The hamlet of Esmate provides a scenic vantage point over the northern end of Lake Iseo. The views are good from the churchyard but breathtaking if you follow Via Cerrete about 2.5km from the church (it changes names several times). Where it narrows amid thick woods, several brief trails (20m or so) lead out to magnificent, wild viewpoints high above the lake.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.45 MILES
Poet, soldier, hypochondriac and proto-Fascist, Gabriele d'Annunzio (1863–1938) defies easy definition, and so does his estate. Bombastic, extravagant and…
19.87 MILES
You could spend a whole day in this monster of a museum housed in an ex-monastery and still have plenty left for another visit. Those with limited time…
17.93 MILES
Just east of the old city walls is one of Italy's great art repositories. Founded in 1780, it contains an exceptional range of Italian masters. Raphael's…
27.28 MILES
Opened in the mid-2010s and housed in an old monastery a block back from Salò’s ferry dock, Musa’s exhibits are split between a permanent collection that…
18.55 MILES
Bergamo's colossal, square-based Torre del Campanone soars 52m above the city. It still tolls a bell at 10pm, the legacy of an old curfew. Taking the lift…
18.55 MILES
On the northwest side of Piazza Vecchia, the fresco-dappled Palazzo del Podestà was traditionally home to Venice's representative in Bergamo. Today, the…
18.53 MILES
The Upper Town's beating heart is the cafe-clad Piazza Vecchia, lined by elegant architecture that is a testament in stone and brick to Bergamo's long and…
Parco Nazionale delle Incisioni Rupestri
23.98 MILES
About halfway between Darfo and Edolo, the Parco Nazionale delle Incisioni Rupestri is a 30-hectare open-air museum containing rock engravings that date…
Nearby Central Lombardy attractions
1. Riserva Naturale Regionale Valle del Freddo
0.58 MILES
Around 2km northeast of Lake Endine, the Cold Valley Reserve has a unique microclimate, with a particularly chilly subsoil (stick your hands into some of…
2.86 MILES
A gallery concentrating on Venetian and Lombard art that's been around for nearly 200 years. Look out for works by Jacopo Bellini, Giambattista Tiepolo…
4.48 MILES
Lovely, mirror-still Lake Endine is surrounded by woods and reed banks. Tranquillity is assured on this lake where motorboats are banned. Lakeside paths…
4. Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta
6.1 MILES
Some 25km northeast of central Bergamo, the town of Gandino is well worth a stop for its impressive Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, a baroque beauty with…
6.44 MILES
Monte Isola towers from the south end of Lake Iseo, making it easily the lake's most intriguing feature. It's Europe's largest lake island, at 4.28 sq km,…
8.67 MILES
On the riverfront a little over 1km from the centre, this lovely stile liberty villa was designed by Giuseppe Sommaruga and built in 1907. The best views…
7. Riserva Naturale Torbiere del Sebino
10.25 MILES
These 2-sq-km protected wetlands were formed from 18th-century peat beds. A reed-fringed 4km walking path – partly on muddy tracks, partly on wooden…
8. Monastero San Pietro in Lamosa
10.42 MILES
An 11th-century monastery founded by the Cluniac monks who first started to cultivate the region. On weekends you can visit the church and have a look at…