Location: Bergamo
Top Things to do in Bergamo
The 10 Best Things to Do in Bergamo, Italy
Bergamo is a northern Italy treasure. Dating from 49 BC, Bergamo has two centers: the Alta (upper) city and the Bassa (lower) city, connected by a funicular and walking trails. For historic sites, go to Alta for the Piazza Vecchia,the Cattedrale di Bergamo e Battistero, and the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Baptistry, as well as the quirky mausoleum of Rastelli, the world famous juggler. Bassa is more modern and residential, and boasts Via 20 Settembre - the shopping district.
Restaurants in Bergamo
1. Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By macleod2017 - Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom
Walked in the door to a stunning decorated basilica. Beautiful. I just sat on a pew and looked in awe at the ceilings especially. Lovely to look at from the outside but open the door and be amazed.
2. La Citta Alta
Overall Ratings
5 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By DmitryStPetersburg - St. Petersburg, Russia
Too touristy spot eventhough nice. Easily reachable by funicular from lower Bergamo (costs 1.3 EUR one way). Ancient town with narrow streets, full of restaurants and souvenier shops, crouded with tourists. Nevertheless worth a visit , absolutely stunning Cathedral.
3. Piazza Vecchia
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By CRISTOS_AGAPE - San Diego, California
Very nice Piazza! Lovely monumental buildings around, the Basilica is gorgeous (one of the most decorated church interior in Italy). A great place to have coffee, hang out, or to indulge in gelato! Beautiful place in the center of old Bergamo
4. Mura Venete
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 790 reviews
Reviewed By Bywood - Toronto
A spectacular historic upper city that is very easy to navigate. There is pretty much something interesting to see and to explore at every corner. Not a typical tourist destination so fighting the crowds was not an issue in September. It’s no wonder no enemy was able to penetrate those Venetian walls. Loved it. The tourist information centre is one of the best that we have come across in Italy and should be your first stop in order to get the tourist info package.
5. Accademia Carrara
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 483 reviews
Museum founded in Bergamo in 1794 by Count Giacomo Carrara. It's provided with the perfect set up to accomplish a wonderful jouney of Italy's art history form the beginning of the fifteenth century up to age of modernity.
Reviewed By tanky - NI
This is a good museum, the staff are lovely, the audio guide is good, but I just didn't find as much range in it as in other museums, and as that range wasn't my personal favourite, I'm only rating it as average. Of course if the range is your favourite you'll have a brilliant time!
6. Cattedrale (Duomo) di Bergamo e Battistero
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 759 reviews
Reviewed By JVR77 - St. Albans, United Kingdom
We visited on a weekday and almost had the place to ourselves. It was a very good experience as there was no charge and none of the roped-off areas that made visiting the much larger and more famous Milan duomo so disappointing. It's certainly not as flashy as Santa Maria Maggiore, which is incredibly ornate to the point of being over the top, and attracts more visitors, but it's beautiful and more conducive to worship.
7. Campanone o Torre Civica
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 552 reviews
Reviewed By Russell N - Jersey, United Kingdom
Well worth paying 5 EUR to go up the bell tower - although beware, when you reach the top you're really close to the bells should they ring! The museum is also very interesting, and somewhat interactive.
8. Cappella Colleoni
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 621 reviews
Reviewed By MrMrsHappyR - Liverpool, United Kingdom
Even though smaller than the Basilica next door, this is still worth a visit. Stunning building exterior from the outside. Beautiful from the inside. There is a small shop which sells religious items.
9. Museo di Scienze Naturali "E. Caffi"
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 308 reviews
Reviewed By SFM1959 - Colchester, United Kingdom
We're not usually ones to visit museums but we seemed to have hit Bergamo when there was a fortnight of science related events, places open, etc (Bergamo seems to be a centre for science?) We popped in here for a visit one day in our wanderings. Whilst not great fans of stuffed animals, the displays were interesting and the rooms dedicated to geology, minerals and fossils, in particular, were fascinating, with many incredible finds on show. Shame there was no section with any insect info. Perhaps they did have at one time but not when we visited.
10. Meridiana Monumentale del Palazzo della Ragione
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 162 reviews
Reviewed By ACL3112 - UK
In the Colonnade opposite the Cathedral in Bergamo is a meridian line. The central line is marked with the dates and months of the year, there are two lines fanning out which indicate 15 minutes before midday and 15 minutes after midday. Between these two outer lines, an analemma is engraved in the stone.
An analemma is a graph of the position of the sun in the sky at a certain time of day at one place measured throughout the year that has the shape of a figure 8.
In one of the arches in the Colonnade is a disk with a hole in the middle. As time approaches midday the light shines through the hole in the disk onto the pavement and moves towards the meridian line.
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