Bergamo Day Trip From Milan: My Favourite Things To Do In The City

In this post, I will share with you all the reasons to visit Bergamo, what I enjoyed the most and why, the best food spots I discovered, and answers to the key questions you might have. Let’s dive in!

What’s So Special About Bergamo Italy?

Just a 45-minute direct train ride from busy Milan, Bergamo makes for the perfect day trip to escape the hustle and bustle, explore both parts of the city, and return feeling calm and inspired.

It has a little bit of everything—a large, historic old town (called Città Alta) and a modern lower city (called Città Bassa). You can reach the higher part of Bergamo by funicular in just a few minutes.

Bergamo blends cobbled-street charm with modern shops and amenities, stunning nature and views of the Bergamasque Alps and Prealps, and of course, delicious food.

I originally added Bergamo to my itinerary because of the buzz it’s been getting lately (understandably so!)—and because I love visiting at least one place I don’t know much about.

Well, let me tell you—our Bergamo day trip from Milan turned out to be one of the most pleasant we’ve taken in a while, even better than Como!

Of course, what I enjoy is based on my own interests and experiences, but let me share more reasons why Bergamo might just steal your heart—so you can decide whether to add it to your itinerary or skip it.

Citta’ Alta and Città Bassa

As I mentioned earlier, Bergamo is divided into two distinct parts—the historic upper city (Città Alta), perched atop seven hills and enclosed by impressive Venetian Walls, and the modern lower city (Città Bassa), with wide streets, notable architecture, shopping areas, cafés, and all the vibrant energy you’d expect from an Italian city.

You’re probably wondering: Should I visit both? And can I see everything in just one day?

The answer is yes, and yes! In this post, I’ll share the best places to visit, what to do, and how to fit it all into a perfect day trip.

My Favorite Things to Do in Bergamo

1. Explore the Old Town and Immerse Yourself in Nature

I knew Bergamo would be beautiful, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this stunning. What surprised me most was how much green space there is in the older part of the city, with breathtaking views of the Alps.

If you didn’t already know, I have a deep love for the mountains—so much so that I often tear up when I see one. My favorite views were from Parco delle Rimembranze and the Walls opposite La Marianna restaurant. And that house you can see in the distance? I’d love to own it one day.

2. Grab a Gelato and Walk Along the Venetian Walls

While my favorite spot is the section of the walls opposite La Marianna (more on this later), the entire walk along the Venetian Walls is stunning, offering breathtaking panoramic views.

We had to cut our walk short because rain was in the forecast, and we wanted to leave enough time to explore the lower city. But I can’t wait to go back and finish it one day.

3. Stroll Through the Older Part of the Modern City

Even Città Bassa has an older, charming area worth exploring. You’ll find it near Via Pignolo and the Church of Sant’Alessandro della Croce.

Since I love old towns, I was more than happy to wander through this neighborhood. The best part? It’s really close to other spots on this itinerary—so you can easily fit it in. You’ll find it mentioned again towards the end of this post.

4. Stop for a Caffè and Browse the Shops in Città Bassa

We didn’t plan on shopping since time was tight, so we opted for a quick stroll—though, in reality, it felt more like a sprint! We had to make the 5 PM train back to Milan and only left ourselves under two hours to see the lower city.

If I could do it again, I’d allow at least three hours, or a little longer. Even with our rushed schedule, we still managed to check out Via Sant’Alessandro and Via XX Settembre, two of Bergamo’s main shopping streets.

5. End the Day with a Walk Along the Historic Sentierone

No trip to Bergamo is complete without a walk along the Sentierone—the city’s historic heart and a beloved meeting spot for locals.

With its stunning architecture and mostly pedestrian-friendly layout, this area is perfect for a leisurely stroll. If you prefer, you could even start your day here with breakfast at a café before heading to the upper city. Spots #1 and #3 on my list below are just five minutes away.

