Jana Meerman
Bergamo, Italy

24 Hours in Bergamo

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After a week spent at Lake Como, I was headed east to continue my six-week trip around Northern Italy. I was on my way to Lake Garda, the other large famous lake of the north.

Along the way to Lake Garda, we stopped at a few places. We spent an afternoon in Milan, a city I visited in the summer of 2022, for lunch at Obica right next to the duomo with incredible views from their terrace, and then a gelato from Amorino where they shape their gelatos like flowers.

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Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

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Just so happened to be Milan Fashion Week

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Lunch at Obicà Mozzarella Bar

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Best view of the Duomo from their terrace

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Amorino Gelato

Then it was time to drive out to Bergamo for a one-night stay. Bergamo, home to about 120,000 people, is a delightful university town with one Italy's most well known old towns, the Città Alta.

The one thing I can say is that I wish we had had more time - Bergamo was such a pleasant surprise, with a really fantastic vibe and a wonderful old town to explore. Nevertheless, we could only do so much, so read on for my guide on how to make the most out of 24 hours in the city:

How to Get to Bergamo

By flight: Bergamo is serviced by the Milan-Bergamo airport, situated closer to Bergamo but also a popular airport for Milan. It is the third-busiest airport in Italy. The Flibco shuttle provides direct transfers from the airport to Bergamo in about 50 minutes.

By car: Bergamo is just a one-hour drive from Milan, making this an easy add-on to your Milan trip. While I had wanted more time in the city just to explore and indulge a little - especially in all the delicious dining options - you can definitely do Bergamo in a day. There are some underground parking lots in the Città Alta; we parked at this one.

By bus: The Z301 bus takes an hour from Milan directly to the central bus station in Bergamo, at the train station.

By train: The central train station in Bergamo, also where the bus station is, is serviced by TrenItalia and can be reached directly from across Northern Italy, including Milan and Lecco at Lake Como, each just an hour away.

From the bus/train station, you can either transfer to the 1 bus into the Città Alta or you can walk to...

By funicular: From the main city of Bergamo, an 85-metre funicular travels 240 metres up into the Città Alta in just a few minutes. Originally built in 1887 and modernized in 1917, this is one of the most popular ways to access the old town.

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Where to Stay in Bergamo

I struggled a bit to find decent accommodation in Bergamo that was in my price range. There don't seem to be any hostels in Bergamo (at least, none are listed in HostelWorld), so I ended up booking the Hotel Città Dei Mille which, while a bit outdated, had really good reviews and was fine for one night, even if every wall and furniture and piece of decor in our room was bright green...!

I would suggest checking out Booking.com and finding a nice hotel in your budget - and I'd definitely recommend staying inside the Città Alta as that is where all the tourist attractions are and that way you will be in walking distance to everything.

jana meerman hotel citta dei mille bergamo booking

Image via Booking.com

Where to Eat in Bergamo

We had dinner at quite probably the biggest restaurant I've ever been to. We found it on Google Maps, stumbled into it thinking it looked cozy, and then quickly realized we'd be dining with what felt like the entire city! The Circolino di Città Alta is a restaurant inside an old monastery offering a delicious comfort-food menu. We tried the polenta - a dish that originates in Bergamo! - and pizza. The service was a bit slow but otherwise, can definitely recommend.

We had brunch the next morning just outside the city at P13 Lounge Cafe, a brunch spot offering loads of vegan options and is absolutely worth the trek. We were here on a Sunday and it definitely felt the place to be.

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Circolino di Città Alta

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P13 Lounge Cafe

Best Things to See in Bergamo

We just spent an afternoon and evening in the Città Alta of Bergamo, the city's old town, and wish we had had more time to explore. There is such a wonderful vibe and atmosphere in this university city, the streets coming alive at night and every restaurant packed to the brim.

Nevertheless, we spent our time wandering the streets, trying to spot all the beautiful little corners of Bergamo's oldest region:

Wander the streets of Città Alta

Of course, first on my list is simply to wander. We parked our car right inside the Città Alta and then made our way on foot into the heart of the old town, picking and choosing beautiful streets to turn down.

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jana meerman bergamo italy-43

Take in the views from Porta San Giacomo

This was my favourite little viewpoint in Bergamo, siutated on the southern side of the Città Alta with picture-perfect views down to the main city.

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jana meerman bergamo italy-33
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jana meerman bergamo italy-33

Walk along the Mura Veneziane-Patrimonio

Built in the 16th century primarily for defense purposes, today these UNESCO World Heritage Site walls are the perfect spot to wander around the old town.

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jana meerman bergamo italy-16
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Admire the architecture of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

Built in the 12th century, this beautiful basilica is nestled in between the buildings of Bergamo's Piazza del Duomo. You can buy tickets to climb the church tower and get a great view overlooking the Città Alta.

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jana meerman bergamo italy-04
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jana meerman bergamo italy-04

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Jana Meerman

Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.

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