Travel guide · Norway
Bergen travel guide
Hanseatic wharf houses, seven mountains and the gateway to the fjords
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Bergen is Norway's second city, wedged between the sea and seven mountains on the west coast, and the traditional gateway to the fjords. The colourful wooden merchants' houses of Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site from the days of the Hanseatic League, line the Vågen harbour beside the fish market. A funicular climbs Mount Fløyen and a cable car Mount Ulriken, both within minutes of the centre, and KODE's art museums, Grieg's home at Troldhaugen and fjord cruises fill the rest of a visit. It is also one of Europe's wettest cities, so pack for rain. Plan 3 days for a first visit; the best months are May–August.
Key facts
- Country
- Norway
- Best time to visit
- May–August
- Ideal stay
- 3 days
- Main airports
- BGO
- Mid-range daily budget
- $250–$400 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Bryggen, Fjords, Fløyen funicular and Fish market
Why visit Bergen
- Bryggen's leaning wooden wharf buildings and narrow passages are one of the best-preserved Hanseatic trading quarters anywhere.
- The Fløibanen funicular reaches the Fløyen viewpoint, about 320 metres above the harbour, in minutes, with forest trails and lakes at the top.
- Bergen is the starting point for Norway in a Nutshell, the Hardangerfjord and the Sognefjord, and Hurtigruten coastal ships leave from here.
- KODE's lakeside museums hold one of the largest Munch collections outside Oslo, and Grieg's villa at Troldhaugen hosts summer concerts.
- The compact old centre, with wooden houses climbing the hillsides, is easy to explore on foot.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 16 things to do.
Historic site · Bryggen
Bryggen
The row of gabled wooden buildings along the east side of the Vågen harbour was the trading base of German Hanseatic merchants from the 14th to the 18th century.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Fjellsiden
Fløibanen and Mount Fløyen
The Fløibanen funicular climbs from near the fish market to Fløyen, about 320 metres up, in around 5–8 minutes.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Market · Vågen
Fish Market
Bergen has had a fish market at the head of the harbour since the 13th century.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Food
- Iconic
Gallery · Sentrum
KODE art museums
KODE is one of Scandinavia's largest museums of art, design and music, spread across buildings on the shore of Lille Lungegårdsvann lake.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · Bryggen
Bryggens Museum
Built over the excavated remains of Bergen's earliest buildings, the museum displays the foundations of 12th-century wharf houses and finds from the medieval city, including runic inscriptions carved on wooden sticks that record everyday messages, trade deals and love notes.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Viewpoint · Landås
Ulriken cable car
Ulriken, at 643 metres the highest of the mountains around Bergen, is reached by a cable car from its lower station a short bus ride from the centre.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Photo spot
Where to stay
Bryggen and Vågen is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 6 areas.
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and culture
Bryggen and Vågen
The UNESCO wharf, the fish market and the old harbour
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, families and culture
Sentrum
Torgallmenningen, shopping streets and the KODE museums by the lake
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, families and couples
Nordnes
A peninsula of white wooden houses, the aquarium and a seaside park
$$$ · Best for couples and quiet stays
Fjellsiden and Skansen
Wooden houses stacked up the mountainside above the harbour
What to eat
- Bergen fish soup — A creamy, slightly sweet-and-sour soup of white fish, fish balls, carrots, celeriac and leeks in a rich stock, a Bergen speciality served with bread.
- Skillingsbolle — Bergen's large, spiralled cinnamon bun dusted with sugar, more generous and less sticky than Swedish versions.
- Raspeballer — Large dumplings of grated raw potato and flour, boiled and served with salted meat, sausages, mashed swede and melted butter.
- Fish cakes — Soft, fried patties of minced white fish, eaten warm in bread or with boiled potatoes and onions.
- Prawns on bread — An open sandwich piled with cold-water prawns, mayonnaise, egg and lemon; on summer evenings locals buy cooked prawns by the bag and peel them on the quay.
- Plukkfisk — A traditional west-coast dish of flaked salt or fresh white fish and potatoes in a white sauce, served with bacon, flatbread or beetroot.
When to go
The best time to visit Bergen is May to September, when days are long, fjord boats and mountain trails are fully running and the weather is mildest. May and early June are often brighter and less crowded than July and August. Winter is dark and wet but quiet, with the Gingerbread Town and Christmas market in December.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Lengthening days, fruit blossom in Hardanger and some of the drier weather of the year, with snow lingering on the mountain tops. |
| Summer | June–August | Long light evenings, full fjord-cruise and Norway in a Nutshell schedules, and festivals, but the busiest and most expensive season with frequent rain. |
| Autumn | September–November | Autumn colour and fewer visitors, but some of the wettest, stormiest and darkest weeks of the year. |
| Winter | December–February | Short days, frequent rain and occasional snow, with Christmas lights, the Gingerbread Town and low prices. |
Getting there and around
Bergen Airport Flesland is about 18 km south of the centre. Bybanen light rail runs to Byparken in about 45 minutes and is the lower-cost option, while the Flybussen airport coach takes about 30 minutes to the centre and Bryggen. Taxis take about 25 minutes.
Central Bergen is compact and walkable, though hilly once you leave the harbour. The Bybanen light rail runs from the centre to the airport, and Skyss buses cover the rest of the city and the surrounding region.
Plan your days
Two days covers Bryggen, the fish market, Fløyen, Ulriken and a museum or two. A third day allows a fjord cruise to Mostraumen or a trip to the Hardangerfjord, and a fourth the full Norway in a Nutshell day to Flåm.
Practical information
- Currency
- NOK
- Language
- Norwegian
- Plugs
- Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is clean and excellent to drink; refill bottles freely.
- Emergency number
- 112 police, 113 ambulance, 110 fire
- Tipping
- Service is included in Norwegian prices and tipping is not expected.
Bergen is generally low-risk for visitors. Pickpocketing is uncommon but happens in summer crowds around Bryggen and the fish market. The main hazards are weather-related: slippery wet cobbles and steps, and fog and fast-changing conditions on the mountains, so carry layers and keep to marked trails.
Flights to Bergen
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Bergen?
Two days covers Bryggen, the fish market, Fløyen, Ulriken and a museum or two. A third day allows a fjord cruise to Mostraumen or a trip to the Hardangerfjord, and a fourth the full Norway in a Nutshell day to Flåm. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Bergen?
The best time to visit Bergen is May to September, when days are long, fjord boats and mountain trails are fully running and the weather is mildest. May and early June are often brighter and less crowded than July and August. Winter is dark and wet but quiet, with the Gingerbread Town and Christmas market in December.
+What is Bergen known for?
Bryggen, Fjords, Fløyen funicular, Fish market, Rain, Edvard Grieg and Hurtigruten. Bryggen's leaning wooden wharf buildings and narrow passages are one of the best-preserved Hanseatic trading quarters anywhere.
+Is Bergen expensive?
Bergen is very expensive for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $250–$400 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Bergen?
No. The city is walkable with good public transport, and parking is expensive. Trains, buses and boats reach the main fjord day trips; a car helps for exploring Hardanger or the coast at your own pace.