Valle d'Astino, a green oasis a few steps from the city

For me, the summer in Bergamo means Astino. This is the place I choose for a relaxing walk or to spend a carefree evening with friends. An area of ​​great scenic beauty, a few steps from the city enclosed in the woods and the district of Longuelo.

A fascinating monastery dating back to the year one thousand and the beautiful adjoining Chiesa del Santo Sepolcro are the masters in this place of peace and quiet, an area rich in history and artistic treasures that in recent years has undergone a process of great revaluation, returning to the splendor of the past. In fact, since 2012 and on the occasion of the EXPO 2015 event, it has once again become a lived and visited place: the Monastery has been the seat of numerous events, exhibitions and initiatives related to the theme of food, wine and nutrition in general. saw the participation of many people and the Chiesa del Santo Sepolcro was reopened to the public.

A fascinating monastery dating back to the year one thousand and the beautiful adjoining Chiesa del Santo Sepolcro are the masters in this place of peace and quiet, an area rich in history and artistic treasures that in recent years has undergone a process of great revaluation, returning to the splendor of the past. In fact, since 2012 and on the occasion of the EXPO 2015 event, it has once again become a lived and visited place: the Monastery has been the seat of numerous events, exhibitions and initiatives related to the theme of food, wine and nutrition in general. saw the participation of many people and the Chiesa del Santo Sepolcro was reopened to the public.

The monastery of Astino was founded in 1070 by some Monaci Vallombrosani who chose this place of great scenic beauty to dedicate themselves to prayer. The Monastery houses the Chiesa del Santo Sepolcro, built by the monks themselves. The complex was the subject of major expansion and renovation works between the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries; however, following a great plague the number of monks drastically reduced, giving rise to a progressive period of decline.

Behind the monastery stands an open-air museum full of preciousness set on a hill surrounded by greenery: it is the Biodiversity Valley, the detached section of the Botanical Garden of Bergamo Alta, a unique work in Europe inaugurated on the occasion of Expo2015, which, in 9000 square meters of surface, hosts about 300 different species of plants and their 1500 varieties. Here botanical collections are studied and preserved in order to educate on sustainability and help to harmonize Man - Agriculture - Nature from the local context.

Every summer from May to September, the monastery panoramic garden turns into a meeting place for families and children, an ideal place for a carefree meal with family and friends in the open air, surrounded by the picturesque setting of the Valle d'Astino. Here you can taste dishes made with local products, salads, hamburgers, pizzas or you can drink a glass of good wine or a craft beer enjoying a delicious "tagliere" in the cellars of the cloister. Absolutely my favorite place to relax and stay with the people i love.

From the Monastery of Astino it is possible, with a nice walk of about an hour, to reach the splendid Citta' Alta: starting from the monastery proceed along via Astino and follow the road until the hairpin turn with via Sudorno. Here turn left and follow via Sudorno, passing under a portico. Always follow the road, finally passing the lstituto delle Suore Canossiane and the restaurant Gourmet. At the crossroads, turn left towards the Porta Sant'Alessandro and arrival at Colle Aperto. Another beautiful walk to do starting from the Monastery of Astino is the Bosco di Allegrezza, a beautiful immersion in nature a few steps from the city that offers you the chance to cross one of the last remaining reserves of tall oak trees. In the area I recommend the Agriturismo Marco that offers clean and spacious rooms with a small balcony from which you can enjoy a wonderful view of the Valley. The food is also very good, all made by hand and with typical products of the area.