The best ice cream shops in Bergamo: a guide to discovering the city’s flavours

The City Outside Bergamo Food and Wine

10 June 2026

Bergamo and artisan gelato are linked by a special relationship that goes far beyond a simple confectionery tradition. This Lombard city is, in fact, the birthplace of stracciatella, one of the most loved and widespread gelato flavors in the world, created within the walls of Città Alta in 1961.

Whether you stroll along the Sentierone or lose yourself among the cobbled alleys of Città Alta, stopping at one of the gelato shops in Bergamo is an essential part of experiencing the city.

What are the best ice cream shops in Bergamo?

Bergamo offers a wide and high-quality gelato scene, with historic establishments alongside more recent but already well-established businesses. Below is a selection of the most notable gelato shops, divided between Lower Bergamo and Upper Bergamo.

Infographic about the best gelato shops in Bergamo

Gelato Shops in Lower Bergamo

Gelateria Gemma dal 1970 – Via Borgo Palazzo 90

With more than fifty years of activity, Gelateria Gemma is one of the landmarks of artisan gelato in the city. Located along Via Borgo Palazzo, one of the historic streets of Lower Bergamo, it offers a selection of more than forty flavors, including lactose-free and vegan options.

Its generous portions and consistently high quality over time have earned it a rating of 4.6 out of 5 on Google, based on more than three thousand reviews. For those visiting Bergamo and seeking an authentic experience without heading up to Città Alta, it is a must-stop destination.

La Romana – Via G. Tiraboschi 42

La Romana is a national chain founded in 1947, with a historic location in the heart of Lower Bergamo, on Via Tiraboschi, a short distance from the Sentierone. With a Google rating of 4.5 based on nearly three thousand reviews, it is the most reviewed gelato shop in the city online.

Its location just a few steps from the Sentierone and the city’s main shopping streets makes it a natural stop during a walk through the heart of Lower Bergamo. For first-time visitors, it can be an ideal starting or finishing point before continuing toward the funicular leading to Città Alta.

Gelateria VerdeRosa – Via Cesare Battisti 1/D

Founded in 1990, VerdeRosa is a gelato shop that has earned a solid reputation among Bergamo residents over the years, particularly for its fruit flavors.

It is often cited as a benchmark for those who prioritize artisan quality over online visibility: its reputation is maintained mainly through word of mouth. The variety of seasonal flavors and its almost entirely gluten-free selection make it popular with a wide audience.

Gelato Contadino – Piazzale Risorgimento 7

Founded in 2019 by Vittorio Baldelli, Gelato Contadino quickly established itself as one of the most interesting realities in Bergamo’s gelato scene. The gelato shop, which describes itself as an “out-of-market workshop,” focuses on carefully selected ingredients, seasonality, and traditional artisan methods. The result is a gelato that draws long lines outside its shop in Piazzale Risorgimento.

In 2024, it received the prestigious Tre Coni award from Gambero Rosso for the first time, the highest recognition in the national Gelaterie d’Italia guide, and its pistachio flavor had already been awarded as the best pistachio gelato in Italy by the same guide. It is worth arriving early: the flavors, produced in limited quantities each day, often sell out.

Carmen Gelato – Via G. Tiraboschi 60

Carmen Gelato also has a location in Lower Bergamo, on Via Tiraboschi, one of the city’s main thoroughfares. The gelato shop stands out for its unusual flavors: recurring offerings include combinations such as salted pistachio, ricotta and fig, lemon and mint, and pear and gorgonzola. An address well suited for those looking for something different from more traditional gelato shops.

Mandorlacchio – Viale Giulio Cesare 14G

Located opposite the Gewiss Stadium, home of Atalanta, Mandorlacchio is the only completely gluten-free gelato shop in the city of Bergamo, certified by AIC. The entire production process, from the laboratory to the counter service, is gluten-free with no risk of cross-contamination.

The gelato shop also offers lactose-free and low-glycemic-index flavors. For visitors with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, it is an essential stop. The house specialty flavor – almond with pistachio cream – is among the most appreciated by customers.

Display case of artisan gelato with various fruit and cream flavors in a gelato shop in Bergamo

Gelato Shops in Upper Bergamo

Reaching Upper Bergamo – on foot or by funicular – and strolling through Piazza Vecchia, the UNESCO-listed Venetian Walls, and the Corsarola is one of the most enjoyable experiences the city can offer.

Stopping at one of the gelato shops in Città Alta along the way is a natural part of the visit.

Gelateria La Marianna – Colle Aperto / Largo Colle Aperto

La Marianna is not only one of the most historic gelato shops in Upper Bergamo: it is also the place where stracciatella was invented in 1961. The café and gelato shop is located in Colle Aperto, near Porta Sant’Alessandro, one of the main gateways to Città Alta.

After visiting Piazza Vecchia, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, or taking a walk along the Venetian Walls, stopping here allows visitors to taste the very flavor that was born in Bergamo and became famous throughout the world.

Carmen Gelato – Via Bartolomeo Colleoni 20C

The Upper Town location of Carmen Gelato is situated on Via Bartolomeo Colleoni, a two-minute walk from Piazza Duomo. Its position along the Corsarola – the main pedestrian street of Città Alta – makes it easily accessible during the classic stroll among the city’s monuments. It offers creative flavors such as salted pistachio and Venezuelan cream alongside traditional favorites, with indoor seating available.

Gelateria Cherubino – Via Bartolomeo Colleoni 40

Located along the Corsarola, the main pedestrian street of Città Alta, Gelateria Cherubino is a historic presence in the heart of the medieval center. Its location, just a short walk from Piazza Vecchia and the city’s main landmarks, makes it a frequent stop for those visiting Upper Bergamo and wishing to enjoy a break while wandering through alleys, squares, and historic buildings.

