Will 3 hours be enough time for an Italian adventure? Layover Escapes Episode 1: Bergamo, Italy
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- čas přidán 24. 04. 2023
- I often schedule over-cautious connection times when flying, just incase of cancelations etc, so I'm hoping this can be the start of a new series! Airports are the same the world over so every time I have a few hours to spare, I'm going to get out and explore somewhere a bit more authentic. It won't always work out I know, but I'm off to a flier here...
I was flying home from Bucharest to Edinburgh via Milan with Ryanair. Then I realised it wasn't Milan at all, it was Bergamo. And Bergamo city centre is not too far from the airport, so let's try and have a mini Italian adventure with the 180 minutes I have free! What could possibly go wrong...
Hi, I’m Steve, a travel reviewer from Scotland. Join me on my adventures as I discover my own country, often visiting places for the first time, so hopefully it's as much of an eye-opener for you as it is for me! Don't expect expert opinion, just a very honest journey of discovery. Sometimes featuring my intrepid sidekick Alicja, sometimes featuring adventures beyond the borders of Scotland. Enjoy!
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#Layover #Bergamo #SteveMarsh
Steve's secret is that he explains to his audience what he is going to do - and we then follow together- and we discover the surprises with him ! He makes it look so easy (its not!). He is without doubt one of the best travelogue presenters on You Tube !
Here Here
Thank you so much! Wow!!!
Here here too
Here here three 😊
The one in Latvia brought back memories . Many regional stations are like bus stops . The stop I got off at was at least a station and I did it through the day . His mistake was really dangerous and he won't do anything like that again I'm sure .
The right pronunciation of Bergamo is yours, with the stress on the first syllable. I'm Italian.
Thank you!!!! :)
Quick tip at Bergamo (BGY), the security queue is sometimes huuuuuuuge and takes forever to get through to air side. However, if you have PriorityPass or Loungekey access, just go to the lounge first and, when exiting the lounge, they'll actually show you a "secret door" to get straight to the Fast Track security! No extra cost! :) Thank you for showring me Citta Alta in Bergamo, I've only been to Milano itself, I was so young and stupid, I'm definitely going to check out Bergamo in the future! Cheers!
Superb info! This comments section is gold!
You’re so right about the security queue, the amount of people pushing in because they were cutting it close with their flights was crazy
Hi Steve, I took a day trip to Bergamo three months ago, my work colleagues thought I was mad, but people like yourself would understand. The return fare on Ryanair from London Stansted was £19.98! The flight left at 8.00 with the return departing at 18.20, so I had around six hours there. and like you I wasted time trying to find a place to buy a ticket on the no. 1 bus. I got off in town at the bus station and walked all the way up to Citta Alta, deciding not to take the funicular railway. Boy, was it an exhausting climb, but I got the great views on the latter part of the walk. The old city is absolutely lovely, it was a lot quieter when I was there in late January and a lot of the shops/cafes were closed, but it was a perfect blue sky day with temperature of about 8 celsius. The bus from Citta Alta took me all the way back to the airport; the flight left on time and landed into a foggy Stansted around 9.30pm. Would I do the trip again?
Absolutely! Italians I spoke to pronounced Bergamo with a soft 'a.'
Superb! I would've loved a few extra hours there and maybe then I'd have climbed to the top too ;)
I love your spirit of adventure! I used to live near New York City and would often fly to LHR if I had a long weekend, and just explore the city and the museums, etc.
I did a similar day trip to Bergamo about 15 years ago it was fab. We had about 8 hours there and was great fun. Theres a big shopping centre just opposite the airport where we called in on the way back to the airport and bought wine, and delicious italian produce to take home🙂
@@lindahart6049 Now that's what I call a spirit of adventure!
There is a bus from Città Alta direct to the airport. Bergamo is a great place for a stop over. The other funicular takes you to the castle with fantastic views
Ohhh need to head back and see 'the other side' :)
@@steve-marsh The bus terminus is at the upper end (further from the funicular railway station) of the main street in the old city. I used to pass there on my way to work in Lallio (a rather dismal industrial suburb). I passed this view ever day. Parking was a nightmare. You could obtain a pass to drive on certain designated streets if you lived in the old city. It was the unofficial policy of the parking wardens that with such a pass, parking would not attract a fine between 7pm and 8am, even in places where there was a 24 hour parking ban.
