There’s been a lot of talk about movies in recent weeks, between the release of Christopher Nolan’s much-talked-about *Odyssey* and the new *Spider-Man: Brand New Day*. Summer is full of movies to watch with friends or a special someone—after all, the big screen is always a great romantic plan. But do you know what could be even more special? An arthouse film under the stars, in the garden of a charming 17th-century mansion, on a late-summer night, accompanied by a delicious picnic. Just over an hour’s drive from Milan, we’ve found the perfect plan for an evening that combines cinema and the stars—who knows, maybe your wish will come true right around the time of San Lorenzo.
Barefoot in the Park: Open-Air Movie
In the green heart of Città Alta, Bergamo’s largest private park transforms into an open-air cinema with “A piedi nudi nel parco,” a series of six arthouse films organized in collaboration with FIC—Federazione Italiana Cineforum ETS. Fiction, documentaries, and animation—including a great classic—weave together into real and inner journeys, stories that explore our relationship with nature and the spaces we inhabit, inviting us to view the world as a garden to be protected and cultivated and to take responsibility for preserving its balance.
This Saturday, August 8, at 9:00 p.m. , Andrew Haigh’s *Charley Thompson / Lean on Pete* will be screened in its original language. The screening will take place “en plein air” in the Ortaglia garden of Palazzo Moroni. For this reason, we recommend wearing comfortable clothing and bringing a flashlight, a blanket to sit on the lawn, and mosquito repellent .
There will be plenty of snacks and natural beverages available for purchase at the refreshment stand set up inside the vegetable garden. For those looking for a more romantic evening, it will also be possible to reserve a picnic—prepared in collaboration withEnoristorante La Tana—with a basket to be picked up between 7:00 p.m . and 8:00 p.m. directly in the vegetable garden (payment on site). Finally, for the occasion, Palazzo Moroni will also keep its museum galleries open continuously; visitors can explore them on their own or take a guided tour from 5:30 p.m. until the screenings begin.
📍Palazzo Moroni – Via Porta Dipinta, 12, BERGAMO (BG)
🎟️ Tickets available at this link; prices vary
A sumptuous 17th-century mansion in Bergamo Alta
Palazzo Moroni, a sumptuous 17th-century mansion in Bergamo Alta, was built between 1636 and 1666 by the Moroni family, originally from Albino, who made their fortune through mulberry cultivation and silk production. Commissioned by Francesco Moroni after his marriage to Lucrezia Roncalli, the palace was built on land purchased from the Pesenti family and embellished with Baroque frescoes by Gian Giacomo Barbelli, which still make the interiors one of the most important decorative cycles in Lombardy. Since 2020, Palazzo and Giardini Moroni have been managed by the FAI—the Italian Environment Fund—and are open to the public, recognized as one of the most fascinating sites in Upper Bergamo.
