Top attractions in Bergen
Free cancellation
The 8 best things to do in Bergen
Snug between mountains and fjords, a meandering tour along Bergen's cobblestone streets will guide you through its seafaring heritage. The bustling city offers foodies, art lovers, and music aficionados plenty of venues to soak up the local scene.
1. Bryggen
The wooden buildings on Bergen's iconic wharf are reflections of its history in the Hanseatic League. St. Mary's Church is Bryggen's tallest and oldest structure, dating to 1180.
2. Bryggens Museum
Built over Bryggen's first settlement, the main exhibition will take you back to Bergen's medieval past, and you'll see artifacts exactly where archaeologists found them.
3. Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene
The museum provides wonderful insight into daily life of German merchants living and working here during the Hanseatic era. The Schøtstuene are the former assembly halls in winter.
4. Bergenhus
It's one of Norway's best-preserved fortresses. The oldest structure on site, Håkon's Hall, dates to 1250, and was a royal residence during the Middle Ages.
5. Den Nationale Scene
Constructed in 1909 in traditional Art Nouveau style, Norway's oldest theater is a celebrated venue for classical and contemporary performances throughout the year.
6. Troldhaugen
This villa belonged to composer Edvard Grieg, whose Steinway piano still stands in the sitting room. He used to lock himself in the red hut down from the house in order to work.
7. Fløyen
Take the cable car to the top of this famous mountain and enjoy a bird's eye view 1049 feet above the city. Time it right for sunset and watch the urban lights flicker on.
8. Hardangerfjord
This renowned fjord boasts not only spectacular scenery of waterfalls, glaciers, and soaring mountains, but also activities, such as hiking and kayaking, for the adventurer in you.
Planning Your Visit
How many days to spend in Bergen?
You could spend three days exploring Bergen's attractions, tacking on another full day for a trip to the Hardangerfjord.
Getting around
You won't need a car to go sightseeing in Bergen. It's small, compact center makes it easy and fun to get around on foot. There are two daily departures on the Hardangerfjord Express to the town of Rosendal, and, of course, there's the option of taking a cruise through the fjord, which usually includes transportation by bus to the town of Norheimsund.
Where to stay in Bergen
Bergen is a small city and geographically compact. Whether you stay in the very heart of it or just beyond it, you'll still be able to reach the main attractions.
Good to know
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- Language
- Norwegian
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- Currency
- Norwegian Krone (kr)
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- Time Zone
- UTC (+01:00)
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- Country Code
- +47
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- Best time to visit
- May is the best time to visit the city. The temperature is mild, while rainfall is low, and the city has so many events on offer. The summer months are also quite enjoyable, though.
Top Attractions in Bergen
- 3 Bryggen
Things to Do in Bergen
- 11 Bergen Tours
Other Sightseeing Options in Bergen
Want to discover all there is to do in Bergen? Click here for a full list.
What people are saying about Bergen
Well worth the money taking this tour - as soon as you arrive in town!
Tommy our Bergen guide was delightful! He emailed beforehand to ask what we wanted to do on our 2 hour tour; he also rang on the day to check we’d arrived safely & would we prefer to start a little earlier which suited us well. He offered the use of his car but we went everywhere on foot - good choice as most places are within walking distance (we stayed at Scandic Ørnen = convenient & good). He gave us a little history of Norway, the city, places of interest; a most enjoyable & useful overview, prior to spending 2 further days exploring. He suggested places to eat & also pointed out best coffee house in town (DLK) & certainly best bakery for a sandwich stop! Day 2 was wet (it’s wettest city in Europe apparently) but enjoyed the day & planned a full following-day when weather was sunny. Be sure to take (1)Funicular (2)3-hour boat trip up the fjord (3)bus to cable car up to Ulriken mountain (4) ask at Clarion Collections reception for elevator pass to view city from their turret tower!
We had an amazing experience in Bergen with ILZE. She picked-up us from the airport and showed all the best location and must see attractions in just a few hours from city walk to a short hike. We experienced Bergen as per our comfort and Ilze shared a lot of stories about the city's history and its culture. She helped us in taking some beautiful pictures too. We highly recommend Ilze and this tour.
When we arrived at the ship dock, we had our bar code and pass ready. But they did not have us on their list. At first they refused to let us on. We spent 10 minutes talking and finally we could board. This bad communication was disturbing and started the trip in a poor way. The sites were beautiful and interesting. Half way through the ship lost one engine, it our return was delayed 50 minutes.
This tour is a great way to see the diverse landscape of Norway in a complete package; Fjords, Mountains, coastal villages. Given that we took the tour in February meant no large crowds with plenty of space to roam around the boat for viewing and pictures. Just had some weather to contend with but was to be expected. Our guide Sonia was great. Very knowledgeable, personable and informative.
Tommy was a great guide and offered to drive us instead of doing the tour on foot due to the poor weather. Even though it came with extra charges, we felt it was worth it as we would not have been able to go to the very many places that he brought us to. He was also a great photographer for us and gave us good tips on places to eat.
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