For many people, Bergamo is just the name of the airport where the budget flights to Milan land. But the city is well worth a visit in its own right, with a medieval Old Town on a hilltop behind Venetian walls, a lively lower town with arcades and cafés, and one of Italy’s finest art collections.
When you’re working out where to stay in Bergamo, it mostly comes down to whether you want to sleep up in Città Alta or down in Città Bassa, close to the train. Here are my five picks of areas, with three hotels in each.
Contents
Where to Stay in Bergamo: The Best Areas
- Città Alta (Old Town) - best area for first-time visitors and romance
- Città Bassa centre - best area for shopping, food and nightlife
- Around the railway station - best area for day trips to Milan and the lakes
- Borgo Santa Caterina & Borgo Pignolo - best area for local life and art
- Orio al Serio by the airport - best area for early flights
Lots of people fly to Bergamo to travel on to Milan, Lake Como or Lake Garda, and a single night in the city makes a great start to the trip. Below, I go through the five areas with a map, transport, price level and three hotels in each, from the most expensive to the cheapest. The prices come from a search for a weekend in May for two people, so expect higher prices in the summer holidays and during the big trade fairs in Milan.
1. Città Alta (Old Town) - best area for first-time visitors and romance 🏰
- 📍 Distance to the centre: You’re staying in the historic town on the hill. From Piazza Vecchia it’s about two kilometres down to the railway station in Città Bassa.
- 🚡 Transport: The funicular runs from Viale Vittorio Emanuele II up to Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe in a few minutes, and bus 1 runs from the railway station up to Colle Aperto. Inside the walls, you can walk everywhere.
- ✈️ Time from Bergamo (Orio al Serio) Airport: About 30 to 40 minutes on the Airport Bus, some departures of which go all the way up to Colle Aperto, or about 20 minutes by taxi to the edge of the Old Town.
- 💰 Price level: €€ to €€€€. The three hotels below cost roughly £110 to £250 per night when I searched for a weekend in May.
- 👮 Safety: Very safe, even late in the evening. Keep an eye on your bag in the crowds on Via Colleoni and in the queue for the funicular at weekends.
Città Alta is Bergamo’s Old Town, sitting on a hill above the modern city and surrounded by the Venetians’ 16th-century walls. The walls are about six kilometres long and form part of the Venetian defence works on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and from the bastions you can look out over the whole Po Valley. In the middle of town is Piazza Vecchia with the old town hall, Palazzo della Ragione, and the Campanone bell tower, and just behind the square you’ll find the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and the ornate Cappella Colleoni.
The main street is Via Colleoni, which continues as Via Gombito down towards Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe, where the funicular from 1887 has its upper station. According to Visit Bergamo, the line is 240 metres long with a gradient of up to 52 per cent. From Colle Aperto at the western end, a second funicular carries on up to San Vigilio, which has the best view in the city. If you’d like to eat your way through polenta, casoncelli and local cheeses, you can join a food tour with a local guide from around 89 euros (about £75).
See hotels in Città Alta here.
I’d stay here if it’s your first trip to Bergamo, or if you’re a couple on a weekend break. In the evening, once the day-trippers from Milan have gone home, the lanes go quiet and you have Piazza Vecchia and the wine bars almost to yourself. That’s the experience that makes an overnight stay in Bergamo worthwhile.
The downside is getting around. Città Alta is largely closed to cars, so if you’ve hired one, you’ll need to park in a car park outside the walls. With a suitcase, the funicular is the easiest option, but there can be long queues at weekends. Prices are the highest in the city, and many places are small guesthouses in old buildings with steep stairs and no lift.
Hotels in Città Alta
GombitHotel - design hotel by the medieval tower in the heart of the Old Town
GombitHotel is on Via Mario Lupo by the old Torre del Gombito, a couple of minutes’ walk from Piazza Vecchia. It’s a stylish four-star hotel with a lift, 24-hour reception and a breakfast buffet, and its rating is the highest of the three here. Parking costs 25 euros (around £20) per night and must be booked in advance, and some guests would like more variety at breakfast.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “A wonderful hotel with really lovely staff. I couldn’t find a single fault with the place.”
See photos and book GombitHotel here.
