Things to do in Bergen

Bergen is Norway's second city, tucked between seven mountains on the west coast. Around 285,000 people live here. Wooden wharves, cable cars and fish stalls share the same few streets as the university.

Bryggen and the harbour

Bryggen's row of wooden warehouses has stood on this wharf since the Hanseatic merchants who worked it in the 14th century. Fire has taken it before. What stands now was rebuilt after 1702 in the same style, and UNESCO listed it in 1979.

• Fisketorget. The fish market on the harbour, more food hall than market these days, and still the place to try the catch.
• Fløyen. The funicular up Bergen's home mountain has run since 1918 and gives the best single view over the seven peaks.
• Mount Ulriken. The tallest of the seven, reached by cable car, with hiking trails continuing along the ridge.
• Troldhaugen. Composer Edvard Grieg's villa above the fjord, a short trip out of the centre.

Beyond the harbour

Boats for the fjords also leave from Bergen's harbour, though the fjords themselves are a trip of their own.

• Walking and food tours. The compact centre works well on foot, and a guided walk covers the wharf's history better than a map alone can.
• Rainy-day cruises. Short fjord cruises from Bergen's own harbour run even in bad weather, covering nearby arms rather than the big fjords further out.
• Bergen and beyond. Multi-day private trips combine the city with a taste of the fjords for travellers short on time.

Practical

• Weather. Bergen is the wettest city in Norway, with summer highs near 19C, winter lows around 2C, and daylight running from about eighteen hours in June to six in December.
• Getting there. Flesland airport reaches the centre in under an hour, faster by the direct airport bus than by light rail.
• Getting around. Everything above is walkable; the funiculars and cable car are the only "transport" most visitors need.
• Money. Coffee and lunch cost roughly what they do elsewhere in Norway, which is more than most of Europe.
• Best time. May to September brings the mildest, driest weather, though "driest" in Bergen is relative.