What to do in Bergen. The fullest up-to-date list of attractions, activities, and more

As a local, I know everything about what to do in Bergen. And it’s a lot!

Even though I wasn’t born and raised in Bergen, after a decade living here, I know more about the city than some of my ‘bergensere’ friends. Most of the things to do in Bergen, Norway, on the list below I tried myself, so I’m talking from personal experience. I also made separate lists of 11 things you should not do in Bergen, 10 things to do in Bergen in winter, and a perfect 1–3 day itinerary.

This list of things to do in Bergen is kept up-to-date, and in case some of the places close down, I will remove them from the list. I will also add new attractions and activities when we get something new in town. So, enjoy Bergen, and have a great time discovering my favourite place on Earth!

Don’t forget to click on the toggle on the top left to see the map’s story. Star the map to see it in your Google Maps.

Bergen attractions

Because of the mountains surrounding the city, the historical centre of Bergen is relatively small, and I recommend exploring it on foot. There’s a lot to see, and you will probably want to take a lot of pictures. Good advice is to check the weather during your stay, and try to use all the sunny days for hiking and staying outdoors, while the indoor attractions and activities should be kept for rainy days.

1. Explore the heart of Bergen, Bryggen

If you ask anyone in Norway to choose one picture that represents Bergen, it will, of course, be Bryggen. And rightfully so. Bryggen is also one of the most visited tourist attractions in Bergen and Norway.

Although its history dates to 1070, don’t expect the wooden houses to be that old. A few major fires and WWII shaped how Bryggen looks today. You can especially see it when you look at the first 6 houses and compare them to the next 11. Now guess which ones completely burned down in 1955?

Nevertheless, this place is magical, and you will understand what I mean when you start exploring it. For over a thousand years, it was used for trade between Norway and the rest of the world, and with all the shops in there, one can still call it a trading hub. Just on a smaller scale.

N.B. Bryggen is bigger than it looks. The houses are actually pretty long, and there’s a lot of space between and behind them. I encourage you to check it out thoroughly. 

The Fish Market in Bergen, Fisketorget, consists of two parts: the outside fish market, which is made of red tents, and the inside fish market, located in the glass building, Mathallen. I used to work as a chef in the inside fish market, so I will be talking from the insider’s experience about this place.

The red tents are there only during the peak tourist seasons. The vast majority of the workers come for the season and leave after it. Chances are high that there will be someone there speaking your native language.

The Fish Market is a pretty expensive place, and my former father-in-law, who was born and raised in Bergen, first visited it and ate there only because I was working there and I invited him. Locals rarely come here. The main reason, it’s pretty expensive even for us, and we generally see it as a tourist attraction. But if you really want to eat in there, choose the inside fish market, and try to go outside of the popular hours, which are lunch and dinner. 

Pro tip: get your seafood from the fishermen. If you go to Sandviksboder Kystkultursenter, there’s a place right outside where you can buy freshly caught fish, crabs, and langoustines. They sell it on Saturdays from 11:00 to 12:00 most of the year, but I will update their “opening days” when summer starts.

Typical seafood platter at the Fish Market: king crab, mussels, crab claws, and shrimp.

3. Take a picture of the narrow cobblestone streets

Pretty much anywhere you go in Bergen, you will find something you want to take a picture of. But some places deserve a little bit more attention. Those places are truly Instagram-ready.

One of them is close to my old place at Skuteviken. You have to go up the street from Skutevikens Buekorps to Bakeri 29. And right from there, you can take a lovely picture with a narrow street, cobblestone, and a fjord. If you keep walking uphill, you will see another tourist attraction, the Little Cat Stone. I have no idea why some people take a picture of it, but if you want, feel free. By the way, right around the corner, you will find a local gastropub, Dr. Wiesener. Recommended.

If you stay in the neighbourhood, you can walk towards Nordre Steinkjellersmauet 2. There’s another nice spot for a picture, and from there you can go down to Henny`s Magic Castle (formerly known as Witchy Bitchy). The place looks as weird on the outside as it is on the inside. One of my exes used to live there, so trust me on that one.

Next, you can go to the peninsula, which consists of a few smaller neighbourhoods, but we call pretty much all of them Nordnes. Even though both Google Maps and Wikipedia show completely different borders for Nordnes. But for the sake of argument, imagine you are a local, and call the whole peninsula Nordnes, too. In any case, you can stroll around there; there’s a lot to look at. But I recommend checking out the narrow streets of Nøstet. And the street that looks like shoelaces, Østre Murallmenningen.

P.S. Remember, Bergen is not a theme park. People live in those nice houses. Please be considerate when taking pictures.

Cobblestone streets in Bergen. This one goes down from Bakeri 29

4. Check out one of the oldest castles in Norway

Bergenhus Fortress (Bergenhus festning) starts its history around the year 1200, and since it’s so well preserved, you really want to check it out. Moreover, it’s located right in the city centre, so it’s hard to miss. This is probably one of my favourite attractions in Bergen, Norway. It has a very nice park and a few important historical buildings.

The whole area belongs to the Norwegian Armed Forces, and it is closed to the common folk after 23:00. During the summer months, it also becomes a host place for concerts and festivals, so take that into consideration. My first time visiting Håkonshallen, the royal residence and banquet hall, was during the musical festival, Bergenfest, which is traditionally held the second week of June.

Bergenhus festning is a historical and cultural place. It used to protect locals from invading forces, and it still belongs to the Armed Forces.

5. See the oldest pier in Bergen

Well, technically, you will be looking at everything else, but the pier, Skuteviksbryggen, itself. It’s not very remarkable. Historically, the pier was built there in the 13th century. In the 19th and 20th centuries, it was used as a garbage dock. In 2015, it was destroyed by a storm. In 2017, it was completely rebuilt by good people. Today, it’s used by sunbathers and swimmers when the weather allows.

But the main thing about this place is the view. If you look towards the pier, it has that magical scenery for which you came to Norway in the first place, and you probably want to take a picture of it. The best position for a picture will be the main cruise platform. From there, you will see nice colourful buildings, Skuteviksbodene, the pier itself, and in the background, on top of a rock, a secondary school. It used to be my old neighbourhood, but now I run past it at least once a week on my long runs. And I still check it out every time I go past. It’s beautiful.

View towards Skuteviksbryggen from Bontelabo pier

6. Take the funicular up Mount Fløyen

While generally I advise doing the hike itself rather than taking the funicular, not everyone can walk all the way up. In either case, you have to see the view from up there. It’s spectacular, fantastic, charming, and magical. I have my own spot on Fløyen, slightly hidden from the tourists, where I enjoy some grilled foods with beers every year.

If you take the funicular, Fløibanen, it costs 145 kr for an adult both ways, or 365 kr for a family of four. You don’t have to buy tickets in advance, but it can get a bit crowded when cruise ships arrive. Even then, you can’t buy tickets for a specific time, so you will need to wait anyway. But you can always do it one way, and walk down by yourself. When I walk both ways up and down from the city, it takes me about an hour, but I’m used to it, so you should account for extra time. Moreover, you will want to look around the place when you first go up there. There are a few cool places in there.

If you feel adventurous and come to Bergen at the end of April, I recommend joining the yearly race, Fløibanen opp, where you can run all the way up on the same track where the funicular goes. They stop the funicular for 2.5 hours in the evening, and suddenly it becomes an 800-meter-long (0.5-mile) mountain race with over 300 meters of elevation gain. I did it once, and it was fun, but I prefer longer races.

Fløibanen station and the Fløibanen funicular itself

7. Meet the trolls and play at the mountain playground

Mount Fløyen has a lot to offer, and one of those things is the Troll forest, Trollskogen. You will see a lot of wooden figurines that resemble trolls in there. Pink piglet is my favourite one, hehe.

Don’t forget to check out the public playground, Lekeplass Fløyen, which is located next to the plain Fløysletten. On the playground, you can use a short zip line, climb the trees, and use a 10-meter tower. Fløysletten has a BBQ area and a picnic hut, and currently there’s a plan to build a permanent amphitheater. Overall, Fløyen is getting developed, and year after year, I see something new being built, done, or planned on it.

You will see a big troll at Fløyen and smaller ones at Trollskogen

8. Say hi to Fløyen goats

Fløyen is my favourite mountain, and, as I mentioned before, it does have a lot to offer. Another attraction of it is the cashmere goats. There are currently 9 of them, and each one has a name like Gucci, Pippi (named after our favourite Swedish children’s book character, Pippi Longstocking), or Alex.

