Bergen

Understand

The character of Bergen is defined by its location, surrounded by steep mountains and sea (straits and fjords). The city has many lakes. It is a typical Norwegian wooden town, even downtown there are notable neighbourhoods of small wooden houses in various styles. Few towns if any have so many wooden houses in the centre. In some areas wooden houses have been replaced by taller masonry structures, giving the city a fascinating mix of old and new. Bergen is a sprawling city stretching some 40-50 km in either direction where the 286,000 inhabitants (2021) are separated by mountains, fjords and lakes. Only the central parts are visible from the panorama points at Mount Fløyen. The distant parts of the city are mostly of less interest to the visitor. The city centre is on the other hand compact and can be covered by walking for most visitors. Bergen is facing the ocean and coast, and the hinterland is relatively sparsely populated. Bergen is separated from eastern Norway by crooked fjords and wide, inhospitable mountain areas, and until the Bergen railway was built in 1909 the most practical transport east-west was several days sailing around the coast.

Cityscape Central Bergen is characterized by a fascinating conglomerate of small, older wooden houses and newer masonry buildings as well as modern steel-and-glass structures. Bergen has some fine examples of functionalist architecture such as Kalmar House and Sundt shopping centre. "Brutalist" buildings include the science building at the university and the city hall.

Bergen grew organically from the small port and trading post at Bryggen from around year 1000. Because of frequent fires only some masonry buildings (notably Mariakirken and Håkonshallen) remain from the middle ages. But the city centre has retained many aspects of its ancient layout. Notable are the many wide streets or open spaces, called allmenning (commons), perpendicular to Vågen (the inner harbour). These allmennings often rise steeply from the waterfront. Torgallmenningen is not open to cars and defines the modern city centre. Ordinary streets in the medieval town were often long and more narrow, and ran parallel to the waterfront. Narrow and short streets, smug (alley), run among houses packed close together. Alleys are usually too narrow for cars and some are so steep that there are stairs. Key areas within central Bergen:

1 Vågen. Vågen is the inner harbour in a natural bay. The fishmarket is at the inner part of Vågen. Bergen emerged as Norway's main town in the middle ages along the shores of Vågen. (updated Jun 2019) Bryggen

Getting there

By plane 1 Bergen Airport Flesland (BGO IATA) (19 km south of the city). The main international airports with flights to Bergen are Copenhagen, London, and Amsterdam. There are also flights from the United Kingdom (such as Newcastle, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen); Prague, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Frankfurt, various cities in Spain, and some other airports. There are also a number of domestic flights, such as Oslo, Trondheim, Stavanger, Tromsø, Kristiansand and Sandefjord, connecting Bergen to additional international airports. A plane ticket from the capital Oslo to Bergen usually costs around kr 300-400. The main carriers in Norway are SAS and the low cost airline Norwegian Air Shuttle. The Dutch KLM has flights to Amsterdam, Lufthansa to Frankfurt. The smallest airports in Norway are usually served by Widerøe. A new spacious terminal replaced the old in 2017 with more services and airside facilities. (updated Feb 2024) Flybussen departs from right outside the terminal building. Flybussen makes frequent stops, including at Bryggen, the Fisketorget, and the bus terminal. The journey downtown takes about 30–40 minutes. Adult tickets are kr 179, return ticket kr 309 (discounts for children, students and senior citizens apply). Buy your ticket before boarding to save kr 10, either online, from a machine or from a ticket vendor. However, tickets can easily be bought on the bus, with either cash or cards. Buses run frequently throughout the day. There is a machine next to luggage collection in arrivals, and at the bus stop at the airport, so buy your ticket while you are waiting for your luggage.

