Perfect Itinerary Of Bergamo

Many people overlook Bergamo due to its location because they seem to prefer its neighbouring City Milan which is known around the world, for the finer things.

Bergamo on the other hand is the perfect location for anyone on a budget. With a cheap to fly into Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport (BGY), Easy and cheap transport links to the city, great fresh food at a good price, and many things to do for free. This is perfect for travellers that want to save money.

In this article, I will give you ideas on how to spend 24 hours on a budget. This is perfect for you guys that are coming from Milan for a day trip or even for you guys that are travelling directly to Bergamo like myself. These times are not set and are very flexible with you, they’re just ideas on how to spend your time.

Morning-

Bergamo has two different areas the Città Alta (The upper District) And Citta Bassa (the Lower District). As much as these two areas are different. So Is night and day in Bergamo.

The morning and daylight hours are very busy. People can come across as a bit rude with pushing past and cars driving at you down small lanes. This might make Bergamo sound horrible but it’s actually a minor inconvenience.

So a recommendation for the mornings in Bergamo is to explore the lower city (Citta Bassa) because as much as this area is lovely it’s got a lot less to see, meaning you can take advantage of the busy streets and head off to shops and coffee houses.

Try out the Italy smaller style coffees and if the weather calls for it tries a gelato or two.

Mainly use this time to take it easy and keep off public transport, get lost in the lower city (Citta Bassa) and see what they have to offer.

Mid-afternoon-

Depending on the time of the year, the weather in Bergamo might be getting a little too hot.

You won’t be the only one not enjoying the heat at this time, the locals normally close shops around 1-3 pm so it can be limited to things you can do during this time. Restaurants normally close between 3-7 pm

If you are staying for a night or 2 use this time to check into your hotel, hostel or apartment and have a rest. If you can have a nap you will appreciate it later as you have a lot of exploring to do in a couple of hours. You have got the best part to see later.

Saying this I would plan to get up and be ready to start exploring again at 3 pm, some of the shops may not still be open but this gives you time to head for the cablecar (Funicolare) and head up to Città Alta and explored the old town.

This is where the beauty really starts. The historic buildings and beautiful lookout of the lower city.

You can still visit the lookout of the tower, Campanone. As this is open till 6 pm which cost €5 but my personal recommendation would be to explore the Bergamo Botanical Garden Lorenzo Rota which closes at 5 pm as this has the best views of the city and it’s free. It’s a place I wouldn’t want to miss.

Evening-

By the time you have explored part of the old town, you will notice shops opening back up and this will be the perfect place to buy some Souvenirs as there are a couple of shops to buy Bergamo style gifts.

Once you have explored the local style shops you might start to get hungry and now want to explore some of the Italian food and there is nothing better than pizza and pasta.

The old town is full of little restaurants that give you a real Italian experience without the Milan price tag.

We headed to a place called Da Franco and the pizza we got really didn’t disappoint, it was fantastic. Very good price, let’s say it was cheaper than dominoes and so much better.

Night-

After a great meal, if you are not too tired then you might be wanting a drink.

As much as there are a few small pubs in the old town you need to remember the last cable car time, which is around midnight in the summer, so if you are planning on drinking this might be the perfect time to head back down to the city and finding a pub a little closer to your accommodation.

Saying this if you get a chance to see the Città Alta at night it is fantastic, even if it is a little spooky If I say it myself. Especially the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore area. Check it out yourself, just don’t miss the Cable car or it’s a long walk down!

What we did In Bergamo

Bergamo was amazing and visiting Bergamo and the fact we didn’t go to Milan, it didn’t feel like we missed out. We had such a wonderful time exploring a part of Italy that didn’t feel like a tourist trap, the real side of Italy. 

As much as I gave you ideas of what to do and see In Bergamo, check out this video and see how we managed to explore the City in less than 24 hours here…

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Thanks for reading and I’ll see you Soooon.