BERGEN, NORWAY

Bergen: The Gateway to Norwegian Fjords! To visit Norway without laying eyes on its stunning fjords is like visiting Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower! Bergen is more than just the closest city to fjords though. It is home to cobblestone streets, a quaint downtown area, accessible hiking, and Bryggen - an important reminder of what brought this city to prominence in the 14th century. Spending a few days here will give you a delightful glimpse into the Norwegian way of life.

Photo Sep 12_ 1 43 35 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 11_ 8 36 24 AM.jpg

Attractions:

  • “Norway in a Nutshell” Fjord Cruise: One does not simply travel to Norway without experiencing its awe-inspiring fjords! The 10-hour tour costs 1,920 NOK ($225 USD) and starts with an 8:00am train ride on the scenic Bergen Railway to Voss. From here, a bus will take you to Gudvangen where you pick up the fjord cruise. This small town is extremely charming and has plenty of options to grab a coffee, snack, or meal. Once on board, you will sail through Nærøyfjord and Aurlandsfjord for 2 hours. These narrow passages offer striking views of the region’s high mountains and tall waterfalls. Framed photos practically take themselves here! Your fjord cruise ends in the small Norwegian town of Flåm where you will hop on the storied Flåm Railway.  Again, the views are absolutely breathtaking! One train transfer in Myrdal will get you back to Bergen at roughly 6:00pm. If you are hoping to get back to Oslo, there is an option to take a train straight from Myrdal which would get you in at roughly 10:00pm.

  • Hike Mount Fløyen: The view on top of this mountain is the best in Bergen! You can either hike to the top in 1 hour or you can take the Fløibanen Funicular Railway. The hike isn’t too difficult, the path is easy to follow, and it winds through lovely wooded areas. I recommend the hike! The starting point is just a few minutes walking from the city center. The funicular ride is less than 10 minutes to the top and costs 125 NOK ($15 USD) for a round-trip ticket. It is open daily from 8:00am-10:00pm on weekdays and from 10:00am-8:00pm on weekends.

  • Bryggen: This UNESCO World Heritage Site is full of colorful wooden houses sitting on what used to be the old wharf of Bergen (a bustling dock used for maritime trade in the 1300s). Here, you can find the fish market and plenty of shops and cafes.

  • Climb Mount Ulriken: This hike doesn’t start in town center, but is still very accessible! From the tourist information center, take city bus #2, #3, or #12 to Haukeland Hospital (20 minutes; 39 NOK). From here, you will see signs directing you to the beginning of the trek. If you find yourself confused, ask any local and they can point you in the right direction. The hike to the top from Haukeland Hospital is 90 minutes and of moderate difficulty. Instead of hiking, you can also take the cable car, Ulriken643 (10 minutes walking from the hospital). The cable car ride is 10 minutes to the top and costs 285 NOK ($34 USD) round-trip.

  • Bergenhus Fortress: Located near the harbor, this castle dates back to the 13th century. It is free to enter and is one of the best-preserved stone fortifications in the country! The grounds, which are open daily from 6:30am-11:00pm, have two main attractions: Rosenkrantz Tower (100 NOK; open daily from 12:00pm-4:00pm) and Resistance Museum (free; open daily from 11:00am-5:00pm).

  • Other attractions include: Preikestolen, Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene, Troldhaugen, and Fantoft Stave Church.

Photo Sep 11_ 6 43 04 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 11_ 6 28 29 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 12_ 6 01 15 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 11_ 7 29 57 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 11_ 7 09 30 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 12_ 1 49 02 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 12_ 4 07 52 AM.jpg

Accommodation:

Photo Sep 11_ 7 29 45 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 11_ 8 53 11 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 11_ 8 56 17 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 11_ 6 35 34 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 12_ 2 11 37 AM.jpg

Transportation:

Bergen’s main train station is Bergen Station; all trains below leave from here. The main bus station is Bystasjonen; all buses below leave from here.

  • Oslo is 7 hours by train from Bergen and costs 459 NOK ($54 USD). The bus ride is 9.5 hours and costs 752 NOK ($88 USD). The flight is 1 hour and costs 800-1,150 NOK ($94-$135 USD) on Norwegian Air or SAS.

  • Stockholm, Sweden is 12 hours by train from Bergen (indirect) and costs 1,000 NOK ($117 USD). The bus ride is 17 hours (indirect) and costs 1,200 NOK ($141 USD). The flight is 4 hours (indirect) and costs 1,500-2,000 NOK ($176-$235 USD) on Norwegian Air or SAS.

  • Copenhagen, Denmark is 14 hours by train from Bergen (indirect) and costs 1,100 NOK ($129 USD). The bus ride is 12.5 hours and costs 450 NOK ($53 USD). The flight is 1.5 hours and costs 500-2,800 NOK ($59-$329 USD) on Norwegian Air or SAS.

  • Trondheim is 14.5 hours by train from Bergen (indirect) and costs 1,198 NOK ($141 USD). The bus ride is 14.5 hours (indirect) and costs 1,150 NOK ($135 USD). The flight is 1 hour and costs 800-1,350 NOK ($94-$159 USD) on Norwegian Air or SAS.

Bergen Airport (BGO) is 17km (10 miles) outside the city center and accessible via train, bus, and taxi.

  • Bergen Light Rail (Bybanen): The train ride is 45 minutes and costs 39 NOK ($4.50 USD).

  • Airport Bus (Flybussen): The bus ride is 30 minutes and costs 105 NOK ($12 USD).

  • Taxi: The 20-minute taxi ride costs 400-500 NOK ($47-$59 USD).

Photo Sep 11_ 7 30 18 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 12_ 8 25 50 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 11_ 8 54 07 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 11_ 6 17 59 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 11_ 9 08 18 AM.jpg
Photo Sep 12_ 4 33 58 AM.jpg

Thank you, Fernanda, for hosting me and snapping some photos of us hiking!