Most of the time, you can find them by the goat shed, which is right below the main restaurant. Don’t be afraid, they are friendly, and you can take a picture with them. Maybe even pet them, just be gentle.

If you don’t find the goats by the shed, you can check out the area near the Tubakuba cabin and a bit further. On Google Maps, you can see where the short water stream starts, and that’s where the goats like to eat grass, too.

The goats can wander around, but they are there somewhere

9. Take the cable car to the tallest mountain, Ulriken

Our tallest mountain, Ulriken, is 643 meters (703 yards) above sea level, but be not afraid, you don’t have to hike it if you don’t want to. For those who want to see the view from the top but don’t want to walk all the way up, we have the cable car, Ulriksbanen.

The tickets are pretty pricey. Round trip for an adult is 435 kr, and a family ticket for 2 adults and up to 3 children will cost you 1050 kr. I took the cable car just once and only because I had a free ticket.

There’s a restaurant and a cafe on top of Mount Ulriken. And a fast 300-meter (328 yards) long zip line. Beware, it’s generally pretty windy up there, so you might want to bring a light windproof jacket.

View from Ulriken

10. Explore the main square, Festplassen

There are three main meeting points in Bergen: Festplassen, The Blue Stone (Den blå stein), and Torget. Festplassen is the largest square in the city and is often used for various events. For example, during Christmas time, the main Christmas market is located there. For the 17th of May (Constitution Day), there’s a Viking ship and a stage. Food and drink festivals are organised there, too.

Lille Lungegårdsvannet, the lake next to the Festplassen, you can see when you’re hiking Fløyen or Ulriken, so it’s a good orienteer for your whereabouts.

One thing I have to mention is that the park/recreational area there is not particularly the best. Especially the area around Fiskeren. It attracts problematic people. They won’t cause any problems, but let’s be honest, you don’t want to have these people around you or your kids.

Byparken is a little bit better, and on a sunny day, you can see a lot of people chilling there on the grass. By the way, the Music Pavilion (Musikkpaviljongen) construction in the middle of the park is pretty old and dates back to 1888. Do take a picture in there with all the nice flowers.

Festplassen during the festival of lights in November

11. Wander around the harbour and have a picnic in the park

I encourage you to take a stroll around the Bergen Harbour, somewhere from the Fish Market towards the Aquarium. It has a pretty nice view of the Bryggen side, and on a sunny day, it looks even better.

On a tiny square around the Buekorps Museum during the summer season, you can buy Norwegian ice cream from a mobile kiosk. The museum is dedicated to the marching drumming youth organisation, which “terrorises” the city before the Constitution Day in May. Different neighbourhoods have their own buekorps. I’d skip this museum if I were you 🙂

If you want to check another church, Nykirken is right on the way. But if you feel hot and thirsty and prefer to grab a drink in a bar made of ice, stop by the Magic Ice Bar.

Keep walking, and you will see a local supermarket, Rema 1000, where you can buy a one-time use grill, engangsgrill, something to put on the grill, and cold beverages of your choice. Don’t forget to get a lighter! Pro tip: Buy some packed ice to keep your drinks cold on a hot day. With all of that, go towards Nordnes Park and enjoy a little picnic. After you are done, you can keep going around the peninsula, so you will end up in a pretty central part of the city.

A: Start at the Fish Market. B: Ice cream truck (summer). C: Nykirken church. D: Magic Ice Bar. E: Supermarket. F: Park where you can chill

12. Visit the university arboretum

On a hill right in the city centre, our main public university, the University of Bergen, is located. Well, at least the Department of Natural History, since the UiB is rather big and has multiple buildings across the city. But only this department has a beautiful arboretum, Muséhagen, which is also free for the general public. If you like plants and flowers, you will like this one. Moreover, you don’t need to go far away to take a nice picture with blooming flowers.

Next to the university is the St. John’s Church, Johanneskirken. Technically, it should have its own place in the list, but since it’s currently under reconstruction until 2029, I don’t think it’s necessarily worth visiting. It’s open only twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays from 16:00 to 19:00, and sometimes for special events and arrangements.

13. Stroll around the Bergen Botanical Garden

Now, if you really like flowers and plants, you might want to take a tour north from the airport to the Arboretet, the Bergen Botanical Garden. It’s a pretty large hiking area, relatively hilly, with a ton of beautiful rhododendron.

The place doesn’t have the best public transport connection, so you will need to walk some time from the bus stop to the main entrance. Another thing, it’s not Disneyland, so don’t forget to bring water and food if you are staying for a long time. It’s a little bit better getting there by car, and that’s how we got my grandma in a wheelchair there. But even then, it was a bit challenging with all the hills.

The whole garden is more of a recreational area, and you can even swim or sunbathe on a dedicated beach, Grønevika badestrand. And benches around the yellow cafe house, Blondehuset, can be used for a lunch break. By the way, you can get some ice cream, waffles, and soft drinks at the cafe. But it’s only open from 11:00 to 15:00 on Sundays from the end of March to October. And on Saturdays in May and June.

14. Check the old gas station

For 70 years, from 1928 to 1998, it was a functioning gas station. Today, it’s a protected mini-museum, MIL Veteranstasjon. The English name of it, Ancient gas station, is not the best translation, but oh well, that’s how it’s marked on Google Maps 🙂

If you think it looks a little Greek, you won’t be wrong. That’s where the architect took his inspiration from. It’s a pretty cool relic of the last century, and it has a pretty central location, so you won’t need a detour to take a picture of it.

15. Enter the city like it’s 1645

Being over a millennium old, Bergen has changed, developed, and grown into the beautiful city we have today. Back in the 1600s, there was only one road leading into the town from the south. So, a decision to build a city gate, Stadsporten, was made in 1628, and by 1645, it was ready.

This place used to collect the city tax, and also served as the city’s defence unit. By the way, the current look was given to the building after a renovation in 1792. And it was used as a city archive all the way until 1971. Today, it’s another cool piece of history. The architectural style is considered to be the “Bergen style”. And no wonder our local newspaper, Bergens Tidende, has Stadsporten in its logo.

16. See Bergen’s oldest preserved building

While Bergen is pretty old, it’s difficult to find any buildings as old as the city. The closest one we got is actually the St Mary’s Church, Mariakirken, the construction of which was finished around 1180. And it’s actually the only church that survived until today among the twelve that were built around that time.

The church is open to the general public on all weekdays except Wednesday, from 12:00 to 14:00 (to 16:00 on Mondays).

Mariakirken

17. Discover a hidden gem

This place is not really close to any tourist attractions, but it has that pretty vibe, and you might want to snap a picture of it. Located right next to our main football stadium, Brann Stadion, Christie Mølle is an old mill.

Christie Mølle

18. Enjoy a piece of stolen history

Fantoft Stave Church, Fantoft stavkirke, is an old black church that was built without using a single nail. Originally, it was constructed in 1150 in the village of Fortun, far from Bergen. In 1885, it was supposed to be demolished, but a businessman and politician from Bergen bought it and brought it piece by piece to where it is now.

So, why exactly do I say it’s a piece of stolen history? Well, in 1992, it was set on fire by a local idiot. Since it’s made of wood, you can imagine what was left of it. What you see today is actually a reconstruction, and it wasn’t an easy one. There’s not much knowledge left of how stave churches were built, and I’m not even talking about the materials. So, it took some time to rebuild it. The only two things that belong to the original Fantoft stavkirke are the wish stone and the cross by the altar.

There’s not much to see inside, so you might want to save on the entrance fee. But take as many pictures of the outside as you wish.

Visiting Fantoft stavkirke with the family. I’d recommend checking more places around it since you won’t spend much time here

19. See the city from a tower

There are places in every city that are known to someone, and that someone shares their knowledge of those places with you. That’s exactly how I know that right next to Bryggen, you can walk up a tower and have a 360-degree view of the city centre.

So, if you are staying at the Home Hotel Havnekontoret, you can simply take an elevator to the top floor, and from there walk up the tower, and enjoy the view. But if you are not a guest of the said hotel, you can go to the reception, pay a small fee, and experience the tower. If I remember correctly, we paid around 50 kr to go up there. So, the price of a bus ticket 🙂

View from the Home Hotel Havnekontoret’s tower

What to do in Bergen: activities

What is there to do in Bergen except hiking and enjoying the fjords? A lot! As a local, I tend to explore activities in Bergen whenever something new comes around. I recommend choosing a few main things you want to do in Bergen, and then checking on the map what’s nearby you can do.

