Bergamo

Understand

Bergamo is a pretty town of some 122,000 people (2019) nestling in the foothills of the Alps. Widely acclaimed as a city of rare beauty, Bergamo is famous for its wealth of artistic treasures and enchanting medieval atmosphere. It is a real life tale of two cities: Città Bassa, the busy and modern lower city, and Città Alta, the upper city with its rich heritage of art and history.

Tourist information Visit Bergamo Infopoint Città Alta: Via Gombito 13, +39 035 242226 Infopoint Città Bassa: Piazzale Marconi 12, +39 035 210204

Getting there

By plane Bergamo airport is the 3rd busiest airport in Italy, serving a wider area than just the province of Bergamo. It mostly hosts low-fare airlines, many of whom market it as an alternative to Milan's Malpensa and Linate airports, and therefore call it "Milan Bergamo".

1 Bergamo Orio al Serio International Airport (BGY IATA), ☏ +39 035326323. There is a left luggage service at the airport. €4 per item, reportedly closed at night. (updated Sep 2015) Airlines serving Milan are either point-to-point low-fare carries like Ryanair, Wizz Air, or holiday charters going either to Italy from other European countries, or from Bergamo to warmer holiday destinations in the Mediterranean. If you would rather travel on a major airline, your only choice are the two daily flights to Munich Airport, operated by Air Dolomiti, where the Lufthansa-owned carrier connects to the Star Alliance network of European and intercontinental flights. Munich is denoted Monaco in Italian when searching for the flights. Many passengers get on a coach to Milan right after arrival, skipping Bergamo entirely.

From the airport to Bergamo Airport Bus (line #1). This service runs between the airport and important points within the city, such as the train station or the lower station of the funicular. You can find schedules and route maps on the site of ATB (the city's public transit authority). single €3.00 (valid on all city transport for 90 min), €8.50 for 24-hr ticket and €14.50 for a 3-day (72 hr); tickets can be purchased at a ticket machine at the bus stop, contactless payment on the bus (Passa e Vai, €3.50) and some other locations (see web site). (updated Aug 2023) Flibco Shuttle Bus. frequent departures, approximately every 20-30 minutes during peak hours. Flibco operates shuttle bus services connecting Bergamo Airport to various destinations including Milan Centrale railway station, Milan (various stops), and other cities. The journey to Milan Centrale Station typically takes approx

Getting around

By bus The city's public transit authority is called ATB (Azienda Trasporti Bergamo) and provides a comprehensive website in English. ATB operates a number of bus lines, two funiculars and a tram line. ATB's ticketing system is a complicated zone-based affair, with single-ride tickets starting at €1.70 (75 min) for zone 00 (24-hr card – €3.50). Basically, the whole city centre is included into this zone, but to travel to or from the airport you would need a 3 zone ticket for €2.30 (75 min). There are also "Whole Network" cards: 24 hr for €5.00 and 72 hr for €7.00. These tickets are also valid at the funiculars and tram lines and allow you to travel with luggage. Tickets can be purchased from automated or manned points of sale throughout the town - most importantly, at the train station, the airport, Porta Nuova and the lower station of the Citta Alta funicular. They can also be bought through the ATB app, on onboard with a card or a digital payment sistem such as Apple Pay and Google Pay (Note: you can only pay for one passenger for each card).

Bus line #1 is the most convenient for tourists, as it connects the airport with the railway station, the Citta Alta and several other points of interest. The important stops are:

Aeroporto for airport Orio Center for the shopping centre opposite the airport Stazione FS for the main railway station Porta Nuova for the centre of Citta Bassa, some buses stop there and don't go to Citta Alta Stazione Inf. Funicolare for the lower station of Citta Alta funicular Stazione Sup. Funicolare for the upper station of Citta Alta funicular Colle Aperto northwestern terminus for buses doing the full route, at the lower station of the funicular to San Vigilio The journey from Aeroporto or Orio Center to Colle Aperto takes not more than 25 min (unless there is major traffic congestion), and within the city all of the stops are not more than 15 min from each other. Buses leave the airport three times an hour from 06:00 until 00:00, which

See

Città Alta

1 Piazza Vecchia. The heart of the old town, displaying a mix of medieval and Renaissance architecture: Palazzo della Ragione, Torre del Comune, Palazzo Nuovo and Contarini Fountain. 2 Bergamo Cathedral (Duomo di Bergamo, Cattedrale di Sant'Alessandro). The surviving one of the two cathedrals once existing in the city, dedicated to Saint Alexander of Bergamo. Incidentally, this cathedral was originally devoted to Saint Vincent, but once the original Saint Alexander cathedral was torn down by the Venetians, the dioceses were merged under Saint Alexander's name. The cathedral has a classic Latin Cross layout, and has seen many renovations and refurbishments, the latest being the addition of the 19th-century neoclassical facade.

3 Santa Maria Maggiore. A 12th-century church with later alterations. €5. (updated Aug 2024) 4 Colleoni Chapel (Cappella Colleoni). It is a church and mausoleum built in the 15th century with richly decorated polychrome marble façade. (updated Apr 2026) 5 Torre di Gombito. A tower-house, built in the 12th century. It played a role in the conflict between the Guelphs and Ghibellines. Its name likely comes from the Latin "gombito", meaning crossing. (updated Sep 2015) 6 Rocca. A walled stronghold which houses a museum. (updated Apr 2026) 7 Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe. (updated Sep 2015) 8 Chiesa di Sant'Andrea. With Madonna Enthroned with Saints by Moretto da Brescia. (updated Sep 2015) 9 Chiesa di San Michele al Pozzo Bianco. Founded in the 8th century, much of its interior belongs 1400s with frescoes in Byzantine style. There are also some frescos of 16th century by Lorenzo Lotto, Giovan Battista Guarinoni d'Averara and painting Madonna and child with Saints Peter and Paul by Giovanni Paolo Lolmo. (updated Sep 2015) 10 Palazzo Medolago Albani. It was built between 1783 and 1791 in neoclassical style — a typical example of bourgeois palace of the late 18th century. (updated Apr 2026) 11 Archeological Museum (Museo Archeologico)

Do

1 Teatro Donizetti. Opera house. 2 Teatro Sociale. Theatre. 3 New Balance Arena (formerly Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia). Football stadium. Home of Atalanta BC. (updated Apr 2026) Ride a mountain bike in the beautiful Parco dei Colli just behind the old town. You will feel as if you are riding in the mountains. Football: Atalanta BC play in Serie A, Italy's top tier. Their home ground is the New Balance Arena (capacity 21,700) 2 km north of the railway station