Last Updated: 1/25/2022 | January 25th, 2022
Enveloped by steep mountains as well as sitting next to the country’s deepest as well as longest fjord, Bergen is a little city tucked away on the west coastline of Norway.
Though house to only 220,000 people, there’s a unusual amount of things to see as well as perform in this small city. You can quickly spend days right here hiking its natural surroundings, kicking back on a fjord cruise, eating fresh seafood, as well as discovering about its long history. I stayed about three days during my see as well as felt I might have stayed a bit longer. It’s pretty, historic, as well as full of a great deal of great food options.
Bergen is a quite huge vacationer destination in Norway so you unfortunately won’t have this city to yourself. To assist you make the most of your trip, right here are my top 12 things to see as well as perform in Bergen:
1. Take a complimentary walking excursion
The very first thing I do whenever I show up in a new location is to do a complimentary walking tour. They’re the very best method to get the lay of the land, see the primary sights, as well as satisfy a regional professional of whom I can ask all my questions.
Nordic flexibility excursions organizes routine excursions in English as well as Spanish. (Just make sure to idea your guide at the end!)
2. See the Fish Market
The Bergen Fish Market dates back to the 13th century. For centuries, it’s been the hub for regional fishermen to offer their fresh fish as well as seafood. The indoor section of the market began in 2012 as well as is open year-round (the outside market opens on may 1 for the summer).
If you’re seeking to sample some regional delicacies, there are likewise great deals of restaurants as well as food stalls. just make sure you budget plan yourself, as costs variety from 130 NOK ($14 USD) for an appetizer to around 290 NOK ($30 USD) for a primary dish.
Torget 5. open Monday-Thursday from 10am-10pm, Friday-Saturday from 9am-10pm, as well as Sundays from 11am-10pm.
3. see the Maritime Museum
Bergen has depended heavily on maritime trade considering that its inception in the 11th century. You can spend an afternoon at this museum discovering about the city’s maritime history. The exhibitions include ships, paintings, films, artifacts, original maps, as well as some cannons from the 18th century.
The highlight right here is the Kvalsund boat, an old Viking longship that dates to the eighth century. It was excavated in 1920. There’s likewise an original Halsnøy boat that dates back to somewhere between 390 as well as 535 CE.
Haakon Sheteligs plass 15, +47 55 54 96 00, sjofartsmuseum.museumvest.no/english/. open June-August: Monday-Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday-Sunday 11am-4pm. September-May: everyday 11am-3pm. Admission is 120 NOK ($13.50 USD). You can take a guided excursion of the museum in English during the months of June, July, as well as August.
4. roam Bryggen
Bryggen is the old wharf as well as is house to over 60 narrow, brilliantly colored wooden boathouses. From the 14th with the 16th centuries, Bryggen was the primary hub for the Hanseatic League, a powerful vendor guild from central as well as northern Europe. fun fact: its office is the only original building that’s still standing -the rest have been rebuilt in the exact same style.
Today, these buildings are utilized by different restaurants, vacationer offices, as well as hotels. though fires have ruined a great deal of the original buildings, the area is still a lovely location to roam around. You can discover about the history of the wharf at the Bryggen museum as well as the Hanseatic Museum.
5. check out the Botanical Garden
Bergen’s Botanical garden was well established in 1996 as well as covers 17 acres. It’s a great location to get hold of some fresh air as well as kick back with a book. With over 5,000 types of plants, it’s house to Norway’s largest collection of roses, in addition to the largest collection of rhododendrons in Scandinavia. There are likewise different sections, like the Sunny Meadow (home to summertime annuals), a standard Japanese garden, as well as the Alpine Garden, with all type of alpine plants from around the world.
Mildevegen 240, +47 55 58 72 50, uib.no/arboretet. The garden is open 24 hours as well as admission is free.
6. Hike install Ulriken
Located just a few kilometers outside the city, install Ulriken stands 643 meters (2,100 feet) high as well as is the tallest of the seven mountains near Bergen. If you’re not feeling up for a hike to the top, you can take the cord car, which takes about eight minutes as well as costs 285 NOK ($30 USD) round trip. At the top, you’ll get spectacular sweeping views of Bergen as well as the sea. There are some shorter hikes (2-3 hours long) up there as well.