20. Bike through the longest cycling tunnel

Or run through it. I actually ran a full marathon in this tunnel once. And trust me, after some time, you really want to get out of it.

Fyllingsdalen Tunnel, Fyllingsdalstunellen, is 3000 meters (3280 yards) long and is currently the longest cycling tunnel in the world. In the middle, it has an area with benches, for those who want to take a rest, and take some pictures, because honestly, it looks pretty cool in there. This tunnel is used by cyclists,  runners, and people who want to hide from the rain, so please be considerate and don’t walk on the bike lanes. 

I’d recommend starting your journey from the Kristianborg light rail stop and walking towards the Oasen shopping centre on the other side of the tunnel. If you decide to walk it, and halfway through you feel like that’s enough, you can either turn and go back or keep walking. Either side of the tunnel has a good public transport connection to the city centre.

Pro tip: get a light jacket or a hoodie. It’s a little bit chilly inside, and you might want to dress up even on a hot sunny day. I bike through the tunnel a couple of times a day during my long cycling training sessions. It does have a bit of an elevation gain, so be ready to put extra watts into pedalling.

Middle part of the tunnel. The best way to get here is to run or cycle. Walking takes some time.

21. Get adrenaline in your blood with the Ulriken Zipline

If you want to experience the fastest zip line in Norway, then you should definitely get up Mount Ulriken and slide down for 300 meters (328 yards).

Beware that this experience is rather expensive. Just the Ulriken Zipline itself costs 590 kr for an adult or 390 kr for a child. If you don’t want to hike all the way up the mountain, account for the cost of the cable cart. And you, of course, need to get to the bottom of the mountain first. 

Pro tip: If you want to go rafting or skydiving, the city of Voss is the place, and it’s located just over an hour by train from Bergen. They even have an extreme sports week, Ekstremsportveko, at the end of June. I skydived in Voss, and while it wasn’t a cheap experience, I really enjoyed it.

22. Try to catch some fish

If you like fishing, there are a few spots in the city where you can stand with a fishing rod and fish from the shore, like, for example, around Skuteviksbryggen and the Bontlebo cruise pier. The most typical fish to catch is pollock, but you can also catch cod and even halibut, although that doesn’t happen often.

A little bit more fun to fish from a boat, but you won’t see a lot of offers for that. If you use Facebook, I’d recommend contacting a Polish guy who has a page called “Go fishing with The Boat“; a few of my friends have been fishing with him, and were happy with the experience. I usually fish with my family, so I don’t need to think about renting a boat.

Two separate fishing days. Well, sometimes it is what it is 🙂

23. Buy fresh fish from fishermen

Norway is known for its fish, and I recommend trying it fresh. And what can be fresher than the fish from the local fishermen? There’s a place in the city centre, where they come by boat every Saturday from around 11:00 to 12:00. It’s right outside of the Bergen Kystkultursenter, and just next to the Norway Fisheries Museum.

You can buy straight from the pier fresh fish, crabs, and langoustines. If you are not in Bergen on Saturday, I recommend checking with the guy from the previous recommendation. He might have something available around the dates you are here, even if you are not going fishing yourself.

A spot to buy fish from fishermen in Bergen

24. Rent a city bike or an electric scooter

What can be better than discovering a new city while riding a bicycle?! There are a few ways to do so. The cheapest option if you stay for a week is a 30-day subscription for the Bergen City Bike for just 169 kr. Or you can get a 3-day subscription for 119 kr. Just two things to remember:

• Don’t forget to unsubscribe from it.
• Don’t ride more than 60 minutes at a time (180 with the 3-day subscription).

So, with the first one, I hope it’s obvious. With the second one, there are plenty of parking racks where you can park your bikes after a 60-minute ride, and then take the same bike again. You will need an app that you can get from the official site, bergenbysykkel.no.

If you feel like cycling in the mountains, Fløyen offers mountain bike rental for 350 kr for cycling from 11:00 to 16:00.

There are other options for bike rentals, but they are just too expensive.

You can also explore Bergen on an electric scooter. The three main companies are: Ryde Technology, Lime, and RideMovi (all require an app). Ryde is one of the first actors on the market, and the other two are new. We had other companies before, and I personally used Voi, but the local government didn’t like everything about them.

I recommend buying passes instead of paying per minute, because it can get pretty expensive. There are places where you can’t park in the city, and in some places an automatic speed limit is applied. A 60-minute ride will cost you around 65 kr. Don’t forget to finish your ride in the app so you won’t be charged more than needed.

I enjoy cycling in Bergen on my TT bike 🙂

25. Sail like a Viking

This experience is relatively new and relatively expensive. You will go on a short 1.5-hour adventure in the city fjord in a ship that’s styled like an old Viking ship. It does have an engine, so you won’t need to row, but you can do it if you want. And since it’s Norway, all the safety measures are taken into account, too.

The price per adult is currently 800 kr. Children go for 550 kr. There are options to do a private tour for 7000+ kr for up to 12 passengers. This might be a bit more fun alternative to a traditional fjord cruise. Check out their site for more details.

It was funny to catch a Viking sailing boat together with the Viking cruise ship

26. Go on a fjord cruise from Bergen

This is probably the most popular thing among tourists to do in Norway. For some reason, which I cannot comprehend, it stays popular. The only reason I see why it’s popular is that tourists are not used to the Norwegian nature, and they get mesmerised by what they see.

In any case, if you decide to go on a fjord cruise, try to go further from Bergen. Hardanger, Flåm, or even Rosendal, these are the places you are thinking about when you hear a fjord cruise. As much as I love Bergen, it just doesn’t have tall enough mountains to enjoy the scenery. Take that into consideration. The Norway in a Nutshell tour should be your starting point. You can also check other tours by Fjord Tours.

I’m not a big fan of fjord cruises. It’s pretty boring. But tourists love it, so don’t mind the local 🙂

27. Take a Segway tour

Another popular thing to do among tourists is to take a Segway tour. There are two variations:

• a standard tour that lasts two hours and shows the main attractions in the city. It costs 895 kr per person. You can choose three starting times: 10:00, 12:30, or 15:00.
• Bergen by night tour that starts at 20:00, lasts two hours, and brings you up Mount Fløyen. It’s a bit more expensive and costs 1195 kr.

28. Swim at the open swimming pool

We have a 25-meter-long swimming pool, Nordnes sjøbad, right in the city, and it’s open year-round. Which means you can enjoy winter swimming, too 🙂

Winter-season tickets cost 95 kr per person, either adult or child. Summer tickets cost 300 kr for a family of four, or 130 kr for an adult, or 45-65 kr for a kid.

N.B. This swimming pool is a bit of a “chilling pool”. Similar to what you find at all-inclusive resorts. So, don’t expect to have a proper training session if you are aiming for one. If you want to train, you can go to AdO Arena instead. There you will find a 50-meter-long pool, and occasionally you can see Kristian Blummenfelt, Gustav Iden, and Casper Stornes training for another Ironman. Talking from experience.

At AdO Arena with my swim coach, Olympian medalist Fredrik Solberg

29. Get a free kayak and help the environment

I really love this Danish initiative, which has become pretty popular in the Nordics and Germany. GreenKayak offers everyone willing to clean the sea a free kayak. All you need to do is download their app, book a time slot, and enjoy kayaking while picking up trash in the sea.

By the way, back to Mount Fløyen 🙂 At the lake Skomakerdiket, from the end of June to the middle of August, you can borrow canoes for free. You don’t need to book anything, just show up from 11:00 to 16:00 and get your free experience.

30. Enjoy the heat at a sauna

Even though saunas in Norway are not as popular as they are in Finland, we still have a few to choose from.

Heit is one of the oldest and probably one of the most popular ones. They have both wood-fired saunas and electric saunas. But the latter one is not as much fun. Heit has four locations, and Marineholmen is the one you might consider taking since it’s pretty central. I’ve done this one a few times, and it’s alright. Prices vary, but expect to pay 600+ kr for a private sauna for two, or 149+ kr for a shared sauna.

Laugaren is another option, also central, but the sauna is rather big, so if you want to book a private experience, expect to pay over 3299 kr for 90 minutes. Public alternative is cheaper, and can accommodate people of different preferences. 

City Sauna Bergen is pretty cool because you can have a sauna cruise. The sauna is on a platform, which is movable, and it will be moving through the city fjord while you are enjoying the heat. It costs 3000 kr for two people for two hours. Communal and stationary options are cheaper, but hey, a cruise is more fun!

