How to extend the birthday week… check out the cheap flights from BHX and book a few days away in Italy!
We had a surprisingly painless drive to Birmingham, considering it was at 8am, and hopped on the shuttle bus to the airport. Thanks to Santa’s sunflower lanyard (the one benefit of being visually impaired!) We skipped the huge security queue and were in Spoons enjoying a pre-flight breakfast in no time.
The flight was basically full of a school trip, and obviously none of them knew where they were sitting… that meant we missed our take off slot. But have no fear.. Ryanair always gets you to the destination on time 😉
Travelling with hand luggage only (and benefiting from impressively speedy passport control), we were out of the airport in record time and promptly squashed ourselves onto a bus bound for Città Alta, Bergamo.
We got the keys to our apartment, which was up about 1000 flights of stairs, dumped our bags, and headed out to explore.
Right in the heart of Città Alta is Piazza Vecchia—a big, beautiful square wrapped in historic buildings (and home to the impressive Campanone). Just around the corner, you’ve got Piazza Duomo, where you’ll find the Cathedral alongside the stunning. Colleoni Chapel and the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
We spent our time wandering the cobbled streets, admiring all the gorgeous architecture, and basically just soaking up Bergamo’s laid-back, quiet charm.
We finished the exploring with a walk along the Venetian Walls. These UNESCO-listed fortifications wrap around the city and offer panoramic vistas over the surrounding countryside. We even managed to grab a bit of a sunset!
All the walking made Santa a thirsty boy… so we found a pub that sold his favourite – Tennants Super. A delicious 9% treat, which he enjoyed with the complimentary nuts and crisps.. although he did say Gracias to the waiter…
We wrapped up the evening the best way possible—with a pizza, a quick look at the square at night, and a quick stop at the local Carrefour to stock up on more Tennents. Back at the apartment, we were all set to relax… when suddenly the bells started ringing. And ringing. And ringing…
Turns out every night at 10pm, the bells go off 100 times! It’s a tradition from way back, when it signalled the old city gates were closing. Definitely not the most peaceful surprise, but pretty cool once you know the story 😄
The Travelling Ginger 