Experiences In Bergamo – Things To Do In Bergamo

Experiences in Bergamo: what to do among history, flavors, and breathtaking views

The City Outside Bergamo Food and Wine Culture

08 April 2026

Bergamo is one of those cities you don’t truly understand until you experience it. Looking at its walls from the outside is one thing; walking through the alleys of Città Alta, tasting a warm casoncello, or admiring the Po Valley stretching at the foot of the hills is something entirely different.

The experiences to have in Bergamo are numerous and varied, able to satisfy those seeking culture, nature, adventure, or simply great food in an authentic setting. This guide is designed to help you concretely choose what to do, without getting lost in generic descriptions.

What to do in Bergamo: a range of activities for every taste

Bergamo lends itself to countless interpretations. There is the perched, quiet medieval city in the early morning, but also the lively lower town, with its Sentierone and historic cafés.

Every corner tells something unique, and among the best experiences in Bergamo are those that allow you to truly connect with this story, not just observe it from the outside.

Excursions and guided tours in Città Alta

Bergamo Alta is the historical heart of the city, enclosed within the Venetian Walls, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. Visiting it means stepping into an intact medieval village, with Piazza Vecchia, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the Palazzo della Ragione, and cobbled streets that seem frozen in time.

For those who want to go beyond exploring on their own, guided walking tours are an excellent choice. Some local guides offer themed itineraries:

the history of the Lombards,
the legends of the city,
or connections to Gaetano Donizetti, the Bergamo-born composer buried in the Basilica.

Visits to Palazzo Moroni, with its frescoes and art collection, offer privileged access to one of the most beautiful historic residences in the city.

The Botanical Garden of Bergamo, in the heart of Città Alta, regularly organizes seasonal themed guided tours, suitable for families and nature lovers, often free and open to everyone.

Civic Tower and Piazza Vecchia in Bergamo

Discover Bergamo comfortably aboard a Tuk Tuk

Among the experiences to have in Bergamo that have gained popularity in recent years among residents and tourists, the tuk tuk tour deserves special mention. The iconic Ape Calessino has become a way to experience the city from a completely new perspective: comfortably seated, guided by an expert “Tuker,” with the scenery flowing by at a relaxed pace.

The available itineraries are diverse, suited to different needs and time constraints:

Express Tour (30 minutes): ideal for those short on time but unwilling to miss Bergamo Alta and the Venetian Walls.
Upper Town and Venetian Walls Tour (60 minutes): a tour through the main attractions of Città Alta and the UNESCO Venetian Walls, passing historic gates up to San Vigilio, ending in Piazza Duomo.
Tuk City Tour (80 minutes): a comprehensive route connecting the Lower and Upper Town, with photo stops at the most scenic viewpoints.
Hills Tour (90 minutes): an experience off the beaten path, along ancient roads bordered by dry-stone walls, reaching the Monastery of Astino, nestled in the biodiversity valley among vineyards and orchards.
Tour with lunch: combines the tuk tuk ride with a stop at a traditional restaurant to taste Bergamo-style casoncelli and a glass of Valcalepio wine.

What truly makes this tour distinctive is not only the comfort of the electric vehicle—silent, eco-friendly, and able to access areas where cars cannot—but also the quality of the storytelling.

The Tukers are not just drivers: they know the history, culture, and curiosities of Bergamo and share them with genuine passion, turning each ride into a story.

It’s an experience suitable for everyone: couples, families with children, groups of friends, and even those looking for an original gift for someone visiting Bergamo for the first time.

Experiences in Bergamo - Tuk tuk tour with BergamobyTukTuk

Food tour: Bergamo is meant to be tasted

One of the most popular and appreciated culinary experiences in Bergamo is the guided food tour in Città Alta.

Operators such as Do Eat Better Experience offer a route through venues frequented by locals, far from tourist traps, with at least four food stops.

The menu changes depending on the season, but some highlights are almost always included:

an aperitif with Valcalepio red wine and toasted bread with local ingredients,
casoncelli alla bergamasca (ravioli filled with meat, bread, cheese, with a sweet note of raisins and amaretti),
polenta with lard and mountain cheeses, toasted bread with Taleggio DOP and caramelized onions,
and finally stracciatella gelato—flavor invented in Bergamo in the 1960s—tasted in the gelateria that made history.

The tour lasts about three hours and ends with an espresso in a historic café in the city.

Hands-on culinary experiences: cooking classes and tastings

For those who want to go beyond tasting and literally get their hands in the dough, Bergamo offers several cooking class options.

The Cesarine network offers private lessons in the homes of certified local cooks: you learn how to prepare casoncelli or scarpinocc from Parre, handmade tagliatelle, and finish with tiramisu and a glass of wine. It’s an intimate experience, perfect for those who see cooking as a form of cultural connection.

Those who want to explore the world of cheese—and Bergamo has plenty to offer, with nine DOP varieties including Taleggio, Formai de Mut, Branzi, and Strachitunt—can opt for farm tastings, where artisanal production is explained from pasture to table.