Fagernes Flytebad is the one we do with my friends in December. It’s a bit out of the city, but it has a cool opening in the floor, so you can dip in the fjord straight from the sauna itself. They mostly offer private bookings that cost from 1700 kr for 55 minutes, and you can bring up to 12 people total.

Heit Sauna at Sandviken

31. Spend time playing golf

Surprisingly, golf is pretty popular in Bergen. There are multiple indoor golf facilities in the city centre, and a couple of proper golf courses around the city.

The indoors one: Sentrum Golf, Bergen Golfsenter, and ParkN. The latter one is an amusement centre, so you can eat, drink, and play different games there. It also has both a gold simulator and a mini golf.

Golf courses: Bergen Golfklubb, Sotra Golfklubb, and Fana Golfklubb. The latter one I see pretty often because I bike past it on my long cycling days. It’s close to the airport, and it’s the most popular course in Bergen. The Sotra one is a bit further and is technically not in Bergen, but on a separate island near us.

32. Relax at the Bergen Flyt & SPA

For those in need of time to relax and recharge, I recommend stopping by Bergen Flyt & SPA. They offer SPA services, massages, an infrared sauna, and a floating experience. I tried the latter one because my friend insisted. Basically, you are in a room with an extra-large bathtub. The bathtub is filled with very salty water, which allows you to float easily. Soft music playing and changing lights set you in the mood to relax. It takes some time for your brain to detach from reality and problems, but somehow it works wonders in the end.

33. Hit the track at the Bergen Gokart

While technically this place is outside of Bergen on an island that belongs to a different municipality, we kind of count it as close enough to be an experience in Bergen. Well, it takes 25 minutes by bus from the bus station, so rather close.

Bergen Gokart is the only go-karting venue that we have, and it’s located in a Thon Senter Sartor shopping mall. By the way, the place also has restaurants, shops, a cinema, and a bowling alley.

The go-karting centre is located in the underground parking lot area, and has everything one needs to enjoy a nice day out. I’ve done it myself a few times with family and friends, and can totally recommend it.

Karting in Bergen

34. Register for one of the many running races

Bergen loves running. We have pretty good athletes, and even though it rains here most of the time, runners still go out and enjoy running.

There are many different races and park runs throughout the year, including winter runs and night runs. But the most popular are:

• Tunnelløpet, a 3 or 5 km run in the Fyllingsdalen Tunnel, mid of April;
• Fløibanen Opp, a short but steep run up the funicular track, end of April;
• Bergen City Marathon, which is organised on the last Saturday of April;
• Askøy på langs, trail run up to a full marathon distance, early May;
• Ulriken Opp, another short trail run up Mount Ulriken, end of May;
• Bergen Fjellmaraton, a trail half-marathon, beginning of June;
• Bergen 3000, 3 km easy run around a bay at the beginning of June;
• Bergen City Milen, 10 km mid of September;
• Stoltzekleiven Opp, a popular short race up a mountain, which is held at the end of September.

On the left: Bergen City Marathon. On the right: Fløibanen Opp

35. Enjoy a movie at the cinema

Did you know that only movies for kids get dubbed in Norway? And that the rest are shown in the original language with Norwegian subtitles? 

Right in the city centre, we have a movie theatre, Bergen Kino. Just take note that it has two separate buildings: Konsertpalèet, market KP, and Magnus Barfotsgate, market MB. If the first thing that you see when you enter the building is popcorn and candy on the left, the long cashier on the right, and behind them, an escalator, that is MB. If you need to take stairs to get to the candy shop, you are in KP.

Sometimes Bergen Kino shows old movies, too. Corpse Bride and Coraline

36. Take a Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing bus

I don’t think that those busses really worth the money, especially with a steep 450 kr ticket. Everything you need to see can be seen while walking or by taking a cheap city bike. Bergen city centre is pretty compact.

But hey, you have this option in case you want to. More details at www.hopon.no

37. Enjoy a day of adventures in one place

If you take bus number 3 from the city, in just 15 minutes you will end up at the Thon Senter Vestkanten, or as we call it by its original short name, Vestkanten. It’s a shopping mall that has a water park, mini-golf, skating rink, basic spa, and bowling. Plus a couple of arcades, and a “5D cinema”, for when you try everything else.

It’s not the biggest shopping mall, but it has everything you will need to stay entertained. The Vannkanten Water Park has two main slides: a 120-meter-long BOB slide, which is the longest in Norway, and a centrifuge slide, Superbowl.

After your adventures, I recommend stopping by for a pizza at Norway’s favourite pizza place, Peppes Pizza. It is the first-ever pizza chain in Norway, and they serve American-style pizzas.

Activities with family, friends, or kids

As a ‘professional uncle’, I have an opportunity to check all the family and kids-friendly activities. Frankly, most of them I enjoy myself, too. The activities below are better to do in a company, whether it’s your family or friends, but even solo travellers can do some of them.

38. Say hi to the penguins in Bergen Aquarium

Right in the city centre, at the Nordnes peninsula, is the National Aquarium, Akvariet i Bergen. There you can see cute sea lions, everyone’s favourite penguins, scary snakes, and hungry crocodiles. There’s a whole entertainment program going on throughout the day, in case you want to come prepared.

Family ticket to the Aquarium costs 1040 kr, while a single adult ticket is 380 kr. Be ready to spend here 2-3 hours if you want to see shows, feeding, and some of the documentaries.

Official video

39. Get a little smarter at the Bergen Science Center

I don’t have kids of my own, but I’m a professional uncle. And I’ve been with my nieces pretty much to every place that would be interesting for them and me. VilVite is a science centre that teaches physics, biology, and chemistry with fun interactive games. They also have different shows organised throughout their opening hours. This place is fun for teenagers and young adults.

Family ticket for four costs 795 kr, and a single adult ticket is 250 kr. It’s worth mentioning that the place closes relatively early; on weekdays at 15:00 and on weekends at 17:00. 

40. Play Fort Boyard-like escape games

This place and the next two are in the same building, so I highly encourage doing at least two out of three. It’s called Fangene på fortet, and that’s exactly how the Norwegian version of the popular French TV show, Fort Boyard, was called in Norway. And since the show had a great success pretty much everywhere in the world, and there are multiple local versions of it, I hope you know what to expect from the place.

In short, there are many rooms with different tasks. You need to do the tasks in order to collect the points and move on to the next room. You don’t necessarily need to do them in order, and you won’t get gold coins in the end. But you will definitely have fun!

There are 35 rooms at Fangene på fortet, so I recommend going for at least 1.5 hours, maybe even 2. Prices vary, but two hours will cost 320-350 kr for kids or adults.

One of many cool rooms at Fangene på Fortet

41. Solve the riddles at The Cube

This place is just one big room with a bunch of games that are shaped like cubes. You need to solve riddles and find out how to open them to complete one cube. Some of those riddles are pretty tough. When we were there, we couldn’t open all of them in 1.5 hours. It’s a less active kind of game, but still fun, and you can either try to solve your own cube or act like a team. We tried both.

I’d recommend doing The Cube together with the previous (Fangene på fortet) or the next (Megazone) recommendations, and not as a stand-alone activity. Since you are already at the place anyway. 1.5 hours costs 250-290 kr for kids or adults. It might be a bit too difficult for very young kids, but teens and adults will do alright. Total 70 riddles, so don’t worry if you don’t solve them all.

42. Be fast or be tagged at laser tag

This is the last activity in the building and will require at least two players, but the more, the merrier. You will be divided into two teams, red and blue. Then you get your laser tag and enjoy shooting each other.

Drop-in games at Megazone last 15 minutes, and you can have one, two, or three games. But if you book from the site, each game lasts 20 minutes, so it’s better to book it in advance. Two 20-minute games cost 260 kr for any age. You can also join other people to play together, which I highly recommend if you are just two.

43. Get creative and escape Bryggen

If you like escape rooms, then Escape Bryggen is the right activity for you. If you haven’t played yet, you will be “locked” in a room, where you need to solve puzzles and riddles, and you have to hurry up, because you only have one hour.

Escape Bryggen is one of the few companies offering escape rooms in Bergen, and they have a few rooms to choose from across different locations. But go for the one in Bryggen. It’s more fun to explore the old building, and it has a special atmosphere.

This game is not cheap, though. At 399 kr for an adult, or 319 kr for kids, it’s an expensive entertainment for just one hour. But it’s fun nevertheless.

