I have to be honest. Before booking my trip to Bergen, Norway, I hadn’t even heard of this city. I was just looking for some cheap flights and Bergen came up. I googled it and the pictures online conquered me instantly so I decided to book the flight. It’s now among my top 10 favorite travel destinations and definitely on the “have to go back” list.
What is so special about Bergen?
Bergen is a small city on the southwestern coast of Norway, also known as the gateway to the fjords of Norway. It’s actually the second-largest city in the country and has quite a long and interesting history. It even served as Norway’s capital back in the 13th century.
In the 14th century, Bergen was the main trade center in Norway and had exclusive trade rights. The main trading point in the city was the old quayside, Bryggen. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bryggen is probably the most iconic sight in the city. The old buildings were taken over by Hanseatic merchants in the 14th century and an office of the Hanseatic League was established here.
The center of the city along with the northern neighborhoods are situated on a “city fjord”, Byfjorden. The city is also surrounded by mountains, the reason why it’s known as the “city of seven mountains”. The panoramic views from one of these mountains together with little alleys and fairy-tale-like neighborhoods are just a few of the things that Bergen has to offer.
Things to do in Bergen, Norway
I only got to spend 48 hours in Bergen so I didn’t manage to experience everything there is to do. Nevertheless, even if you are only planning a short weekend in Bergen, you can manage to enjoy the highlights.
So here are the main attractions, sights, and places to visit on a 48 hours trip to Bergen, Norway.
Discover the city’s Hanseatic history in Bryggen
As previously mentioned, Bryggen is the most iconic part of Bergen, with the colorful wooden houses lined along the wharf. A walk along the old quay should be on the top of your to-do list. But make sure to also explore the little passages in between the wooden houses as that’s probably the most fascinating part. Here you will find lovely little shops selling art or souvenirs. Hidden in between the houses I also found a cozy little café, Kaf Kafe Bryggen, that I would highly recommend. There is a nice chill atmosphere and the service is amazing.
There is a good reason why Bryggen was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Apart from its historical importance, the quay is a lovely place for taking a walk and discovering one of North Europe’s oldest port cities.
Explore Bergen on foot
I am a big supporter of exploring every place I visit on foot, whenever possible. And Bergen is the perfect city to enjoy walking around. It’s small enough for you to manage to cover the main areas by foot and honestly, the best views are from the little alleys you’ll come across by mistake.
There are a few areas around the city center that are worth walking around. Eidemarken is the neighborhood right behind Bryggen, mostly characterized by wooden white houses and cobblestone streets. Vågsbunnen is the area near Bergen cathedral and close to the city center, Engen, where you can find the shopping area. From Strandsiden all the way to Nordnes and back through Verftet and Nøstet, you can explore Bergen’s peninsula and enjoy a view over the North Sea making its way among the fjords.
This whole walking tour can take about half a day, depending on how much you like to explore and get lost along tiny alleys and between cute wooden houses.
Go on a hike on Mount Fløyen
This is another must-do when in Bergen. If you are somehow familiar with Bergen, you might have heard about this mountain that offers a stunning view of the city.
There are many ways to reach the top of Mount Fløyen. The most used one is the Fløibanen funicular which is itself a main touristic attraction. The funicular covers the 844 meters of length in 6 minutes and a return trip costs 90 NOK (around 9 euros).
Alternatively, you can hike all the way up and enjoy the walk and the many viewpoints along the way. The hike starts right behind Bryggen and takes around one hour. If you’re looking for fuel before the hike, I totally recommend Det Lille Kaffe Kompaniet. It’s a small cozy cafe not far from Bergen Cathedral that makes great coffee and carrot cake.
At the top of Mount Fløyen, you will be rewarded with a beautiful view over the whole city of Bergen and the Byfjorden. There are also a restaurant and a cafe but keep in mind they are usually closed during wintertime.
Check out the Fishmarket
It should go without saying that Bergen is famous for its fresh fish. The Fishmarket in Bergen is basically as old as the city, dating back to the 1200s. An indoor Fishmarket was opened in 2012 and is opened all year round, with several restaurants and shops. During summer months, from the 1st of May, the outdoor market is also open.
The Fishmarket is located in the very center of Bergen, just opposite of Bryggen. You can buy fresh fish and seafood, sit at one of the restaurants or even grab a quick takeaway. There is plenty of choice for every taste and situation.
Visit Museums
The Hanseatic Museum offers insights into the Hanseatic history of Bergen. As the museum’s main building, Finnegården, is being restored, the museum can now be visited at Schøtstuene in the assembly halls of the Hanseatic League in Bryggen.
At Bergen Maritime Museum you can learn more about Norway’s maritime history and admire a variety of ship models. Meanwhile, at the Bryggens Museum, you can learn about Bergen’s history.
