3-Day City Break in Lombardy: Bergamo, Milan and Lake Como

Day I Bergamo

How to get from the airport to Bergamo center?

Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport is the second busiest airport in Milan after Malpensa Airport. It is located 8 km from Bergamo center and 50 km from Milan and is well connected to their main points. Milan-Bergamo Airport is mostly served by low-cost carriers (mainly Ryanair), including from many Polish cities, which is why it is so often chosen by Polish tourists. In summer seasons, planes on this route operate even several times a day, making it a good option for both short and longer trips.

If you have decided to stay overnight in Bergamo, the best and cheapest way to get from the airport to the center is by city bus. No matter whether your accommodation is located in the upper or lower part of the city, you can get there by ATB carrier bus number 1 marked Bergamo Citta Alta. Right after leaving the arrivals terminal, in front of the main entrance, there are bus stops and designated places for coaches. It's best to buy a ticket at the ticket machine located at the stop, as the price (3€) will be lower than when buying a ticket on the bus (3.50€). Such a ticket must be validated at the green reader after boarding the bus to activate it. You can also purchase a ticket through the official ATB mobile app. It's worth downloading it because you can check current departure times, stop maps, and prices in different zones there. In the app, you can also buy, for example, 24-hour tickets or a 10-ride pass. When traveling from the airport to the center, you need to choose a ticket for zone 3 - fare C and also activate it in the app when boarding the bus. It is valid for 90 minutes from validation. This bus will take you to both Citta Alta (upper city) and Citta Bassa (lower city), so it's worth planning in advance which stop is best to get off at. Google Maps works well in this case. You should enter the address of your accommodation and it will easily show you when and where buses depart from and which stop you should get off at.

Bergamo

Bergamo - an undiscovered city near Milan located at the foot of the Alps. We decided to stay here because we encountered many recommendations that it's worth visiting this town and accommodation here is cheaper than in Milan. And we weren't disappointed. Bergamo is divided into two parts: historic Citta Alta (upper city) and modern Citta Bassa (lower city). We stayed in Citta Bassa, the lower city, because it was closer to the train and bus stations, making it a better base for trips to Milan and Lake Como, and accommodation prices were more favorable here than in Citta Alta. However, we dedicated a day to exploring the upper part of the city as well. There, time seemed to stand still. So if you're looking for beautiful Italian atmospheric places, Citta Alta is exactly that!

Ornate marble facade of Cappella Colleoni chapel with carved statues and rose window in Bergamo's Citta Alta

View over Bergamo Citta Alta rooftops with yellow church and clock tower above the Lombard plain

See detailed guide to Bergamo

Bergamo

A town worth stopping at on the way to the most popular attractions. You'll find a city guide and culinary recommendations here.

26.04.2025

Day II Milan

How to get from Bergamo to Milan?

We began our journey to the Italian fashion capital from Bergamo. From the main train station, trains to Milan depart approximately every hour. A ticket on this route costs 6€ (one way) and can be purchased at kiosks and Trenitalia ticket machines as well as online. Information about current prices and departure times can be found on the official Trenitalia and Trenord websites. It's best to use the Trenord app for this purpose.

Train tickets

A lot of confusion during our train journeys was caused by ticket validation because some of them need to be validated in validators before boarding the train and some don't. It's important to pay attention to the information on the ticket. In the case of green io viaggio cards, there is information on the back about the need to validate it before boarding the train in green validators located on platforms. In the case of receiving a ticket in the form of a receipt with travel information, there is no need to validate them earlier, as they are valid from the moment of purchase on a specific route. If you plan to travel more by transport (trains, public transport, or cable cars) in Lombardy covered by Regione Lombardia, it's worth considering purchasing a card, for example, a 24-hour one. Current prices and details about the means of transport you can use can be found on this page in the section www.regione.lombardia.it

After about 50 minutes of travel, we arrived at Milano Centrale FS station. One of the largest railway stations in Italy and even in Europe. By the way, the station building itself is surprising with its appearance, but it is quite far from the city's main attractions, so to get to them it's easiest to use the metro, whose network is quite well developed. Two metro lines pass through the main station: M2 (green) and M3 (yellow). To get to the main square and to the Duomo Cathedral, you should take the yellow line towards San Donato, then get off 4 stations later at Duomo. Not all stations clearly indicate which point on the map they will take you to, so it's worth using Google Maps for this purpose. Find the nearest metro station, read its name, and check it on the metro map. Besides, Google Maps does quite well in route planning too.