The Bergen Light Rail has its southern terminus at the airport, the station is in the basement outdoor. This is the cheapest option for travelling downtown since it charges the regular public transport fares (kr 49 for an adult single ticket, kr 25 for children and seniors). The light rail runs very frequently, from 05:00 to past 00:00, with up to 12 departures an hour, but it is a stopping service and takes 45 minutes to its final stop at Byparken. The only other public transit line is bus line 23, which runs to the western neighborhoods of Søreide and Loddefjord. Line 23 runs only in the morning and evening rush hours Mondays to Fridays. Taxis are also available but they cost much more (kr 300-350 on weekdays to downtown, more at night and at the weekend). The car rental companies Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar and National have offices at the airport. Located in the terminal building, by the exit, most of them are open 07:00-21:00 on weekdays. Opening hours in the we

Getting around

Orientation Downtown Bergen is compact and easy to walk for most visitors. Most sights and hotels are located within few minutes walk within downtown. While the very centre is located on a relatively flat piece of land, there are hills in virtually every direction out of the centre so heading downhill usually leads to centre. The main square is the east/west Torgallmenningen, a pedestrian zone. The Nordnes peninsula points north from the very centre, on the eastern side is Vågen, a small bay and once Bergens main harbour, lined on the eastern side by Bryggen and the Fortress. Overall navigation is generally easy as the summits and the bay provides clear indication of general direction, Mt Ulriken is a key landmark for large parts of the city, while downtown St John’s Church (Johanneskirken) with its characteristic red brick and green roof is another landmark. The sturdy theater building at the top of Ole Bulls place is also a point to note. Precise navigation through many irregular streets may still be challenging. Navigation by car can be equally difficult because of hills, narrow streets and many one-way streets, what seems close on the map may in fact be a long drive. Bergen is idiosyncratic in many ways, including the layout and names of streets:

Allmenning are wide streets or squares, laid out at strategic points to prevent fires spreading through the city, often perpendicular to main streets and to the water front, the main square is Torgallmenningen Smug/smau are narrow alleys, usually too narrow for cars, some are so steep that there are stairs Smalgang is even more narrow than smug Strede old name for street (rarely used but note Skostredet - "Shoe street") Gate street Vei/veg, road or street Kai, quay or dock Brygge, quay or wharf Plass, square In addition there is a handful of specific names without generic suffixes like “−gate”, for instance Bryggen (“the Wharf”), Strangehagen (“Strange's garden”, a street), Klosteret (“the Monastery”, a square), Georgernes Verft (“Georges' Shipyard”, a street), Marken, Engen (“the Meadow”, a square), Krinkelkroken ("Nook and cranny"), Galgebakken ("Gallow hill"), Arbeiderboligen (“Workers' residence”), Torget ("The Market"), Vaskerelven ("Laundry river", a street).

On foot Within the city centre, walking is the best way to get around. You can walk across downtown in 20 minutes in any direction. The most central streets of the city are relatively flat and generally have a good accessibility for the disabled, sidewalks have rounded corners to allow access by wheelchair. The characteristic alleys and narr

See

There's a number of attractions in Bergen and the surrounding areas. Surveys do, however, show that most tourists in Bergen find the atmosphere, cultural landscape and architecture more compelling than the typical sights, so pick a few things to see and spend the rest of your time in Bergen sitting down in a park or café, strolling around the city, enjoying a concert or hiking the mountains. On sunny summer days, stay downtown until late to enjoy the sunset in the north.

Panorama points Because of its rugged landscape, Bergen has an abundance of panorama points and these give an intense feeling of space, notably Mt Fløyen and Mt Ulriken; these mountains are served by funicular and cable car, respectively, but are also available hiking for the sporty. At lower altitudes the Fjellveien panorama road and the highest point of Nordnes peninsula are easily available. Sandviksbatteriet just above Sandviken hospital also offers excellent panorama. The Montana residential area at the foot of Mt. Ulriken likewise gives a nice outlook.

