What You Need to Know: Useful Information
Most visitors to the stunning Lombard city of Bergamo hop aboard the iconic, 120-year-old funicular railway to travel from the modern Lower Town (Città Bassa) to the soaring, medieval Upper Town (Città Alta). But if you want to skip the standard tourist queues and experience the city like a true local, there is a far more rewarding way to make the ascent: by foot.
Bergamo is crisscrossed by a secret network of ancient, pedestrian-only stone stairways called scalette. Winding steeply between centuries-old stone walls, hidden terraced vegetable gardens, and private villa estates, these historic paths offer a peaceful, slow-paced journey through time. Climbing them rewards you with hidden architectural details and sweeping, panoramic vistas that remain completely invisible from the windows of a bus or a train.
Getting There
By Train:
Bergamo is incredibly easy to reach by rail. Direct regional trains depart hourly from Milano Centrale and Milano Porta Garibaldi, arriving at the Bergamo railway station in just 48 minutes. From the station, a flat 15-minute walk down the elegant Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII brings you to the base of the hills where the stairways begin.
By Car:
From Milan, take the A4 highway east toward Venice and exit at Bergamo. Parking near the base of the Upper Town is strictly regulated and expensive. It is best to park your vehicle at the large Parcheggio Piazza Libertà in the Lower Town and head toward the trailheads by foot.
By Plane:
Bergamo is home to the Milan Bergamo Airport (Brio/Orio al Serio), one of Italy's largest international flight hubs. The Airport Bus (Line 1) runs every 20 minutes from the arrivals terminal straight to the city center.
Below you'll find the location marked on Google Maps. Click on it to open the location directly on your device's maps.
Useful Contacts
- Bergamo Tourist Information Office (Città Alta): +39 035 242226 | [email protected]
The “Hidden Gem“
When you reach the top of the Scorlazzone stairway, don't stop at the main gate of the Upper Town. Continue heading upward to the Castello di San Vigilio. Sitting at the absolute highest point of the city (nearly 1,600 feet above sea level), this historic, ruined castle outpost was once the defensive crown of Bergamo. Today, its free-to-access stone ramparts offer a peaceful, park-like atmosphere and a truly jaw-dropping, 360-degree panoramic view of the entire medieval citadel, the surrounding valleys, and the mountain peaks.