44. Become a monkey for a day

Høyt & Lavt is a climbing park with over 20 zip lines, 10 climbing courses, and 120 obstacles. It’s a bit out of the city, and they are not open throughout the year unless you are a group of 10+. But if you see the day is good, sunny, warm, and without rain, I highly recommend this activity.

Regular ticket for someone over 10 years old costs 420 kr, and just 270 kr for kids 2-9. It’s a bit cheaper for a family of four, but you get the price range.

I’ve been to Høyt & Lavt twice, and both times I had a lot of fun. But good weather is really important; otherwise, don’t forget to bring something warm to wear.

45. Go see alpacas

Alpakkaparken is another seasonal place, which is open from early April until the beginning of September. Technically, it’s pretty far away from Bergen, and it’s located on the Holsnøy island. So, be ready to spend at least 1.5 hours on a bus if you decide to go there. Another thing, the bus connection is not the best, so I advise either planning your trip in advance or going by car. But if challenges don’t scare you, and you want to see alpacas, let’s go!

The park is relatively new and pretty much family-oriented, with a focus on smaller kids. Day pass costs 399 kr, or 1197 kr for a family of four.

46. Jump at a trampoline park

There are three trampoline parks, and all of them are pretty far apart from each other, or the city centre. So, you probably want to check which one is the closest to you, or to any other places you want to visit.

Rush Trampolinepark is close to the airport, and is the one I visited with my family. Tickets start from 259 kr for 1.5 hours, or 799 kr for the same duration for a family of four.

Skyland Bergen is the newest one, and probably the most “you have to be local” to go to that neighbourhood. But they also have a laser tag, and they are not that far from Vestkanten, which has more fun activities. 1.5 hours here costs from 249 kr, or 990 kr for a family of four, and that includes pizza for everyone and slush for kids at the end.

FlipZone Trampoline Park is in an area with large shopping malls around. 1.5 hours costs from 219 kr, or from 849 kr for a family of four. That includes a large pizza.

Rush is a fun place to spend time with the family

Best hikes in Bergen

In my humble opinion, the best thing you can do in Bergen is to hike. Enjoy nature, mountains, views from the tops, being active, and all the snacks that you are obligated to take on a hike. 

47. See it all: 7-mountains hike

Every year on the last Sunday in May, we have an organised event, 7-fjellsturen, which will take you through all seven mountains surrounding Bergen: Lyderhorn, Damsgårdsfjellet, Løvstakken, Ulriken, Fløyen, Rundemanen, and Sandviksfjellet. It’s a fun, but pretty demanding event. With a 36.6 km (22.7 miles) hike with an elevation gain of around 2500 meters (2734 yards), you have to be physically prepared to do it.

You don’t necessarily have to do it during the event, and you don’t have to do it all at once. You can split the first three mountains and the next four in two days. You will still have a lot of fun, especially if the weather is good.

Pro tip: bring enough water and something to eat. There will be some shops between the mountains, but remember they will be closed on Sundays.

The first and the last mountain of the hike. It was fun 🙂

48. Must see: Fløyen

I talked a lot about Fløyen, and it’s indeed the hike you want to do, even if you are coming to Bergen just for one day. It’s my all-time favourite mountain, which I hike a gazillion times.

From the city centre, you need to go towards Fløyen Start, and from there you go up Fløyen. There are two ways to hike, and I really recommend going one way up and another way down, even though I prefer going both ways on the “left” one, the one that looks narrower. In any case, you won’t get lost. And don’t forget to have a cinnamon bun on top, and grab a deer hot dog from Trekroneren when you get back to the city.

On the way up Fløyen, you can meet a hedgehog

49. Recommended: Rundemanen

When you are up on Fløyen, and you feel like you can hike a bit more, you can keep going towards Rundemanen. It’s higher, it has a nice view, and before the last ascent, there’s a cafe, Brushytten. “Brus” means soda/lemonade, and “en hytte” means a cabin. So altogether it’s “The soda cabin”.

Around Rundemanen, there are a couple of lakes, and some cool and easy-to-hike or run trails. I highly recommend not stopping there and exploring the mountains further, going to the next hike, Stoltzekleiven.

From Rundemanen you can see Bergen and Askøy

50. Crazy stairs: Stoltzekleiven

This is another local favourite, and we even have a running race, Stoltzekleiven Opp, to the top of the mountain every year at the end of September.

There are a few ways to get here, but the most common one is from the Stoltzen Start up the stone stairs. An alternative would be to go from Munkebotn up. It’s a longer hike, but pretty good, too. If you are going from Rundemanen or Fløyen, that’s even easier.

Pro tip: Going down the stone stairs is not much fun, so try to hike through a different path on your way back.

Stoltzen is part of the Sandviksfjellet, so you can count it as one of 7 mountains in Bergen. If you decide to hike around, I recommend checking the Anchor Hut, Ankerhytten, which was built in 1898.

51. Demanding: Vidden

This is the hike between Ulriken and Fløyen. It’s very rocky and pretty long, so be prepared for a proper hike. Normally, everyone recommends doing it from Ulriken to Fløyen, but I’ll be honest with you, I’m always doing it the other way around. I’d say there’s not much of a difference, but Fløyen is a better ending to a demanding hike.

I don’t recommend hiking Vidden during winter since it’s very rocky and slippery. Also, it gets dark pretty fast and you can get lost

52. Second popular: Ulriken

Mount Ulriken is the tallest mountain in Bergen, and the second most popular. Just like Stoltzekleiven, it has stone stairs, but they are a bit easier to step on. To hike it, first get to the Ulriken Start point, and from there on, you can start hiking up.

Fun fact: the stone stairs were brought up by Sherpas. Yes, those guys who bring tourists up Everest. Yes, the local government invited them to bring around 1400 stone steps up, so you and I can hike this beautiful mountain.

You can meet sheep at Ulriken. I’ve also seen a deer, a bunny, and a hawk, but they are a bit more difficult to catch

53. Why not: Løvstakken

This hike is relatively close to the city, and the best place to start it is from the point Start Løvstakken nær Danmarksplass if you are okay with hiking only one side and going back the same way. You can, of course, start it from the other side at Løvstien, and that will be the 7 Mountain Hike path. Or you can go to Løvstakken Start, which is very close to a bus stop. Either way, you need to go up from any point 🙂 This hike is a bit more trail-like and not as beginner-friendly as Fløyen.

Løvstakken is alright and not far from the city

54. You must be local: Damsgårdsfjellet

I rarely do this hike. It’s pretty alright, but it’s not an outstanding hike. More like “you’ve got to catch them all” hike. I’d recommend doing it from the side where the bus stop Nygårdslien is. But from Melkeplassen it’s also fine.

Normally, it’s not that crowded 🙂 But during the 7-mountain hike, Damsgårdsfjellet gets some traffic

55. You are local: Lyderhorn

Lyderhorn is pretty far from the city, and fewer tourists end up here. But it’s the first mountain of the 7 Mountain Hike, and it also has a mountain fort, Kvarven Fort. The fort has been around since 1895, but saw the most action during World War II. As of today, it’s not really ready for another war.

Not gonna lie, I always end up getting a little bit lost on my way down from the Lyderhorn when going towards the Banuren street. Eventually, I find the right way down, but there’s always a path where I ask myself, why am I like that, and why I always end up god knows where.

View from Lyderhorn

56. Easy and fun: Fjellveien

This is one of the easiest alternatives to see the whole city, and it’s pretty popular among the locals. When you want to be a little active, but don’t necessarily want to go all the way up Fløyen, you can walk on a pretty long street, Fjellveien. From here, you can see the whole city centre. It’s also part of the official Bergen City Marathon route, so you will see a lot of runners around the day. You can see the full route here.

Fjellveien is a very easy hike, and you will be able to see the whole city

57. Easy near city hike: Løvstien

Another easy hike, which you can make as short or as long as you want. Easy but still fun would be to go from Langegården towards Pyramiden, and then Løvstien bro (a bridge). Or you can go straight to Kristian Bings vei, and end up at the Løvstien bro, and from there walk towards Start Løvstakken nær Danmarksplass.

If you are up for a longer hike, go all the way from Løvstien around the mountain.

58. Easy local: Isdalen

Isdalen is another local hike around the Svartediket lake. You can start it from Tarlebøveien 20 and go around the lake. It’s pretty chill and easy, but you can go up Rundemanen, Vidden, or Ulriken from there. It gives you an impression of not being in the city, while still being very close to it.

Culture

If you want to experience local culture, I think you should definitely check out the cathedrals, the theatre, and where our famous composers used to live. Take it as a culturally enriching experience.