Official ATM Milan metro network map showing all five metro lines M1 to M5 with interchange stations

Current information and metro map can be found on the www.atm.it website. To travel by metro, you need to buy a ticket at a kiosk or at ticket machines available before the gates. To avoid waiting in line for a ticket, you can also use your payment card to pay for the journey directly at the gates. Just tap your card on the reader at the metro gates and the fee will be automatically charged. From the moment of tapping and charging money from the card, we have 90 minutes to travel on the metro on one payment. If you want to travel a bit more around the city, you can consider buying a 24-hour ticket for 7.60€ or a 10-ride pass. You can also find price information on the above-mentioned website.

Milan

A city of contrasts - on one hand, a monumental cathedral and former ducal residences, on the other, modern districts and fashion boutiques. In one day you can see both classic architectural icons and feel the daily rhythm of the Italian metropolis. When in the Lombardy region, you cannot miss this beautiful city!

Check what to see in Milan in 1 day

Milan

The main tourist destination in northern Italy. Where to go in the city of fashion, how to use the metro and where to eat when in Milan.

27.04.2025

Day III Lake Como

How to get to Varenna? (Bergamo - Lecco - Varenna)

To get from Bergamo to Varenna, it's best to first go to the town of Lecco, which is located in the southern part of Como and from which trains run to Varenna. Our journey started in Bergamo, and trains from the main station turned out to be the best transport option. During our stay, railway track renovation was being carried out on the Bergamo to Ponte San Pietro section, so replacement transport was operating on this route and the travel time to Lecco was slightly extended. If there are no renovations on the route, you can get from Bergamo to Lecco by train directly, without any transfers. The ticket price from Bergamo to Lecco is 4€.

Warning! Renovation work on the Bergamo - Ponte San Pietro section is being carried out until December 2026 and for this reason there may be disruptions on the route and replacement transport may be operating. Such information can be checked at the station or on the Trenord app and it's worth taking this into account when planning your journey and arriving a bit earlier at the station to find the right bus. You will also find such information on the departure board at the main station. Tickets can be bought like for a train, but it's worth buying them at the ticket office and asking the seller for detailed information. You then get one ticket that is valid for both train and bus. If the ticket type requires it (green io viaggio cards), they should be validated at the validator before boarding the train. To find the right bus, after leaving the station you should turn right and 50m from the entrance there are stops where coaches stop. Look for the one with a sign behind the front window: Autobus Costitutivo Trenord to Ponte S. Pt. station.

After arriving in Lecco, we transfer to a train to Varenna, usually these are trains with the final destination in Tirano or Colico. Trains run every 50 minutes and the journey takes 20 or 40 minutes (depending on the train). The price on this section is 3.10€. We get off at Varenna-Esino Perledo station, which is located in the new part of Varenna. There is also a port from which you can get to other towns around Lake Como by ferry. Varenna is a great base for exploring the central part of the lake.

How to get around the lake?

To move between towns, the most convenient and pleasant means of transport is the ferry. The cruise lasts about 15 minutes and provides beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and charming towns. Ferries between Varenna, Bellagio, Menaggio, and Lenno run regularly throughout the day, especially in season. The price of such a cruise on one section is 4.60€, but if you plan to visit several towns more extensively, it might be more cost-effective to buy a day ticket with unlimited ferry rides (but only on selected sections: Varenna, Bellagio, Menaggio, and Lenno) for 15€. Current prices and schedules should be checked in advance on the Navigazione Laghi website www.navigazionelaghi.it. From Bellagio, you can also get by boat to other more distant towns around the lake such as Como, Lecco, or Colico. Prices for such cruises are higher and take longer.

What to visit at Lake Como

The lake is one of three - alongside Garda and Maggiore - the most beautiful in this region. Atmospheric towns, a picturesque lake in the middle of Alpine peaks. It's worth visiting at least two of them: romantic Varenna and elegant Bellagio. It's the perfect place to slow down, take a walk along the shore, and feel the true Italian dolce vita.

View of Lake Como and Alpine peaks from Villa Monastero garden terrace in Varenna with blooming wisteria

Bellagio waterfront on Lake Como seen from the ferry with pastel buildings and wisteria-draped promenade

To find out what's worth seeing at Como and how to get around the lake, check here!

Lake Como

Varenna, Bellagio, Lenno, Menaggio - what to choose and how to get around the lake. A practical guide to what's worth seeing

28.04.2025

Practical information

Drinking water tap at Sforza Castle square

In the discussed locations, there are green water taps. This is drinking water. Particularly useful on hot days. From what we found, they are located in the strict center of Milan, in Bergamo in both the lower and upper city, as well as in the towns around Como that we visited.