Bergen is western Norway’s cultural hub, a college town with loads of culture, nice restaurants, a bustling city center and a bunch of things to do. It is also a great jumping off point to visit some of Norway’s more southern fjords.
Where to Stay
Opus XVI
Could not say enough good things about this hotel. The location is simply perfect, as it is located right in the middle of everything, yet is just far enough down a side street with little to no traffic that it remains quiet and feels secluded despite its central location. The rooms were both spacious and comfortably. The included breakfast was top notch, as were the bar, restaurant and staff. There’s really no reason to stay anywhere else when you take a trip to Bergen.
Where to eat
Lysverket
A reasonably priced, upscale restaurant featuring tasting menus and wine pairings in a modern yet refined, industrial sheik atmosphere.
Restaurant 1877
Stunning old world charm and rustic farm decor grab your attention in this upscale restaurant featuring some of Bergen’s best tasting menus. The menu features modern and inventive takes on classic Norwegian cuisine.
A modern French bistro attached to the hotel. The menu features French classics like entrecôte de boeuf, bouillabaisse, French onion soup, escargot, and Ratatouille, as well as options for a 3- and 4-course tasting menu.
The Fish Market
By far our favorite place to eat in Bergen was their famous fish market. Within the fish market are two restaurants: Fjellskaal and Fish Me. Fjellskaal is slightly more upscale and a reservation is recommended, whereas Fish me is often available for walk in seatings. At either place you will get to sample some of the freshest fish in Norway. Bergen’s main port is a hub for fishermen and as such you will most likely be dining on something that was caught just days before you eat it if not that very morning.
Bryggen
Bryggen is Bergen’s famous old town fishing village. This World Heritage Site features old wooden houses, a fisherman’s wharf and old merchant shops that were originally built in 1702 following a massive fire that burnt the entire city to ashes. It’s a wonderful spot, just on the other side of the harbor from the fish market to walk around and spend an afternoon exploring its tiny alleys, shops and coffee houses.
Fløyen Mounten
Just a few minutes walk from Bryggen, you’ll find a ticket booth for the Fløibanen, a funicular train that takes you to the top of Fløyen Mountain. The whole trip takes about 5-10 minutes, but the views from the top (320m above sea level) are stunning.
Wine Tasting at Colonialen 44
Another great restaurant/bar not listed above is Colonialen 44. The thing that is special about them is that they do a great set of wine and champagne tastings at their bar almost every day of the week (except on Mondays). Here you can enjoy a wine and cheese pairing or a happy hour champagne tasting. And, you can also order some great appetizers at the bar as well.
Fjord Tour
Scandinavian Travel Group offers some incredible guided and self-guided tours that you should check out. We did their private guided Premium Fjord Cruise and Undredal Goat Cheese Tour. Their private guide picked us up in a luxury Mercedes van and guided us to all the major sites en route to a Fjord Cruise which took us through Nærøyfjord and Aurlandsfjord from Gudvangen to Flåm. We also visited the small rural town of Undredal where we visited the smallest and oldest stave church in Norway that dates back to the 12th century, before heading to a local goat farm for lunch and their famous goat cheese. The trip also includes a stop a Ægir Brewery for a beer tasting and a stop at an open air, interactive Viking Village Museum.
Trolltunga Lookout
Trolltunga, Norwegian for Troll’s Tongue, is famous photo location overlooking one of the prettiest vistas along the Hardangerfjord. The hiking is strenuous and requires that you are in good shape. Most people take between 10-12 hours to make the round trip hike. Guided hikes are recommended. If you decide to do the hike, the best way to do it is with an overnight camping tour. This company, Trolltunga Adventures, offers an excellent overnight tour complete with reindeer stew for dinner and coffee/hot porridge for breakfast. And, this company, Fjord Tours, offers a more upscale “clamping” experience where you stay in fancy dome. The nice thing about the overnight hikes is that 1) everything is taken care of for you, from guides, to food, to water and sleeping equipment and 2) you get an extended stay at Trolltunga where you can enjoy both sunset and sunrise with the entire vista to yourself.
Other Fjords to Check Out in the Area
Hardangerfjord
Sognefjord
Nordfjord
The Flåm Railway
The Flåm Railway has been described as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world and is one of the leading tourist attractions in Norway. The train runs from the end of Aurlandsfjord, a tributary of the Sognefjord, up to the high mountains at Myrdal station. The journey features the finest aspects of the stunning scenery of Western Norway. The entire journey takes about one hour and the train takes a five-minute photo stop at the Kjosfossen waterfall where you can disembark and go out onto the platform for photos.
Voss
Known as the adrenaline capital of Norway, Voss is the perfect stop for those of you that want to enjoy outdoor sports. Here you can enjoy white water rafting, mountain biking, skydiving, the VossVind wind tunnel, and skiing.