Where To Eat In Bergamo

Best Breakfast In Bergamo

Based on my research, these are the cafes I suggest:

1. Caffè Tiraboschi in Citta’ Bassa – the pastries and the ambience look stunning, and it also comes highly rated on Google.
2. La Coquette in Citta’ Bassa – charming little cafe which feels like stepping into your Italian aunty’s kitchen. The pastries look scrumptious, and it also has outdoor seating. Although it has fewer reviews, the rating is among the highest I have found.
3. Murumuru in Citta’ Bassa – a great brunch option for anyone looking for a more European style breakfast with pancakes, avocado toast, and the like. This one too comes highly rated.
4. Caffetteria Sant’Anna in Citta’ Bassa – this one is your typical corner Italian cafe with all the Italian pastries you have come to love, and that lovely everyone knows everyone atmosphere.
5. Cavour 1880 in Citta’ Alta – a Viennese style cafe in the old city, with deliciously looking cakes and elegant vibes.
6. Il Fornaio in Citta’ Alta – a very popular bakery in the old city with tasty street style food – pizza, focaccia, pinsa, and more, as well as a smaller sweet section.
7. Latteria Caffetteria Di Zia Manu in Citta’ Alta – the cutest small shop selling candies, chocolate, jams and similar products, with a charming little coffee, homemade pastries, and a small outdoor seating area.
8. Nessi Bergamo Alta – a pastry shop without a seating area, famous for its sweet dome cake filled with hazelnut cream and covered in almond paste, which is a typical local delicacy called Polenta e Osei. It looks like polenta but it’s not, hence the name.

So.. which one did I choose?

None of them, and here’s why. I planned my itinerary starting from the upper city, so our plan was to have a quick sweet bite in Nessi and taste the famous cake I mentioned earlier. However, on the day we visited (I believe it was Tuesday 8th October 2024), most shops seemed to be closed, and it’s not clear why that was.

So not to waste any time out of our day, we opted for Cafe Babilonia 1907, also located in the old city. It has a gorgeous seating area overlooking the charming cobbled streets.

Would I recommend it? Only if it’s your only option, or you want to have a drink. The atmosphere and service were both great, and the price was extremely cheap, but the food could be better. It wasn’t bad, but I always want to eat and suggest the best to you. 

Best Lunch (Or Dinner) In Bergamo

We skipped lunch, as we often do; we were still full from breakfast and wanted to see everything on our itinerary before the rain forecasted for the mid-afternoon.

However, these are the two spots I had shortlisted:

1. Il Fornaio – you can have a delicious slice of pizza or a focaccia sandwich.
2. Il Circolino – I also considered having lunch here and my plan was to order the fixed menu to share and one antipasti board.

The fixed menu includes one starter and main course, and it also comes with drinks for around €15 per person. While I was researching this restaurant, heir delicious menu and really good prices amazed me, but what stunned me the most was the decor and views from the terrace. Go read the reviews and you will see how lovely everyone says this is.

I am definitely going back to Bergamo, at least for a weekend, so all these recommendations will come in very handy for me too!

If you are spending the night there, or taking a later train back, I suggest booking a table for dinner at Circolino.

Where To Have Dessert In Bergamo?

I already told you about Nessi. If you, however, prefer to enjoy your dessert with a coffee while sitting down, you can choose one of the spots in the breakfast list above.

My suggestion is to opt for gelato, and it’s not any gelato. You’ll be having the stracciatella gelato flavor right in the place where it originated. Yes, you read well, stracciatella ice cream was born in Bergamo, at la Marianna.

You can have two scoops in a cone and take it to go as we did (well, my husband not me, as I am dairy intolerant, so stracciatella is not the best option). I did taste it and I must say it was delicious, even though milky flavours are not my thing. You could really taste the goodness of the product, like it was homemade using the highest quality ingredients, which is exactly what it is.

If you prefer sitting down, La Marianna has an outdoor terrace surrounded by beautiful views.

Use My Itinerary For Your Bergamo Day Trip

9:45 – Arrive in Bergamo (station name: Bergamo) by train

20 mins walk to Bergamo Alta Funivia in Viale Vittorio Emanuele II

Here are the cable car prices

We spent €6.80 for 2 for both ways, and bought a single ticket in the morning which we also used on our way down.