Hotel Piazza Vecchia - four-star hotel a few steps from the square
Hotel Piazza Vecchia is on Via Colleoni, right by the square it’s named after. There’s a lift, 24-hour reception and family rooms, and you can leave your car in a nearby garage for 25 euros (around £20) a day, but the space must be reserved. The entrance has a steep staircase, and there are three steps up to the rooms even though there’s a lift.
From one review: “The hotel was beautiful and the location is perfect. The bed was also very comfortable.”
See photos and book Hotel Piazza Vecchia here.
Il Sole - simple hotel with a restaurant on the corner of Piazza Vecchia
Il Sole is at Via Colleoni 1 on the corner of Piazza Vecchia, so the city’s most beautiful square is right outside the door. It’s a simple two-star hotel with a restaurant, garden and terrace, and it was the cheapest of the three. There’s no lift and no air conditioning, and some guests complain about the showers.
One guest highlights: “A lovely, friendly little hotel in a fantastic central location. I’d definitely recommend it.”
See photos and book Il Sole here.
2. Città Bassa centre - best area for shopping, food and nightlife 🛍️
- 📍 Distance to the centre: You’re right in the middle of the lower town. From Porta Nuova it’s about a 10-minute walk to the railway station and 15 minutes to the funicular.
- 🚌 Transport: The Airport Bus and bus 1 stop at Porta Nuova, and from here bus 1 also runs up to Città Alta. You can walk around most of Città Bassa.
- ✈️ Time from Bergamo (Orio al Serio) Airport: About 20 minutes on the Airport Bus to Porta Nuova, or about 15 minutes by taxi.
- 💰 Price level: € to €€€. The three hotels below cost around £85 to £145 a night when I searched for a weekend in May.
- 👮 Safety: Safe and lively in the evenings around Sentierone and Via XX Settembre. Use normal big-city caution in the parks late at night.
Città Bassa is the lower town, and its centre is the area around Porta Nuova, Piazza Matteotti and Sentierone, the wide arcaded promenade where locals take their evening stroll. This is where you’ll find Teatro Donizetti, named after the city’s great opera composer Gaetano Donizetti, and the tall Torre dei Caduti on Piazza Vittorio Veneto. The shopping street Via XX Settembre runs west, with everything from chain stores to old family-run shops.
From Porta Nuova, Viale Vittorio Emanuele II leads up towards the hill, and after a 15-minute walk you’re at the funicular to Città Alta. In the evening, this is where you’ll find most of the reasonably priced restaurants and bars for an aperitivo, and the atmosphere is more local than up on the hill, where most tourists eat.
See hotels in Città Bassa here.
I’d stay here if you want a proper hotel with a reception and breakfast buffet at a lower price than in the Old Town, and if you want both Città Alta and the trains within walking distance. It’s also the most practical choice if you’re arriving on the Airport Bus, which stops at Porta Nuova, and if you’d like to go to the theatre or a concert in the evening.
The downside is that Città Bassa doesn’t have the same charm as the Old Town, as much of the architecture dates from the 19th and 20th centuries. There’s a fair amount of traffic on the big streets around Porta Nuova, so ask for a room facing the courtyard if you’re a light sleeper. And you’ll have to walk up the hill or take the funicular every time you want to go up to Piazza Vecchia.
Hotels in Città Bassa
Hotel Excelsior San Marco - large hotel with a rooftop restaurant and views of Città Alta
Excelsior San Marco is on Piazzale della Repubblica by Porta Nuova, a few minutes’ walk from the funicular. This large four-star hotel has a rooftop restaurant with panoramic views, a gym and parking from €18 (around £15) a night. Several guests feel the rooms are a little dated, and the rooftop restaurant doesn’t always welcome guests who only want a drink.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Good location, a well-stocked breakfast and clean, spacious rooms.”
See photos and book Excelsior San Marco here.
Arli Hotel Business and Wellness - hotel with a spa right by Porta Nuova
Arli is on Largo Porta Nuova in the heart of Città Bassa, with the Airport Bus and Sentierone right outside the door. The hotel has a restaurant, sauna and steam room, and private parking for €18 (around £15) a night, but access to the spa costs an extra €45 (around £38) per person. Some guests find the décor worn and the price a bit high.
From a review: “The hotel’s location is excellent. The mattress and pillows are very comfortable.”
