A bright day, albeit with some scattered mist, greeted 15 BRA members as they set out, by minibus, from Lugano to Bergamo.
After a stop for coffee on the Autostrada, we reached the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo, the main focus of the excursion.
Here, we saw an exhibition of quite exquisite paintings by Raphael, lent by many of the most important museums in the world, and shown together with spectacular works by other artists, including Perugino, Memling and Signorelli.
It was especially pleasing to be able to see these works in a tranquil and unhurried setting, given the large crowds that are normally found, these days, in the world’s major art galleries.
We next repaired for an excellent lunch, very pleasantly served, in a nearby restaurant, clearly patronised mainly by local customers.
After lunch, our driver gallantly fought her way through narrow streets and combative motorists to the upper city, the historic center of Bergamo. Here we saw the fabulously decorated Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore and the Piazza Vecchia, the picturesque and historic main square of the upper town, charmingly reminiscent of a set in an Italian opera.
Peter Goddard
