Bergamo in 7 days

A walled Venetian hill town 45 minutes from Milan, with funiculars, panoramas and none of the crowds. Best time to visit: April-June and September-October. Average daily budget: $90 to $160 USD.

Day 1, Land & wander

Base: Citta Alta, The walled upper town: Piazza Vecchia, the Colleoni Chapel, the ramparts and most of the atmosphere.

Morning: Piazza Vecchia. Le Corbusier called it the most beautiful square in Europe; climb the Campanone bell tower above it.

Afternoon: Explore Citta Alta, The walled upper town: Piazza Vecchia, the Colleoni Chapel, the ramparts and most of the atmosphere.

Evening: Walk the Venetian walls. A UNESCO-listed six-kilometre loop of 16th-century ramparts circling the upper town, best at sunset.

Eat: Casoncelli alla bergamasca, buttery stuffed pasta with sage and pancetta

Day 2, Iconic sights

Base: Citta Bassa, The modern lower town with the Accademia Carrara gallery, shopping on Sentierone and cheaper hotels.

Morning: Funicular to San Vigilio. Ride to the top for the full view over the plain and, on clear days, the Alps.

Afternoon: Explore Citta Bassa, The modern lower town with the Accademia Carrara gallery, shopping on Sentierone and cheaper hotels.

Evening: Accademia Carrara. A quietly superb collection of Raphael, Botticelli and Bellini in the lower town.

Eat: Polenta e osei, the yellow sponge cake shaped like the local polenta dish

Day 3, Food & markets

Base: San Vigilio, The hilltop above Citta Alta, reached by a second funicular, with the castle and the best panorama.

Morning: The Colleoni Chapel's marble facade, an overlooked Renaissance masterpiece.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore San Vigilio, The hilltop above Citta Alta, reached by a second funicular, with the castle and the best panorama.

Evening: Sunset drinks on the Baluardo San Michele, a rampart bastion locals use as a viewpoint.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Stracciatella gelato, invented here in 1961

Day 4, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Borgo Santa Caterina, A local neighbourhood of trattorias and bakeries where prices drop and tourists thin out.

Morning: Astino Valley, a green monastery valley 20 minutes' walk from the walls.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Borgo Santa Caterina, A local neighbourhood of trattorias and bakeries where prices drop and tourists thin out.

Evening: The old cistern tunnels under Citta Alta, open on guided visits.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Taleggio and Branzi cheeses from the surrounding valleys

Day 5, Day trip

Base: Citta Alta, The walled upper town: Piazza Vecchia, the Colleoni Chapel, the ramparts and most of the atmosphere.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Citta Alta, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Citta Alta, The walled upper town: Piazza Vecchia, the Colleoni Chapel, the ramparts and most of the atmosphere.

Evening: Dinner at Casoncelli alla bergamasca, buttery stuffed pasta with sage and pancetta, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Citta Alta.

Eat: Casoncelli alla bergamasca, buttery stuffed pasta with sage and pancetta

Day 6, Hidden gems

Base: Citta Bassa, The modern lower town with the Accademia Carrara gallery, shopping on Sentierone and cheaper hotels.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Citta Bassa, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Citta Bassa, The modern lower town with the Accademia Carrara gallery, shopping on Sentierone and cheaper hotels.

Evening: Dinner at Polenta e osei, the yellow sponge cake shaped like the local polenta dish, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Citta Bassa.

Eat: Polenta e osei, the yellow sponge cake shaped like the local polenta dish

Day 7, Slow finish

Base: San Vigilio, The hilltop above Citta Alta, reached by a second funicular, with the castle and the best panorama.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in San Vigilio, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore San Vigilio, The hilltop above Citta Alta, reached by a second funicular, with the castle and the best panorama.

Evening: Dinner at Stracciatella gelato, invented here in 1961, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in San Vigilio.

Eat: Stracciatella gelato, invented here in 1961

Hidden gems

The Colleoni Chapel's marble facade, an overlooked Renaissance masterpiece.
Sunset drinks on the Baluardo San Michele, a rampart bastion locals use as a viewpoint.
Astino Valley, a green monastery valley 20 minutes' walk from the walls.
The old cistern tunnels under Citta Alta, open on guided visits.

Getting around

Everything is walkable once you are in either town, and the funicular links them in three minutes on a standard bus ticket. Bergamo Orio al Serio airport is 15 minutes away by bus. Trains reach Milan in 50 minutes, Brescia in an hour and Lake Como via Lecco in about 90 minutes. No car needed.

Safety

Bergamo is very safe, including at night in Citta Alta, and is comfortable for solo female travellers. Petty theft is limited to the airport bus and Milan-bound trains. The main practical issues are steep cobbled slopes, which are hard with wheeled luggage, and restaurants near Piazza Vecchia charging tourist prices.

Bergamo in 3 days | Bergamo in 5 days | Full Bergamo guide