by Bergamo is a city in the Lombardy region. Bergamo, one of the historical cities of Northern Italy, is divided into two districts, Città Alta and Città Bassa. Città Alta is the historical centre of the city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Città Bassa is the modern face of the city. With its Renaissance buildings, Gothic architectural examples and historical churches, it was a city that impressed me a lot and I recommend you to visit it. It is not a very big city, so a day trip will be enough. Now I will tell you what you can do in Bergamo in one day. Bergamo Travel Guide is with you.
Bergamo Travel Guide
I will write about Bergamo transportation and accommodation options, places to visit and things to do, and finally my recommendations for eating and drinking. You have enough time for all the things to do in one day. I went at the end of March and the weather was great, it was not crowded, so I think spring is an ideal time to visit.
Bergamo Transport Guide
There is an airport in Bergamo and it is possible to reach the city directly by air. In fact, there are usually flights to this city with cheap tickets. During my Milan trip, I travelled to Bergamo for the day, so I reached the city by train. I bought my train tickets from Milan Central Train Station for 5.80€ for departure and 5€ for return. The transportation between Citta Bassa and Citta Alta in the city can be provided by bus and funicular. One way ticket costs 1.5€. Once you get to Citta Alta, you can walk everywhere, actually you can even walk from Citta Bassa to Citta Alta if you want, but you have to climb a lot of hills.
Accommodation Options in Bergamo
To be honest, I didn’t stay in Bergamo, but I was planning to stay for one night, so I did a lot of research. I will make some suggestions according to my own research. You can easily travel from Milan on a day trip, but of course you can stay to enjoy this small city more.
Bergamo Citta Alta Accommodation Options
Luxury Hotel: Relais San Vigilio al Castello, GombitHotel
Mid-range Hotel: Hotel Piazza Vecchia, Le Funi Hotel
Budget Friendly Hotel: Uptown B&B, Colleoni 20
Bergamo Citta Bassa Accommodation Options
Mid-range Hotel: Hotel Excelsior San Marco, Western Hotel Cappello D’Oro, Mercure Bergamo Centro Palazzo Dolci
Budget Friendly Hotel: Angolo Del Poeta, Residenza del Borgo, Bergamo Inn 43
For all available accommodation options in Bergamo please check here.
Things to see and do in Bergamo
To be honest, I only visited Città Alta. Since it is the historical centre of Bergamo, the places to visit, old walls and churches are located here. It is such a pleasant place with its magnificent view and historical architecture that I didn’t feel like visiting Citta Bassa. Now I will tell you about the main places to visit in Citta Alta.
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore: Built in the 12th century, this church was the main reason I went to Bergamo. There are marvellous frescoes and sculptures inside, I was totally mesmerised. The entrance is 3€ and it is definitely worth it.
Cappella Colleoni: Located right next to the basilica, the chapel is one of the beautiful examples of the Renaissance period and the entrance is free. It is a small place, the paintings on the walls are very nice.
Duomo di Bergamo: Built in the 17th century, this gothic cathedral is the most important religious centre of Bergamo. The interior of the cathedral was much more beautiful than I expected and the entrance was free.
Piazza Vecchia: We can say that it is the most important square in the heart of Città Alta. You can have a coffee and enjoy a cosy drink in the cafes here.
Campanone: A large clock and bell tower located in Piazza Vecchia and is the symbol of Bergamo. The tower was built in 1656 and an observation terrace was added later. From the tower you have a panoramic view of the Citta Alta.
Rocca di Bergamo: A historical castle from the Medieval period, located at the highest point of Città Alta. You can climb the castle and enjoy the beautiful view of the city, you can also use the funicular railway.
Food and Drink in Bergamo
I have some great recommendations for food and drink. Two restaurants and one dessert place, I loved what I ate in all of them, if you have only one chance to eat, you can choose according to your mood.
Il Circolino: This place was a former prison and today it has been restored and turned into a restaurant. Both the atmosphere and the food were very good. The wine menu is also quite extensive. The prices of the dishes were very reasonable compared to the elegance of the presentations.
Il Fornaio: This place sells pizza by weight, but the pizza varieties are really good. If you want to eat something more like fast food, this place is great.
La Marianna: I suggest you go here for something sweet after your meal. It was the first place where Stracciatella ice cream came out, I recommend you to try it. The garden is also very sweet.
Caffe del Tasso: If you want to have a coffee or spritz break while watching the people passing by in Piazza Vecchia, this place is nice.
I hope you will benefit from my Bergamo Travel Guide article while planning your trip to Bergamo. There may be something I missed, if there are other things you want to ask, please leave it as a comment. If you have any extra suggestions, I would also welcome them in the comments.
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