Bergen is Norway’s second largest city and a popular destination for many Norway cruises. The beautiful city is surrounded by a total of seven mountains, which invite you to climb them. Fløyen and Ulriken are particularly well-known, as both mountains can be reached by funicular or cable car. Equally impressive is the old Hanseviertel Bryggen with its colorful old houses and the fish market known beyond the borders. The Bergenhus Fortress at the harbor entrance also dates from the founding period of Bergen, although today only the tower and the well-known beautiful Håkonshalle are still standing and can be visited.
Bergen – whether by plane, ship or car – can best be explored on foot. The distances to the main attractions are short and apart from the local mountains the terrain is flat and undemanding.
Bergen Norway Must See
The following is a list of Bergen’s main attractions and sights that you should definitely not miss. Depending on the length of your stay, you should choose the most exciting ones.
- Visit the famous fish market and taste and enjoy Norwegian seafood
- Stroll through the Old Town (Bryggen) with the colorful wooden houses and the narrow streets
- Climb one of the seven mountains that surround mountains and enjoy the view
- Drive through one of the numerous fjords, which lie around Bergen
You can find more brief information in the articles 6 things you must have experienced in Bergen as well as these Norwegian city of Bergen.
Downtown, Bryggen and Fish Market
The Hanseviertel Bryggen has almost 60 brightly colored wooden offices that stand by you. Today it is considered a must see in Bergen and is home to numerous cafes, bars, restaurants, shops and souvenir shops. Some of the houses can still be visited today, although they are often only replicas. The Bryggen district is part of the UNESCO World Heritage and is therefore one of the most important and well-known sights in Bergen.
At the end of the fjord is the market place and the Fish Market of Bergen – one of the most famous fish markets in the world. Many stalls sell fresh fish and seafood, both indoors and outdoors (all year round). But many other products are also traded, such as flowers, fruit, vegetables, handicrafts or souvenirs. Especially in summer, the square in front of the fish market is littered with numerous traders. In addition to the fresh produce, the market also offers ready-made dishes for direct tasting – a must for every visit to Bergen.
Opposite Bryggen on the other side of the fjord is the famous Torgallmenningen pedestrian street with many well-known shops and department stores. Here you will also find the famous ice bar with the numerous constantly changing ice sculptures.
Fløyen and Ulriken
Anyone who explores Bergen will not be able to avoid the view from one of the two local mountains. However, both mountains are only worth climbing when the weather is nice, so that there is a view of the city. A tour of Fløyen can be started directly from the city center, either on foot or by funicular. It is therefore one of the most popular and most visited attractions in Bergen. From the top you are rewarded with a spectacular view over the city, the sea and the fjords.
The cable car on the Ulriken is a few kilometers outside of Bergen and can be reached by bus. The highest of the local mountains is almost 650 meters high and offers a wonderful panoramic view of the mountains, the sea and the other local mountains. In addition to numerous hiking trails (e.g. to Fløyen), there is also a restaurant with delicacies from Norway in the mountain station.
Fjords around Bergen
Of course, Bergen is also a central starting point for a number of fjord trips. However, most trips take longer or include call-ups, leaving little time for the actual fjords. You should allow a little more time for the fjords, so this is not recommended in a short period of time.
Other attractions
Other attractions in and around Bergen include:
- Aquarium Bergen: Perfect for the family – penguins, sea lions, otters but also tropical animals such as school toads, crocodiles
- Gamle Bergen : Bergen open-air museum with old wooden houses from that time, there is also a café
- Edvard Grieg Museum: Residence of the far beyond Norway famous composer and musician, Edvard Grieg (accessible by tram line)
- Fantoft Stave Church: Faithful replica of one of Norway’s most famous churches (accessible by tram line)