Babilonia 1907 – Via Gombito 12

Babilonia 1907 is a recent project born from the experience of the historic Gelateria La Marianna. Located on Via Gombito, one of the most characteristic streets in Città Alta, it lies along the route connecting Piazza Vecchia to the Gombito Tower.
The venue represents a new presence in the historic center’s gastronomic scene, situated in one of the city’s most frequented areas by visitors.
Artisan Gelato Counter

The best ice cream shops in the Province of Bergamo

Those venturing into the surroundings of Bergamo – whether for a day trip, a visit to the Bergamo hills, or a route toward the Valle Imagna – will find some gelato shops of exceptional quality, recognized at a national level.

All of the following are located within approximately 15 kilometers of the city center.

Gelateria PanDiZucchero – SS470, 32, Almè

Located in Almè, along the route connecting Bergamo to the Valle Brembana, PanDiZucchero is a gelato shop appreciated for years by both local residents and travelers heading toward the Bergamo valleys. Its location makes it a convenient stop during a day trip, while the consistent quality of its artisan gelato has enabled it to build a solid reputation throughout the area.

Gelateria La Moreneta – Via Guglielmo Marconi 47, Ranica

In the municipality of Ranica, on the outskirts of Bergamo, La Moreneta is a well-known address among artisan gelato enthusiasts in the area. Its primarily takeaway-oriented service makes it a practical choice for those wishing to enjoy a gelato during a walk along the Seriana Valley cycling and pedestrian path or while exploring the surroundings of the city.

Fioccodineve Gelateria Artigianale – Via Guglielmo Marconi 1, Ranica

A short distance from the center of Ranica, Fioccodineve is an artisan business that has built a loyal customer base over the years. Its location, easily reachable from Bergamo and the lower Seriana Valley, makes it an interesting stop for those looking for a sweet break outside the city center.

Gelateria Pierrot – Corso Roma 5, Seriate

Located in the center of Seriate, one of the main municipalities in the Bergamo metropolitan area, Gelateria Pierrot has long been a point of reference for many local residents. Thanks to its proximity to Bergamo and its location along one of the town’s busiest streets, it is one of the best-known options for those seeking artisan gelato near the provincial capital.

La Pasqualina – Via Papa Giovanni XXIII 39, Almenno San Bartolomeo (approximately 12 km from Bergamo)

La Pasqualina was founded in 1912 in Almenno San Bartolomeo and today, under the leadership of Riccardo Schiavi, the family’s fourth generation, it is one of Italy’s most awarded gelato shops, with several Tre Coni recognitions from Gambero Rosso, including the 2024 edition.
Its philosophy focuses on local ingredients and the absence of additives and artificial flavorings. Although it also has a shop in central Bergamo, the historic location in Almenno remains the heart of the business.

Oasi American Bar – Via Treviglio 3461, Fara Gera d’Adda / Badalasco (approximately 15 km from Bergamo)

Founded in 1987 by Candida Pelizzoli, president of the Italian Master Gelato Makers Association, Oasi in Badalasco is a business that combines a gelato shop, pastry shop, and chocolate workshop. Known for its creations that pair fruit with seasonal vegetables, it has received the Tre Coni award from Gambero Rosso since 2018, consistently ranking among the best gelato shops in Italy.

Stracciatella Gelato - flavor invented in Bergamo

Why Bergamo is famous for ice cream: the invention of Stracciatella

There is one specific corner of Città Alta where the history of gelato changed forever. We are in Colle Aperto, near Porta Sant’Alessandro, inside the venue now known as La Marianna.

Stracciatella was invented in 1961 by Enrico Panattoni (1927–2013), originally from Altopascio in Tuscany, who moved to Bergamo in the 1940s with his wife Oriana. Panattoni took over Caffè La Marianna in 1953 and, passionate about cooking and pastry-making, regularly experimented with new combinations.

The idea came from an analogy with Roman-style stracciatella soup, a broth-and-egg soup that was very popular at the time: just as the egg coagulates in boiling broth, creating irregular strands, Panattoni wanted chocolate to behave in the same way inside gelato. By pouring hot dark chocolate into the churn while the fior di latte gelato was being processed, the chocolate solidified and was “shredded” by the blades, creating flakes and irregular fragments.

Panattoni never patented nor copyrighted the recipe. This allowed stracciatella to spread freely throughout the world, eventually becoming one of the three most consumed gelato flavors in Italy today.

La Marianna still produces it using the original vertical machines – the Carpigiani L40 with a tinned copper cylinder and brine cooling system – and a recipe that includes fresh milk, egg yolks, granulated sugar, fresh cream, and 58% cocoa Lindt dark chocolate.

Enjoying a gelato aboard a Tuk Tuk during a Bergamo tour

An original way to discover Bergamo’s ice cream shops and landmark attractions

Many of the gelato shops mentioned are located along some of the routes most frequented by visitors, between Città Alta, the Sentierone, the Venetian Walls, and the historic districts connecting the city’s different identities.

For those wishing to visit several locations in a short time and learn interesting facts about local history, exploring the city aboard a tuk tuk can be an appealing option. The tours offered by Bergamo by Tuk Tuk allow visitors to travel comfortably between some of Bergamo’s most representative landmarks, offering a different perspective on the city and its traditions, including those related to gelato and the birth of the famous stracciatella flavor.

Bergamo is a city where gelato is as much a part of the urban landscape as its medieval towers or Venetian Walls. Whether visiting for the first time as a tourist or returning as a regular visitor, a stop at the city’s gelato shops – from the historic venues of Città Alta to the newer establishments in the Lower Town – is always a great way to experience something authentic.