Bergamo is a welcome break from the typical beachside towns and cities, offering a taste of Italy’s rich history and culture with its cobblestone streets, Romanesque and Venetian architecture, historic monuments and religious buildings. Bergamo is perfect for road-trippers who want to explore the more underrated parts of Italy and avoid heavy traffic or tourist crowds that are more commonly associated with larger and more well-known cities. While Bergamo has its own fair share of attractions and buzz, it offers a more laid-back way of life than its southern neighbour Milan.
If you’re planning a road trip through Bergamo, Holiday Cars are here to assist you every step of the way, with our extensive fleet of vehicles that are fully equipped with everything you need for a comfortable and convenient journey. To top it off, we’ve also got the lowdown on driving in Bergamo and around Italy, and what you need to be aware of and consider when hiring your car. Here’s your ultimate guide to driving in Bergamo:
General Driving Rules and Regulations in Italy
- To drive in Italy, you must be 18 or older and have a valid driving licence held for at least a year before hiring your car.
- In Italy, the typical age for car hire is 21 and over, but certain car hire suppliers can allow those aged 18 or over to hire a car.
- In Italy, you drive on the right and overtake on the left. This can get confusing for UK drivers who are used to driving on the left, so if you’re not confident about this change then it’s a good idea to practise driving in Italy first along smaller roads to help get used to it.
- Bergamo’s roads are known for being particularly difficult to drive on, so being confident with driving is a good idea before you decide to drive in the city.
- UK and EU driving licences are generally accepted, but it’s a good idea to have any valid paperwork or documentation to hand, such as registration, insurance and driving licence.
- Italy’s national speed limit is around 130 km/h (80mph), with 50 km/h (30mph) being the speed for built-up inner city areas.
Top Tips for Driving in Bergamo
Bergamo is in the ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato), meaning that traffic in the city is limited, especially in the Città Alta (Old City). For the most part, driving in Bergamo is relatively easy, with signage on most roads and parking spots across the city. Remember to drive on the right in Bergamo, which you should try to familiarise yourself with before you attempt to drive as it can be quite difficult to switch sides of the road when you’re used to driving on the left.
Parking in Bergamo: A Guide
Street parking in Bergamo is pretty widespread, with certain coloured parking zones corresponding to a certain type of parking– white, blue and yellow, which is the same for much of the rest of Italy. There are also several parking garages where parking is usually pretty cheap, with starting prices at around €2.
White coloured parking zones mean parking is free, but these parking spaces tend to fill up pretty quickly so it may be hard to find a spot.
Blue parking zones signify that parking is paid– generally you need to display a parking ticket or pay using a parking meter, with prices starting at around €1-€2 per hour.
Yellow parking zones are used to display an area of parking that is reserved for permit holders or residents of a certain area. If you are disabled, you can normally park in yellow zones provided you show a disability pass.
Bergamo also hosts numerous multi-storey indoor car parks, with parking prices at around €1-€2 per hour. You can also park long-term in these car parks if you intend to walk around or get public transport elsewhere.
Hiring Your Car from Bergamo Airport
Bergamo Airport is around 3 miles south of the city centre, meaning that you can hire your car from Bergamo Airport and enjoy the convenience of a short and hassle-free journey. Hiring from airports can work out cheaper than hiring from city centre areas, meaning that car hire from Bergamo Airport is pretty popular– you might want to consider booking online in advance!
Prices for car hire at Bergamo Airport when booking with Holiday Cars start at around £8 per day, in comparison to Bergamo City Centre car hire which has prices of around £40 per day. The main car hire suppliers available at Bergamo Airport include Autovia, Avis, Budget, Drivalia, Europcar, Goldcar, Hertz, Enterprise, OK Mobility, Sixt, Keddy, Thrifty and National, as well as local Italian providers like Viaggiare, Sicily by Car, Noleggiare, Maggiore, and Italy Car Rent.
Types of Vehicles for Hire in Bergamo and Prices
The main types of vehicles for hire in Bergamo downtown and Bergamo Airport include small, large, SUVs, minivans/7-9 seaters and station wagons/estate cars, all of which have various makes and models, from economy cars like VWs and Fiats to more luxury car makes like Mercedes and Audi. As mentioned, if you want cheaper prices on car hire, consider hiring your car from Bergamo Airport instead of from the city centre. The cheapest vehicle to hire from Bergamo Airport is the Fiat Panda, which has a price of £8 per day, while the most expensive car to hire from Bergamo Airport is the Opel Vivaro, at a starting price of £800 per day.
From downtown Bergamo, there are fewer car hire supplier options but there are an array of choices for car makes and models. The cheapest vehicle option for hire from Bergamo city centre is the Fiat 500, which costs around £40 per day. The most expensive car hire option is the Renault Trafic, which costs around £180 per day to hire.