What To See In Upper Bergamo

10:30 – Arrive in Citta’ Alta
Exit in & explore Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe
Proceed to Rocca di Bergamo (5 mins uphill walk)
Parco delle Rimembranze for great views
Convento di San Francesco

11:00 – Towers in Piazza Mercato del Fieno
Torre del Gombito
Antico Lavatoio

11:30 Piazza Vecchia di Bergamo Alta
Biblioteca Angelo Mai
Campanone & optional lift for views over Bergamo (€5 pp)

Piazza Duomo with the 3 marvelous churches
Cathedral
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Cappella Colleoni

Noon – Via Colleoni Shopping Street

12:30 – La Marianna and walk along the Viale delle Mura

13:30 – Take the funicular down or stop for lunch. Refer to my Bergamo food section for suggestions on where to eat.

What to see in Lower Bergamo

You’ll need about 2.5 hrs to see Bergamo Bassa. Below are the stops we took on our itinerary in this exact order.

• Piazza della Liberta
• Piazza Dante Alighieri
• Sant’Alessandro della Croce
• Via Pignolo
• Chiesa dei Santi Bartolomeo e Stefano
• Gaetano Donizetti Theater
• Sentierone
• Torre dei Caduti
• Piazza Vittorio Veneto
• Via XX Settembre
• Piazza Pontida
• Porta Nuova
• Casa Paleni Liberty

We only walked from one place to another, admiring the surroundings and the buildings. We didn’t enter any of them, but we plan to do just that when we visit Bergamo again. If you have more time, definitely consider entering one of those churches, sitting down at one of the squares, and spending more time in the Piazza Pontida; I loved that area.

When you are ready, make your way to the train station and take the train back to Milan.

Is 1 Day In Bergamo Enough? And More FAQs

Yes and no.

It depends on what you are after. If you want to spend a wonderful day exploring a new city that’s not as busy as Milan but has a lot to offer, you can see Bergamo in one day. And you can always decide to see only Citta Alta or Citta Bassa, and then come back to see the rest on another day.

However, if you can do it, I would really suggest spending two full days here, and that’s exactly what I plan to do soon. There is so much we could have done and seen, but we only scraped the surface and saw things quickly.

How do you get to Bergamo from Milan?

You simply go to Milan Centrale train station and buy the tickets for the next available train. Plan ahead, and choose your preferred departure and arrival time in advance, so you can arrive at least 45 minutes early, buy the tickets, and make the train without rushing. For your reference, we bought our tickets – Bergamo to Milan from the Trenonord ticket area inside Milan Train Station.

These were the times we opted for and what we paid:
9:05 with Trenonord (arrives at 9 am)
17:02 with Trenonord (arrives at 10 am)

Each way costed us 6 euros per person.

We didn’t buy the return ticket (Milan to Bergamo) in the morning, but later that afternoon just before boarding the train.

Is Bergamo walkable?

It definitely is. Bergamo is a big city but it didn’t feel too large to us. If you have mobility issues, you can use a wheelchair and take the funicular without issues. The streets are nicely asphalted and even the cobbled streets in Citta Alta are not that bad.

We covered everything on the itinerary I shared earlier in under 6 hours, but we only sat down for breakfast for about 40 minutes. You need to factor in one or two extra hours if you planned to have a proper lunch, maybe at Circolino.

Is Bergamo a good base to explore Lombardy?

It is if you want to explore the larger cities — including Milan, Brescia and Monza. Each of those is reachable in under an hour via direct train.

It’s also a great base if you want to take a slower holiday immersed in a quieter city and easily reach the mountains. Here’s how to do that – you can take a bus to the many mountain towns in Val Brembana, one of the most beautiful valleys in the area. Or you can drive two hours to Passo Tonale and take the Paradiso cable car to Passo Paradiso.

If you love lakes, lake Iseo can be reached in just over an hour by car, or with two train rides via Brescia.

Moreover, Bergamo Orio al Serio airport is nearby, so if you are planning to spend a longer time in Italy and travel to different regions, this could also make a great base.

Useful Milan Reads

I hope I have managed to capture the magic of Bergamo with my stories and pictures, and I trust I have given you plenty of reasons to take a day trip from Milan.

Speaking of Milan, if you are in Bergamo, you are likely staying in the capital. I have written various guides on the best food, shopping, and things to do in this Italian must-see destination. I suggest starting with these four:

Milan 3 Day Itinerary
Milan Food Guide
Milan Best Shopping Itinerary
One Day In Milan

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Have a lovely time in Bergamo.
Alessia