Gite Fuori Porta Bergamo Valle Imagna - Day Trips from Bergamo Valle Imagna

Day Trips from Bergamo: 10 original ideas combining nature, culture and local flavours

Outside Bergamo Food and Wine Culture I più letti

18 June 2025

Day trips in the area surrounding Bergamo are ideal for those who like to discover authentic places without having to move too far from the city. It only takes a few kilometres to be surrounded by mountain landscapes, intact medieval villages, silent sanctuaries or forests that seem to have come straight out of a fairy tale.

In just 30 or 40 minutes by car, you can go from the Orobie forests to the vineyards of Monte Canto, from the Val Vertova waterfalls to the ancient mule tracks of the Imagna Valley.

If you are looking for something a little unusual, here is a selection of day trips in the area surrounding Bergamo, all of which are surprising and perfect for a one-day excursion.

Day trips from Bergamo: 10 places you must not miss

A picnic in the vineyards of Scanzorosciate

Located just 15 minutes from the city, the town of Scanzorosciate, home of the prized Moscato di Scanzo DOCG wine, is the ideal place for a relaxing day enjoying the hills, art and flavours. Take a picnic basket with you or buy local cured meats and cheeses in the little shops in the village, and enjoy a wonderful day just outside Bergamo with your family.

Several farms provide equipped green areas between the vineyards, with views of the hills and the plain. In the village you can also visit the small but well-kept Enoteca Consortile del Moscato di Scanzo. It is the ideal excursion for families, couples and wine lovers.

Scanzorosciate Vineyards – Image taken from enotecamoscatodiscanzo.wordpress.com

Monte Canto: hiking through vineyards and landscapes

Monte Canto, which divides the San Martino Valley from the Bergamo plain, is an ideal destination for a day trip just outside Bergamo, dedicated to nature and religion.

From the town of Pontida, located just 25 minutes from the city and where the Abbey of San Giacomo is located, you can visit the birthplace of Pope John XXIII in the village of Sotto il Monte, where the Abbey of Egidio di Fontanella is also located, and then explore the Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine di Tassodine and the western side of Monte Canto, rich in vineyards and also known as one of the three orphan mountains of Lombardy – due to its location on the plains, isolated from the pre-Alps of Bergamo.

Birthplace of Pope John XXIII – Image taken from papagiovanni.org

The Stone Giants’ Trail and Corna Imagna

Located in the Upper Imagna Valley, this itinerary is perfect for those who love walking in nature with a touch of mystery. Starting from the village of Sant’Omobono Terme, you can follow a 30-km ring-route that can be covered either on foot or by bike, which winds its way through 6 municipalities and which also leads to the Cornabusa, a natural cave used for centuries as a shelter and sacred place. Suitable for intermediate hikers. The highlights are the breathtaking views over the Imagna Valley and the fresh air that can be enjoyed even in summer.

Those who prefer a gentle pace for their excursions in and around Bergamo can decide to visit only Corna Imagna, a small village that still retains its classic 19th-century atmosphere. Here you will find Cà Berizzi, an ancient nobleman’s house converted into a cultural centre with a café, library and guesthouse. The location is perfect for a short walk to the nearby Sentiero dell’Amore (Love Trail), which winds through woods and meadows.

Imagna Valley Mountains and Costa Valle Imagna

The Gorno mines and the Rice Valley

An unusual excursion combining history, geology and a touch of adventure. The Gorno mines, in the heart of the Valle del Riso (the Rice Valley, a side branch of the Seriana Valley), 45 minutes from Bergamo, offer guided tours on foot or on a small train inside the abandoned galleries, where zinc and lead were mined as far back as Roman times.

Outside, a well-maintained mining park and an Ecomuseum complete the experience. Admission to the museum with a guided tour is 15 euros for adults and 6 euros for children.

Gorno Mines – Image taken from www.valseriana.eu

Selvino Sport Adventure Park

The Selvino Sport Adventure Park is one of the most dynamic and versatile attractions in the Seriana Valley, perfect for a fun trip outside Bergamo with your children. Located in the green pine forest of Selvino, at an altitude of about 1,000 metres, the park offers a series of itineraries among the trees, with different levels of difficulty, suitable for both children from 3 years old and for the bravest adults.

Tibetan bridges, nets, footbridges and zip lines intertwine in a safe environment surrounded by nature. All accompanied by a qualified and dedicated staff.

In addition to the adventure park, the sports area also includes tennis courts, a five-a-side football pitch and a traditional playground, making it the ideal location to spend an active but relaxing day, just 45 minutes from Bergamo.

Selvino Sport Adventure Park – Image taken from www.selvinosport.it

A walk with the alpacas near the Serio River

One of the most unusual and relaxing experiences you can have around Bergamo is a walk with the alpacas along the Serio river. In Romano di Lombardia, a specialised breeding farm offers the possibility of accompanying these docile and curious animals on a slow walk along the river. The itinerary is suitable for everyone, even children, and it follows flat, shady trails throughout the Serio Park, ideal for a half-day outside.

As well as attracting sympathy because of their funny features, the alpacas have a calming effect: walking with them encourages a connection with nature and helps you slow down from the hectic pace of everyday life. The activity is always guided by experienced staff, who will tell you interesting facts about the ethology of these animals and about the surrounding area. An excellent idea for those looking for a different kind of excursion near Bergamo.

