Where to stay · Bergen · Norway
Where to stay in Bergen
6 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Andreas Sandberg, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Bryggen and Vågen. The UNESCO wharf, the fish market and the old harbour. Best alternatives — families: Sentrum; budget: Sandviken.
Key facts
- First visit
- Bryggen and Vågen
- Families
- Sentrum
- Budget
- Sandviken
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Bryggen and Vågen | The UNESCO wharf, the fish market and the old harbour |
| Families | Sentrum | Torgallmenningen, shopping streets and the KODE museums by the lake |
| Couples | Bryggen and Vågen | The UNESCO wharf, the fish market and the old harbour |
| Budget | Sandviken | Old warehouses and wooden houses along the fjord north of Bryggen |
| Solo travellers | Nygårdshøyden and Møhlenpris | The university hill, museums, students and cafés |
| Shopping | Sentrum | Torgallmenningen, shopping streets and the KODE museums by the lake |
| Quiet stays | Nordnes | A peninsula of white wooden houses, the aquarium and a seaside park |
Bergen neighbourhoods in detail
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and culture
Bryggen and Vågen
Around the Vågen harbour, the wooden houses of Bryggen face the fish market, Torget square and the Fløibanen station. Hotels here put you steps from the main sights, the Hurtigruten and fjord-cruise quays, and Bergenhus Fortress. Restaurants along the wharf and harbour are touristy but convenient.
- Good
- Steps from the main sights and boats; Harbour views; Flat walk to most of the centre
- Watch out
- Expensive hotels; Busy with cruise passengers in summer
- Nearby
- Bryggen, Fish Market, Fløibanen, Bergenhus Fortress
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, families and culture
Sentrum
The modern centre runs from Torgallmenningen square, the city's main pedestrian plaza, to Festplassen and the Lille Lungegårdsvann lake, where the KODE museums line the shore. Shopping streets, the Grieghallen concert hall and Bybanen light-rail stops are all here, and the bus and railway stations are a 10-minute walk away.
- Good
- Central for shopping and museums; Light rail to the airport; Wide choice of hotels
- Watch out
- Less character than Bryggen; Some streets are busy with traffic
- Nearby
- Torgallmenningen, KODE, Grieghallen, Byparken light-rail stop
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, families and couples
Nordnes
West of the harbour, the Nordnes peninsula is a residential quarter of steep lanes and small white wooden houses leading out to Nordnesparken, the Bergen Aquarium and the Nordnes sea pool. It is quiet, a 10–15 minute walk from Bryggen, and has a few small hotels and many apartments.
- Good
- Charming, quiet streets; Aquarium and park on the doorstep; Sea views at sunset
- Watch out
- Few hotels; mainly apartments; Steep in places
- Nearby
- Bergen Aquarium, Nordnesparken, Nordnes sjøbad, Fish Market
$$$ · Best for couples and quiet stays
Fjellsiden and Skansen
Behind Bryggen and the Fløibanen station, the hillside districts of Fjellsiden and Skansen are a maze of narrow cobbled lanes, steps and painted wooden houses. Staying here means apartments with views over the harbour, and Fløyen's trails start almost at the door.
- Good
- Views over the city; Hiking trails on the doorstep; Very atmospheric streets
- Watch out
- Steep climbs with luggage; Mostly apartments, few hotels
- Nearby
- Fløibanen, Mount Fløyen, Bryggen, Skansedammen
$$ · Best for quiet stays, budget and families
Sandviken
North of Bergenhus Fortress, Sandviken stretches along the water with old sea warehouses, wooden houses and the open-air Old Bergen Museum. It is residential and quiet, with a seaside promenade, and about 15–20 minutes' walk or a short bus ride from Bryggen.
- Good
- Quieter and better value; Seaside walks; Near the Old Bergen Museum
- Watch out
- Few restaurants; Bus or long walk to the centre
- Nearby
- Old Bergen Museum, Bergenhus Fortress, Bryggen
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and families
Nygårdshøyden and Møhlenpris
Behind the centre, the university district on Nygårdshøyden has the University Museum of Bergen, student cafés and the green Nygårdsparken, while Møhlenpris below it holds the VilVite science centre and good-value apartments. The streets have a relaxed, local feel within walking distance of the centre.
- Good
- Better-value rooms; Student cafés and bars; Close to VilVite for families
- Watch out
- Uphill from the harbour; Less polished than the centre
- Nearby
- University Museum of Bergen, VilVite, Nygårdsparken, Johanneskirken
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Bryggen and Vågen | $$$$ | Bryggen, Fish Market, Fløibanen, Bergenhus Fortress |
| Sentrum | $$$ | Torgallmenningen, KODE, Grieghallen, Byparken light-rail stop |
| Nordnes | $$$ | Bergen Aquarium, Nordnesparken, Nordnes sjøbad, Fish Market |
| Fjellsiden and Skansen | $$$ | Fløibanen, Mount Fløyen, Bryggen, Skansedammen |
| Sandviken | $$ | Old Bergen Museum, Bergenhus Fortress, Bryggen |
| Nygårdshøyden and Møhlenpris | $$ | University Museum of Bergen, VilVite, Nygårdsparken, Johanneskirken |
Getting to your hotel
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.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Bergen for first-time visitors?
Bryggen and Vågen. Around the Vågen harbour, the wooden houses of Bryggen face the fish market, Torget square and the Fløibanen station.
+Where should families stay in Bergen?
Sentrum: Central for shopping and museums.
+Which area of Bergen is best for a budget stay?
Sandviken ($$): Old warehouses and wooden houses along the fjord north of Bryggen.