A little outside Bergen, in Troldhaugen, you can visit the home of famous composer Edvard Grieg. This is where the composer lived for 22 years and also where he composed most of his well-known works.
There are plenty of other museums in Bergen if you have enough time to visit them. Bergen’s official tourism website contains all the necessary information on all of them.
Where to eat
Bergen, and Norway in general, are not very cheap for eating out. Nevertheless, there are quite a few places where one can enjoy a warm meal without spending crazy amounts of money.
At the fishmarket previously mentioned, you can find sandwiches with fresh fish starting from around 60NOK. If you’re looking for an actual restaurant that is also affordable, Kafé Spesial can be a great choice. It has a variety of dishes and a nice ambiance. Although you might find it quite crowded.
For a delicious warm soup, try Suppologen right in the city center. The soups come in two sizes, are heartwarming and filling and at an affordable price for Norwegian standards, around 100NOK. Your visit to Bergen cannot be complete without a warm soup here.
Løvetann Kaffebar has a cozy atmosphere and a nice variety of both meat and vegetarian dishes. It’s open all day long and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Just outside Bergen
If you have a bit more than 48 hours or you want to squeeze all of the above in one day, you can use a day to go on a tour a little outside of Bergen. There are plenty of amazing natural sights and attractions that are easily reachable from Bergen in a few hours.
Go on a fjord tour
This is probably the main attraction and the reason many people visit Bergen in the first place. There are several tours available from a two-hour boat tour to 12-hour tours that allow you to explore little villages and admire beautiful mountains and waterfalls.
There is everything from chilled boat tours among picturesque views to adventurous tours including fjord safaris and mountain biking. Depending on the type of tour, you can find some available only in summers and other all year round. You just need to make a choice, and it might not be that easy. Check out all the tours in the dedicated section on the Bergen tourism website.
Trolltunga
Trolltunga, meaning “the troll’s tongue” is probably one of the most breathtaking cliffs in Norway. A thin portion of rock shaped like a tongue extends into the void over lake Ringedalsvatnet.
Reaching Trolltunga is not that easy and it’s only possible after a quite challenging hike. The trail is only open during summer months, from June to September. Hiking during winter is not allowed unless you join a guided tour. This is only available under certain weather conditions, usually starting from mid-February or March.
The hike starts from the Skjeggedal parking lot and the round trip is 27 kilometers long, with an elevation of 1100 meters. The whole hike should take between 10 and 12 hours. You can reach Skjeggedal from Odda or from Tyssedal by shuttle bus. From Bergen, it takes almost six hours by public transport to either Odda or Tyssedal so it’s ideal to go there the night before in order to start the hike early in the morning.
You can find additional safety information and recommendations on Norway’s official tourism website.
Flåm railway
Flåm is a small village north-east of Bergen, famous for its scenic location and for the railway that takes you there.
You can either join one of the tours from Bergen that include Flåm or go there by yourself with public transportation. From Bergen, you can take the train in direction to Oslo, get off at Myrdal and then take the Flåm railway. It is one of the world’s steepest railway and it rewards passengers with stunning landscapes. one of the most scenic ones. The trip from Bergen to Flåm takes around 5 to 6 hours.
When to visit Bergen, Norway
The city has plenty to offer any time of the year so it all depends on your plans. If you want to include some day trips and hikes, then it’s probably recommended to go in the summer months, from June to September. The rest of the year the weather might not be great. From November onwards you have a high chance of finding snow which transforms the city in a winter wonderland.
I personally visited Bergen at the beginning of November and witnessed the first snowfall of the year as I was walking up Mount Fløyen. The view with the snowfall was absolutely amazing but I would love to go back in summer for a chance of a fjord tour and a hike to Trolltunga.
Need to know info
There are plenty of ways to reach Bergen, with cheap flights from many European capitals, depending on the season. Wizzair offers low-cost flights from several locations in Poland and from Riga in Latvia, Kaunas in Lithuania and London. Alternatively, you can fly with Norwegian from anywhere in Europe and from the USA.
From the airport, the easiest way to the city center is to take the light rail that takes 45 minutes to reach the city center. A ticket is only 38 NOK. view
Alternatively, there is a regular train service connecting Oslo to Bergen. This is without a doubt one of the most scenic train rides in the world. The ride takes about 7 hours and for someone who dislikes long train or bus rides, I enjoyed every minute of it. The landscape flowing outside the window is of breathtaking beauty. It is especially beautiful in winter when the snowy landscape looks simply magical.
To visit Bergen, it’s not really necessary to take any public transportation. If you are planning on visiting many attractions though it might be useful to get yourself a Bergen Card that comes with many discounts and special offers.
If a visit to Bergen was not on your to-do list, I hope you will add it because it’s absolutely worth it. Enjoy your trip to this beautiful Norwegian city and make the most out of it!
