Top things to do in Bergamo

Two cities in one: the medieval Città Alta and the modern lower town.

• Città Alta — The upper town inside the Venetian walls (UNESCO): Piazza Vecchia, the Colleoni Chapel, the funicular ride up.
• Piazza Vecchia & Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore — The medieval square: the basilica's 14th-century frescoes, the Contarini fountain.
• Cappella Colleoni — The condottiero's Renaissance chapel: Amadeo's facade, Tiepolo ceilings.
• Rocca & the museums — The fortress park with the city panorama; the history museum inside.
• Città Bassa: Via XX Settembre — The lower town's shopping and aperitivo strip; the Sentierone promenade.
• Accademia Carrara — The art gallery: Botticelli, Raphael, Mantegna — one of Italy's great provincial collections.

Free things to do in Bergamo

Bergamo is generous if your budget isn't. All of these cost nothing or close to it:

• Città Alta wandering — The walled lanes: free.
• Venetian walls walk — The UNESCO walls: the full circuit walk with valley views.
• Piazza Vecchia — The square, the fountain, the people-watching.
• Rocca park — The fortress park and panorama: free grounds.
• Funicular views — The ride is paid; the views from the top station are free.

Festivals & the religious calendar

The town's own festivals:

• Festa di Sant'Alessandro (26 August) — The patron saint's day: processions, the city's traditional feast.
• Bergamo Film Meeting (March) — The long-running film festival: retrospectives, new cinema.
• Donizetti Opera Festival (November) — The hometown composer's festival at the Teatro Donizetti.
• Carnevale / Christmas (February / December) — The seasonal staples: carnival in the squares, Christmas markets in the lower town.

And the national calendar:

• Ferragosto (15 August) — The Assumption holiday: Italy empties to the beach. Cities go quiet; coastal towns fill.
• Carnevale (February (pre-Lent)) — Masked balls, parades, fritelle — the pre-Lent carnival season, most famous in Venice.
• Easter (Pasqua) / Easter Monday (Pasquetta) (March/April) — Religious processions and the traditional Pasquetta picnic/outdoor day.
• Christmas / Epiphany (December–6 January) — Presepi (nativity scenes), Christmas markets, and La Befana on 6 January.

Exact dates are confirmed yearly — check local listings before booking around a festival.

Sports: Football

Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio: the Bergamo miracle — from provincial club to Europa League winners (2024) under Gasperini, playing breathtaking football at the Gewiss Stadium. La Dea is the city's religion; matchdays in the Curva Nord are unforgettable.

Cycling: Lombardy's hills are training ground — the Giro di Lombardia finishes in Bergamo some years. The funicular climb is the local fitness test.

Tickets: official site

What's new in Bergamo

Atalanta's European run keeps the city buzzing — book Gewiss Stadium tours ahead. The airport's growth means more low-cost routes yearly. Teatro Donizetti's restoration is complete; the opera season is back home.

Submit your event

Running something in town? Dayfari lists community events free — gigs, markets, fundraisers, club nights, temple and church programmes. Submit your event and it can appear in the town feed within a day. No account needed to suggest; the Dayfari team reviews every submission.

Common questions

More to explore in Bergamo