Day 17 – To Bergamo & Bellagio

After a wild night of torrential rain, thunder, and lightning at Lake Iseo, we set off for Bergamo—a 45-minute drive. We parked in the new part of town and walked up to the Old City, reaching the cathedral quarter at midday, just as a chorus of bells rang out from several towers, each slightly out of sync, creating a charming, if chaotic, soundscape.

The upper town was stunning. The mix of classical architecture in the Basilica and cathedral was breathtaking, especially the intricate ceiling decoration.

Wandering through the backstreets, we stumbled upon a tiny focacceria cafe called Minuscoli. The window display—full of colourful, fresh ingredients—was irresistible. Inside, they had a brilliant system: one woman cut the focaccia with scissors, another toasted it, while a third handled payments. Gill chose tomato and mozzarella, while I had anchovies and mozzarella—both absolutely delicious.

We continued exploring and came across a fascinating community wash-house. Built at the end of the 1800s to supply the Upper Town with water, it featured a 300 m³ cistern constructed in 1890 beneath the structure. Inaugurated in 1891, it boasted a cast iron roof, steel sheets, and a marble tank sourced from Zandobbio. A real feat of civic engineering.

To save our legs, we caught the funicular back down to the lower town—a quick two-minute ride covering the 85-metre height difference we’d walked up earlier. Just as it began to drizzle, our umbrellas broke beyond repair—so into the bin they went.

From there, we drove on to Bellagio on Lake Como. The road from the south of the lake was far narrower and twistier than expected, and I clipped a crash barrier en route—another scrape for the van (sorry, Harry). We arrived at La Fornace campsite, right on the lake’s edge, with lovely views. After settling in, we planned the next few days’ logistics—buses, ferries, and fingers crossed for good weather and smooth connections.Læs mere