The Italian city of Bergamo is one half of Bergamo-Brescia Italian Capital of Culture 2023. If you want to lap up the city’s history and architecture, not to mention enjoy the major arts program running until the end of the year, then check into the gorgeous 4-Star Palazzo Santa Spirito, the newest and most exciting addition to Bergamo’s hotel scene. Set within a converted convent dating from 1309 in the Citta Bassa (the Lower Town), the hotel’s designers have kept many of the building’s original architectural features, including its huge courtyards, stone columns, and magnificent vaulted arcades. Arriving at the hotel you will feel like a guest in a palace, but as the stylish interiors reveal, if this is indeed a fairytale, it is very much a contemporary one.
Start and end your days outside: Bergamo can be pretty hot in summer, but in the early morning and late evening, the temperature is balmy. It is heavenly to sit a while with a proper Italian espresso and a freshly baked pastry (or perhaps an Aperol Spritz, if it is later in the day) on the patio at the edge of Palazzo Santa Spirito’s verdant green lawn, soaking up the atmosphere and admiring the historic buildings around you. Depending on the time of day, you might hear the tolling of the church bells echoing over the city’s terracotta rooftops.
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