I had a Ryanair flight that was going to layover in Bergamo overnight. So I decided to make it two nights and spend a day in the city. I absolutely did not regret it and hope to go back again in the future. The Citta Alta was beautiful though a little strange on the day I went. Instead of clear blue skies it was overcast and foggy. It was like the whole Citta Alta was sitting inside the clouds. It gave a very interesting feeling, like one had ascended into a different world. The second funicular will take you to an even higher section, and I had one of the best meals of my life in a restaurant there. 😀
I must admit that weather sounds fabulous!
Steve has a style all of his own and it works to perfection, he sure has ‘the gift of the gab’
What a lovely looking place and congrats on reaching 10M views mate.
No way! Thanks so much, I hadn't even realised!
I love Italian hilltop towns and villages. They are often elegant and the central square surrounded by beautiful buildings. Bergamo certainly looks to be worth a visit. Another excellent video, Steve.
Cheers Barney, Bergamo sure ticks all the boxes!
You were right, Bèrgamo is right!!! Tha guy at the hotel maybe wanted to be more British in the pronunciation but you were right!!
Ahh thanks Laura, I did think it sounded weird the other way!
That was a really good vid Steve. When you are sightseeing on an ad hoc basis it can catch the parts the tour guides bypass. The narrow streets, the funicular railway, the pizza and much more. The jump into the unknown is a great way to see the essence of a place. You did well in such a short time. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers Thomas! I absolutely loved it, will be continuing this series for sure :)
@@steve-marsh My sentiments exactly.
It’s amazing what you can cram in to a 3 hour layover. Hats off to you! What a beautiful part of Italy.
Cheers Tim! There goes my relaxation time, I'll always be looking for an escape from airports now :)
Steve thanks for managing to film this gem of a town! I've been a few places in Italy but now I think I need to visit here!! I can't believe you were able to take the bus there and back and up to the town and still have time to go back through security!! That's some serious hustling! :) I' don't know if I'd try and do it, with my luck I'd miss the bus then the plane lol. ;(
Thanks man! To be honest, this is one place I'd be quite happy to miss the plane ;)
@@steve-marsh Same!
Thanks Steve brilliant use of your time at Bergamo 👍
Cheers James!
Another great trip thank you for taking us along but going to back in Scotland next week and back to reality
Cheers Wayne!
Ryanitis? Everyone hates everyone uses. I used Bergamo a lot when it was just a shed on an ex-airforce base not so long ago. It looks brilliant now tho wasn’t a great ad for the City. Now you’ve shown how wonderful it is, Bergamo city is on my go to list most definitely. Thanks Steve
Cheers John, definitely time for a return visit :)
Ever thought about just missing the plane lol fantastic cheers for this video as always interesting, great information and a great tour
Every time Paul :)
After 4 days in Milan, I spent 5 nights in Stunning Bergamo. My Airbnb was a converted chapel, walking distance to the funicular to Città Alta where I visited on 2 different days. I went right the top on 2nd funicular. Walking back from bus I encountered a 4 day food festival in the Central Bergamo. Boy did I eat and shop. A great base for day trips to Lake Como (another train challenge lol) and Northern Italian towns. I love secondary Euro cities (I am a Melbournian - Oz) and travel as a retiree is my passion. Great video Steve. One of my best friends where I live in Bali is from Inverness, and I have stayed with John numerous times at his wee house in Edinburgh in Newtown. Ironically both John and I hark from the Morrison clan!
What a cool place Steve, you squeezed that gem in nicely👍I love cool sunny days also and thats exactly what its like in Central Scotland today so I'm off out on the bike, yes we do get sunny days here also😉
Superb mate! Enjoy it!
@@steve-marsh Thanks Steve, I had a brilliant 63 mile ride in the Scottish countryside😁Of course the sun disappeared😂
Thanks Steve. Looks like a great little town.
Oh it was a magical couple of hours!
looks like a nice little city - Proper pizza looked delicious!