There are also visits to small Valcalepio wineries, the Bergamo DOC produced in the hills near Lake Iseo, as well as tastings of local craft beers.

Casoncelli Alla Bergamasca

Experiences in Bergamo for families and children

Bergamo Alta is also an ideal destination for families, provided you choose the right activities.

The funicular connecting the Lower and Upper Town is already an exciting experience for children, who experience the ascent as a small panoramic adventure.

The Rocca Park offers green spaces and playgrounds immersed in a medieval setting, perfect for an outdoor break. Nearby, the Enrico Caffi Natural Science Museum welcomes visitors with a reconstruction of an adult mammoth and its calf right at the entrance. Among fossils, taxidermy animals, dioramas, and tactile paths, children explore natural history without ever getting bored.

Equally engaging is the Museo delle Storie di Bergamo, spread across several locations—from the Rocca to the Campanone, from the Convent of San Francesco to the Palazzo del Podestà—with a permanent program of family activities. The monthly “One Museum per Month” initiative offers theatrical visits, workshops, and games designed for children aged 6 to 11, with reservation required and affordable prices.

For something more surprising, the Impossible Museum is a guaranteed hit: an interactive optical illusion museum recommended for ages 6 and up, where both adults and children literally lose their sense of reality among visual installations and impossible perspectives. Suitable for families and groups alike, it is located in the Lower Town and can be booked online.

The GAMeC, Bergamo’s Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, is another valuable resource: with each exhibition cycle it offers creative workshops (Kids Lab for ages 3–11), “Baby Art Tour” for toddlers under 3, and guided family tours on Sundays. An unusual and stimulating way to introduce children to contemporary art.

Romantic experiences in Bergamo

Bergamo is naturally inclined toward romance: the evening lights on the Venetian Walls, a quiet alley, or a table with a view are enough to understand why. But for those who want to turn a visit into something truly memorable, the city and its surroundings offer concrete and well-curated options.

An evening in Città Alta is not complete without dinner in one of the restaurants overlooking history. La Casazza, in the Upper Town, is housed in a 1357 building that once served as the Venetian postal service headquarters and offers seasonal, authentic cuisine with local and organic products, set in a 14th-century courtyard and a terrace overlooking Sant’Agata.

For those seeking a 360-degree view of the illuminated Lower Town, the Roof Garden Restaurant at Hotel Excelsior San Marco, on the eighth floor, turns dinner into both a visual and gastronomic experience.

For a sweet and stylish moment, it’s worth stopping at Pasticceria Cavour 1880 on Via Gombito in Città Alta: a historic venue with a slightly Viennese atmosphere, featuring wood paneling and late-19th-century frescoes, offering dozens of handmade cakes, chocolates, and desserts. It is part of the Historic Places of Italy association—and it shows.

A different and truly original evening can be experienced by walking along the Venetian Walls at sunset—a Bergamo classic that never fails—then heading up to San Vigilio, where the view over the plain and the distant Alps is one of those gifts the city offers without asking anything in return.

Among the most original experiences for couples, the sunset tuk tuk tour offers a different perspective on the city, combining comfort, scenery, and an intimate atmosphere hard to replicate with other means.

Experiences in the province of Bergamo

The Bergamo province is extraordinarily rich, and some experiences are worth including in a stay in Bergamo, especially if you have a few extra days.

Lake Iseo is about 30 km from the city and is perfect for sunset boat excursions with Franciacorta tastings.

Horseback rides along the Serio River, in the Natural Park, start from Romano di Lombardia and suit all experience levels. For chocolate lovers, some artisanal producers in the area offer guided tours of production, with tastings paired with sweet wines.

The Val Brembana and Val Seriana offer trekking and excursions among historic villages, rock churches, and alpine landscapes. In autumn, foliage transforms these valleys into stunning scenery, with events dedicated to forest walks and photography excursions.

For those who want to combine relaxation and romance, the San Pellegrino Thermal Baths are about 35 km from Bergamo and are one of the most popular couple destinations in the area. The Liberty-style architecture of the historic building, with its colonnades and early 20th-century frescoes, is already a spectacle in itself.

The wellness offer includes whirlpools, saunas, and steam baths, with the possibility of booking couples massages.

Presolana in Val Seriana

Why Bergamo is worth the trip

At the end of a day in Bergamo, sitting on a wall of the Venetian Walls as the sun sets over the plain, with the taste of casoncelli still lingering and the distant sound of the Lower Town, you understand why this city captivates everyone who visits.

It’s not just one thing—it’s not only Città Alta, not only the food, not only the landscape—it’s the sum of all these elements, experienced at the right pace. Bergamo should not be rushed: it should be savored slowly, like a good glass of Valcalepio.

And just when you think you’ve seen it all, you realize there’s still an alley you haven’t walked, a viewpoint you haven’t reached, a dish you haven’t tried. That’s its most beautiful secret.