Planning a city trip to Bergen and don’t know where to start? Then this blog about the 21 Best Things To Do In Bergen is just what you need. In it, I will share the main place and activities to do in this city and plenty of tips and useful information to prepare for your trip.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BERGEN
Bergen is the perfect destination for a weekend city trip. It has so many places to visit and activities to do that you will have a fantastic time. The city is mostly known for its beautiful Hanseatic colorful houses in front of the harbour but here are some other interesting facts about the city that maybe you didn’t know about.
- Bergen got its name from the seven mountains around the city. In fact, the name Bergen comes from the word Berg which in Norwegian means “mountain”.
- It is considered the rainiest city in the world. On average, it rains approximately 250 days per year.
- The Hanseatic houses in Bryggen were the first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- The city of Bergen is often considered the entryway to the fjords in Norway. Going on a cruise on the famous Norwegian fjords is one of the most popular activities for visitors to this city.
HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU NEED TO VISIT BERGEN?
Bergen is the perfect destination for a weekend city trip. In 2 full days, you will be able to see most of the city’s most important sites without rushing from one place to another.
However, if you have the time, I recommend staying one or two days extra. This way, you can include a day cruise to one of the beautiful fjords near the city or a hike on one of the many trails near the city.
In my case, I was only in Bergen for 2 days and I managed to visit all the places I wanted. However, I would have liked to stay a third day to do the hike between Ulriken and Floyen.
BERGEN CARD
The Bergen Card is a card that, for a fixed price, grants you free or reduced access to many of Bergen’s most important sites. But is it really worth it? Well, the answer to this question will depend on how many places you want to visit during your stay in Bergen.
I recommend listing all the activities you want to do and adding how much it costs to enter all these places. Then, check out, how much money you need to pay if you have a Bergen Card and add it to the standard price of the card. If the price of the card and reduced entrance fees is inferior or slightly the same, you definitely have to buy the Bergen card. You should also consider that the Bergen card gives you unlimited free public transport rides and many discounts on restaurants.
There are four different durations of the Bergen Card: 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, and 96 hours. Just get the one according to the length of your stay in Bergen.
You can find the price information, the list of discounts included with the card, and buy the card in the Visit Bergen official website. Alternatively, if you don’t want to buy the card online, you will also find on this website the places were the card is sold physically.
THE 25 BEST THINGS TO DO IN BERGEN
Before I start with the list, I would like to clarify the following things:
- These will be in no particular order, just choose the ones you like the most to include in your Bergen itinerary.
- I have pinned all the places mentioned in this blog at the end of this map.
1. EXPLORE BRYGGEN
Bryggen, with its colorful Hanseatic houses, is a must-visit during your stay in Bergen. You’ve probably seen plenty of photos of these beautiful houses next to Bergen’s harbour.
The houses you see today have been rebuilt after a few fires but the old foundations date all the way back to the 12th century. Walking through its narrow alleys, you will get a very good insight into what the city looked like back then. Just wander around its passages and explore the different cute little stores and artist studios located within it.
Once you’re done exploring Bryggen, walk to the other side of the harbour to get the best viewpoint of Bryggen waterfront. Trust me, the view from the other side of the harbour is worth the walk.
2. LEARN ABOUT THE HANSEATIC MERCHANT AT THE HANSEATIC MUSEUM
The Hanseatic Museum will show you how the merchants used to live in the 13th century. They would sail from Northern Germany to Bergen to exchange grain for stockfish and, made Bergen become a very important trading hub.
Visiting the Hanseatic Museum is the perfect activity to do after exploring Bryggen’s UNESCO site.
Practical information:
- Opening Hours: From October through April, the museum is open daily between 11:00 and 15:00. From May through September the museum is open daily between 10:00 and 17:00.
- Prices: Entrance ticket to the museum in 160 NOK and if you have the Bergen Card it is 130 NOK.
- The information above is the applicable information in 2025. Always check the museum’s official website to find out the latest information about prices and opening hours.