Bergamo is one city of course, but really are 2! The modern city (train station, big boulevards, Donizetti's teatre, big shops) and the old city (built around year 1000 with very important buildings, churches, towers, venetian walls of the middleage and baroque periods). Bergamo, one city and two souls!!! You will love Bergamo, for sure!!!
Steve, your right in your pronunciation of Bergamo!
Like you, I prefer small towns and cities. The ride on the funicular is particularly amazing. It's a bonus for you during the layover. Thank you for sharing this great video, which otherwise we don't know about this small but beautiful town, Bergamo.
Thanks Jacky! Small towns all the way :)
Very entertaininng and informative. Thank you, Steve.
Cheers Marti!
I would never came up the idea of visiting Bergamo. I guess that is something I really need to do soon. What a lovely town
Brilliant Tuesday bonus video Steve. What a lovely place Bergamo looks, will have to check out flights there for sure. Much better to spend your time there than in an airport 👍🙂
Thanks! Looking forward to continuing this series!
Most enjoyable--thank you.
Great video Steve. I have been to Milan and must say the visit to Citta Alta looks like a better place to visit. Great advice on what to do if you have a long layover.
Cheers Michael!
Yet another grand day out. Thanks for your efforts Steve.
Cheers Peter!
I can't believe it has been eleven years since I visited Bergamo and the old city up above. Like you, I really enjoyed my time there. Thanks Steve, it has been so good seeing it again through yours eyes.
Well overdue a return mate :)
In Italy, you can almost always buy bus (and even train) tickets at the ubiquitous tabacchi, tobacco shops emblazoned with a white on black T. Often, you can also finds stamps, there, if you want to send a post card. Always good to know for a next time.
I enjoyed Bergamo a lot, too. And it's only a short hop to Milan, the main (international) Malpensa airport for Milan is about as far away as Bergamo anyway. Only Linate is much closer.
Oh great tip! Same in Spain!
I visited Bergamo's Citta Alta in 2013 on the way back from Switzerland when we had a few hours to spare before flying home. Really nice place and I remember it well because it was such a nice end to the holiday. We got pizza from the same shop as you Steve - they cut their pizza with scissors instead of a pizza cutter which was a revelation - quicker, easier, and more efficient! I still cut pizza with kitchen scissors at home (a little down the coast from Montrose).
I love picking up little tips like that from the masters! Cheers Tom!
Nice to see Bergamo so full of life again, it suffered terribly in the pandemic of course.
Good point!
Bergamo deserves more tourists and it definately deserves more than 3 hours. Its a wonderful place with some fantastic history and architecture. My wife and I spent three nights there and we did go into Milan for one full day trip but Bergamo itself is worth a three day city break on its own in my opinion. There are often cheap flights stopping over there. Take advantage and you won't be dissapointed. That 2nd funicular takes you right upto a castle with some fantastic views and a few very scenic bars and restuarants. The cost of the first funicular covers the 2nd one as well as long as you do it within a set time limit.
Wow. Thanks for another scenic video Steve. Yes the streets were a little on the narrow side. Pizza looked good. But the views of the snowy peaks. Wow.
Oh Rosie, the only problem was me always being on the wrong side of the plane :D And on the way back to Edinburgh, I was on an aisle seat so couldn't film it, but the views over Mont Blanc and The Matterhorn were just incredible!
I totally agree with you, I prefer a smaller city, that's why I love Edinburgh too ❤
Great choice Laura :)
What an amazing Layover Escape! Looking forward to many, many more. Thank you as always Steve.
Thanks so much! Hoping this becomes something to stop me lazing about in airport terminals!
@@steve-marsh hello Steve! Bravo, good video. Next time don't miss Casoncelli alla bergamasca, a typical pasta from Bergamo, super delicious!!!
We fly to Bergamo every time we come to Italy and stay there 1-3 nights before heading forward. I love Bergamo and happily coming again next week. ❤️
Morning Steve plus very funny joke and the mock up plane
I always get worried when you go on walkabout when you have to get back to connect your flight.
