Bergen tourist information.
Many visitors fall in love with Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city (after Oslo), at first sight. Surrounded by seven hills and seven fjords, Bergen is an utterly beguiling city. The beautiful Unesco World Heritage–listed Bryggen is its centrepiece, and nature, be that mountains, fjords or sea, is never far away. Pastel wood houses, the historic wharf, winding cobblestone streets, and Hanseatic relics all make it a place of enchantment. Thanks to the Gulf Stream, Bergen has, on average, two wet days out of three, so whatever the time of year pack a raincoat and sturdy shoes for wet cobbles, and hilly excursions outside the city.
Cruise ships dock at Skoltegrunnskaien and Jekteviken/Dokkeskjærskaien. Both are within a 15-minute walk of the Bergen’s city center. Free shuttle buses are available from Jekteviken/Dokkeskjærskaien. From Skoltegrunnskaien, buses stop near the docks. The trip to the Bergen’s city center costs NKr 27 on the public bus. Once in the city center, nearly all of the attractions are within walking distance.
Around 10 percent of the population in Bergen are students, which adds a fresh and youthful mood to the city’s vibe. Alongside its offerings of museums, art galleries, cultural events and dining opportunities, as well as the possibilities offered by its accessible sea and mountains, this contributes to making it a lively and vibrant city.
Just within Bergen town there are many sightseeing opportunities – walk around the harbour, take the boat to the aquarium and stroll around Nordnes. Check out the fish, vegetables and flowers at the markets at the end of the harbour, or stroll through the restored buildings of the Bryggen area – a UNESCO world heritage site.
Stroll to the bottom of the Fløybanen – the funicular railway – and take a trip up the mountain. The views from the top are wonderful, and if you want you can walk further, in the woodland, with lakes. In years gone by this area was often ski-able as evening or weekend exercise, but not so often now, unfortunately.
Getting here and around
There is 24 or 48-hour versions of The Bergen Card that gives you free bus and Bybanen (Bergen light railway) travel within the city, and free or discounted entry to most museums and attractions.
The Ulriken643 Panoramic Tour
Cable car to the highest of Bergen’s famous ‘Seven Mountains’. The tour takes you to spectacular scenery and mountain terrain 643 metres above sea level.
The Ulriken643 Panoramic Tour takes you by cable car to the highest of Bergen’s famous “Seven Mountains”. The tour takes you to spectacular scenery and mountain terrain 643 metres above the city streets. From the summit, you can enjoy magnificent views of Bergen and the surrounding area – the sea, the islands, fjords and mountains.
Hiking on Bergen’s 7 mountains
Bergen and the surrounding area offer a wide range of sports and recreational activities. Bergen’s seven mountains offer many opportunities for walks in the varied mountainous and forested terrain.
The most popular mountains are Mount Fløyen which is accessible with Fløibanen Funicular right from the city center or Mount Ulriken which is the highest mountain. The cable car at Ulriken can easily be reached with a sightseeing bus during the summer and regular bus service during winter.