See photos and book Arli Hotel here.
Antico Ducato - small B&B around a quiet courtyard
Antico Ducato is a small B&B on Vicolo dei Dottori, a quiet alley in the western part of Città Bassa. The rooms have air conditioning and open onto a courtyard, and its rating is one of the highest in the lower town. There’s no lift, and it’s a 10 to 15-minute walk to the funicular.
One guest highlights: “A completely spotless place on a courtyard, close to everything you need.”
See photos and book Antico Ducato here.
3. Around the railway station - best area for day trips to Milan and the lakes 🚆
- 📍 Distance to the centre: The railway station is in the southern part of Città Bassa. It’s about a 10-minute walk along Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII to Porta Nuova.
- 🚆 Transport: Trenord regional trains to Milan, Lecco and Brescia, city buses and bus 1 from the square in front of the station up to Città Alta.
- ✈️ Time from Bergamo (Orio al Serio) Airport: About 15 to 20 minutes on the Airport Bus, which runs roughly every 20 minutes, or about 15 minutes by taxi.
- 💰 Price level: € to €€. The three places below cost roughly £75 to £170 a night when I searched for a weekend in May.
- 👮 Safety: Safe and busy during the day. In the evening it’s quiet around Piazzale Marconi, and the streets south of the tracks can feel a little rough late at night.
Bergamo’s railway station sits on Piazzale Marconi at the end of the long, straight main street that leads up towards Porta Nuova and Città Alta. The area is newer and flatter than the rest of the city, with wide streets, offices and business hotels, and it’s where the Airport Bus has one of its main stops. It isn’t the prettiest part of Bergamo, but it is the most practical, which matters if you’re weighing up where to stay in Bergamo for day trips.
The trains are the reason to stay here. According to Trenord, the train to Milano Centrale takes about 50 minutes, with tickets from 6.30 euros (around £5). If you’re travelling on, I’ve written about where to stay in Milan. The train to Lecco, on the eastern arm of Lake Como, takes about 40 minutes, and with a change in Brescia you can be at Lake Garda in about an hour and a half. Both lakes have their own guides: where to stay on Lake Como and where to stay on Lake Garda.
See hotels near the railway station here.
I’d stay here if Bergamo is mainly your base for day trips by train, or if you land late and are moving on the next morning. You can read how to buy and validate tickets in my guide to trains in Italy.
The downside is the atmosphere. The area is practical but not charming, and in the evening you’ll have to walk 10 to 15 minutes to reach the nice restaurants in Città Bassa. On the other hand, this is where you’re most likely to find a free room when the Old Town is sold out, and prices are among the lowest in the city.
Hotels near the railway station
NH Bergamo - modern four-star hotel 300 metres from the platforms
NH Bergamo is on Via Paleocapa, about 300 metres from the railway station, so both the trains and the Airport Bus are close by. It’s a modern hotel with a gym, large walk-in showers and parking for 15 euros (around £13) a day. Some guests find the breakfast limited and feel the rooms are due a refresh.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The room was fantastic. The shower was huge and fully equipped.”
See photos and book NH Bergamo here.
Hotel Cappello D’Oro, BW Signature Collection - classic hotel with the Airport Bus right opposite
Cappello d’Oro is on Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII between the railway station and Porta Nuova, about a five-minute walk from the platforms, and the Airport Bus stop is right opposite. There’s a restaurant, bar, gym and sauna, and parking costs 22 euros (around £18) a night. Some guests feel the rooms need updating, and the air conditioning only runs in season.
From one review: “The rooms, the service, the breakfast and the location were simply perfect!”
See photos and book Hotel Cappello d’Oro here.
Caravaggio Apartments - budget apartments with a kitchen close to the trains
Caravaggio Apartments is also on Via Paleocapa, about 400 metres from the railway station. You stay in apartments with a kitchen and a lift, and the price was by far the lowest of the three. There’s no restaurant, and several guests complain about uncomfortable furniture and the cleaning in the bathroom, so expect a practical base and nothing more.
One guest highlights: “A really good place to stay for getting around Bergamo. The apartment was clean, quiet and close to the bus stop.”
See photos and book Caravaggio Apartments here.