1 Fjellveien panorama road, Fjellveien (Uphill from city centre). Runs for several kilometers between Sandviken and Bellevue, largely horizontal and pedestrian. 2 Skansen panorama point (Skansen brannstasjon), Blekeveien (Uphill from funicular station). Excellent and easily available panorama point just above the funicular lowest station. Right in front of the old fire outlook, a small white wooden tower, now used by one of the city's buekorps. 3 Tippetue panorama point (Hike uphill from city, or downhill from Mt. Fløyen.). 24 hr. Panorama point on the Tippetue footpath to Mt. Fløyen. Free. 4 Nordnes panorama, Haugeveien. Lovely place on the highest point of Nordnes peninsula, towards the aquarium. 5 Nordnes park (Tip of Nordnes peninsula, beyond aquarium). 24 hr. Pleasant park at the very tip of the peninsula, towards the sun set late summer evenings. 6 St Johns (Johanneskirken), Sydnesplass. St. John's Church (Johanneskirken) dominates the top of Nygårdshøyden, the hill that hosts the University of Bergen. Nice view of the very centre.

Traditional wooden architecture

Traditional small wooden houses, often placed in an irregular pattern around narrow streets and passages, were a staple of most Norwegian cities during the past centuries. Bergen is one of the few major towns where this traditional style still dominates several neighbourhoods downtown. A number of houses have also been relocated to Gamle Bergen (old Bergen) museum. Some of these are merely pockets of cute little houses between stone and concrete structure

Do

Concerts 1 Bergen Jazzforum, Georgernes verft 12, ☏ +47 55 30 72 50, fax: +47 55 30 72 60, [email protected]. Concerts every Friday except in the summer and during the Christmas holidays. Jazz club with focus on modern jazz. Norwegian Jazz Club Of The Year 2008. Bergen Live. Producing most of the larger pop, rock and hiphop concerts in Bergen. 2 Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra (Harmonien), Grieghallen, Edvard Griegs plass 1. Classical concerts every Thursday evening at 19:30. The Bergen philharmonic is one of two national orchestras and was established in 1765. It is regarded as one of the oldest orchestras in the world.The program is varied, but the repertoire is usually quite easy listening. The orchestra plays of course a lot of Edvard Grieg's works. 3 Det Akademiske Kvarter, Olav Kyrresgate 49, [email protected]. Popular student venue, usually hosting concerts several times a week except during holidays and the summer.

Stage art

4 BIT Teatergarasjen, Nøstegaten 54, ☏ +47 55 23 22 35, [email protected]. BIT (Bergen International Theater) presents Norwegian and international contemporary stage art productions of high quality. 5 Den Nationale Scene, Engen 1, ☏ +47 55 54 97 00, [email protected]. The national theater in Bergen. In a beautifully restored building, the theater presents a variety of plays on three different stages, from traditional Ibsen to contemporary plays. The largest stage (Store scene) is where most mainstream plays are played, while the two smaller stages features more alternative plays, often the most interesting ones. The plays are in Norwegian. Bergen Nasjonale Opera (Den nye Opera), ☏ +47 55 21 61 20, [email protected]. Although Bergen does not have its own opera house, it does have its own opera company. Den Nye Opera (The New Opera) usually put on a few productions throughout the year. Summer performances are often at the Bergenhus Fortress while other productions are performed at Den Nationale Scene or at Grieghallen. Tickets are available online. Tickets usually range from kr. 200 to kr. 550 depending on seating and availability. Bergen does not attract the top performers, and the quality may vary a bit, usually anywhere between superb and a bit below average.

Beach-life Hanging out by the ocean can be one of the best ways to spend a hot summer day in Bergen, although Bergen is hardly a sun and sand destination. The temperature in the ocean around Bergen is warmer than most places on the west coast because of the outer islands protecting the area from the constant flow of cooler water from the North Sea,

Buy

Bergen has a number of shopping centres, and international chains are well represented. As prices are rather high in Norway, regular shopping is probably not the most interesting thing to do in Bergen, even if you get a VAT refund (see the Tax Free shopping section below). But if you know where to go, you can find rare and unique items, both traditional crafts and stuff made by local designers - and some other fun stuff. Keep in mind that with a very few exceptions, Bergen shuts down completely on Sundays and holidays.

