Summer increasingly feels like a distant memory at the moment, however, there are places in Europe that are still warm and welcoming. One of those is Bergamo in Northern Italy. Even as late as October, the temperature there is still a balmy 17C.
If you’ve never heard of Bergamo, you’re not alone. It sits in the shadow of its more famous neighbours, notably Milan, which is around 60km away, as well as the Italian Lakes: Lake Garda, Lake Maggiore and, of course, Lake Como, where George Clooney famously has a holiday home.
However, despite being less well-known than other areas in Northern Italy, Bergamo has a lot to offer, which I discovered when I travelled there after deciding to book the cheapest flights from Edinburgh Airport to “Anywhere”.
The Skyscanner website lets you take a chance on a random destination by entering your departure airport and then putting in a month of the year, then selecting “Anywhere” – it will then find the cheapest flights from that airport for that month.
I wanted to go away in September, and when I searched for options, Skyscanner informed me that the cheapest overseas destination I could reach from Edinburgh that month was somewhere called “Milan Bergamo Airport,” for just £40 return on Ryanair).
The flight time from Edinburgh is just over two hours.
Although the airport is often used by people travelling on to Italy’s fashion capital of Milan, it’s actually based in the historic city of Bergamo – where prices are much lower and accommodation far cheaper. So much so it’s often described as “Italy’s best-kept secret” by tour guides.
Bergamo has two sections, the modern lower city and the historic Città Alta neighbourhood, which dates back to around 500BC. It sits on a series of hills, and it is surrounded by massive, ancient Venetian defensive walls, which offer stunning views of the area.
From a distance, la Città Alta almost looks like some kind of setting for a fantasy series or video game, with its concentric rings of historic buildings. You half expect to see a hooded assassin leaping from roof to roof, dodging Roman soldiers.
My partner and I booked an Airbnb just five minutes walk from Città Alta, in a converted 16th century palazzo (former merchant’s house) for just £60 a night, although prices do vary based on the time of year. It was clean, cute, quirky, quiet and close to some absolutely amazing things to see and do.
Taking a walk along the Venetian walls (Mura Venete) is listed as one of the “don’t miss” experiences in Bergamo, and when you do it you quickly realise why. They’re just ridiculously beautiful, fringed with parks and trees, with amazing views over the modern city and the plains of Lombardy beyond.
We also spent a lot of time chilling in the gorgeous Piazza Vecchia in the heart of the old town, which has tables that are free for anyone to use, enjoying delicious coffee and sandwiches from local deli Macelleria Fracassetti on Via Gombito.
While you’re in that area, the stunning Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is well worth a visit. The church’s decorations are breathtaking, literally every part of the interior is covered in paintings, tapestries and intricate gold leaf. There’s a charge of €5 per adult but it is well worth the cost.
If you get tired of walking, you can hop on a scenic funicular railway for just a couple of euros, and ride it uphill all the way to the imposing Castello di San Vigilio, which sits at the very highest point of the city.
If you thought the views from the Venetian walls were good, San Vigilio will blow your mind. You can see the alps and nearby villages from the castle, which is owned by the local council and is free to visit.
Before you head back down the hill, be sure to visit Baretto, a Michelin starred (but affordable) eatery right beside the funicular station, where you can enjoy a “stuzzichino” (little appetizer) and glass of prosecco outdoors while checking out the gorgeous view- all for just €7.
Another cheap but surprisingly fancy place to eat is Circolino Città Alta, an atmospheric restaurant in a historic building with a pretty terrace and a traditional Italian menu. They offer a fixed-price lunch deal where you can get a two-course meal with wine, bread, water and coffee for just €15 per person.
You should definitely try the casoncelli alla bergamasca – meat and vegetable ravioli with butter, sage, Parmesan and crispy bacon. It’s a local delicacy.
Although Bergamo is undeniably lovely, it is quite small, so to broaden our horizons we decided to take a day trip to the nearby town of Lecco, on the shores of celebrity hangout Lake Como.
Anyone who’s been stung by Scotrail fares recently might want to look away now, because the hour-long train journey from Bergamo to Lecco cost just €4 per person. Our minds were blown, to say the least.
Lecco is charming and well worth a visit in its own right. On the day we were there (Sunday) they had a street food market on the lake shore offering huge amounts of gorgeous local and international fare, as well as a Scottish food stall!
We definitely weren’t expecting to be able to buy tinned haggis and Irn Bru on the shores of a famous Northern Italian lake, that’s for sure.
If you’d like to set sail on Lake Como you don’t have to go to the expense of hiring a private boat. There’s a ferry that you can take that links Lecco to other pretty towns on the lake, terminating at Instagram influencer hotspot Bellagio.
The sights you can see during the voyage are truly breathtaking, although bear in mind that it takes over an hour to get to Bellagio, so it’s a relatively long trip there and back.
It’s worth noting that you shouldn’t expect everyone you meet to speak English, particularly in Bergamo which isn’t as tourist heavy as other places in the region.
My 30 days learning Italian on Duolingo had only left me able to say things like “I like to go swimming with my neighbour” which wasn’t a great deal of help, but a combination of pointing and using Google Translate usually sorted out any misunderstandings.
All of the locals we met there were very friendly, especially Adriano, who we met in a bar. He was very drunk and didn’t speak much English but wanted me to tell everyone: “Tutti in Scozia dovrebbero venire a Bergamo. Adoriamo gli scozzesi qui!”
“Everyone in Scotland should come to Bergamo. We love Scottish people here!”
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – Sign up to our newsletterhere.