Ricci Curbastro Agricultural and Wine Museum

Few people know it, but the Ricci Curbastro Agricultural and Wine Museum, located in Capriolo at the Ricci Curbastro winery, is an authentic treasure of rural history and culture.

Founded in 1986 by Gualberto Ricci Curbastro, one of the pioneers of the Franciacorta DOCG, the museum consists of four themed rooms inside 19th-century farmhouses designed by architect Antonio Tagliaferri. Here you can admire hundreds of agricultural tools that were used for grape growing, silkworm breeding, winemaking, and even household and kitchen utensils; all authentic testimonies of past rural life.

The visit, which needs to be booked in advance, lasts approximately 1 hour and a half, and it ends with a guided tour of the winery’s cellars and a tasting of the fine Franciacorta DOCG spumanti.

Ricci Curbastro Agricultural and Wine Museum – Wine pump – Image taken from museo.riccicurbastro.it

Lake Endine

Lake Endine, set in the peaceful Val Cavallina just 30 minutes from Bergamo, is the perfect destination for a day of relaxation and recreation. With its approximately 14-km perimeter, the lake offers pleasant opportunities for easy walks along the lake shore, stops at picnic grounds and dips in its clean waters.

On hot summer days, it is also possible to rent pedal boats, canoes or kayaks at the small local marinas, while those who prefer can enjoy fishing or birdwatching among the protected reed beds.

The visit can be enriched by a cultural side trip to the nearby villages: Monasterolo del Castello, with its ancient 14th-century castle and the small church of Sant’Anna, or Spinone al Lago, famous for its historical thermal springs and the small Romanesque church of San Pietro, surrounded by ancient cedars.

Lake Endine

Lake Iseo

A trip to Lake Iseo is always a good idea: very close to Bergamo (30 minutes by car), but offering a holiday atmosphere. In addition to the natural beauty of the lake itself, its charm is enhanced by the villages along its shores, each with its own identity. Lovere, in the north, is rich in culture and art: it is home to the prestigious Tadini Academy and it has an elegant Art Nouveau lakefront.

Sarnico, further south, is lively and glamorous, with boutiques, artisan ice-cream parlours and Art Nouveau villas. Paratico, just in front of Sarnico, is ideal for a walk surrounded by nature and for open-air games. This is perhaps the best out-of-town excursion in the province of Bergamo.

And we must not forget the pearl of the lake: Montisola, the largest lake island in Europe, reachable by boat from various harbours on the Brescia side. A place where there are no cars, surrounded by tranquillity, it offers simple trails, villages frozen in time and small lake fish restaurants. A day here, among slow walks, panoramic views and food and wine specialties, is perfect for everyone, no matter the age.

Montisola

Val Taleggio and the Partisans’ Cave

The Val Taleggio, famous for the cheese bearing the same name and for the bucolic landscapes of the pre-Alps of Bergamo, offers an itinerary that combines spectacular nature and historical memory: the Grotta dei Partigiani – Partisans’ Cave. Located at an altitude of about 1,000 m and accessible by an easy ring-route from either Olda or Pizzino, this enchanting rocky cavern is home to a small waterfall created by the erosion of water into the tuff, surrounded by moss and evocative cracks.

It was named after the events of the spring of 1945, when a tragic episode in the local Resistance took place – the killing of partisans Giulio Bellaviti and Virgilio Arnoldi, who were seeking refuge among those stones. Access is permitted all year round and the hike takes about two hours, with easy fords – but you must be careful of slippery sections.

Pizzino Val Taleggio

Other day trips from Bergamo

The area around Bergamo is full of well-preserved medieval villages, including Gromo in Val Seriana, with its narrow stone alleys, the Ginami Castle and Piazza Dante, one of the most picturesque in the valley.

We cannot forget to mention the famous village of Cornello dei Tasso in Val Brembana. In summer, these villages host historical re-enactments and small markets, and in the surrounding area there are malghe (shepherd’s huts) and agriturismi where you can taste polenta taragna and typical cured meats. Also, not to be missed is a trip to the working-class village of Crespi d’Adda, located 14 km from Bergamo.

For those who prefer to be surrounded by nature, the Parco dei Colli, with its more than 4,700 hectares of woods, vineyards, terraced gardens and views of the Upper Town, is just a few steps from Bergamo; it offers a variety of experiences that are also perfect for families and for those who do not want to walk too far.

Some suggested experiences

Right here you will also find the Astino Valley, with the Astino Monastery bearing the same name, which is a perfect combination of nature and medieval architecture: the ancient Benedictine complex, dating back to the 12th century, now a venue for cultural activities, is ideal for a gentle walk. You can also reach this destination with one of our Tuk Tuk Tours.

A little further away, on the other hill, the Oasi WWF of Valpredina offers an educational exploration of nature: 37 hectares of forest and stream tell of the biodiversity of the area, to be discovered with guided tours.

Finally, among the most spectacular out-of-town excursions in the area around Bergamo, we cannot forget to mention the Serio Waterfalls in Valbondione: the highest in Italy, visible in all their power only on certain dates of the year. A breathtaking natural experience.