Shops 1 Apollon, Nygårdsgaten 2 A, ☏ +47 55 31 59 43, fax: +47 55 31 58 08. Combined bar and music store, sells CDs, vinyls and band merchandise in addition to a decent selection of beers.

2 Blonder og stas, Bryggestredet (in the heart of Bryggen), ☏ +47 55 31 83 81. A small shop selling beautiful Norwegian handmade textiles, such as tablecloths and napkins. 3 Kjøttbasaren, Vetrlidsallmenningen 2 (between Torget and Fløibanen). M–W F 09:00-17:00, Th 09:00-19:00, Sa 09:00-15:00. This market hall built in 1877 was once the only one in its kind in Norway. Nowadays it houses Bergen's finest gourmet food stores, the most interesting for tourists being Havets Grøde and Sesong. Havets Grøde has a large selection of top quality seafood, with fresh deliveries every day. The quality is usually much better than at the fish market. Sesong offers the season's food directly from local farms and producers. 4 Norsk Flid Husfliden, Vågsallmenningen 3 (near the tourist office), ☏ +47 55 54 47 40, [email protected]. Husfliden is a chain of stores throughout Norway with focus on traditional Norwegian crafts. The most interesting things for tourists found in these stores are traditional jewelry and tableware. Husfliden also sells beautiful national costumes (Norwegian: bunad). Bryggen Husflid, Bryggen 37 (in one of the old houses at the charming wharf area Bryggen), ☏ +47 55 32 88 03. Handknitted pullovers, cardigans and accessories from the brand Norsk Håndstrikk. The sweaters are made by hand in Norway, knitted by Norwegian ladies in their homes. Rare and unique products. The shop also carry a great selection of other Norwegian made products, in addition to other souvenirs like trolls, soft toys etc. The prices are very good compared to other shops at Bryggen. Ruben's skattkammer, Vetrlidsalmenning 5, ☏ +47 55 31 41 11, [email protected]. Unique, fun and stimulating toys for kids and adults. Stormberg, Småstrandgaten 3 (Xhibition), ☏ +47 454 04 157, [email protected]. Store for Norway's largest brand of outdoor wear. Søstrene Hageli

Eat

There is a great variety of restaurants and cafes in Bergen, but you should expect to spend some time looking for the best places. In the most central parts of the city, many of the restaurants are all the same. Move a block away from the most central parts of downtown to find lower prices and better food. Kitchens usually close at 23:00 at the latest. Waiters and other restaurant staff have good wages. You are not required to leave any money to cover the service, but many people choose to tip the waiter if he or she has been helpful and nice, and if the food was good. If you choose to leave a tip, rounding up or adding about five to ten percent will be appreciated. A rule of thumb would be that the more expensive the food is, the more are you expected to leave a tip. Keep in mind that tap water is safe to drink and (usually) free of charge. To save money, ask for tap water to drink.

Local food

Finding local food might take some effort, but there are some options. There aren't that many local dishes available at restaurants. "Norwegian" food is the food of the husmann (cottager) – nutritious and cheap, not what you usually find in a restaurant. The Bergen fish soup might be the most important, as well as raspeballer and cooked cod. If you want to get that Norwegian taste and have a gourmet meal at the same time, look for dishes that use "local" ingredients (such as reindeer, stockfish and cod) with a twist, such as Bryggen Tracteursted's filet of reindeer farced with goat cheese. Many cafe's and restaurants serve "raspeballer" on Thursdays. Raspeballer are local potato dumplings, in Bergen usually served with bacon, sausages, salted meat from sheep, melted butter and mashed rutabaga. You can get takeaway raspeballer at Kjøttbasaren (kr. 50), cheap ones at Lido, excellent ones at Pingvinen and Bjellands Kjøkken. You can get reasonable take-away fish soup, fish-balls, "plukkfisk" and fish-gratin at Madam Bergen. In November, December and January, traditional Christmas food is served in many restaurants. Look for "pinnekjøtt" (cured, dried and sometimes smoked meat of lamb or mutton), "lutefisk" (lit. "lye fish", dried cod prepared with lye) and "ribbe" (oven-baked pork ribs). For a very special experience, try smalahove (sheep's head). It is a traditional dish from Voss not far from Bergen.