3. WATCH SUNSET FROM MT FLØYEN
Fløyen is one of the seven mountains surrounding Bergen with a hight of 425 m. At the top of Fløen, you’ll find a panorama that will grant you amazing views over Bergen. This panoramic terraces in of Bergen’s most popular places to watch sunset. Many locals and tourists come here to enjoy the beautiful views of the city while the sun sets. If you’re lucky in enough to be in Bergen on a sunny day, this is a must-do activity!
The easiest way to get to Mt Fløyen panorama is by taking a ride on the Fløibanen funicular. The Fløibanen lower station is located very close to Bryggen and will take you to the top of Fløyen in just 5 minutes.
Alternatively, if you’re feeling active, it is also possible to hike up to Fløyen. There are several different routes and all of them take more or less 1 hour to reach the top. In our case, we took the Fløibanen on the way up and hiked back down to Bergen.
Practical information about the Fløibanen:
- Opening hours: The Fløibanen runs daily between 8:00 and 00:00 (hours may be different on public holidays). However, the ticket office is only open until 17:00.
- Prices: The price for a one way ticket between October and March is 75 NOK and a return ticket is 140 NOK. Between April and September a one way ticket is 95 NOK and a return ticket is 190 NOK. The Bergen Card offers a reduction of 50% the price for return tickets only.
- The information above is the applicable information in 2025. Always check the official website to find out the latest information about prices and opening hours
4. TAKE A GONDOLA RIDE TO MOUNT ULRIKEN
Fløyen is Bergen’s most famous mountain since it is very easy to reach its top. However, Ulriken is Bergen’s highest mountain with 643 m.
There are two different ways to reach Ulriken: hiking or the Ulriken Cable Car. If you decide to hike up to Ulriken, there are also several trails, but the most famous one is the Sherpa Steps. Alternatively, if you don’t feel like hiking but you still want to enjoy the views of Bergen from Ulriken, you can take the Ulriken cable car.
In my opinion the views from Ulriken are way better than from Fløyen and it is way less crowded. If I only had time to go up to one mountain, I would choose Ulriken instead of Fløyen. However, the cable car is more expensive than the Fløibanen.
Practical information about Ulriken Cable Car:
- Opening Hours: The cable car’s opening hours are from October to March, between 9:00 and 19:00 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday, and between 9:00 and 23:00 on Friday and Saturday. It is closed on Monday. From April to September, it is open daily between 9:00 and 23:00.
- Prices: The price for a one way ticket is 230 NOK and 395 NOK for a return ticket. If you have a Bergen Card, you will get a 10% discount on the price.
- The cable car runs every 15 minutes during low season and every 5 minutes during high season.
- The information above is the applicable information in 2025. Always check the official website to find the latest information about prices and opening hours.
5. GO HIKING IN THE BERGEN MOUNTAINS
Another wonderful activity to do in Bergen is to go hiking. Norwegians love being in nature and it is very common for them to go hiking on their free days. The city is surrounded by a total of 7 mountains, which gives you many different trail opportunities to explore.
One of my biggest regrets from our visit to Bergen was not staying an extra day to go hiking in the mountains around the city. The day that we went up to Ulriken, we did a short walk in one of the trails and the area was just stunning. I wish we could have gone on a complete hike.
Here are some different options I would choose if you want to go hiking near Bergen.
- Hike around Fløyen to Storediket and Nedrediket Lakes. This is a short hike of 6 km around Floyen area that takes you next to several small mountain lakes. We also did a small portion of this hike and walked to Storediket Lake the day we went up to Fløyen and it was beautiful.
- Hike from Fløyen to Rundemanen. Beautiful 8 km hike from Fløyen to Rundemanen mountain.
- Hike from Ulriken to Fløyen. This is a 13 km hike that surrounds Bergen getting breathtaking views over the city and the mountains along the way.
