Will you only be in Bergamo for one day? Wondering what to see in 1 day in Bergamo and whether it is possible to visit Bergamo in one day? Well, we have a guide for you on what to do in 1 day in Bergamo, and we even have some scenarios for visiting Bergamo in one day.
Is it possible to visit Bergamo in one day? Yes! We will tell you what to do in Bergamo in one day – with or without an overnight stay. This article will help you if you are going to Bergamo for a so-called day trip or if you just want to visit Bergamo in a few hours.
Day trip in Bergamo
1 Day in Bergamo
Assuming we arrive in Bergamo in the morning we will arrive either at the airport or the Bergamo train station. The two places are roughly 15 – 20 minutes apart by bus or taxi, so this is negligible time in the context of a whole day in Bergamo. You do, however, have to add it when starting from the airport (1). If you are travelling from Orio al Serio (from the station too) you can take the famous number 1 bus to Citta Alta, and this is where we start our journey. If you buy a 90-minute ticket, you can save a bit if you decide to go right up to the top of the city.
The stop is in front of the arrivals hall at the airport, and at the station (2) on the right as you exit the station (about 50 m from the entrance). You can go to the very top of the historic part of Citta Alta. From here it is close to the gate and the stop of the second of the railways (3) leading to San Vigilio. The building with the train station is just behind the brick gate on the left of the bus (after the roundabout). As you pass the gate, you will be able to see the famous La Marianna café where Stracciatella ice cream was invented.
When you ride up (on the same 90-minute ticket) you can walk up to the top and the castle of San Vigilio (4)-from here you will have a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains, the prealps and sometimes you can see Milan to the west of Bergamo from the ruins. At the train station you will have a view of Citta Alta and Citta Bassa – familiar to you probably from most of the photos that show Bergamo on the internet. This is a good Viewpoint in Bergamo.
If you are lucky, on the same ticket you will still take the train down to Citta Alta (5)- here you can explore the entire upper town including Bergamo Basilica, Cathedral, Library, Piazza Vecchia, Camanone (tower), Piazza Della Cittadella and walk the streets and Venetian walls of Bergamo’s upper town. This is also where we recommend having lunch if you are in the Citta Alta between 12:00 and 14:00 – after that it will be harder to find an open restaurant through the siesta.
If you do it all at a brisk pace, you should be able to make it by 3pm 4am from the morning. Remember that the Cathedral and Basilica close for siesta during the week until 2.30pm and 3pm.
Then you have a choice, you can take the funicollar down to Citta Bassa from the train stop or go right and descend on your feet via Porta San Giacomo (6). No matter the transport, we now recommend you go to Largo Nicolò Rezzara (7) then cross Via XX Settembre (8) under Porta Nuova. Not far from here you will find a good La Romana ice cream.
Here you can explore the rest of the city or go to the right side (9) of Viale Roma where you will find more charming streets and the famous Accademia Carrara. Buses to the airport leave from Viale Roma – the train station is also close from here.
Bergamo sightseeing in one day
Is it possible to visit Bergamo in one day?
As you can see, it is possible to see quite a lot in Bergamo in one day – but it is clear that you will see most of the attractions mainly from the outside. Entering the Accademia Carrara, or other major museums, is basically out of the question if you want to visit Bergamo in one day.
What other scenarios do we recommend for visiting Bergamo in 1 day?
You might not go straight to the top but move from the Central Station towards Citta Alta from the bottom to the top, visit Citta Bassa on the left side of Viale Roma, then we recommend taking the Funicollar up to Citta Alta. Here you can plan your time so that you take the second funicollar to San Vigilio to ride into the sunset at the castle – the view is magnificent from the top over Lombardy. Just remember that San Vigilio Castle, unlike the airport, is also closed after dark.
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