4. Borgo Santa Caterina & Borgo Pignolo - best area for local life and art 🎨
- 📍 Distance to the centre: About a kilometre east of Porta Nuova. From Porta Sant’Agostino, it’s a 10-minute walk up to Piazza Vecchia.
- 🚶 Transport: You can walk to both Città Alta and Città Bassa, and city buses run along Via Borgo Santa Caterina towards the centre and the railway station.
- ✈️ Time from Bergamo (Orio al Serio) Airport: About 15 minutes by taxi, or about 20 minutes on the Airport Bus to Porta Nuova followed by a 10 to 15-minute walk.
- 💰 Price level: € to €€. The three places below cost around £80 to £130 per night when I searched for a weekend in May.
- 👮 Safety: Safe and quiet. These are ordinary residential neighbourhoods that go quiet after 11pm, even at weekends.
The two borghi are old suburbs that grew up along the roads leading out of Città Alta. Borgo Pignolo follows Via Pignolo, which winds from Città Bassa up towards the city walls past Renaissance palazzi, churches and antique dealers. Borgo Santa Caterina starts at Porta Sant’Agostino and carries on north-east with bakeries, butchers and osterie where the locals eat. Between the two neighbourhoods lies Accademia Carrara, one of Italy’s finest art museums, with works by Raphael, Botticelli and Bellini, among others.
Opposite the museum is GAMeC, with modern art, and from Porta Sant’Agostino a lovely path runs along the city walls, where you can watch the sunset over the Po Valley. If you want to see the walls and the hills around the city without wearing yourself out, you can take an e-bike tour along the city walls from around 75 euros (around £65). In the evening, the bars on Via Borgo Santa Caterina fill up with locals having aperitivo.
See hotels in Borgo Santa Caterina and Borgo Pignolo here.
I’d stay here if you’ve been to Bergamo before, or if you want to live like the locals, with the neighbourhood bakery and coffee bar right below. You can walk to Città Alta in 10 to 15 minutes, and prices are lower than inside the walls. Many places are apartments with kitchens, so the area also suits a slightly longer holiday.
The downside is that there are hardly any traditional hotels here, only apartments, aparthotels and small guesthouses with self check-in, so there’s no reception if something goes wrong. It’s also further to the railway station from Borgo Santa Caterina, so take the bus or a taxi if you have heavy luggage.
Hotels in Borgo Santa Caterina & Borgo Pignolo
The Key Of Bergamo - cosy apartments at the top of Via Pignolo
The Key of Bergamo sits at the top of Via Pignolo just below the city walls, less than a kilometre from Città Alta. You stay in apartments with a kitchenette and air conditioning, and it had the highest score of the three. There’s self check-in and no reception, and the parking is a little way from the building.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Absolutely fantastic! A cosy, clean apartment in a perfect location close to Città Alta.”
See photos and book The Key Of Bergamo here.
Residenza del Borgo - aparthotel with kitchens in the heart of Borgo Santa Caterina
Residenza del Borgo is right in the middle of Via Borgo Santa Caterina, with bakeries and osterie just outside the door. All units have a kitchen, there’s a lift and a terrace, and parking costs just 10 euros (around £8) per night. It’s about 1.7 kilometres up to Città Alta, and some guests mention noise and problems with the air conditioning.
From one review: “Lovely, clean boutique hotel. Friendly, safe area with plenty of good food and shops for every budget.”
See photos and book Residenza del Borgo here.
Le Muraine - modern guest rooms with self check-in
Le Muraine is on Via Alberico da Rosciate, a side street off Borgo Santa Caterina, about a kilometre from Città Alta. The rooms are modern with air conditioning, some have a fridge and coffee machine, and check-in is automated. Parking off-site costs 15 euros (around £13) per day, and some guests found the check-in confusing and heard noise from other guests.
One guest highlights: “Everything was very clean and exactly as in the photos.”
See photos and book Le Muraine here.
5. Orio al Serio by the airport - best area for early flights 🧳
- 📍 Distance to the centre: Around five kilometres south-east of Città Bassa. It’s a small suburb made up mostly of the airport, hotels and the Oriocenter shopping centre.
- 🚌 Transport: The Airport Bus to the railway station, Porta Nuova and Città Alta runs roughly every 20 minutes, and several hotels have a shuttle bus to the terminal.