6. WALK AROUND BERGENHUS FORTRESS
Bergenhus Fortress is the old city fortification, dating from year 1500. It is one of Norway’s best preserved fortifications. The area is very peaceful and covered with green areas. It is the perfect place to have a peaceful walk and in the summer, it is even used for concerts.
7. VISIT ROSENKRANTZ TOWER
Rosenkrantz Tower is one of the buildings in the Bergenhus Fortress area and one of Norway’s most important renaissance monuments. The tower was built by Erik Ronsenkrantz which gave it its name and the oldest parts of the tower date from 1270. The tower was used both a residence and a fortification.
Visiting the tower will teach you about the way people used to live back then. In addition, if you climb to the roof, you’ll get nice views over the city although they will not be as impressive as from Floyen or Ulriken.
Practica information about the Rosenkrantz Tower:
- Opening Hours: The tower is open most days between 10:00 and 19:00 during high season and between 10:00 and 16:00 during low season.
- Price: The admission ticket is 170 NOK per person.
- Bergen Card: The Ronsenkrantz Tower is not included in the Bergen Card.
- The information above is applicable in 2025. Always check the official website to get the latest information.
8. VISIT HAKON'S HALL
Hakon’s Hall was the main building of Bergen’s Castle and was used as a residence and banquet hall with a capacity of over 2000 guests. It was built between 1247 and 1261 by Norway’s King Hakong Hakonsson.
Practical information about Hakon’s Hall:
- Opening Hours: The hall is open most days between 10:00 and 19:00 during high season and between 10:00 and 16:00 during low season.
- Price: The admission ticket is 170 NOK per person.
- Bergen Card: Access to Hakon’s Hall is free with the Bergen Card.
- The information above is applicable in 2025. Always check the official website to get the latest information.
9. LEARN ABOUT SEA LIFE AT THE BERGEN AQUARIUM
Bergen Aquarium is Norway’s biggest aquarium with over 60 aquariums that host a bast majority of sea species. At Bergen’s Aquarium, not only will you be able to discover about the cod and salmon species that live along the Norwegian coasts but there are also many other species from other areas of the world. In the aquarium you will find crocodiles, snakes, lizards, sea lions, penguins, and much more!
Practical information about the aquarium:
- The Bergen Aquarium is open 361 days per year. It is only closed on May 17, and December 24, 25 and 31.
- Opening hours: The aquarium is open from September to April between 10:00 and 18:00 and from May to August between 9:00 and 18:00.
- Price: The admission ticket is 370 NOK per person.
- Bergen Card: If you have the Bergen Card you’ll get a 25% discount if you visit between March and October and Free Admission is you visit between November and February.
- The information above is only applicable in 2025. Always check the official website to get the latest information.
10. VISIT ST. MARY'S CHURCH
St. Mary’s Church is the oldest existing building in Bergen. Based on its architecture style it is thought it is was built between 1130 adn 1170. The two frontal towers are very rare for a Norwegian church!
Unfortunately, this church has very limited opening hours. When we visited, it was closed, so we could only see it from the outside.
Practical information about St. Mary’s Church:
- Opening Hours: The church has very limited opening hours. It is only open on Thursday’s and Friday’s between 12:00 and 14:00.
- Price: The admission ticket is 95 NOK per person.
- Bergen Card: If you have the Bergen Card, you get free admission.
- The information above is only applicable in 2025. Always check the official website to get the latest information.
11. VISIT BERGEN CATHEDRAL
Bergen’s Cathedral is almost 900 years old and it started as a church dedicated to Olav the Holy, Norway’s patron saint.
Same as with St. Mary’s Church, the opening hours for visitors at the cathedral are very limited. Unless you are very lucky, you will only be able to visit its outside.
Practical information about Bergen’s Cathedral:
- Opening Hours: It is only open on Friday’s between 12:00 and 14:00.
- Price: The admission ticket is 40 NOK per person.
- Bergen Card: The cathedral is not included in the Bergen Card.
- The information above is only applicable in 2025. Always check the official website to get the latest information.