I appreciate your concern :)
Another great video! I was in the Verona/Florence area last month, and train announcements pronouced the city Berg-a-mo. In fact an Italian friend from years ago also pronounced it this way, so you would imagine the Italians know best. And you found the funicular! I did that way back in 1986!!!
No way! You need to get back and film it! :) And cheers for the pronunciation !
Bergamo looks wonderful, much better than an airport, Just shows what you can do on a layover. Great video Steve
Cheers! Looking forward to booking some more awful connections in future and getting this series up and running :)
That was random, I would never had thought wild donkeys walking in an Italian town 🤔
I couldn't believe my eyes :D
They weren't wild tho. There are not wild donkeys there. A sheperd or a farm must have been near
In that place (Colle San Vigilio or more easily La Marianna) the city ends and a
small valley begins where there are cows and donkeys.
Very beautiful landscape, especially early in the morning and excellent ice cream in La Marianna,
where in the 1950s the owners created a new flavour, stracciatella, very famous in Italy and delicious!!!
One of the better ones Steve and that's saying something. Well done for dodging the layover in the terminal and takig us to La Citta.
All that was missing at the Al fresco snack was a glass of something red. No meal in Italy is complete without that.
Thanks Olive! And so true, but for the drive home from Edinburgh it would've happened :)
Another great film and what a lovely surprise to see you here on a Tuesday. You're very brave leaving the airport with such a short time, but it was well worth it. The city above looked amazing. Imagine having not seen it 🤨 thank you so much for sharing Steve 🥰
Thanks Lynn! :)
The airport is too old,1960. Well I'm 47 or 50,it's the same for me. Funny??? I love Bergamo or Milan too,but definitely your Edinburgh adventure is much more exciting Steve.🍁
Great Video - loved it. Defo putting that on my list of places to visit. Thanks Steve!
Well worth a look even with limited time :)
In a nutshell Steve, how to take the monotonous bollox out of connecting flights, 10/10
Haha cheers Chris :D
I love it that you find joy in everything, every place you go: be it blue skies, perfect pizza, or brilliant buses!
I always seem to get lucky (touch wood)
Bergamo is amazing! And I can strongly recommend taking a train to nearby Lecco at Lake Como as well. Maybe on a next trip 😊 Great video again!
Oh to have more time in that area!
We love Italy, so many stunning places. Bergamo is definitely going on our to go to list. X
Loving these cheeky midweek surprise videos Steve. Again, thanks for taking us with you 👍
Another great video! Thank you!
I've been binge watching your videos since coming across your channel last week, and the only "problem" with it is that my list of "Places I want to visit" keeps getting longer :)
Haha welcome aboard Martin! And thanks so much for watching!
Love a funicular and that one looked great. Low cost airlines always use airports a long way from the main airport, lower landing fees etc. What a beautiful place Bergamo Città Alta is - another one for my Wishlist!
Yet another great video, Steve. Thanks for letting the young passenger provide the music for the trip back down the hill; it's one of those touches that make your videos feel "real." I will never be able to visit all the places that you have (though I am holding out hope that I may see some of them), so I'm living a bit vicariously through your videos. Thank you -- and all of your able supporters -- for the many hours of informative, fun looks at what our world has to offer. Your channel is a veritable oasis in these wild times of political, social, and economic stress. At the risk of being redundant, thank you, thank you, thank you.
I spent a week in Bergamo back in 2018! It's gorgeous, the second funicular goes up to the castle I seem to remember so you couldn't mistake it for the other! There used to be an excellent café in top station of the first funicular. I really must go back at some point.
Me too! I clearly need to explore more here!
Another well planned detailed, fully itinerary day trip to Bergamo, thanks Steve loved the railway and the square with the fountain, beautiful views of the mountains at the end.
It's such a magical wee place, even though I can't pronounce it :D
It’s been a long time since I was in Bergamo and I think I feel a repeat visit coming on thanks to you 👍
Again, thanks for this video, Steve! Bergamo is a gorgeous city! My wife saw the pizza and chocolate you had and she just went, "Ooooooooo"! Now that's a proper lunch! And you can't beat the Italian Alps for scenic views!
