Stop in Bergamo on the way to Bellagio?
Apr 17th, 2012, 06:13 PM
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Stop in Bergamo on the way to Bellagio?
We will be driving from Venice to Bellagio in mid-May and are thinking of stopping in Bergamo for a couple of hours to visit the Citta Alta. Google maps says it is a little less than 4 driving hours from Venice to Bellagio. If we get a decently early start it seems we should be able to spend some time wandering around the Citta Alta and maybe grab lunch there before heading on to Bellagio.
Are we being too optimistic thinking we can do this? And is Bergamo's Citta Alta worth a visit? In researching Bergamo, it seems the reviews are quite good - unless I'm just missing the ones that are not good. How difficult is it to find parking? Our thought is to park near the funicular in the Citta Bassa - or should we try to drive in to the Citta Alta? One review on Tripadvisor said parking was easy to find just inside the city gate by just following signs to Bergamo - Citta Alta.
Thanks for any advice you may have.
Are we being too optimistic thinking we can do this? And is Bergamo's Citta Alta worth a visit? In researching Bergamo, it seems the reviews are quite good - unless I'm just missing the ones that are not good. How difficult is it to find parking? Our thought is to park near the funicular in the Citta Bassa - or should we try to drive in to the Citta Alta? One review on Tripadvisor said parking was easy to find just inside the city gate by just following signs to Bergamo - Citta Alta.
Thanks for any advice you may have.
Apr 18th, 2012, 07:06 PM
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John, Absolutely stop in Bergamo for a few hours. It really is wonderful and one of our favorite places in Italy. I'm not sure about the travel time, since we took the train. There is plenty of parking below the funicular and that's what you'll take to get to the old town at the top of the hill. Frankly, I wouldn't miss it--keep your camera handy. Safe travels.
Apr 19th, 2012, 04:58 AM
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Thanks Triptyme - everything we read about it makes it sound like it will be a great place to visit. When you say there is plenty of parking near the funicular, do you mean street parking or pay parking lots? Since we will have all our luggage in the car, I'm wondering what the safest parking situation might be.
Apr 19th, 2012, 09:37 AM
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You know, I really can't recall there being a parking lot at the foot of the funicular; there may have been. We walked there from the train station and the impression I had was that it was a nice, pleasant mix of residential and business district. I certainly would make sure you had nothing in sight through the windows of the car when you parked and don't park and then put things out of sight. I can't recall if there was storage at the train station but if there is, that might be a nice alternative to keeping your belongings safe. You might want to google that question. We made the trip to Bergamo on a day trip from Milan, so we didn't have that issue. Will tell you one thing, though. If you love medieval cities you'll want to cry if you can't spend the night! I'll go back and look at our pictures to see if there are cars there. Maybe you can just drive up and park there? Are you set on riding the funicular? You won't want to drive most of the streets up there, though. Must have been tight going even with a horse cart back in the day, they are so narrow! For some reason, I seem to remember seeing cars so I'll get back to you.
Apr 20th, 2012, 06:07 AM
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Thanks again Triptyme. We aren't really set on riding the funicular - we're just looking for the most convenient and safe place to park for a few hours. Unless someone recommends something better, my guess is we will try looking for parking near the funicular and if that doesn't work we will drive up to the Citta Alta and look for parking there. Did you happen to post any pictures online anywhere of your visit to Bergamo? I quickly glanced through your topics and didn't see anything. I would love to see them if they are online somewhere.
Apr 20th, 2012, 06:17 AM
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Sorry I don't have easily accessible pictures to send, but I certainly second the good things you're hearing about Bergamo. Lunch on the lovely square and a walk around should fit nicely into your plan for the day. Enjoy.
Apr 25th, 2012, 04:51 AM
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Sorry for taking so long to get back to you, John. No, I didn't post pictures. I can try to and will let you know if I'm successful. I did manage to look at them and there were cars up there, so you should be able to park up there if you need to.
Apr 25th, 2012, 05:56 AM
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Thanks Triptyme - I'm sure we will find a good place to park somewhere in Bergamo. I'll be on the lookout for your pictures. Good luck getting them posted. I've posted some from previous trips and it seems to take a lot of time to do but it's worth it once you are finished.
