Bergamo – Italy

September 24, 2016

If you are already in Milano, you can to visit Bergamo for a couple of days. One of the most scenic cities in Italy, it is located on and around a steep hill, green in the summer and white in the winter.

0_italy_bergamo_citta-alta

Ryanair flys to Milano (Bergamo), the airport is very near to city.

http://www.booking.com offers studio apartments. We preferred “Casa Camozzi” at via camozzi 83, central location in the modern part of the city. The apartment was nicely decorated and very clean. The price is around 90 Euro per night. There is also 2 Euro city tax per person, charged by the hotel.

We arrived at 23:30, the owner met us in the airport and drove us to the hotel. On the way, he provided information about Bergamo, things to do and places to see. 

Bergamo has 2 city centres: the modern lower town (Citta Bassa) and the old upper town (Citta Alta). Upper town is dating back to Medieval times and surrounded by impressive defensive walls. This is the most pictured place in Bergamo.

You can reach the upper town by a funicular, costs around 3 Euro. Otherwise, you can take the bus or you can also walk up the hill via staircases (scorlazzini)

Italy_Bergamo_CittaAlta_Funicular_Old city
CittaAlta_Funicular_Old city

The most popular places in the old town (Citta Alta) are Piazza Vecchia, Piazzo Duomo, city walls and the castle overlooking the lower town.

Citta Alta
Citta Alta

Day Trip to Lake Como

Lake is a must see and it is a day trip from Bergamo. Surrounded by the Alps, shaped like upside down Y.

We had the train from Bergamo to Varenna, costs 5,50 Euro and takes around 1,5 hours. It is good directions from the station to the boat. The boat leaves every hour from Varenna to Bellagio (lovely touristic town in Como area), costs 18,40 Euro (2-ways). Depending on the season, there can be long queue to buy the boat ticket.

Here, you can enjoy the spectacular mountain views and blue waters. There are pretty lakeside towns, houses and restaurants.

Bellagio (at the junction of the "Y")
Bellagio (at the junction of the “Y”)

5_italy_bellagio
The boat trip on the way back can be colder, you will probably not realise how the time goes by and take a late afternoon boat.

Bergamo is easy to travel and is photographic. It can be rainy during April, but still nice weather to explore the city and the surroundings.