12. VISIT ST. JOHN'S CHURCH
St. John’s Chuch is a impressive neo-Gothic church dating 1894. It has Bergen’s highest tower, from where you will get great views of the city.
Practical information:
- Opening hours: The church is only open to visitors during the summer months (Monday to Friday between 12:00 and 16:00)
- Price: The admission ticket is 40 NOK per person.
- Bergen Card: This church is not included in the Bergen Card.
- The information above is only applicable for 2025.
13. VISIT FANTOFT sTAVE cHURCH
Fantoft Stave Church was originally built in the village of Fortun around the year 1200. However, it soon became too small and had to be replaced by a larger, more modern church. The church was almost demolished but in the end, it was financed that the church was moved to Fantoft in 1883.
Visiting Fantoft Stave Church will allow you to learn about worship in the Viking Age and it is very interesting since they are so different from the churches we have these days. In addition, it is located in the middle of the woods, making it a very special location.
Practical information about Fantoft Stave Church:
- Opening hours: Fantoft Stave Church is only open to visitors between May and October. From May to September it is open between 10:30 and 18:00. From September to October it is open between 10:30 and 16:00.
- Price: The admission ticket is 85 NOK per person.
- Bergen Card: If you have the Bergen Card you get free admission to the church.
- The information above applies to 2025 only. Always check the official website to have the latest information.
14. LEARN ABOUT NORWEGIAN ART AT KODE - ART MUSEUM AND COMPOSER HOMES
KODE is one of the largest museums in Norway for art, crafts, design and music with pieces by Edvard Munch, Harriet Backer, Nikolai Astrup and J.C. Dahl among others.
KODE is a grouping of four different museums (Permanenten, Lysverket, Rasmus Meyer, and Stenersen), and it is the perfect activity if you want to learn about Norwegian art or if, unfortunately, you find yourself in Bergen on a rainy day.
Practical information about KODE:
- Opening hours: It is open Wednesday to Friday between 11:00 and 18:00 and Saturday and Sunday between 11:00 and 16:00. The museum is closed Monday and Tuesday.
- Price: The admission ticket is 175 NOK per person (it gives you access to the 4 different museums).
- Bergen Card: If you have a Bergen Card you get 25% discount between May and September, and free admission between October and April.
- Always check the museum’s official website for the latest information.
15. SEE COMTEMPORARY ART AT bergen kunsthall
If Contemporary Art is more your thing, then you have to visit Bergen Kunsthall for a wide offer of exhibitions from international and Norwegian artists.
Practical information about Bergen Kunsthall:
- Opening hours: The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday between 11:00 and 17:00. On Thursdays, it closes at 20:00.
- Price: The admission ticket is 50 NOK per person.
- Bergen Card: If you have this card, you get free admission to the museum.
- Always check the latest information at Bergen Kunsthall website.
16. relax at festplassen on a sunny day
Festplassenn is a beautiful square located on the heart of Bergen. It is the perfect place to admire the architecture of the buildings surrounding and chill by the lake on a sunny day.
Across the small lake, you will see in the distance Ulriken, Bergen’s highest mountain.
17. VISIT BERGEN LEPROSY MUSEUM
A visit to Bergen’s Leprosy Museum (St. Jorgen’s Hospital) is quite a unique experience. Visiting this museum, you will learn aobut the leprosy desease and how it spread in Norway. Did you know that between 1850 and 1900, Bergen had the largest concentration of leprosy patients in Europe?
Practical information about the museum:
- Opening hours: The leprosy museum is only open between May 21st and September 7th. It is open from 11:00 until 17:00.
- Price: The entry ticket is 170 NOK per person.
- Bergen Card: This museum is not included in the Bergen Card.
- The above information applies only to 2025. Always check the official website to get the updated information.
18. KAYAKING AROUND BERGEN
A not so typical activity to do in Bergen is going kayaking to beautiful, nearby Oygarden Islets. This is a fun activity that will allow you to see Norway from a different point of view!
This activity includes lunch and is beginner friendly. An experienced guide will be with you at all times when you’re kayaking.
