passes through its historic districts, and climbs up to Upper Bergamo. A tip: plan your tour early in the morning or in the evening, away from the busiest hours, so you can fully enjoy the ride in complete tranquility!
Start from Piazza Cavour, where the imposing Donizetti Theatre stands, dedicated to the famous Bergamasque composer Gaetano Donizetti. In front of the building flows the green river of the famous “Sentierone,” an elegant pedestrian boulevard created in 1620, beyond which extends the Piacentinian Centre, an important example of early 20th-century architecture. Its shops and historic cafés make it the ideal place for breakfast or an aperitif!
Then cross viale Roma and continue towards Palazzo Frizzoni, currently home to Bergamo’s City Hall.
The next stop on your itinerary is Piazza Pontida, the ancient hub of the timber trade and the picturesque San Leonardo Borough, where important communication routes converge. In the district stands the ancient Church of San Leonardo, whose origins are believed to date back to the centuries before the year 1000.
Once you have explored the neighborhood, take via Sant’Alessandro and follow it uphill until you reach a majestic stone bridge.
At the top, you will find San Giacomo Gate, perhaps the most beautiful of the four entrance gates to the Upper Town. Once protected by a wooden drawbridge, which was closed every evening at ten o’clock to the sound of one hundred tolls of the Campanone, it remains to this day an architectural masterpiece and the only gate visible from the Lower Town.
By passing through the gate, you will reach Upper Bergamo, the historic heart of the city. Ride along the Venetian Walls to enjoy a breathtaking view all the way to Colle Aperto, or take via San Giacomo and follow via Donizetti to discover an unstoppable succession of monuments, symbols of grandeur and culture that are still alive today.
Among them, Piazza Vecchia stands out, enclosed by the Palazzo della Ragione, the Civic Tower, and Palazzo Nuovo, home to the ‘Angelo Mai’ Civic Library. And what about Piazza Duomo, just beyond the grand colonnade? Here, you will find the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the Colleoni Chapel, and the Cathedral, always capable of astonishing with their architecture and the masterpieces they house. A visit is a must!
The final stop on the itinerary, at the end of via Colleoni and beyond Piazza Mascheroni, is Piazza della Cittadella: an open-air history book spanning Roman times, the Middle Ages, and modernity, where every element tells a chapter of Bergamo’s past.
Ride to the San Vigilio funicular station, which will take you up to the hill where the San Vigilio Castle stands. Up there, besides the ruins of the fortress, you will enjoy a breathtaking view of the city and the plains.
To continue, a completely downhill route along via Cavagnis awaits you, leading to Colle Aperto—perfect even for those who are not expert cyclists.
Need a short break? Once you arrive, you’ll find several cafés in the square, where you can relax!
To return to Lower Bergamo, take the long descent of viale delle Mura, riding along the fortifications until you pass through S. Agostino Gate. And here, a stop is a must!
Right inside the monumental gate building, you’ll find the ‘Bergamo Walls’ Museum, an exhibition dedicated to the history of the fortress that is Upper Bergamo. The museum features multimedia stations, physical artifacts, and an immersive room where storytelling becomes an experience, bringing you into the heart of the Walls’ construction—this stone diamond shaped by history, still today a symbol of Bergamo.
After the visit, continue down the boulevard until you reach the lower funicular station, from where you can decide your next destination.
One of the most beautiful cycling routes in the Lake Garda area is the Mincio Cycle Path, which connects Peschiera del Garda to Mantua. Begin your ride from Porta Brescia, following the Mincio River.
This is a completely flat route, ideal for families with young children or for those who prefer a leisurely ride. You will cycle to Borghetto sul Mincio, a charming village famous for its water mills and medieval atmosphere (note: there is a short stretch without a dedicated bike path).
Now you can choose to return to Peschiera del Garda via the same route or take a loop that allows you to visit Castellaro Lagusello and the historic town of Ponti sul Mincio.
You will admire the walls and fortifications from a privileged perspective, including the Middle Canal, the Voltoni Bridge, the imposing Cantarane, Tognon, and San Marco Bullwarks, as well as Porta Brescia and Porta Verona. This way, you’ll discover the defensive architecture that made Peschiera one of the most important fortresses on Lake Garda.
Duration: 25 minutes.
A city with perfect geometry: a nine-pointed star with three rings of walls, three monumental entrance gates, and nine bastions, all surrounding an immense hexagonal square.
ou can easily park your bicycle just a few steps from the Sala Multimediale (Multimedia Hall), where we suggest starting your tour.
This interactive exhibit will take you through the history of the city, from its founding to the present day. Through 3D models and immersive videos, you will understand the evolution of the fortifications and the strategic role of Palmanova during different historical periods, from the Republic of Venice to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Visit duration: approximately 40 minutes
This route will help you discover why Palmanova was considered an almost impregnable fortress. Every stone, every corner tells a story of strategy, innovation, and resilience. Enjoy your ride through history!
Starting from Porta Udine and following the moat ring, you can admire the Venetian aqueduct, the three gates (Udine, Cividale, Aquileia), the bastions, the ravelins, and the Napoleonic lunettes—features reflecting the different defense techniques used over time. At the end of the route, take a well-deserved break in Piazza Grande, the heart of the city, where you can admire the Dogale Cathedral, the Loggia dei Mercanti, the Loggia della Gran Guardia, and the “artificial instruments and machines for building the Fortress”—monuments that narrate the civil and military life of Palmanova.
As you cycle along Palmanova’s fortifications, get ready for an exciting journey through centuries of military history and engineering!
A tip: pause your ride and enter the Baluardo Donato and the Contromina Galleries. Inside, you can experience an immersive narrative using your mobile device, with audio and augmented reality features, bringing to life the military techniques used by the Venetians to defend the fortress and make it impenetrable.
Duration: 30-40 minutes
You can enjoy the same tour along the moat ring on horseback as well.
For information and details:
