Wine and dine in the ever-so-fine city of Bergamo

After reading (the English translation of) Alessandro Manzoni’s "I promessi sposi" (“The Betrothed”), I decided that the basis of my choice of destination for my study abroad semester would absolutely be a book. The time when this well-known novel was set was a few centuries ago, and Lombardy has certainly changed since then, not so much plague, unless you count the plague of wonderful attributes this city has that truly makes it a perfect place to go for Erasmus.

I think the main focus of this post will be food and drink, given that my memories of Bergamo are slightly blurry due to, well, all the drink and Erasmus parties, but also I am currently in Murcia, another city with which I have fallen in love, and Bergamo now seems like a lifetime ago. However, I still have quite a few recommendations, and the rest you’ll enjoy discovering for yourself. I’ll also discuss the few weekend trips I took during my Erasmus stay.

Bergamo, found in the region of Lombardy, is mostly known by travellers for the Orio al Serio airport (code BGY – if flying with Ryanair, the destination is called Milan Bergamo. Don’t confuse with Milan Malpensa in Milan itself, the capital of Lombardy). It costs very little to fly there and is well connected to the city centre via bus with the public ATB bus network, and you can also get a coach to the Milan’s central train station for €5. On the opposite side of the motorway, walking to the right when leaving the airport, you can find the city’s biggest shopping centre, “Orio Center”. It has absolutely everything you could need.

A taxi to the city is around €15-20, but there’s the ATB buses which are a much cheaper option, although not the easiest if you have a massive suitcase as I did. Don’t be afraid to push and shove a little bit, otherwise you may not get a space to stand (let alone sit) and you’ll have to wait for the next bus. There’s a ticket machine at the bus stop, and on the bus. It’s between €1-3 for a single ticket to the city centre, sorry I don’t remember the exact cost, journey is 20 mins-½ hour depending on traffic. Make sure you have some change!

There are two main Erasmus organisations operating here: ESN and AEGEE, the latter being a local group in Bergamo. ESN has the bigger budget and organises more events, but the trips and socials hosted by AEGEE are also worth attending, and I’ve had a very positive experience with this community. In my opinion, the ESN parties were a bit too crazy, but I enjoyed the smaller events they ran, such as Each1Teach1. As a student at the Università degli Studi di Bergamo (or UniBG), I found myself deeply embedded within the general Erasmus community and now I have the privilege of saying that I have friends to visit all over the world, from France to Finland, America to Australia. Initially, I had trouble finding real Italian or “bergamaschi” people who would talk to me and help practice my Italian. I felt more integrated with the “murcianos” in Murcia, where I spent my second semester, which is one of the negatives of my experience in Bergamo.

I can’t say for certain, but perhaps the lack of integration is a negative of studying abroad in general. Italian is my ab initio language, and my confidence with speaking is very low. I didn’t have a lot of courage when speaking to other students in lectures, and I usually ended up sitting with the other Erasmus students. What is more, upon discovering my British nationality, one of my linguistics professors would frequently call on me to pronounce English words that he used as examples, and then to further my embarrassment he’d compare it using the accent and American English of my roommate from the USA. It was not helpful at all. I think it distinguished us as Erasmus students, and perhaps others thought they’d have to communicate with us in English, so they decided to just avoid us in general.

That’s enough with the anecdotes, now let’s talk about the city of Bergamo, from top to bottom, with an emphasis on Italian food (the second best cuisine in the world – second only to Indian). As a vegetarian who’s slightly lactose-intolerant, I was worried about living in Europe as the diets mostly consist of meat, fish, and more meat. This is true for most countries in the world to be honest. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find vegan options in some restaurants and pizzerias, and even more in the supermarkets. The only times I went out to dinner was when family came to visit and they were paying, although it wouldn’t have been too much of a stretch to pay for my own meal.

Highlights of Città Alta

Being in Città Alta, or the “Upper City”, was like stepping into another world. It’s encircled by beautiful Venetian walls, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. Walking along the walls on a sunny day is a transcendent experience; people stop at every point to take pictures or selfies with the unbelievable view of the lower part of the city, and the higher you go, the more you can see. From one point you can even see the airport. I’d especially recommend walking along the walls, or further up the hill towards the castle, at sunset. It’s a breathtaking view you’ll never forget.

There are university buildings spread all around Città Alta, so I’d spend a considerable amount of time up there, travelling on the 1A bus from Porta Nuova. My lectures and seminars were usually in the Salvecchio or Pignolo buildings, and occasionally in Tassis. From the courtyard of the Pignolo building there’s a lovely view (see photo above), if it’s a sunny day. Further up is the Sant’Agostino building, which has a huge library where you can find textbooks for your courses, and it’s also a good study space between classes. The Salvecchio building is where most lectures and seminars seem to be, especially if you take one of the Italian language courses offered for all levels. It’s interesting to note how the university is embedded into the old architecture of this historic city, and if you’re not studying in Bergamo, they are worth seeing, just to get a feel of Bergamo’s student atmosphere.

Piazza Vecchia is also a lovely and picturesque little square, recognisable by the fountain with the four lions in the centre. Beyond is Piazza Duomo, where you’ll find the Cathedral, Basilica and Chapel. You cannot leave Bergamo without going inside these religious buildings, I guarantee you’ll be astonished by the beauty of their interiors, if you appreciate these things. In fact, there was not a church in Bergamo that didn’t overwhelm me with its reverence for Jesus and the God of Christianity.

In Piazza Vecchia, you’ll find Caffè del Tasso 1476, which has the best tiramisu I’ve ever eaten. I think it costs around €4. Nearby, there’s also La Dispensa di Arlecchino, apparently known for its mushroom risotto with blueberry sauce. It was an interesting combination of ingredients, but it really worked. It’s expensive, I think it was around €11, and I wouldn’t order a Negroni here as the one I had was horrible. However, it’s perfect for a meal perhaps with parents who are visiting, and that risotto was truly incredible.

If you’re craving a slice of pizza, you’re spoilt for choice in Città Alta. My three favourite places were Tresoldi, at the end of via Salvecchio, having the same name as a lovely bar in the centre of the city. I think the margherita pizza I had there was the best in the city. I was never disappointed when I asked for “whatever vegetarian option you’d suggest” at Il Fornaio, others were big fans of the chocolate bread here. You can also sit upstairs and enjoy delicious pizza with friends. Nessi was pretty special and the pizza delicious, being one of Bergamo’s “botteghe storice” (historic shops) on via Gombito. All of the places mentioned also serve as bakeries, selling cakes that made your mouth water at the sight. Bear in mind that in these types of places, they’ll give you a slice or large square of pizza, the cost varies depending on quantity and weight. Usually it would be between €2-€4, sometimes there were offers for €2 slices of margherita.

Another must-visit, or must-eat, in Città Alta is La Marianna. This gelateria is where my favourite flavour of gelato was invented – stracciatella. I discovered this at the end of my Erasmus, and regrettably only went once, but if you have lectures in Città Alta, it would be a nice place to go with friends to relax and chat.

Porta Nuova

Arriving at Porta (Gate) San Giacomo, you’ll find a path that will lead you down some stairs and take you to Porta Nuova, the more commercial area and the centre of Bergamo. There’s also two methods of public transport for getting down the hill to the centre – the “funicolare” or the bus. It’s a different experience travelling on the funicular up or down the hill, you should try it at least once. It’s a good option in the winter, when the stairs on the descent are a bit dangerous, being covered with snow and slippery.

In the area, you’ll find some lovely spots for “aperitivo”, and Tai Wan Bubble Tea, selling one of my favourite drinks. Our favourite bar for aperitivo, which is like a pre-dinner drink with snacks, was Bobino, in Piazza della Libertà, standing out with the beautiful fairy light decorations. There was also an ice rink set up next to it during the winter. Another nice place opposite the street from Bobino was Tresoldi, yes, it has the same name as the bakery in Città Alta. For us, it was a substitute for dinner, as once you bought a drink, you had unlimited access to the ample buffet. In Bobino, they also gave tables a round of delicious fried mozzarella, which made me completely forget about my lactose-intolerance. The typical Italian and aperitivo cocktail has to be an Aperol Spritz, which you can make yourself at home with 50 ml of aperol liquer, a splash of soda water and fill it up with some cheap prosecco. If you have a high tolerance, you could also add a shot of gin. Don’t forget the ice! There are a variety of cocktails that usually cost between €6-8 wherever you go. It’s not cheap, but it’s compensated by the food from the buffet, and you’ll be used to it if you’re from England.

Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII

This street is a haven for food and public transport. Starting from the ATB office, where you can get a monthly bus pass, to be purchased and renewed on the first of every month, you’ll have a view of Città Alta which provides a pleasant backdrop as you walk down this street. A must-visit is the small Antica Fabbrica Dell'Arancina, near the Porta Nuova bus stop, which sells take-away “arancini”, one of my favourite dishes ever. It’s a speciality of Sicilian cuisine, consisting of balls of risotto rice coated in breadcrumbs then deep fried, with other fillings too, such as meats, cheese, vegetables etc. There’s also a fast-food pizza chain Spontini, also found in Città Alta, which is like Domino’s but better. It can’t beat a slice of pizza from a proper bakery, however. Speaking of pizza, there’s a nice restaurant Vox if you’re looking for a good sit-down meal with a decent glass of wine.

There are lots of other boutiques, shops and places selling food on this street, and you’ll also find half of the Christmas market in this area during the winter. The other half was in Piazza Dante Alighieri. Next to the McDonald’s, there’s the bus station, where you can buy bus tickets, catch a FlixBus to other cities in Italy, and also the bus to the airport. Opposite the bus station is the train station, and the tram next to it. Train travel is so cheap in Italy, just don’t forget to validate your ticket by stamping it using the machine on the platforms.

Off this street, down Via G. Camozzi, you’ll find one of Bergamo’s two main clubs - Velvet. Specifically, it’s a bar, with a dance area underground (that also has a smoking room), and upstairs there’s a restaurant as they also serve pizza. So, if you’re drunk and hungry at 3am, this is the place to go. It usually closes around 4am. I warn you now, don’t get your hopes up. The Erasmus associations do organise events there, but otherwise it’s pretty dead, apart from a few locals. The staff are nice even if you’re drunk, and if you are alone with a couple friends in the club area, it can still be fun, especially as the DJ will probably play whatever music you want.

La Romana

A gelateria that must be given special attention is La Romana on Via G. Tiraboschi. It’s on the same street as the ATB office and OVS, a fast-fashion shop, under which there’s a supermarket. It’s a chain and can be found throughout Italy and outside the country too, specifically in Düsseldorf, Wien, Valencia and Madrid, according to their website. It was usually open late, til 10pm-midnight depending on the day. My favourite flavour was “Crema dal 1947” – certainly the best vanilla ice cream I’ve ever had in my life. I can even remember the taste as I type this now. It was very popular with all my friends, we have many memories of this place, and you must go at least once if you visit or do your Erasmus in Bergamo.

Via XX Settembre

This is like a high street and you’ll find many clothes boutiques and brands, like Zara, Mango, Tezenis etc. If you can’t find a particular high street brand you’re looking for, go to Orio Center next to the airport. There are also some nice bars down the side streets, like 035 Café.

Largo Nicolò Rezzara

This street is at the end of Via XX Settembre and it’s one of my favourites. You’ll find a Legami here, a shop that can be compared to Spain’s Ale-Hop, or England’s WHSmith, or the Italian version of Tiger (there’s also one of these in the area). It sells books and quirky, unique objects, mostly non-essential items but they can make nice gifts. Next to Legami is Tassino Café, which is very special to me indeed. Every Wednesday evening at 7:30pm, the bar hosts “Scioglilingua” (meaning “tongue twister”), a happy hour/language exchange. It mostly consists of locals from Bergamo, and some Erasmus students, and here you can practice almost any language you want, including Italian, as well as indulging in the aperitivo buffet. I made some really good friends through this group who I’ll definitely visit when I return to Bergamo. It was one of the more positive aspects of my experience in this city.

As a British person, I really appreciated Bar Haiti, next to Tassino Café, which had a very wide selection of tea. The same goes for Sweet Irene Café, where I also had a delicious apple crumble, found walking up from Bar Haiti past the Carrefour Express. Continuing onwards is, in my opinion, Bergamo’s best pizzeria – Basilico. It’s small and I don’t think it has a sign, but if you find it, you’ll have no regrets after eating a slice of their pizza.

Via San Bernardino

I walked down Via San Bernardino several times, as it was the street I took to access the city centre. However, it wasn’t just a street on my walk to my destination. If you enjoy reading, you’ll be happy to find a few bookshops and a big library or the Biblioteca A. Tiraboschi. Next to the Biblioteca there’s a building where two essential offices are located: the International Office, which you’ll surely visit if you study as an Erasmus student in Bergamo. On the same floor is the office of ESN Bergamo. This building is quite a maze, but there will be someone within who will direct you to the “ufficio internazionale per gli studenti stranieri” if you get lost, as I did a couple of times.

Across the road from the library and the office building is a cute little café, called Lekka Lekka, where I had my first breakfast in Bergamo. Also on Via San Bernardino is one of my favourite bars in the city, Artisan Café. It’s expensive, but the cocktails are of really good quality. It’s worth trying at least once.

In the vicinity of the library and International Office is Clash Club, where you’ll find the other half of Bergamo’s nightlife. Erasmus events are held here too. The odd thing about this place is the payment method for getting drinks. You are given a card at the entrance, which is scanned by the bartenders when you order a drink. Then you settle your tab when you leave. If you’re worried about money, I’d ask the cost of the drinks and be mindful of how many you have!

Città Bassa

I lived in Città Bassa, or the “Lower City”, for my study abroad semester, on via G.B.Berizzi. There were a lot of Erasmus students living in this area. I got my room through the University of Bergamo’s accommodation service. I was in a female flat sharing my bedroom with another student, and my room cost €270 a month – all bills included. The only reason I didn’t have my own room was because I applied very late for accommodation, however, I don’t regret it one bit. In fact, the experience was so positive I would live with a roommate again in the future. My roommate for the first 3 months was a wonderful girl from America, we got on very well and we still talk daily. I was very lucky with my roommate, others not so much. We did have problems and small disagreements every now and then, but that’s normal in these kinds of situations. Another benefit of living on this street was the Esselunga supermarket, a stone’s throw away. It’s not too expensive, and if you apply for a “Carta Fidaty”, you can benefit from discounts on marked products. There’s also an Auchan about 20 minutes walk away, which is much bigger, but as I was studying in Bergamo in the winter, it was usually too cold to make the trek over there.

The student residence was generally quite nice. There was no microwave or kettle, but that was to be expected. Also, we soon learnt that we couldn’t use the washing machine and the oven at the same time, without causing a power cut. Another thing to get used to was the “raccolta differenziata”, obligatory by law in Italy, which entailed separating the rubbish into 5 categories: plastics, glass and cans, paper and cardboard, food waste and general. For me, this was a positive of living in Italy, as I always recycle at home and it benefits the environment. I would recommend keeping the food waste bin in the cupboard under the sink...and buy some Febreeze. Our flat was on the second floor, and there was a lift. There was an ashtray for smokers, but the contract stated no parties in the flat. We ignored that rule frequently, but be mindful of your neighbours who may make noise complaints to the landlord. Also, if anything is broken in your flat, you will be charged for the reparation costs, even if it’s something as simple as changing a couple of lightbulbs, the cost of which was €10 between us.

It’s a good idea to live in Città Bassa if you’re studying at the Economics and Law Caniana campus. Here is where you’ll find the Accommodation Services office, where you’ll need to go to sign contracts and hand back your keys. They are very helpful, and if you have any questions prior to arriving in Bergamo, send them an email (they speak English as well as Italian), and hopefully their response will be of use.

A couple of other bars to mention

Cocktails and Dreams

I remember passing by this place as I walked down Via Broseta to a friend’s flat party. To my pleasant surprise, we ended up there later on. My friend knew the owner, so we had great service, but if you live in this area it’s a great local, with a lovely atmosphere, and kind employees.

Shake Bar

On Via Borgo Santa Caterina, this bar was about a 40 minute walk from my flat in Città Bassa. The first few Erasmus socials were held at this bar. It’s quite far, and a bit small, but the cocktails are cheap, being €5 each. If you’re living in this area you may find yourself coming here often.

Cubo Café

This bar/club was a bit further out of the city. We went with ESN, and I went one other time with a friend who had a car. I wish it was closer to Bergamo’s city centre. It’s fun, crazy and I had two really great nights out there.

Weekends away

Erasmus students are known to have itchy feet. A lot of my friends who came from outside of Europe, such as the USA, Mexico, Australia and China, would travel almost every weekend in order to make the most of their visas. I was more than content to stay in Bergamo and enjoy living there as a resident, however, I did take a few memorable weekend trips that I’ll describe briefly.

Day trip to Milan

When my friend from home visited me in Bergamo, we spent a day in Milan. I believe the train tickets were €10 for the return trip. For some reason, we attempted to navigate without maps or any prior plan of what we wanted to see, wanting to go with the flow and discover the city for ourselves, so most of our trip was spent aimlessly wandering around. We gave up, got a map, found a metro station and headed to the famous Piazza del Duomo. We purposefully got lost in the streets around this area, admiring the architecture, and stopping to eat when we found somewhere within our price range. At one point, we stumbled upon Via Montenapoleone, a gorgeous street filled with luxurious designer shops that had more security guards than customers shopping. As an admirer of Italian fashion, such as Valentino and Dolce & Gabbana, it was heaven.

I was more than happy to stroll around the city, but others might prefer to have a plan in order to not miss the main sights. I’d also advise to be alert in the metro stations around the ticket machines – I was distracted by my friend, and ended up having all my change stolen out of the machine by a gypsy woman. Also, if you don’t like pigeons, you won’t want to spend too much time in Piazza del Duomo, although the Cathedral building is beyond beautiful.

Paris

My roommate and I thought we’d struck gold with the deal of the century, finding €20 return flights from Bergamo to Paris. We had a pleasant stay at St Christopher’s Inn hostel, near the Gare du Nord train station. I had already been in the French capital before, for one night a couple of years ago, when we literally just walked over to the Eiffel Tower, then back to the hotel, and slept. On my second visit, I gained a new appreciation for all that Paris has to offer. Highlights of the visit:

Notre Dame: of which I had only previously seen a cartoon version. A medieval Catholic cathedral that provides a stunning example of French Gothic architecture.

Louvre Museum: home to the famous “Mona Lisa”. We were able to gain free entry, however, this involved queueing outside in the cold for around 2 hours. It was absolutely worth the wait. We saw as much as we could, but according to my roommate, it’s estimated that it would take around 5 days to see the entirety of this wonderful collection of art. I’d recommend bringing a packed lunch/water as food and drink was expensive there.

Palace of Versailles: the palace itself was closed, but the gardens were open to walk around and be extensively admired.

Eiffel Tower: an impressive structure in itself, but at 10pm the tower produces a dazzling display of sparkling lights for, I think, 2 minutes or so. It makes the world-famous iconic symbol of Paris even more beautiful.

Before I forget: although our flights were cheap, travelling from Paris Beauvais airport to the actual city of Paris was not. We had to take a bus shuttle from the airport to Porte Maillot bus station in the city centre. We bought the tickets there, apparently, it’s cheaper to book online, I think it was €17 for a single. If we had known before, however, we still would have gone! Click here for more information about bus transfers.

Rome

I went to Rome on a trip with ESN Bergamo. Personally, I prefer travelling on my own or with a couple other people, rather than in a large group. Organisationally, it’s chaos, and I spent most of my time waiting for other people, either sleeping or playing cards with my roommate who came on the trip with me. We went on a tour of the city, stopping by the iconic Colosseum and the impressive monument to Vittorio Emanuele II in Piazza Venezia. We were there in the evening, and climbing up to the top, we had a beautiful view as the sun set. I also discovered the spectacular Fontana dei Trevi for myself, when the rest of the group went to the Vatican Museum. I was surprised to get a glimpse of this masterpiece, as the area was overwhelmingly crowded with tourists, more so than I had experienced in the rest of the city. I hadn’t paid the extra fee for the visit to Vatican City, so I took the opportunity to sleep, go get some delicious arancini from the Mercato Centrale di Roma, and then walked to meet the rest of the group after their lunch.

As Erasmus students from all over Italy were in Rome on this ESN organised trip, there were massive parties organised at clubs each night, from which I’m still slightly traumatised...2000 Erasmus students in one location is not as fun as it sounds! En route to one of these events, from which my roommate and I had always left early, we stopped by a unique bar “Vendita Libri, Cioccolata e Vino”. It was a bookshop that also sold edible shots, that’s to say, the shot glasses were made of chocolate. I normally hate doing shots, too many bad experiences at university, but I couldn’t resist trying them. It was weird, but delicious. If you “fare serata” (go out clubbing) in Rome, be sure to stop by this quirky bar, located near Piazza di Sant’Egidio and the Ponte Sisto in the Trastevere neighbourhood.

I hope to return to Rome one day, I feel like I didn’t have the best experience there, and I would love the opportunity to fully immerse myself in the culture and make better memories of Italy’s beautiful capital city.

Venice

My stay in Venice was too short. I went after having returned home for a week to visit friends and family, at the end of Carnevale. I had one full day on the island, which I spent walking around Venice with my friends, admiring the elaborate Carnevale costumes donned by residents, who could be seen elegantly posing for photographers and tourists.

We didn’t visit any tourist sites, but we did have two unique experiences that I’ll never forget:

Libreria Acqua Alta: translated as “high water bookshop”, this slice of heaven is probably one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world. Due to the majority of Venice’s roads being made of water, this shop and others are vulnerable to flooding. However, the books are stored in waterproof basins, and there’s even a gondola in the middle of the shop to keep these beauties safe. I could have stayed in there forever, but the shop has a cat and I have allergies. I’ll never forget this place, and will definitely return someday.

T Fondaco dei Tedeschi: The name of a luxury mall, but also a interesting secret of Venice, not known to the average tourist. If you click the link above, it’ll take you to the website of the mall, where you can reserve for free 15 minutes viewing time on it’s terrace, which provides a must-see gorgeous view of the city of Venice.

Thank you for reading my city guide of Bergamo. I hope the information is useful, and that you have a wonderful time on your Erasmus (or not) adventures.

In bocca al lupo! (Good luck!)

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