Book your Kayaking Tour Oygarden Islets here.
19. EAT DELICIOUS FRESH FISH AT THE BERGEN FISH MARKET
Another must-do activity in Bergen is to visit its famous Fish Market. It is located next to Bryggen, where the former fishing port of Bergen was located which was one of the most important ones in Norway. Today, it is mostly a tourist attraction but it is quite fun to wander around the different stalls and get to eat delicious and fresh fish.
We had lunch here on our second day in Bergen and it was absolutely delicious!
20. VISIT TROLDHAUGEN, THE FORMER HOME OF COMPOSER EDVARD GRIEG
Troldhaugen Villa was the former home of Edvard Grieg for 22 years, where he composed many of his best-known works. It is a beautiful house located a few kilometers outside the city center next to a lake and worth the visit if you have some extra time in Bergen. It is even possible to attend a concert with Grieg’s pieces.
Practical information about Troldhaugen:
- Opening hours: The house is open to visitors from Wednesday to Friday between 11:00 and 18:00 and Saturday and Sunday between 11:00 and 16:00.
- Price: The admission ticket is 175 NOK per person. This ticket is the same ticket as the one from KODE museum.
- Bergen Card: The Bergen Card will give you 25% discount on the ticket between May and September. From October to April, you get free admission with the Bergen Card.
- Always check the museum’s official website for the latest information.
Photo by Freysteinn G. Jonsson on Unsplash
21. GO ON A CRUISE TO MONSTRAUMEN FJORD
Complete your visit to Bergen by going on a cruise to the magnificent Monstraumen Fjord. You will be in awe with the beautiful natural scenery of Norway. The peaceful waters of the norwegian sea and the high and impressives cliffs surrounding the fjord. It will be an experience that you’ll never forget about.
Book your cruise to Monstraumen Fjord here.
MOVING AROUND BERGEN
Bergen, and in particular its city center, is a very walkable city so you will be able to reach most places listed in this blog by walking. You’ll only need to use the public transport if you want to visit Fantoft Stave Church, Troldhaugen and to get from and to the airport.
The single ride ticket is 47 NOK per person but the 24h pass is 140 NOK. As long as you do more 3 rides or more, it is more interesting to get a 24h pass. I recommend that you get a 24h ticket either on the day you arrive or the day before you leave and visit these places on that day.
If you have a Bergen Card, you’ll get unlimited free rides on the public transport in zone A (Airport included).
WHERE TO EAT IN BERGEN
Bergen is full of nice restaurants and cafés where you can find delicious food. During our stay in Bergen, we ate at these restaurants and the food was really good.
- Bergen Fish Market. It is not very fancy but the fish here is so delicious and fresh! We had a delicious fish soup and tried a whale stake here. If I’m being honest, I was not that impressed by the whale stake but the fish soup was amazing.
- Holy Cow. If you’re looking to eat really delicious burgers, then this the restaurant just for you.
- Bryggeloftet. Best restaurant in Bergen to eat traditional Norwegian cuisine. It is more on the pricier side but it is worth it. Make sure to reserve a table in advance if you want to eat here since it is really popular.
ACCOMMODATION IN BERGEN
The earlier you book your accommodation in Bergen, the better! It is a very popular destination so the prices tend to go up a lot the closer you get to your travel dates! In addition, accommodation in Norway is not particularly cheap so really, the earlier you book, the better deals you’ll get.
Here are some recommendations I would choose to stay in Bergen:
- Fosswinckel Appartments: This is the appartment we stayed at in Bergen, and it was really good and comfortable. It also helped us save some money by cooking some meals here.
- Radisson Blu Royal Hotel: Good hotel with great location next to Bryggen.
MAP WITH ALL LOCATIONS
INFOGRAPHIC
No time to read the full blog post? Here’s an infographic I’ve created with the most important information about it.
And that’s it for this week’s blog. I hope you liked it and found it useful. Let me know what you think in the comments!
Happy travels!
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