Thanks so much both! :)
Another fabulous video by Steve. The filming, as usual, is perfect. What a cute spot, another one for my bucket list. Hands down best travel vlogger on CZcams. Just amazing.
You are the best! Thank you! :)
That must be the perfect connection you've experienced,. What a beautiful little place, deserving a much longer visit! Really enjoyed this little Europe trip Steve, thank you.
So true! Another place I could quite happily spend a few days!
What a fantastic place for a long weekend away! You’ve pulled it out of the bag again Steve! Top Job!👍👏👏👏😊❤️
Thanks so much!
Beautiful view 😍
So adventurous Steve, my wife would have freaked out on that layover trip. We have to be at least 4 hours in the airport before the flight, never mind getting a bus to a place like you did , too much that can go wrong she thinks. Fantastic video can’t wait for the next.
Cheers mate, but hey it wouldn't be the worst flight to miss, back on the bus to Bergamo :D
I’ll probably never get to Italy, so I really enjoyed your quick look. Thank you.
Thanks for coming along! :)
That was a fantastic little side trip, thanks so much for taking us along. Bergamo was beautiful.
Cheers for coming along!
What a brilliant Italian adventure, great views and the food looked delicious. How long do I give myself at an airport before departure...it depends on the airport. In the UK we are lucky generally you can go through very quickly even when the queue for security seems huge. Marrakech was the worst..3 hours needed supposedly but we did it in 2..
Cheers Michael! Oh I can imagine queueing in Marrakech in the summer heat!
Thank you Steve! You make it look so easy...Great video! it’s wonderful to be transported to Italy so early in the morning. Take care and cheers.
Thanks for coming along :)
Going up and down the Citta' Alta funicular, you did the exact thing I was used to do as a child: sit next to the conductor and watch as we go up and down the hill. Fun times those were...
Another bonus vlog and fabulous too, thanks Steve 👏. Another place to view in another must visit adventure. Top Marks ❤
Thanks Janine, thankfully my flights were on time to make this happen :)
Another brilliant video Steve you are definitely the best travel youtuber that I follow .
Thanks so much Sandra! :)
Ooo a very fresh one :-)
What a wonderful respite between flights! I could definitely spend days walking around the charming streets of Città Alta. ❤
In Città alta I spent years when I was young, but every time I come back my soul breaths!!!
Hi Steve. We're new to your channel with your epic train journey from Aberdeen to Penzance being our first 'stop'. You do a fantastic job with your videos and the one in Warsaw with the lovely Alicja was brilliant. You always manage to smile through any adversity - your travels have us hooked!! Thanks a lot from Jackie and Ian in South Yorkshire.
Wow, for a spur of the moment video, you nailed it. Fun and a reminder to get away from the big cities. What beautiful buildings. Thanks for showing us the pizza.
Glad I kept the batteries charged for this one!
Even Italy is very often featured on CZcams, people are eager to see your, Steve, take on visiting places.
I, personally, would like you to visit and show more places in Italy, Portugal, Greece, Turkia, Cyprus, Malta.
Steve a treat as always. An amazing travelogue and always my favourite CZcamsr
Cheers Richard mate!
It is lovely to see that more and more folks discover the city where I grew up..
I Hope you're get the chance to explore a wee bit more next time .
And it is certainly better than Milano 😂
What a place to call home!!! And yes, I barely scratched the surface, need to come back!
We're going to Italy next year and this is definitely on our list thanks to you, just stunning. We're giving Valencia a miss after hearing it's not so nice any more, isn't it great finding places like this that no one ever hears about and they turn out to be way better than the tourist hot spots.
We found that in Spain, we couldn't stand Barcelona, but when we found Ronda we just couldn't believe how beautiful it was!
I'm pleased the pigeon didn't pinch your pizza after you donating your lunch to the stray dogs the other day 😊
Thank you very much, we are being spoiled with all these extra videos 🇮🇹
I totally agree with you about Spain Kelley! 100%!
Wow, Bergamo looks lovely! Must put it on my list of places to visit! 👌🏻
Worthy of a place on the list mate, and the whole area is worth an explore!
Great stuff Marshy, looks like a beautiful spot to visit, love the history & architecture of places like this, cheers again mate
Cheers Pete!
