Left to right: A country lane with roccolo - Colle di Ranica; Cross on Colle di Ranica; View from Colle di Ranica toward Val Seriana.
We retraced familiar steps this fall, almost a year after our last walk to Alzano Lombardo. The route was the same—Bergamo through Maresana, Colle di Ranica, Croce del Boscone, and down into Alzano. A friend had made reservations at Burro, the Sardinian-inspired restaurant we had enjoyed before, and we were up for a wallk. Instead of a tram ride, we ended with a lift back to Bergamo, full and content after a long lunch.
Overview
Elevation gain: ~472 m
Length: ~10.5 km one way
Location: Italy, Province of Bergamo, Bergamo → Alzano Lombardo, Lombardy
The hike reminded us that repetition doesn’t mean sameness. Walking the same path a year later, with different company, different weather, and a different rhythm of the day, the experience became something new. The hazy autumn light, the downtime under the cross, and the Sardinian flavors at Burro combined into a day that felt suspended—an interlude between seasons, between routines. It was also a nice welcome back to Bergamo for us.
Notes
The trail felt both known and new. We were away from Bergamo for a month and felt like we were exploring anew the surrounding hills. Passing through oak groves and farm tracks – asking, did we pass this way last time, oh yeah, yes wed did. We paused at Colle di Ranica (723 m) under the cross and altar dedicated to those that have perished from war. From here, the southeast view opens partly toward the start of Val Seriana and partly to the Po River valley plain. Between the ever changing and uncertain topography of the pre-alps and the flat certainty of the plain.
We hiked in short sleeve shirts and broke sweat to earn the 474 m (1550 ft) of elevation gain. At the cross, we sat in silence overlooking the hazy valley. Our only interruptions were the muffled sounds from the valley below and the leaves around us detaching and drifting down, each one trying their best to make some big noise on their trip to the ground but not really succeeding.
Burro
Burro describes their philosophy as “Proponiamo la nostra idea di cucina contemporanea con un richiamo ai profumi e ai sapori della Sardegna, partendo dalle nostre radici e unendo sperimentazione, cultura e qualità.” And indeed, the dishes we shared were colorful, inspired, and deeply rooted in Sardinian flavors. The lunch stretched long, as good lunches should, with plates arriving like small works of art—textures and colors layered in ways that felt both traditional and experimental. Conversation slowed, replaced by appreciation of what was on the table. It was less about eating quickly and more about inhabiting the meal.
Unlike last year, when we hopped on the tram back to Bergamo, this time we were driven home. The ride felt like a gentle coda to the day: no rush, no schedules, just the lingering taste of Sardinian cooking and the memory of leaves falling under the cross at Ranica.
Photos
Dishes at Burro Restaurant (Alzano Lombardo). From left to right. Branzino in panure alle mandorle ezuchine; macco di fave, salmone marinato, puntarelle e creme fratche; pici di pasta fresca, cacio, pepe e limone; sformatino di carciofi, fonduta di alpeggio, carciofi, fritti e menta.
Left: Gingko trees in Alzano Lombardo.
Center: An oak tree in the hills above Ranica (BG).
Right: Hike tracks from Bergamo to Alzano Lombardo.
Left: Cross on Colle di Ranica.
Right: View from Colle di Ranica toward Val Seriana.