Milan Bergamo Airport

Ryanair use Bergamo Airport as a gateway to nearby Milan, but for a weekend break, Bergamo is a nice destination in itself. It's also the home of Serie B side Atalanta, so you could have the opportunity of seeing a good-quality Italian football match.

As well as this practical Bergamo Airport travel guide, Italy Heaven now features two further pages of Bergamo tourist information:
> Bergamo Hotels
> Bergamo Tourist Attractions

About Bergamo

Bergamo is a pleasant weekend break destination in Lombardy, northern Italy. The attractive town is close to Milan, and popular with the Milanese who want to breathe some fresh air outside the city. Budget airlines use the airport as a gateway to Milan. The town is to the north-east of Milan, and is also close to Lake Como. Bergamo is situated where the northern Italian plain meets the foothills of the Alps, so as well as offering fantastic views, it's also a gateway to completely diverse tourist regions.

Bergamo is a town of two halves, the upper hillside town (Bergamo Alta) and the lower town (Bergamo Bassa). Like many Italian towns, the attractive older settlement is at a higher level than the newer developments, which are based around the town's railway station. A funicular links the two towns.

Bergamo old town has many good eating-places, bakeries and take-aways - and also a generous selection of shops selling speciality foodstuffs and mouthwatering pastries and delicacies.

Bergamo Tourist Information offices can be found at Viale Vittorio Emanuele, 20 (straight ahead from the railway station) and in the old town at Vicolo Aquila Nera, 2 (just off Piazza Vecchia). Note that, like many of the tourist attractions, the offices close for a couple of hours at lunchtime. Read our guide to Bergamo tourist attractions

Orio al Serio Airport and Travel Information

Milan Bergamo airport is named Orio al Serio Airport. Frequent bus services run from the airport to Milan and to Bergamo. Travel from Bergamo Airport to Milan costs €7.90 one way, or €14.50 for a return using the half-hourly coach service run by a company called Autostradale. The journey takes around an hour; buy your ticket at the Autostradale office. The bus stops at Milan's main railway station, Stazione Centrale. Another, less frequent service heads to Milan's Lambrate station. With similar prices, another firm operates the route to Milan Stazione Centrale. They are called Locatelli Air Pullman and their website is www.orioshuttle.com.

There is also a coach service five times a day to Brescia which stops at the bus station alongside Brescia railway station. This too is run by Autostradale.

The public bus service into Bergamo runs every half-hour and costs €1.65 each way. For more details check the Bergamo Airport website. There is a bus to Bergamo railway station which takes just 10 minutes, run by local firm ATB. It continues towards the historic centre.

Bergamo is an hour by train from Milan, and there are also frequent services to Brescia. Buses run to Milan, Como and other local destinations. Trains from Milan to Bergamo run approximately hourly; tickets cost €3.75 each way. A few trains run from Milan's Stazione Centrale, but most use Stazione Porta Garibaldi.

Travelling around within Bergamo is quite easy on foot, but the town also has a good bus network. A funicular connects the lower town with the Città Alta - from the station walk straight ahead towards the hill where you can see the Città Alta, for about 15-20 minutes. The funicular station is on Viale Vittorio Emanuele II, where the road bends around the foot of the hill. Alternatively, from Bergamo station, the number 1 bus runs to the funicular, and then on the furthest part of the Città Alta, by the second funicular to San Vigilio. You can buy tickets from bars or machines, and stamp them when you travel. The best option is a one-day ticket (a biglietto giornaliero), which costs €2.40 and is valid on buses and funiculars - just stamp it the first time you use it.

Bergamo Hotels

See Italy Heaven's selection of hotels in Bergamo, along with links for easy online booking

Bergamo and Lombardy Guidebook

Lombardy and the Italian Lakes
The Cadogan guides to Italy are always interesting and entertaining. As well as the historical and cultural background, this book contains anecdotal gems and recommendations to enliven your holiday. A useful purchase, whether you are staying in Bergamo or exploring more of the region.

Buy now from Amazon.co.uk