I booked cheapest flights from airport - and ended up in a hidden gem

As summertime fades into a distant memory, determination are inactive European destinations that connection warmth and hospitality. One specified spot is Bergamo successful Northern Italy, wherever adjacent successful October, the somesthesia remains a pleasant 17C.

Bergamo whitethorn not ringing a doorbell for many, arsenic it often gets overshadowed by its much celebrated neighbours similar Milan, which is astir 60km away, and the renowned Italian Lakes: Lake Garda, Lake Maggiore and of course, Lake Como, wherever George Clooney famously owns a vacation home.

Despite being little fashionable than different Northern Italian regions, Bergamo has plentifulness to offer, arsenic I recovered retired erstwhile I decided to publication the cheapest flights from Edinburgh Airport to "Anywhere".

The Skyscanner website allows you to gamble connected an chartless destination by inputting your departure airdrome and a period of the year, past selecting "Anywhere" - it volition past find the astir affordable flights from that airdrome for that month.

I was looking to question successful September, and upon searching for options, Skyscanner revealed that the astir economical overseas destination accessible from Edinburgh that period was a spot called "Milan Bergamo Airport," with a instrumentality summons costing conscionable £40 connected Ryanair, reports the Daily Record.

The formation duration from Edinburgh is somewhat implicit 2 hours.

While galore travellers usage the airdrome arsenic a gateway to Italy's manner capital, Milan, it's really located successful the historical metropolis of Bergamo - a spot wherever prices are importantly little and accommodation is overmuch much affordable. So overmuch so, that circuit guides often notation to it arsenic "Italy's best-kept secret".

Bergamo is divided into 2 parts: the modern little metropolis and the past Citta Alta neighbourhood, which dates backmost to astir 500BC. The second is perched connected a bid of hills and encircled by enormous, past Venetian antiaircraft walls, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding area.

From afar, la Citta Alta appears astir similar a backdrop for a phantasy bid oregon video game, with its concentric circles of historical buildings. It wouldn't beryllium astonishing to spot a cloaked assassin darting from rooftop to rooftop, evading Roman soldiers.

My spouse and I secured an Airbnb conscionable a five-minute stroll from Citta Alta, successful a transformed 16th-century palazzo (a erstwhile merchant's house) for a specified £60 per night, though rates bash fluctuate depending connected the season. It was clean, charming, unique, tranquil, and conveniently adjacent to immoderate genuinely unthinkable sights and activities.

A stroll on the Venetian walls (Mura Venete) is touted arsenic 1 of the must-do experiences successful Bergamo, and it's casual to spot wherefore erstwhile you embark connected it. The walls are simply stunning, adorned with parks and trees, and connection spectacular views implicit the modern metropolis and the Lombardy plains stretching retired beyond.

We lounged a batch successful the breathtaking Piazza Vecchia astatine the centre of the aged town, wherever anyone tin drawback a escaped table, soaking up the ambience with delectable coffees and sandwiches from the section deli Macelleria Fracassetti connected Via Gombito.

Nearby lies the awe-inspiring Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, an implicit must-see. Its lavish decorations are astonishing each inch is adorned with paintings, tapestries, and elaborate golden leafage details.

Entry costs €5 per adult, but it promises to beryllium an unforgettable experience. When your feet commencement to protest, wherefore not instrumentality a leisurely thrust connected the picturesque funicular railway?

For lone a fewer euros, it whisks you up to the commanding Castello di San Vigilio, the pinnacle constituent of the city.

The vistas from the Venetian walls are impressive, but those from San Vigilio are simply retired of this world, offering panoramic views of the Alps and quaint neighbouring villages. The expansive castle is maintained by the section assembly and welcomes visitors escaped of charge.

Lastly, a sojourn to Baretto, a Michelin-starred yet amazingly affordable cafe located adjacent to the funicular station, is the cleanable mode to circular disconnected the trip. There, for a specified €7, you tin savour "stuzzichino" (a tasty appetiser) and a solid of prosecco al fresco, each portion reveling successful the stunning surroundings.

Another budget-friendly yet amazingly posh eating spot is Circolino Citta Alta, a charming edifice nestled successful a historical gathering with a beauteous terrace and a accepted Italian menu. They connection a fixed-price luncheon woody wherever you tin bask a two-course repast implicit with wine, bread, h2o and java for conscionable €15 per person.

You should decidedly springiness the casoncelli alla bergamasca a effort - it's a nutrient and rootlike ravioli crockery served with butter, sage, Parmesan and crispy bacon. It's a section speciality.

While Bergamo is undeniably beautiful, it is rather petite, truthful to grow our escapade we decided to instrumentality a time travel to the adjacent municipality of Lecco, located connected the shores of the celebrity-favourite Lake Como.

If you've been deed by Scotrail fares recently, you mightiness privation to look distant now, due to the fact that the hour-long bid travel from Bergamo to Lecco outgo america conscionable €4 per person. Our minds were perfectly blown.

Lecco is delightful and good worthy a visit. On the time we visited (Sunday), they had a thoroughfare nutrient marketplace connected the water enactment offering a immense array of delicious section and planetary dishes, including a Scottish nutrient stall!

We surely didn't expect to find tinned haggis and Irn Bru connected the shores of a renowned Northern Italian lake, that's for sure.

If you fancy a sail connected Lake Como, you don't person to splurge connected hiring a backstage boat. There's a ferry work that links Lecco to different picturesque towns connected the lake, ending astatine the Instagram influencer favourite spot, Bellagio.

The views you'll brushwood during the travel are genuinely awe-inspiring, but support successful caput that it takes implicit an hr to scope Bellagio, making it a reasonably lengthy circular trip.

It's worthy mentioning that not everyone you travel crossed volition talk English, particularly successful Bergamo which isn't arsenic frequented by tourists arsenic different areas successful the region.

My 30-day Italian learning stint connected Duolingo lone equipped maine with phrases similar "I similar to spell swimming with my neighbour", which wasn't peculiarly helpful. However, a premix of gesturing and utilizing Google Translate usually cleared up immoderate confusion.

All the locals we encountered were incredibly welcoming, peculiarly Adriano, who we met successful a pub. Despite being rather intoxicated and not speaking overmuch English, helium wanted maine to relay this message: "Tutti successful Scozia dovrebbero venire a Bergamo. Adoriamo gli scozzesi qui! ".

"Everyone successful Scotland should travel to Bergamo. We emotion Scottish radical here!".