Bergamo Car Rental

Located in the southern foothills of the Alps between the Serio and Brembo rivers, Bergamo is a city of Lombardy with a long history. It has two centres, “Città Bassa” (Lower Town) and “Città Alta” (Upper Town), divided by the Venetian Walls which were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017.

Nicknamed the “City of the Thousand”, Bergamo is the perfect year-round destination for a variety of travellers.

In fact, the city not only has a rich historical and artistic heritage, but also natural areas of great interest, first and foremost the Parco dei Colli di Bergamo (Bergamo Hills Park), which extends over 4,700 hectares between the city’s two rivers.

Visiting Bergamo: discovering the Lower Town and Upper Town

Bergamo is full of attractions and places to see not only in the city but also in the surrounding area, which is why a car is the best way to get from one place to another.

If you reach the city by train or plane and wish to rent a vehicle, your reference point is Maggiore’s rental offices in Bergamo, one located at Orio al Serio Airport and the other in the city centre.

In fact, with Maggiore you can be sure of a safe and comfortable trip, as all our rental cars are modern and well equipped, as well as scrupulously sanitised before delivery.

Your tour of places to visit in Bergamo can begin in the Lower Town, the most modern area full of characteristic attractions and sights.

After parking your car, start your journey by visiting the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, founded in 1422 by San Bernardino, and the nearby Porta Nuova, the main entrance to the city, built in 1837 and formed by “Propilei”, which until 1901 was the seat of the customs guard.

From Porta Nuova you can reach the Partisan Monument, donated to the city in 1977, and then continue towards Piazza dei Cavalieri and admire the Torre dei Caduti, dedicated to those fallen in the Great War, and the Centro Piacentiniano, an architectural complex built between 1912 and 1927 which includes places of interest such as Palazzo Frizzoni, Piazza Dante with the Tritone Fountain and the Sentierone, an elegant and famous city avenue.

Some other things to visit in Lower Bergamo are the Donizetti Theatre, built in the 18th century under the name of Teatro Nuovo and then renamed in 1897 on occasion of the centenary of the birth of the famous composer, the Church of Saints Bartholomew and Stephen, which houses the famous Pala Martinengo by Lorenzo Lotto, the Church of Santo Spirito, also known as the “Chiesa dei Tasso” (Church of the Badgers), the Carrara Academy, founded in 1794 at the behest of Count Giacomo Carrara, and the characteristic Borgo Pignolo or “Borgo del Sapere” (Borough of Knowledge), where you can take the street of the same name that leads to the Upper Town.

With its medieval layout, this part of the city retains all its charm and can be considered the historic heart of Bergamo.

Of course, there are also many things to see in Upper Bergamo.

Walk up the Santa Lucia steps to the Venetian Wall and the Porta di San Giacomo, one of the four access points to the Upper Town.

Strolling along the Venetian Wall, built between 1561 and 1588 by the Republic of Venice, you can continue on foot or take the funicular, which has two routes: the first connects the Upper and Lower Towns, while the second takes you to the Castle of San Virgilio, which offers a breath-taking view of the entire city.

Continuing on your journey, you will encounter the beautiful Piazza della Cittadella, featuring the Cittadella Viscontea, where you will find the Civic Museum of Natural Sciences and the Botanical Gardens, in Via Colleoni, the decumanus of the ancient Roman city; a little further on is Piazza Vecchia, the beating heart of the Upper Town.

There are many buildings to admire here, starting with Palazzo Nuovo, home to the Angelo Mai Civic Library, opened in 1768, and Palazzo Vecchio, or Palazzo della Regione, on whose loggia floor stands the Solar Clock.

Passing through the Palazzo’s portico you come to Piazza Duomo where you will be captivated by the beauty of the Duomo of Sant’Alessandro, which houses the Chapel of the Crucifix and the Chapel dedicated to Pope John XXIII, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, which houses Donizetti’s tomb, the Campanone or Civic Tower, 52 metres high, and the Colleoni Chapel, a fine example of Renaissance architecture.

You can conclude your tour of Upper Bergamo by stopping off at the Lavatoio (Washhouse) built towards the end of the 19th century, the 13th-century Convent of San Francesco and the Rocca di Bergamo, located on Sant'Eufemia Hill. Don’t forget to take a stroll among the characteristic shops in the city’s alleyways.

An itinerary around Bergamo

After immersing yourself in the attractions of the Upper and Lower Towns, you can set off to explore the surrounding area of Bergamo, where many picturesque villages await you.

From the city centre take the A4 motorway in the direction of Crespi d’Adda, a charming workers’ village that was named a UNESCO Site in 1995, and then continue on to Capriate San Gervasio, a characteristic village where you can spend a fun-filled day at Minitalia Leolandia, an amusement park with scale reproductions of Italy’s most famous monuments.

Once back in the car, you can head to Clusone, a village in the Seriana Valley and visit the 17th-century Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, the Oratorio dei Disciplini and the Museum of Art and Time (MAT). Then head to Cavernago, where you must visit the Malpaga Castle, one of the most important 14th century buildings in Lombardy.

Other beautiful places to visit near Bergamo include Almenno San Salvatore, with its many fine buildings such as the Pieve complex and the adjoining Sanctuary of the Madonna del Castello, and Alzano Lombardo, where you can admire the Basilica of San Martino and the Church of San Pietro. If you want to relax after all this sight-seeing, make sure to visit the thermal baths of San Pellegrino or those of Trescone Balneario.

After a lot of wandering around towns and villages, the things to do in and around Bergamo include a visit to the beautiful Serio Waterfalls in the upper Seriana Valley, a walk along the hiking trails in the medieval village of Gromo and a trip to Orridi del Lago d’Iseo, imposing slab-shaped rocks overlooking the lake.

There are plenty of places to see in and around Bergamo and with a rental car you can plan the perfect itinerary.