59. Go for an opera at the Grieghallen

Or a classical music concert. Grieghallen is the biggest concert hall in Bergen, and that’s where I go to see opera, classical concerts, ballet, or a bit more modern events like a concert by the Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. 

One thing to remember is that Grieghallen is closed in July and August for summer vacation. Except for one weekend at the end of July – beginning of August, when the black metal festival Beyond the Gates takes place.

Grieghallen is one of my favourite concert places in Bergen

60. Enjoy a play at The National Stage

If you like theatre, you should check out Den Nationale Scene, which is also one of the oldest theatres in all of Norway. Unfortunately, it’s under renovation, but it will open its doors again in 2027. Meanwhile, their events are moved to other places around the city centre.

61. Check out smaller bands at USF Verftet

Another cool place in town, USF Verftet, which used to be a shipyard. It dates its history all the way back to 1784. Inside, there are multiple rooms and stages, and you can see everything from a concert of a small local band to a theatre play, movie, or an art exhibition. My first time there, I saw Sabaton with Avatar as a warm-up band.

I highly recommend checking out what concerts they have around the time you are visiting Bergen. Especially if you want to see a local band playing. Just remember that the venue is pretty small and all the popular events are getting sold out pretty fast.

I saw Sabaton with the warm-up band Avatar at the USF Verftet in 2015. Both of them delivered!

62. Watch a concert like the Mountain King

I had to add this place to the list because that’s something very local and extremely cool. Hulen in Bergen is a concert venue that was built in a failed bomb shelter. Well, when the Norwegian Armed Forces concluded that the place wasn’t a good bomb shelter, they tried a few things before the students took over. It was back in 1969, and since then, Hulen has become the oldest rock club in Northern Europe.

Today it’s run by volunteers. New concerts are organised periodically, and the cave opens its doors only for events, so be sure to check out if they have anything lined up during your visit.

63. Discover the tallest tower in Bergen, St. John’s Church

Johanneskirken, or St John’s church, is one of those places that are hard to miss: it’s tall and right in the city centre. It also looks pretty cool, but unfortunately, it will be under major reconstruction until 2029.

You can still go inside on Tuesdays and Fridays from 16:00 to 19:00, if you want to.

64. See a cannonball stuck in Bergen Cathedral

This is probably one of my favourite historical facts. If you go to the Bergen domkirke, take a look to the left from the tall window above the entrance. In 1665, the Dutch and the English were fighting in the port of Bergen, and one of the cannonballs flew all the way to the cathedral and got embedded there. The fight is called the Battle of Vågen, and the cannonball is a pretty cool historical artefact.

The round dark object to the left of the main window, is the stuck cannonball 

65. Visit the house of Edvard Grieg

There are quite a few famous people who came from Bergen, but Edvard Grieg is probably the most well-known in the world. But if, for some reason, you haven’t heard music to  Henrik Ibsen’s play Peer Gynt, well, this is your sign to check it out. But I guarantee you’ve heard a piece, In the Hall of the Mountain King, somewhere, it’s that popular.

Troldhaugen is Grieg’s house, and it’s more of a museum of how famous people used to live back in the day. The area around the house is pretty, too, so I’d recommend stopping by if you check out other attractions in the area.

The house itself has been under renovation recently, but it should be open again for this summer season.

66. Explore the modern art exhibition for free

If you think everything in Norway is expensive, you are right. But hey, we have free stuff, too. For example, Kunsthall 3,14 offers free contemporary art exhibitions, and it’s right in the city centre.

The place is open on Wednesdays to Sundays from 12:00 to 17:00 during the summer season.

67. Enjoy street art

Bergen is crazy about street art, and we have a few artists that we really love. Most of my friends and I have some pieces from local artists.

Fun fact of the day: In the early 2000s, an unknown artist, Banksy, was in Bergen. He was invited to decorate a nightclub. The guy who invited him got a few pieces from the artist himself. Long story short, at some point, he sold some of his art and opened a shop, Lot333, which is called, as you might have guessed, after the auction lot.

Among the local artists, the most popular ones are Dolk, AFK, and Joy. I got a few pieces from Skurk, and I got them from the artist(s) themselves 🙂

What to visit in Bergen: museums and castles

Museums can be fun, and Bergen proves that. Visit one of the many interesting museums in Bergen, and don’t forget to sprinkle it with castles. That includes the current residence of the king of Norway in Bergen.

68. Have fun at the Troll museum

This place is relatively new to the city and will be fun for adults and kids. It combines modern technology with the North mythology and folklore, and through storytelling opens the world of Norwegian trolls.

Tickets to the Troll museum cost 250 kr for adults and 120 kr for kids aged 5-12. Be ready to spend about an hour there.

When I went with my nieces to the Trollmuseet, we spent just over 2 hours exploring and playing games. But some people left within 30 minutes

69. Discover the technical museum and ride an old tram

Bergens Tekniske Museum features an exhibition of vintage machinery, including a working steam engine, a printing press, old cars, and a working tram. Probably, the best thing about this museum is that a ride on a retro tram is included with the entrance ticket. And the ticket is just 150 kr for adults and free for everyone under 18.

70. Party like a king at Håkonshallen

Well, maybe don’t party without an invite from the royalty, but at least check out how it was done in the 13th century. Back then, Håkon’s Hall, Håkonshallen, was the main residence and banquet hall of the king.

It’s a pretty cool place for a concert, too. During the Bergenfest music festival, some of the smaller artists perform here.

Outside and inside Håkonshallen. I was there at the concert during Bergen Fest

71. Check the royal family’s residence

Gamlehaugen hasn’t always been the royal family’s residence. Initially, it was a castle of a man who became the first prime minister of Norway. And the place isn’t even as old as the rest of the castles in Bergen. Its construction started in 1899, and it took just one year to finish.

Nevertheless, today this place is the official residence of the royal family in Bergen. While it’s not in use, you can come over and see for yourself how the king lives. The area around the castle is also made into a park, so if you see that the day is good, you can have a royal picnic right outside the castle.

72. See all the museums that you need: KODE

Kode is one of the largest art museums in the Nordics. It features seven different arenas, four of which are located at Festplassen, and the remaining three are houses of composers Edvard Grieg, Harald Sæverud, and Ole Bull.

All the main art exhibitions are held in Kode, so if you are into art, I recommend checking their calendar.

73. Enjoy an open-air museum of the Old Bergen

Gamle Bergen Museum is an open-air museum that was assembled between 1945 and 1981. Why assembled? Because all the buildings you see there were brought from the city centre here to preserve them. Before the museum, this area was owned by a wealthy shipbuilder, who built a vacation house for his wife there.

If you come outside of the opening hours, you can still walk around and take pictures, but if you want to go inside the buildings, you will have to buy a ticket.

I used to live in the neighbourhood, so I know the area pretty well. If you come here, I recommend combining your visit with a hike, starting from Munkebotn, moving to Sandviksbatteriet, then Stoltzekleiven, and finishing with Fløyen. But I wouldn’t do a detour just for the museum.

The whole museum is just a bunch of preserved old buildings. But it has a nice park area

74. Experience the Hanseatic merchants’ hustle

Since Bryggen used to be the place where the Hanseatic merchants sold their goods, it’s no wonder there’s a museum dedicated to them. The Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene are unique places, and you probably want to get a guided tour to learn a bit more about them and Bergen in general. By the way, Schøtstuene is the last Hanseatic assembly room in the world. So, as we say in Bergen, Hanseatic merchants assemble! (Please don’t say it to anyone when you are in Bergen 🙂

What to see in Bergen: concerts and festivals

There’s always something going on in Bergen, and I recommend checking out one of the many events during your stay. Be it a concert, a festival, or anything else.

75. Have fun at Bergenfest

Bergenfest is the biggest annual music festival in Bergen, and this year it will be held from the 10th to the 13th of June. It features both international and Norwegian artists, and it’s one big event for locals before everyone starts taking their summer vacations.

The festival is organised at the Bergenhus Fortress, so you won’t be able to access the area and the museums within it if you come before or during the event. But hey, if you attend the festival, you can see a concert at Håkon’s Hall and pretend to be a king.

Whether you go to Bergenfest with your friends or family, you will have a blast

76. Be blessed at Beyond The Gates

Beyond The Gates is the main metal festival, with an accent on black metal. This year it will be held from the 29th of July to the 1st of August. The main concerts are at the Grieghallen and USF Verftet, and both are pretty cool concert halls.