- ✈️ Time from Bergamo (Orio al Serio) Airport: Around 5 to 10 minutes by hotel shuttle or taxi.
- 💰 Price level: € to €€. The three places below cost around £80 to £140 per night when I searched for a weekend in May.
- 👮 Safety: Safe, but the area is dominated by roads, industry and car parks, so it’s not somewhere you’ll go for an evening stroll.
Orio al Serio is where Milan Bergamo Airport is located, and many of the budget flights take off early in the morning. If you need to catch one of them, it’s easier to sleep by the airport than to book a taxi from Città Alta in the middle of the night. Right next to the terminal is Oriocenter, one of Italy’s largest shopping centres, where you can eat and shop if you have some time to kill.
From here, the ATB Airport Bus runs into Bergamo, and you can buy your ticket from the machine, in the app or on board. If you want to head straight into Milan, you can read my guide to getting from Bergamo Airport to Milan city centre. If you’re heading out to the lakes, it’s often easiest to drive yourself, and you can compare prices on car hire at Booking.com, as most rental companies have a desk at the airport.
See hotels in Orio al Serio and by the airport here.
I’d only stay here if you have a flight before 8am, land very late or need to pick up a hire car and drive on straight away. The hotels are built for exactly that, with shuttle buses, parking and early breakfast, and you avoid getting up an hour earlier to catch the bus from town.
The downside is that there’s nothing to see. You’re staying between the motorway, the airport and industrial buildings, and if you want to see Città Alta, you’ll have to take the bus in anyway. For a whole holiday, I’d therefore always choose one of the other areas and only use an airport hotel for the last night.
Hotels near Orio al Serio
NH Orio al Serio Airport - four-star hotel with a shuttle bus to the terminal
NH Orio al Serio Airport is on Via Portico, less than a kilometre from the terminal, and the hotel’s airport shuttle costs 3 euros (around £2.50) per person. There’s a restaurant serving Lombard and Mediterranean-inspired food, a gym and a sauna. Breakfast is served from 7am, which is too late for the earliest flights, and some guests feel the furniture is worn.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Cleanliness, facilities, room size and service like a five-star hotel!”
See photos and book NH Orio al Serio Airport here.
Winter Garden Hotel Bergamo Airport - hotel with a spa and free parking
Winter Garden is in Grassobbio, around two kilometres south of the airport, and the shuttle bus to the terminal costs 5 euros (around £4) per person and must be booked in advance. The hotel has a wellness area with a sauna and hammam, a restaurant serving Lombard dishes and free parking, so it’s a good fit if you have a hire car. The surrounding area is industrial, and some guests mention that there’s limited food available early in the day.
From a review: “Good location, good parking and a friendly, helpful reception.”
See photos and book Winter Garden Hotel here.
LE MURA Foresteria - budget B&B with free parking
Le Mura Foresteria is a B&B on Vicolo Morosella in Grassobbio with free parking and a family-friendly restaurant serving Italian food. Transport to the airport costs 25 euros (around £20) per trip for up to three people, so it’s best value if there are several of you. The most common complaint is noise from the shared areas.
One guest highlights: “All in all a lovely, good-value stay. Close to the airport, and the host had put out snacks and drinks.”
See photos and book Le Mura Foresteria here.
Where not to stay in Bergamo?
I’d avoid the cheapest rooms in the streets south of the railway station around Via Quarenghi, which are dark and can feel unsafe late in the evening, even though prices are low. Also be wary of hotels in the business districts of Stezzano, Dalmine and Seriate, which look cheap on the map but are far from everything you’ll want to see and require a car or taxi every day.
If you have a car, don’t book in the middle of Città Alta without checking the parking first. Access for cars is restricted inside the walls, and you should expect to pay for a garage outside the city gate.
If it’s your first trip to Bergamo, I’d stay in Città Alta, and if you want a proper hotel with a reception at a lower price, Città Bassa around Porta Nuova is the safe choice. If you’re mainly going on day trips to Milan and the lakes, stay near the railway station, and if you’d like to live like a local in an apartment, Borgo Santa Caterina and Borgo Pignolo are the best choices. If you have an early flight home, spend the last night in Orio al Serio.
If you’re continuing east towards Lake Garda, Verona is also a great city for an overnight stay, and here you can see where to stay in Verona.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
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