Polisena L’altro Agriturismo is located on the hillsides of the Riviera, a beautiful hilly area behind Pontida, in the Bergamo area of Val San Martino. Its proximity to the most beautiful and important cities in Lombardy such as Bergamo, Lecco, Brescia, Milan and Como make the Polisena agriturismo the ideal place from which to depart for cultural or nature visits and, in the evening, to return to relax and recharge your batteries in our wellness centre (with Turkish bath, sauna, emotional shower, relaxation area and jacuzzi with a view of the vineyards) and for a meal in our organic restaurant.
The Orio al Serio airport is only 20 minutes away by car and it is possible to arrange a paid shuttle service to/from the airport.
Pontida train station is just a few minutes away from Polisena, and the railway line passing through it is ideal for those wishing to visit the cities of Bergamo and Lecco.
For guided tours of Bergamo and its province, we recommend the website of the guide Nadia Mangili, who always proposes original and curious itineraries in the city.
Best of lake life
Lecco Lake
About 25 km from Polisena, Lecco Lake, the historical setting of Manzoni’s novel, is the eastern branch of Lake Como. Sights along the lake: Lecco with Villa Manzoni, now the Manzoni Civic Museum. Varenna with the Vezio’s Castle, its small beaches and villas. Beaches and lidos of sand, stones and grass: Rivabella, Abbadia Lariana, Lierna and Mandello del Lario. Enchanting views and cool bathing.
Como Lake
Bellagio, a renowned holiday resort, is undoubtedly the most famous town on the picturesque Lake Como, thanks to its picturesque location on the lake’s southern arms. On the western shore of the lake there are several villas famous for their architecture and gardens, including Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo and Villa del Balbinello in Lenno. About 45 km from Polisena.
Iseo Lake
About 60 km from Polisena, we recommend: Monte Isola, which at 600 m above sea level is one of the highest lake islands in Europe. Lovere with its Tadini Academy of Fine Arts and the Basilica of S. Maria di Valvendra. Beaches and lidos: Marone, Predore, Riva di Solto, Sale Marasino, Sulzano, Tavernola Bergamasca.
Best of walks
Monte Linzone (1392 mt)
Easy panoramic route. At the top, spectacular 360° views. Departure from Roncola cemetery. Duration one and a half hours. On the way back a cone of the best ice cream in Bergamo, at La Pasqualina di Almenno. Distance to start 18 km.
Monte Resegone (1875 mt)
The Resegone (or Monte Serrada) is one of Lecco’s most famous mountains. It straddles the provinces of Lecco and Bergamo and, in particular, the city of Lecco rises on the slopes of its western slope. Resegone consists of many peaks and summits of different heights.
Best of relax
San Pellegrino and thermal baths
San Pellegrino, about half an hour’s drive from Polisena, is located in the heart of the Val Brembana, and has become famous for its mineral water of the same name (an Italian prestige found in restaurants all over the world), the Grand Hotel and Casino, and the Art Nouveau style that distinguishes its buildings, many of which were built in the early 20th century, at the height of the Belle Époque.
The new QC Terme facility sees an elegant and coherent combination of the original Art Nouveau structure and modern architectural solutions, and offers numerous wellness paths, treatments and massages, making this the perfect place to spend time in total relaxation.
Book your stay in one of our Eco Junior Suites, so that you can visit San Pellegrino Terme and have access to the new centre.
Best of with children
Around the Polisena there are many theme parks where your children can have a great time.
La torre del sole
An astronomical park that acts as a link between the artistic, natural and historical wealth of the area. Daytime and evening visits are held, reserved for schools, groups and the general public, with offers and educational trails complemented by observational and workshop activities. Distance 6 km.
Le cornelle
A 126,000 square metre wildlife park for animals and those who want to get to know them. You enter the park strictly on foot, and following an ideal itinerary you can enjoy an educational and exciting experience, meeting animals from all over the world. Distance 11 km.
Parco avventura di Roncola
The Roncola adventure park is located 900 metres above sea level in the Imagna Valley. Landscapes, colours, refuges, walks, panoramas that deserve to be seen, a place where you can experience a unique day of adventure and adrenaline, but also relaxation. Distance 16 km.
Leolandia
The perfect amusement park for small children. Many fun and educational attractions, such as Minitalia: the Italian peninsula in miniature. Distance 24 km
Cultural destinations
Bergamo
Bergamo, only 15 minutes by train from Polisena, lies between the high plain and the Orobian Pre-Alps, in the area between the Brembo and Serio rivers. It is also known by the epithet ‘City of the Thousand’, because the participation of the Bergamasks in Garibaldi’s expedition, which arrived in this city in 1859 to enlist new forces, was massive.
Bergamo is divided into two distinct parts that represent its two souls: the Città Alta, the historic walled centre (already a Unesco heritage site), and the Città Bassa, the more modern part but equally rich in history and places of interest.
In the Città Alta, you cannot miss a visit to: the Venetian Walls, the Fortress, the Castle of San Vigilio and the beautiful Piazza Vecchia, home to the Contarini fountain, the Palazzo della Ragione, the Civic Tower (or Campanone), the Palazzo Nuovo (home of the Angelo Mai civic library), the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and the Colleoni Chapel. Also Città Bassa boasts cultural centres of interest, such as the Donizzetti Theatre, the Church of Saints Bartholomew and Stephen, the Carrara Academy and the Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art (GAMeC).
In addition to an extensive network of city parks, the city boasts the Parco dei Colli di Bergamo, recognised at regional level as a protected area, whose symbol is the red hedgehog and within which there is also a botanical garden.
Crespi d’Adda
This small village, about thirty minutes’ drive from Polisena, was built in 1877 together with the textile factory owned by the Crespi family in the triangle of land enclosed between the Adda and Brembo rivers, and represents the most important example of a working-class village in Italy, now a Unesco heritage site. Crespi d’Adda was born at the height of the industrial revolution from an idea, almost visionary at the time, of Cristoforo Crespi: the entrepreneur, the second generation of a family of tengitt (fabric dyers) from Busto Arsizio, wanted to found a factory that was avant-garde not only in terms of its structure and machinery, but also for the collective social services reserved for its workers, who were entitled, by paying a fair rent, to live in the village’s palazzotti or villas, and had wash-houses, bathrooms and showers with hot water, a medical clinic, a primary school and an inn at their disposal. Thanks to the Crespi Cultura association, it is possible to participate in guided tours that will take you on a discovery of the history of weaving and the stories of those who founded and lived in the village.
For enthusiasts, we also recommend reading the historical novel ‘On This Side of the River’, which recounts the foundation and development of the village through the lives of its families.
From here, you can reach Milan by bicycle along the cycle path along the Martesana canal.
Brescia
Italian Capital of Culture 2023 together with Bergamo, Brescia is a city rich in history, museums, good food and good wine.
The ‘Lioness of Italy’, a title bestowed on her by Venice to emphasise her loyalty to the Republic, in the heart of the city presents a series of historical finds from the Roman era that open up among the city streets, giving breath to history and imagination: the Roman forum, a Unesco heritage site together with the monastic complex of San Salvatore and Santa Giulia, represents one of the best-preserved historical and monumental sites from that period, when the city bore the name Brixia.
Of the many remarkable museums in the city, that of Santa Giulia deserves special mention for the richness and variety of the permanent collection and the temporary exhibitions on offer.