Why “blessed” at the festival? Well, a couple of years ago, I was a volunteer at Beyond The Gates, and was working as a security guard by the stage and as a wristband controller. While checking the wristbands, I was occasionally telling the guests, instead of the regular “enjoy the show”, “God bless you” 🙂 Boy oh boy, every single person dressed in black with painted faces and brutal looks was laughing at my joke. Black metal fans are the best crowd! I really enjoyed my experience being around those people, even though I myself listen to black metal on a very rare occasion.

I got lucky to snatch a few nice pictures at Dimmu Borgir’s performance during Beyond The Gates festival

77. Enjoy the Feelings

Relatively new festival, Feelings is a two-day EDM event held annually in August, this year on the 21st and 22nd. 

Contrary to the previous event, this doesn’t have such a nice crowd attending the festival, so expect to be around the younger generation of Norwegians. Which means people are yet to learn how to drink or behave in public 🙂

When Tiësto was playing, I could hear him from the place I used to live. This year, I finally got the tickets to check the festival myself.

78. Get culturally enriched at the Festspillene i Bergen

Bergen International Festival is an annual cultural event that’s been around for over 70 years. Different events, different locations, and different audiences. The program starts on the 27th of May and lasts until the 10th of June this year.

This festival is also the largest of its kind in the Nordics. For each event during the festival, you need to buy a separate ticket, but there are good discounts for students, seniors, and those under 30.

Bergen restaurants

I used to work as a chef here in Bergen, so I know some places well inside and out. One of the things I always say to everyone coming here is not to expect much of the culinary scene. The other one: yes, it’s expensive. And over the years, it got even more expensive. So, if you are travelling on a budget, Rema 1000 supermarket is your best choice. Otherwise, enjoy the selection of the best restaurants in Bergen, Norway, that I made for you.

79. Get some French at the Moon

One of my overall favourites in Bergen, Moon Restaurant, offers tasting menus with 3-6 courses, and options for wine pairing. This place was opened by two French brothers in 2021 and has been mentioned in the Michelin guide every year since 2022.

This place is for those who want a fine dining experience with good food, but don’t mind a rather simple interior.

With a constantly changing seasonal menu, you can always find something interesting at the Moon Restaurant

80. Enjoy my favourite Norwegian, Marg & Bein

Marg & Bein has been my recent favourite, and I recommend trying braised ox cheek or plukkfish with bacon. Or if you want to go full Bergensk, try persetorsk with pea purée. It’s a marinated pressed cod fish, an old traditional recipe from Bergen. For many in Bergen, it’s also a typical Christmas dinner.

Those are small portions available during a special promo week a few times a year

81. Check out Norwegian gastropub Pingvinen

This place and its sister restaurant Frk. Schmidt, which is strategically located under Pingvinen, share the same short menu, with a focus on Norwegian food. And since it’s a gastropub, expect a good selection of Norwegian beers.

I used to work with the head chef, and I can assure you that he knows what he is doing in the kitchen.

Pro tip: check for seasonal food. They often have something special on the menu.

82. Save some money at Daily Pot

If you want to eat out, but don’t want to pay too much, I recommend Daily Pot. They serve power bowls, soups, and sandwiches. I usually go for either a vegan or a vegetarian bowl, but they also have one with chicken. In any case, it will have delicious roasted and fermented veggies, hummus or pesto, and cheese or chicken for those non-vegan options.

Daily Pot is relatively cheap, and the portions are big. On the picture their vegetarian bowl with cheese

83. Try seafood at Cornelius or Fjellskål

In Bergen, pretty much every restaurant serves fish and varied seafood. But if you want to get a real seafood treatment, I recommend checking either Cornelius Sjømatrestaurant or Fjellskål.

Cornelius is located on a small island, and you will need to take a boat from the city centre to get there. The cost of the boat both ways is already included in the price of the tasting menu. Think of this place more as a whole experience.

Fjellskål is located at the fish market in Bergen, or rather its “inside” part at the Mathallen building, right below the tourist information office. Operated by a family, and Fjellskål is actually their surname.

N.B. The places are pretty expensive, but don’t expect them to be perfect. It’s more about the variety of seafood you can get there rather than fine dining.

84. Savor the best sushi in Bergen

There are a few good sushi places in Bergen, and there are even a few sushi buffets.  

Nama is one of the oldest sushi restaurants, and it serves high-quality fresh fish. Service might be a bit slow, and coming without a reservation is not advised. If they ask you to wait, I’d recommend ordering drinks straight away. Check out their desserts, too. 

Sushi Roll Sandviken is a little hidden behind the main tourist streets, but I think it’s one of the best sushi restaurants in Bergen right now. So, if you feel like sushi tonight, this might be the place. They also have a separate omakase restaurant, Kakure Omakase, in the same place. This sushi restaurant serves tasting menus that are made in front of you.

85. Go Vegan!

Somehow, I always end up having a vegan partner, so I tried most vegan options in town, and some of them are pretty alright. Unfortunately, currently there’s no fully vegan restaurant in Bergen except for the burger place, which is more of a fast-food restaurant. There was one before, but it closed down. Most of the places in Bergen have vegan options, though.

I already mentioned Daily Pot; they have vegan soups, one vegan power bowl, one sandwich, and vegan desserts. This place is the number one choice of the local vegan community. I love it myself.

Løvetann Café & Bistro has mostly vegetarian and vegan dishes on the menu, and most vegetarian dishes can be made vegan. Since the bistro is on the Nordnes peninsula, you will have to take a short hike to get there. Second most popular place among vegans, but I personally find it a bit overpriced. People like it, though.

Dirty V Bergen is the only fully vegan place for the moment. They make burgers, and it’s mostly a place for take-away, even though they have some seating inside, too. 

Honorable mention: Soya Restaurant has decent vegan options, and it was our first choice with my recent vegan ex.

86. Rock burgers at the Inside Rock Cafe

There are plenty of burger places in Bergen. Way too many, but they keep opening them for some reason. Inside Rock Cafe Korskirken is one of my favourite burger places. They play nice music and serve decent burgers. They also have a food challenge, which needs to be booked in advance, and it’s possible to make it vegan, lol.

These burgers are not the regular ones, and you have to pre-order them. Out of three burgers in the pictures, two are vegan 🙂

87. Honorable mention: Trekroneren

Trekroneren is a hot dog stand, so not a restaurant. But it’s the most popular and the oldest hot dog stand in Bergen, and I bring absolutely everyone to this place when my friends visit me. They have deer and lamb sausages, and you get a free drink if you ask nicely for it 🙂

Trekroneren is the real taste of Bergen.

Café in Bergen

Good coffee and something sweet are my guilty pleasures, and thankfully, there are many pretty good bakeries and cafes in Bergen. 

88. Enjoy delicious Norwegian chocolate at Fjåk

Fjåk is specialised in the bean-to-bar ethically sourced chocolate production. They actually have two locations in Bergen, and you can buy their chocolates in selected shops around Norway. I recommend stopping by Fjåk x Kode museum because it has a bit more space; the one at Skostredet is too crowded.

Fjåk chocolate bars have various Norwegian flavours like brown cheese or liquorice. I usually buy them as small presents for my friends.

N.B. If you order a cup of cacao, that might be all you want to order there. It’s pretty heavy, but tastes good, and they have different varieties.

I’m not big on chocolate, but when I want some, I usually buy Fjåk. Picture above is from a tasting menu

89. Cool down with ice cream at Hallaisen

Hallaisen means ‘hi’ in Bergen dialect. It is also my favourite small-batch ice cream in the city, and I love ice cream. They also have some savoury food and lunches, so don’t hesitate to stop by, not only for the ice cream. Vegan ice cream is also available.

90. Check out the oldest and smallest Det lille Kaffekompaniet

Located right at where Fløibanen starts, this tiny cafe is a local gem and everyone’s favourite, so it might be full when you go there. Nevertheless, you should try your luck. They offer coffees from different Norwegian coffee roasters, and delicious desserts.

91. Go French at Le Café Pomme

My favourite French cafe in the city, even though we have only two, and I like both of them, hehe. Le Café Pomme offers French classics like croissants, eclairs, and pain au chocolat. I recommend stopping by this place after you walk around Nordnes.

92. Enjoy Japanese at Våg Bakeri

If you like sourdough and would like to try Japanese-Norwegian fusion pastry, you should definitely stop by Våg Bakeri. This is the only authentic Japanese-owned place that I know in Bergen, and it’s pretty good.