If you take pleasure in an adrenaline rush, you can speed down the mountain on Norway’s fastest zipline. It opened in 2016 as well as is 300 meters long. You requirement to book tickets in development though. Tickets expense 450 NOK ($47 USD).
7. check out Pepperkakebyen
The Gingerbread City, open in November as well as December, is the world’s greatest annual gingerbread festival. It started in 1991 as well as now includes over 2,000 volunteers, bakers, businesses, as well as schools. It is made up of numerous gingerbread homes as well as made to look like a snowy wintry nighttime in Bergen. If you’re right here during the holiday season, don’t miss it!
Teatergaten 30-2, +47 55 55 39 39, pepperkakebyen.org. open from mid-November up until December 31. Admission is 150 NOK ($16.75 USD) for adults as well as complimentary for kids under 12.
8. see KODE
The KODE museum is one of the largest in Scandinavia for music, contemporary art, furniture, videos, historical artifacts, as well as crafts. It showcases a large range of over 40,000 objects that date back to the 1800s. The museum is found in four buildings; visitors can likewise see the houses of three popular Norwegian composers (Edvard Grieg, Harald Sæverud, as well as Ole Bull).
Head over to KODE 1 to see the Silver Treasure, a long-term exhibition of gold as well as silver objects, dating from 500 years in the past. For momentary exhibitions as well as Bergen’s largest art bookstore, inspect out KODE 2. KODE 3, which opened in 1924, is house to works from Edvard Munch, who painted The Scream.
Rasmus Meyers allé 9, +47 53 00 97 04, kodebergen.no. open Tuesday–Sunday (hours vary per season). Admission is 150 NOK ($16.75 USD).
9. See Bergenhus Fortress
Next to the Bergen Harbor is an imposing stone fort called the Bergenhus Fortress. It dates back to the 1260s as well as is one of the oldest fortresses in Norway. It includes Rosenkrantz Tower, a fortified tower that dates to the 16th century, as well as Haakon’s Hall, a former royal home from the 13th century.
Unfortunately, a terminate destroyed Haakon’s Hall as well as all of the interior designs in 1944, so it is now embellished with tapestries as well as is generally utilized for shows as well as banquets. The Rosenkrantz Tower was the home of Eirik Magnusson, the last king to hold court in Bergen. Make sure you climb the narrow stairs to the top of the tower, where you’ll get an excellent view of the surrounding area.
5003 Bergen, +47 55 54 63 87. Admission is free.
10. see the Leprosy Museum
Leprosy ran rampant in Europe between 1850 as well as 1900. With three leprosy hospitals, the city had the biggest concentration on lepers in all of Europe. This eye-opening museum is found inside of St. George’s. Its archives belong to UNESCO’s Memory of the world Programme. You can take an academic excursion to discover about the history, symptoms, as well as treatment of leprosy, in addition to what the conditions were like in the hospitals during the outbreak.
Kong Oscars entrance 59, +47 481 62 678. open May–August. Admission is 120 NOK ($13.50 USD).
11. Take a Fjord Cruise
This is a spectacular method to view the fjords up close as well as take a kicking back break from the city. There are a number of different fjords around Bergen, so you can select a excursion that fits your budget plan as well as timing.
The one to Mostraumen run year-round excursion as well as takes you 27 kilometers in the Osterfjord along the Mostraumen strait. You’ll see towering mountains, sparkling waterfalls, as well as you may even area seals as well as eagles!
You can likewise take a fjord cruise to Nærøyfjord as well as Sognefjord (Norway’s longest fjord) to get up close to the stunning valleys as well as massive peaks.
Expect to pay anywhere from 700 to 2,000 NOK ($73–209 USD) per person.
***
Even though Bergen can be an costly destination to see however there are lots of complimentary as well as affordable activities right here to keep you busy. It’s a prominent destination however it lives as much as its reputation. I liked my see to Bergen. I suspect you will too.
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Book Your trip to Bergen: Logistical ideas as well as Tricks
Book Your Flight
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