Bergamo · Go deeper
Where to live
Bergamo is really two cities stacked together: Città Alta, the walled medieval town on the hill, and Città Bassa, the lively modern city below where most people actually live, with quieter residential districts spreading out beyond. Upper and lower barely feel like the same address.
The upper town
Città Alta
most expensiveThe walled medieval jewel on the hill: Piazza Vecchia, cobbled lanes, and the Venetian ramparts wrapped around it all. You live inside the ramparts, with views over the plain to the Alps. The cost is the trade: it's the priciest area, tourist-heavy, steep and full of steps, and the old buildings come with awkward layouts and limited car access.
Best for: couples or singles who prize atmosphere, views, and history over modern comfort
Learn more about the historic heart
Bergamo’s upper town is wrapped in walls that Venice built. From 1561 the Republic of Venice raised six kilometres of ramparts around the hilltop to guard the western edge of its empire, a vast engineering feat that flattened whole streets to make room. They were never once attacked, and they survive almost perfectly, which is why they’re now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Inside them sits one of the loveliest medieval squares in Italy, Piazza Vecchia, and beside it the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and the richly carved Renaissance Colleoni Chapel, the tomb the mercenary captain Bartolomeo Colleoni built for himself. Cars barely fit the lanes and the whole rim becomes a walking island at weekends, so life up here moves at the pace of the streets that have held it for five hundred years.
The lower town
Città Bassa (the centre)
mid to premiumThe practical heart of Bergamo, around the Sentierone, Via XX Settembre, and Porta Nuova: shops, offices, cafés, schools, and the train station all here. This is where most new arrivals start, close to services, nightlife, and transport. Housing is a mix of early-1900s buildings, post-war blocks, and newer builds, so quality and price vary by street.
Best for: most people starting out: close to everything, well-connected, everyday-practical
Borgo Santa Caterina & Borgo Pignolo
mid, characterfulCharacterful old borghi on the slopes between the lower and upper towns, Borgo Pignolo lined with historic palazzi and galleries, Borgo Santa Caterina a lively village-like strip of small shops and trattorias. They give you real neighbourhood character and a short walk to both centres, without Città Alta's tourist crush or price.
Best for: those wanting character and community between the two towns
The outer residential districts
Valtesse, Redona & the northern districts
mid, residentialQuieter, more suburban neighbourhoods spreading north and east of the centre: local bakeries, primary schools, small parks, and more space and greenery for the money. This is where families and long-term residents settle, a short bus ride from the centre with a calmer pace.
Best for: families and settled residents wanting space, green, and value near town
The southern districts (toward Seriate)
lower, practicalMore modern and workaday, the areas spreading south toward Seriate mix housing with retail parks and light industry. It's the most affordable side of the city, plain but practical, and handy for the airport and the ring roads. It's functional rather than beautiful, and further from the charm of the centre.
Best for: budget-conscious residents who want value and easy road and airport access
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