Bergamo is a city in the northeastern part of Lombardy full of charm and history. Located only 50km north of Milan, the city of Bergamo is a perfect one-day escape or a lovely weekend getaway from Milan.
The city Bergamo is historically divided into two parts. Città Alta – located on the hill, Città Alta is the older upper district full of cobblestone paved streets, small historical squares, delicious pastry shops, and typical restaurants. Città Bassa – the newer part of the town located around the upper city.
Read all about how to reach Bergamo from Milan, what to see in Bergamo, and where and what to eat in Bergamo in this one-day Bergamo travel itinerary.
Note: this post includes affiliate links. I gain a small commission from the provider each time you click the link and book a service through it. That comes at no extra cost to you. Every little commission would tremendously help me run this blog and provide better content for you.
Bergamo Città Alta
How to get from Milan to Bergamo?
The best way to reach Bergamo from Milan is by train. Get up early in the morning to catch one of the morning trains from Milano Centrale to Bergamo. The trains to Bergamo leave twice per hour and run almost the entire day, starting as early as 5am. Most lines run directly to Bergamo, but mind that in some cases there is a change in Milano Lambrate. The train ride to Bergamo is short and sweet – it only takes 50min to reach the city!
The regional train ticket from Milan to Bergamo will cost you €5.80 one way or €11.60 for a return ticket. My recommendation is to purchase the train tickets online to avoid long queues at the train station. Click on the button below to guarantee your tickets.
Market in Bergamo Città Bassa
Reaching Città Alta from Bergamo train station
Exiting the Bergamo Train Station, you will immediately fall into the center of the Città Bassa! To reach Città Alta from Bergamo Train Station, you have but two options. Probably the most panoramic way to do so is by taking the funicular from Città Bassa.
The funicular is part of Bergamo’s transportation system and the ticket will cost you 1.30€, valid for 75min from purchase.
If you instead fancy a walk or want to test your hiking skills, you can take a short 10min climb, starting from the stairs next to the funicular. The walk is quite steep and starts with a number of stairs, followed by a lovely cobblestoned path through a forest. Once you reach the top of the path, the view opens up and the last minute is full of panoramic views of the city. Here you will also find a popular Instagrammable spot for your photos 🙂
Note: the line for the funicular is extremely long and you might simply be faster by taking the walk.
Things to see in Bergamo Città Alta
I suggest dedicating at least a couple of hours to exploring the Città Alta in detail. You can choose to explore the city on your own or join in on one of the guided tours, the full list of which you can find by clicking the button below.
Here is the list of must-see things in Bergamo Città Alta:
1. Porta San Giacomo
Porta San Giacomo
Coming to Città Alta on foot, you will pass through Porta San Giacomo before entering the high city. These represent a magnificent gate into the city, made of white marble. Believe it or not, they’re actually the remains of a ruined city wall. The views here are one of a kind and the spot is perfect for all photography lovers.
Tip: Come back to Porta San Giacomo in the afternoon to catch better lighting for your photos!
2. Piazza Vecchia with attractions
Colleoni Chapel (left) and Bergamo Cathedral (right)
Head to Piazza Vecchia, where you will find the majority of attractions, clustered around the historical square. You should definitely visit the picturesque Bergamo Cathedral – the Duomo (right photo) with tombs of bishops and the Colleoni Chapel (left photo). Right by the chapel’s entrance, you will find a small symbol. Legend says that touching the symbol brings good luck. Both attractions are completely free.
I personally have not done it, but another suggestion is to visit the Campanone and climb on top of this 12th-century tower with scenic views. The tickets cost €5.
3. Rocca di Bergamo
Rocca di Bergamo
Rocca di Bergamo is a medieval fortress, surrounded by a green park with stunning views of the city. Inside the fortress, there is a museum of Bergamo’s history. You can choose to visit the museum or climb up the wall for an even better view. The combined ticket with entrance to the museum and the wall cost 5€. If you’d only like to climb the wall and adore the view, the ticket will cost you 3€.
4. Try the local dishes and desserts
Casoncelli Alla Bergamasca (left) and Polenta e Osei (right)
For lunch, stop by a “trattoria” and taste one of the typical dishes in Bergamo: Casoncelli Alla Bergamasca (left photo) a type of ravioli-shape pasta with pork or beef filling, served with pancetta, sage and butter sauce or polenta, a type of side dish made of corn flour boiled in water. Polenta is typically served with meat – pollo (chicken), coniglio (rabbit) or brasato (type of beef). A typical dish in Bergamo is also polenta targana, a local version of polenta mixed with Italian cheeses.
Save some space for dessert! Surprisingly, a typical dessert called is made of nothing else but polenta. The dessert, called Polenta e Osei is a typical cake-type dessert made of sponge cake, filled with hazelnut creme, maraschino liquor, covered by almond paste and chocolate (italian translation on the right photo).
5. Mure Veneziane
Take a walk along the popular Venetian Walls, a part of Bergamo city that is registered under UNESCO world heritage! It is said that perhaps the walls have not been destroyed during enemy attacks due to their beauty.
6. Get lost in the streets of Bergamo
If you have some spare time left, wander around the historical streets without a specific goal. You will find plenty of pastry shops, vintage stores, and souvenir shops.
Things to see in Bergamo Città Bassa
Since my trip to Bergamo was short, I did not have much time to explore the Città Bassa. Below is the list of suggestions of what to see in Bergamo Città Bassa:
- Porta Nuova
- Bergamo market
- Chiesa Prepositurale di Santa Maria
Where to stay in Bergamo?
If you’re planning to stay in Bergamo overnight, I suggest to have a look at Booking.com for hotels within your budget.
Hope you’ve found my list of things to see and do in Bergamo useful! Have you been to Bergamo before? Did you visit the attractions mentioned in the blog? Is there something I have missed? Let me know in the comments 🙂
I’m an expat in Milan, Italy since 2021. My goal is to share with you all about life in Italy and useful tips when traveling in Italy. You can send me a message anytime.
LIKE IT? WHY NOT PIN IT FOR LATER
Hi, it's Neja
I am an expat from Slovenia,
living in Milan since 2021 and writing a travel blog for all of you who are curious about life in Italy or traveling in Europe.
Follow me on my journey and learn everything about Italy and the European destinations.