Budget

City centre 1 Pasta Sentral, Vestre Torggate 5-7, ☏ +47 55 96 00 37. M–Sa 11:00–23:00, Su 13:00–23:00. Cheap and decent pasta and pizza for students and budget travellers alike. Pasta Sentral has been an institution in Bergen since its opening in 1990.

Drink & nightlife

There is a great variety of bars, night clubs, concert venues etc. in Bergen. Night clubs are usually open from 23:00, but life never starts before 01:00. Bars opens at different hours, some can be open all day. No places are allowed to serve alcohol after 03:00, and the consumption of alcoholic beverages must cease at 03:30 at the latest. Many places are required to close earlier. The establishments are only allowed to let people bring their drinks outside if they have been granted a special permit. A requirement to get this permit is that they have a confined space outdoors for their guests. All drinks must be indoors by 01:00. People go out all week, but Fridays and Saturdays are the best nights, Saturdays being the clear winner (most places will be a bit too crowded on Saturdays). Some clubs have a 2 for 1 policy on Wednesdays, and Sunday is usually the night for people in the industry. Most places require that you are 20 years of age (look in the list for details) and that you can provide a valid ID, even if you are much older. Valid IDs are Norwegian bank cards, European standard driver's licenses and ID cards and passports. Drinking in public is illegal. Emptying a can in front of a police officer on a Saturday night will earn you a kr. 2500 fine. If you stroll through a park a bit outside the city centre on a sunny day you will still see a lot of people having a beer or a glass of wine with the picnic. The police usually won't mind as long as everything passes in an orderly fashion. Prices vary great from place to place, ask at the door if you need to know. In the weekends, there is usually a cover charge from kr 50 to kr 100 at night clubs. Almost all night clubs and some bars have a dress code. The required attire varies; look in the list for more information (when the listing indicates "no dress code" normal, nice clothes are accepted). Supporter gear is generally not accepted even in sports pubs. Remember that smoking in all indoor areas where people work is strictly prohibited by law in Norway. Most restaurants, bars, night clubs etc. will require you to leave if you try to smoke indoors. Nightlife is largely concentrated in the central downtown (streets Vaskerelven, Engen, Torgallmenningen, Ole Bulls plass, Nygaardsgaten) and Bryggen area (streets Bryggen, Rosenkrantz gt, Vetrlidsallmenningen, kong Oscar gate).

Central downtown Baran, Håkonsgaten. Small and nice pub with an excellent selection of reasonably priced beers, and a small selection of cheap food. A bit run-down, but rather cozy. Clientele between 20-35. The staff wants to app

Sleep

Outside the summer season, getting a hotel room is usually not a problem, although it can be quite expensive unless you have a reservation. In the summer season (from May to Sept) a reservation well in advance is required. Breakfast is normally included in the price except at hostels and camping sites.