Just goes to show what can be done if you are a bit adventurous, lovely town and great views, thank you so much and stay safe, cheers.
Cheers Simon, there goes my relaxing time in airports!
Well done Steve . A great way to pass the time waiting for your flight home .
Thanks, so glad I went for it! :)
I love how you hope on these European adventures. I've been wanting to move back to Europe for so long, but struggle to work up the nerve (been in Australia for about 25yrs). I'd love to explore Europe properly. One day, I hope.
Good luck mate! But both sides of the world have their advantages :)
I don’t mean this is a negative way but I have no idea why I watch your videos. They have me hooked to the end though every time. Keep up the good work mate.
Steve at this rate I’m going to go bankrupt through so much travelling!! Thank you so much for unearthing yet another gem, to be honest I’m struggling to think of compliments/superlatives that haven’t already been used by any of my fellow followers! Keep doing what you’re doing, your easygoing, down to earth style along with the way you explain what you’re doing in such plain terms keep me and many others it seems coming back for more. Cheers to you 🍺🍺. Ps big shout out as well to your other half- she must be a good egg to put up with all your jet setting?!
George as always I really appreciate it! I'm just lucky Alicja doesn't enjoy all the travelling as much as me, apart from a nice train journey, she loves those!
So many people would be nervous about the time or getting lost, and not take advantage of the chance of wandering about. You are my hero, Steve.
Thank's Again Steve look's a very nice place and easy to get to from Scotland.
So true, a lot of these cheap flights to the outlying airports of big cities offer something quite special
I spent a week in both Bergamo and Milan for work before covid. Bergamo wins hands down, staying at a hotel just at the bottom of the funicular and finding 'local' bars to eat in at night was great. Well worth a visit even if just for a few hours.
Welcome to Italy Steve! I didn't think Bergamo was that pretty!
Thanks Sergio! Absolutely loved it!
That's a fantastic use of time, and glad you shared it with us! My best layover so far is on a one-way award ticket: Maui to Honolulu via eight hours in Kona. Rented a car in Kona and drove around that part of the island to visit a couple of parks, a bookstore, and have a very relaxed lunch.
Regarding check-in times: If in the USA I try to get there between 60 and 75 minutes prior to departure as I usually have expedited screening, but I usually pad it to 90-120 minutes otherwise.
WOW! That sounds like heaven!
wow. what a stunning place to visit. Bergamo looks divine. thank you for sharing your experience.
Hi Steve! I'm from that town that it's Bergamo! You missed a better view on the opposite side of the one you show at @11:16 that is really close (like 2 min by walk). Also in the same square there is a famous place where they invented the "Stracciatella" one of the best (for me and for many people) gelato flavour, for who are interested it's called "Marianna". I hope you can come again in Bergamo and see more places, also it's really nice to go out from the town and visit the mountains and the small town. And thanks for love you all give to my town ❤
Great video❤
Thank you!
Steve does it again. Another great travel video with that added edge of 'will he make it'!
Haha cheers Geoff!
Nice wee stopover in Bergamo, the churches architecture is beautiful and the town seems rally nice.
The funicular is quirky itself, and the upper town area is lovely and looks as though it's the main area of Bergamo, complete with donkeys.
All in all a good wee video shot in the 3 hour timeslot that you had, so thanks again Steve for a nice wee video of a place that most travelling by air and having a few hours stopover would not have visited.
All the Best.
That has really cheered me up. Thanks so much!
Dang, Steve! You find the best places and eke out a delightful visit to a beautiful town, in a scrap of time. How did you manage to get so much seen/done, in less than three hours? Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Thanks Lisa! It was a bit of a mad dash for sure! :D
Just being in that different sunlight is a mini-break in itself, well played! Most European towns with half-decent transport now have some kind of useful day ticket, always worth checking in advance \m/
Yeah I asked for a day ticket at the airport, but it got lost in translation and he sold me a single!
@@steve-marsh quite possibly some deliberate misunderstanding going on on their part, I'm guessing, at least you tried - well done anyway \m/
Looks great steve!
Loved this video Steve..fantastic ! WOW 🤗