93. Stop by the neighbourhood Bakeri 29

Located in my old neighbourhood, this cafe is right next to a scenic viewpoint and close to a few other places worth visiting. So, don’t forget to grab a cup of coffee and a delicious pastry of your choice when you are wandering around the hood.

Bars in Bergen

Bars in Bergen have the most changing environment. They close, and something new opens even more often than restaurants do. Fortunately, some places remain open even after many years.

94. Get an ice-cold drink at the Magic Ice Bar

This is probably the most popular bar among tourists in Bergen, even though locals normally go elsewhere. The main feature of the Magic Ice Bar is that everything is made out of ice. Furniture, bar area, glasses, etc. They even have some ice sculptures. However, you will need to pay an admission fee of 325 kr, which includes a welcome drink and a warm poncho with gloves.

95. Play games and drink at ParkN

If you like bars where you can play board games, mini golf, shuffleboard, or darts, this place is for you. The prices are more or less “standard” for Bergen, which means it’s pretty expensive if you come to visit from almost everywhere else in the world.

96. Enjoy a neighbourhood gastropub, Dr. Wiesener

This place was established in 1889, and although it’s centrally located, it’s not crowded with foreign tourists. I’d say it’s one of the most local experiences you can get in Bergen. But you know what, it’s been a bar only since 2012. Before that, it was a public bath 🙂 Nevertheless, we like this gastropub, and I recommend checking it out.

Dr. Wiesener is a bar where you end up after some event. Sometimes it’s a marathon, other times it’s a wrestling show 🙂

97. Have your drinks with a view at Falske reker

Falske Reker is another neighbourhood bar that I highly recommend. Their social media accounts look extremely odd for a bar, though. But they have one of my favourite views since they are on a hill and face towards the sea. On a sunny day, they get a lot of sunlight, and it’s pretty nice to sit outdoors. They have their own natural wine import company, so ask about what they can offer.

98. Get fancy cocktails at No Stress

No Stress is a cocktail bar, and a pretty popular one. Not only does it have a good location, right behind the Torget bus stop, but it also has a nice and chill atmosphere. My friends and I usually come here when we want to drink something fancier than standard beers. Prices are “Norwegian”, but generally considered okay by locals.

99. Talk without distraction at Henrik øl- og vinstove

This bar is a very local place. The key feature here is that there’s no music playing, there are no events, no concerts, and generally, you are advised not to use your phone while at Henrik’s. Just talk to each other.

The place also has around 50 drinks on tap, and they are constantly changing and rotating them. It’s on the second floor, so don’t try too many of those good beers. I recommend checking it out if you want to feel like a Bergenser.

100. Find a new vinyl record at Apollon Platebar

Another popular bar among locals since it has a great selection of drinks on tap, and it’s also possible to buy vinyl plates right there. Initially, when they opened in 1976, it was a record store, but in 2012, it was made into a hybrid bar and vinyl store. Highly recommended.

In every bar you will complain about the prices, but at least in Apollon you can try some nice beers

Nightlife

Nightlife in Bergen is pretty meh compared to other places in Europe. Most of the clubs are pretty small, and alcohol sales are forbidden after 2:30 in the morning. And since it’s pretty expensive to go out in Norway, locals usually start with a vorspiel (pre-party) at someone’s place to make it cheaper to go out, and finish with a nachspiel (after-party) since everything is closed so early. So yeah, Bergen’s clubbing pretty much sucks. But there are options after all.

N.B. If you find nightclub recommendations elsewhere, they might feature places that are already closed. But I will keep my list up-to-date.

101. Go underground. Kinda

Norway and underground/rave parties don’t really go well together. Mostly because of strict alcohol sale rules. But hey, we love this country as it is. Anyway, if you want to get something more fun than from a standard nightclub, you might want to check two Facebook groups: Bergen Underground and Project: Undergrunn. Both are private groups, but that’s what we got. The latter group sometimes organises events in not-so-typical places.

102. Enjoy electronic at Østre

I love techno and EDM parties, and Østre is exactly about it. It’s also a place where you can find more fun, just like Mike Posner sang in his song. The place itself is more than just a club, and they organise different cultural and alternative events. They also host Borealis, a festival for experimental music. I’d recommend checking their website to see current events, and if you like something, buy your ticket beforehand.

103. Try silent disco at Vaskeriet

If you haven’t heard about the silent disco concept, it’s a disco where you dance with special headphones on. There are two channels, and two DJs are playing different music. You can choose the channel that you like. It gets a bit weird when you take off the headphones, since suddenly it gets quiet, but everyone is dancing anyway.

104. Dance on the tables at Heidi’s

Not my favourite place, but somehow I end up here occasionally. Probably because before Heidi’s, it was a student club, which my friends and I attended on a regular basis while studying. Anyway, this place is stylised as an after-ski club, and it’s allowed to dance on the tables. Drinks are expensive. Generally, pretty weird place.

Heidi’s Bier Bar is a weird place

105. See what Landmark has to offer

During the daytime, Landmark is a cafe and a cultural centre. It’s located inside the KODE museum, so it is what it is. But sometimes they organise concerts, and the club is open for a party.

Once we ended up at Afro-party at Landmark

Shopping in Bergen

When you visit Bergen, you will probably wander around Bryggen and all the souvenir shops there. Some of them sell general Norwegian stuff, not necessarily something from Bergen. In my list, I want to focus on the local brands and companies, but I will also add “honourable mentions” of shops that sell general Norwegian products, but that are still worth visiting.

106. Check out stylish waterproof clothes from BRGN

Bergen is the rainiest city in Europe, so no wonder we have brands that are focused on waterproof clothing. BRGN, as a brand, started in 2015, and back then, they were present in selected shops only. Today, they have their own concept store and bistro at the train station. I recommend checking it out. The style is smart casual and minimalistic. The prices are Norwegian, though.

107. Discover fancy waterproof clothes from Norwegian Rain

Another local brand, which produces fancy raincoats for men and women. It’s focused on high quality and style. Founded in 2009, it sells pretty expensive raincoats. Three of my close friends have them and are pretty happy about them. But the price tag makes me look elsewhere.

108. Update your knitwear with Susan Fosse

You probably have heard of Dale of Norway. It’s a well-known knitwear brand from the village of Dale, which is a one-hour drive away from Bergen. But we also have local manufacturers, who are not as well-known to outsiders. One of them is Susan Fosse. I recommend checking it out before getting your own Norwegian sweater. But a Norwegian wool sweater is one of those things you have to bring from your travels. It will always remind you of our beautiful country.

109. Explore women’s fashion from Oleana

Technically, Oleana is from Arna, which is a part of the Bergen metropolitan area. Which is the same, but different. Generally speaking, people from the “mainland” Bergen look at Arna like a place full of foreigners because it’s cheaper to buy a house there. While people of Arna keep saying how close it is to Bergen, and it’s only 8 minutes by train to the city centre 🙂 Anyway, it’s just a local thing, but I had to mention it.

Oleana has its factory in Arna, and it specialises in clothes for women. They also have home stuff like pillows and blankets.

110. Appreciate handmade toy soldiers miniatures

Norsemen Miniatures is the only tin soldier maker in Norway. The maker, Sigve Solberg, specialises in Norwegian military figures. He also has historically accurate Vikings, and something very local from Bergen, buekorps. Buekorps are marching youth, who have different organisations in different neighbourhoods in Bergen. Their history goes all the way back to the 1850s, and you can often see and hear them training in the city centre. Their main event is on the 17th of May, Constitution Day, when they march in a parade.

111. Shine bright with gold and silver from Arven

If you want to bring a shiny and expensive souvenir from Bergen, then gold or silver items from Arven are your best options. The company has been around since 1868, and they are the oldest gold and silverware manufacturer in Norway. And they have an extremely centrally located factory. It also organises tours.

112. Get a designer glass vase from Sigrid Rostad Glass

Sigrid Rostad is a glassblower from Bergen who is working with her own technique. Some of her works are used by Cartier and a few Michelin-starred restaurants in Norway. Her shop and studio are in the same building, and she also offers a course in glass blowing, where you can make your own vase.

113. Honorable mention: Visit The Viking Shop

While The Viking Shop sells very touristy Viking souvenirs, it’s the only place fully dedicated to Vikings in Bergen. They also have a pub in the same place.

N.B. They have odd working hours outside of the summer season, so check their social media before going there.

It took me some time to compile this list, and I will keep it up-to-date. Please comment on your experience, how you spent your holidays in Bergen, what you liked and disliked. I appreciate it.