Budget 1 Bergen Hostel Montana (Bergen Vandrerhjem Montana), Johan Blytts vei 30 (On Landås, about 10 minutes from the city centre by car, use bus line 12 eastbound), ☏ +47 55 20 80 70, [email protected]. Situated on the hillside of Mount Ulriken. Bus connections are good. This typical hostel is an excellent choice for families and those travelling on a budget, with decent and clean facilities in a quiet area. Its location is however not ideal if you plan to enjoy the nightlife of Bergen. Free Wifi, two well equipped guest kitchens and free parking for guests. Members of Hosteling International receive 10% discount. Breakfast included. Linen and towels not included. Dorm: kr 205-295, Double: kr 660(winter)-850(summer). 2 Intermission Hostel, Kalfarveien 8 (East of the railway station), ☏ +47 55 30 04 00, [email protected]. A Christian hostel 40-bed dormitory with probably the lowest prices in town. Norwegian evenings every Monday and Thursday with traditional cakes and waffles, free of charge. Open from mid-June to mid-August. Dorm: kr 190, Bed linen: kr 30. 3 Marken Gjestehus, Kong Oscars gate 45, ☏ +47 55 31 44 04, fax: +47 55 31 60 22, [email protected]. A 73-bed hostel located close to the railway station. Lockable closets in all rooms. No mixed sex dormitories. Breakfast not included. Reception: May–Sep: 09:00–23:00, Oct–Apr: 09:30–16:30. Dorm: kr 210-275, Double: from kr 610, Bed linen: kr 65. 4 Skansen pensjonat, ☏ +47 55 31 90 80, [email protected]. Small and cosy, with only seven rooms. Located near the funicular. Reservations are necessary. Double: kr 900, Single: kr 550. 5 Bergen Guesthouse, Stølesmauet 9, ☏ +47 938 74 907, [email protected]. Situated behind Bryggen, the guesthouse consists of two houses, one with a two bedroom apartment and one in which four rooms are available. All rooms can be fitted with a baby bed free of charge. Some of the bedrooms can also be rented and used as living rooms or offices on request. Double: kr 750 including bed linen and towels. 6 Friis Pensjon, Ytre Markeveien 6-8, ☏ +47 467 79 604, [email protected]. A small flat close to the city centre: a bedroom, a living-room, a kitchen-corner (without stove), a bathroom. There is Wi-Fi in the flat. Suitable fo

Go next

Bergen area Havråtunet. 18 May-31 Aug: M-Sa 12:00-16:00, Su 11:00-17:00. Sep: Su 12:00-16:00, Guided tours: 20 Jun-30 Aug: Tu W Su 12:00-13:00 and 13:30-14:30. Sep, May-19 Jun: Su 12:00-15:00. A farmstead on a steep slope on the island of Osterøy overlooking a fjord. This Norwegian version of a village consists of 36 buildings bundled together with steep fields and plots around it. During the 20th century 60 people lived there and to this day all the work is done without modern equipment like machines. Hellesøy in Øygarden is an island located almost in the North Sea about 1–1½ hours of driving from Bergen. Enjoy the beautiful, harsh nature, go for a hike and rent a fishing rod. Eat your lunch in open air or at the local cafeteria. Boat trips and extreme sports events can be organized, and if you care to stay for a while, you can rent a room, apartment or a sea house. Activities and lodging is provided by Destination Hellesøy. Kvamskogen is a popular target for day trips in the winter season, especially among locals. Kvamskogen is a ski eldorado situated between 400 and 1300 m above sea level in the Kvam municipality. Alpine slopes are served by several ski lifts, and endless possibilities for those who favor cross country skiing. Professional ski instructors are available at a fair cost for non-skiers, and so are rental skis and other equipment. There are regular buses to Kvamskogen, call 177 or visit the information desk at the bus station for more information.

6 Lysøen, ☏ +47 56 30 90 77, fax: +47 56 30 93 72, [email protected]. 18 May-31 August: M-Sa 12:00–16:00. Su 11:00-27:00 September: Sundays only 12:00-16:00. This island belonged to Ole Bull, a famous musician. He bought the island in 1872 and drew the original drawings for his extraordinary house himself. The island is a great place to go for walks, as well as seeing the extraordinary house, as there are many great paths to walk along. You can attend guided tours at every hour, starting 15 minutes after opening time. To get to the island you must take the ferry from Buena quay. The ferry departs Buena every day at noon, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00, Sundays also 11:00 and 16:00. It departs Lysøen at 13:30, 14:30, 15:30 and 16:30, Sundays also 12:30 and 17:30. Tickets cost kr 50 for adults and kr 30 for children (free with the Bergen card). The boat has more departures if necessary. Large groups should book in advance. There is a café and museum shop at the island. adults kr 30, children kr 10 – free admission with the Bergen card. Os borders Bergen to the south. While the south-eastern part of Os