Things To Do in Bergen During Winter Season

The winter in Bergen can be like a fairytale, with the city beautifully covered in snow. Or it can be really rainy, wet, and dark. The contrasts are big, but so are the experiences.

Join a guided fjord cruise, try some local cuisine, enjoy some great shopping or find a concert or an art exhibition that suits your taste.

When looking at sustainability, traveling outside the main season is positive. You contribute to increased local employment and the number of full time jobs throughout the year.

Tour suggestions in winter:

Seeing the famous fjords is a must for most foreign visitors all year. On a day trip to Bergen you can visit the Nærøyfjorden - inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and voted the world’s most unspoiled tourist destination by National Geographic.

Join the tour called "Guided tour and fjord cruise to Nærøyfjorden, Flåm and Stegastein viewpoint" or "Norway in a Nutshell®" and get a full day of fjord experiences. 

If time is limited, the tour "Fjordcruise Bergen - Mostraumen" is a great option. The trip starts at Zachariasbryggen, right next to the Fish Market and runs every day the whole year. 

Check out all fjord cruises available in winter season.

Stegastein viewpoint near Flåm. Photo: Gjertrud Coutinho

Guided city tours:

You can also join Bymuseet for a 90-minute guided historical walk through the World Heritage site of Bryggen. Another option is a 60-minute boat tour of Bergen and its harbor, offering fascinating insights into the city's maritime history. Martin’s city walking tour, which lasts two hours, is also very popular. It covers Bryggen along with the most significant historical landmarks in the city center.

Bryggen Guiding - on foot. Photo: Bymuseet

Another increasingly popular activity in winter is snowshoe hiking. Even if there might be little or no snow in the city, Norway Mountain Guides takes you up in the mountains for a real winter experience.

Read more about snowshoe hiking here.

Photo: Norway Mountain Guides 

A wide range of concerts:

Bergen is a city of culture and has something for everyone, with a variety of concert venues including the large Grieg Hall, USF Verftet, Hulen, Kulturhuset i Bergen and Ole Bull Scene, all hosting both Norwegian and international artists.

In our "What's On" calendar, you can find the complete event programs for these venues, as well as many more across Bergen and the region.

From August to June, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra performs weekly at Grieghallen, featuring 100 musicians and guest appearances by international conductors and soloists.

Photo: Sebastian Dalseide

Shopping:

Bergen city has everything from well-known brand stores to small niche shops. Among these is the gold and silverware factory Arven. The workshop is open for visitors to see the making of traditional cutlery patterns, beautiful interior items and jewellery.

Another one is Oleana, one of the youngest textile factories in Norway, producing knitwear of award-winning Norwegian design.
Photo: Oleana 

The textile factory is located in Ytre Arna, just outside of Bergen, and is the only one of its kind that both knits and sows everything in its own factory in Norway. The factory is open for visitors, and knitwear is sold in the factory outlet. Oleana also has a brand store at Strandkaien in Bergen just across from the Tourist Information.

Mount Fløyen and Mount Ulriken:

The Fløibanen funicular is one of Norway's most famous attractions and the only one of its kind in Scandinavia. The trip starts from the city centre, just 150 metres from the Fish Market and Bryggen and takes you to the top of Mount Fløyen in just 8 minutes. 
Mount Fløyen. Photo:Visit Bergen / Casper Steinsland - visitBergen.com

The Cable Car Ulriken 643 takes you 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.

Beside the viewing platform, there is a panoramic restaurant that serves "fish in the mountains" and other local specialities. 

View from Mount Ulriken. Photo: Benjamin Bargard

Swimming in winter:

Swimming in winter has become more and more popular. There are several great places for a dip in the sea all year round. The health benefit and the adrenalin is what makes more and more locals put on a swimsuit in the middle of winter. Read more about where to go swimming in Bergen in winter.

Activities for the family:

In Bergen there is always something to do for the family. Experience the penguin feeding, the sea lion show and the seal training every day at Bergen Aquarium (Akvariet), and see the tropical exhibition with the endangered Philippine crocodiles. At VilVite Bergen Science Centre you can try to bike 360 degrees, make the robot Robert talk, and explore over 100 other interactive installations and experiments. Head to Vannkanten aquapark with Norway’s longest waterslide, and indoors and outdoors swimming pools. 

Winter In The Region:

Within a short distance from Bergen you can experience skiing at its best. The unique fjord landscape creates a topography which in combination with heavy snowfall makes the network of ski slopes varied and exciting.

Skiing in Voss. (1,5 hours from Bergen). Photo: Sverre Hjørnevik / www.fjordnorway.com  

If you prefer skiing during winter season there are many options. The major ski resorts in the region are located at Voss, where you can choose between Voss Resort and Myrkdalen - Voss Fjellandsby. There are slopes to fit every taste – from advanced off-piste to more secure family-friendly trails, as well as beautiful countryside with many varied cross-country trails. 

Directly from the train station in Voss, you can take the Voss Gondola up to the slopes at Voss Resort - making it easy and convenient for a day trip. Ski rentals and equipment are also available.

Photo: Åsmund Aarsand 

Winter hikes:

The famous hike to Trolltunga in Odda is becoming increasingly popular to do in winter. However, in winter you need to do the hike together with a mountain guide due to weather and snow conditions.

Trolltunga Adventures offers hikes in winter and spring and overnight hikes in summer. The hike is about 12 hours long, so this trip is only for the advanced hikers. (However, if you do the overnight hike in summer it is of course a lot easier). Winter and spring at Trolltunga is a unique experience with few or no tourists in the mountains, crystal clear air, and several meters of snow.

Photo: Trolltunga Adventures 

Bergen – Voss:

• By car: E16 – Approx. 1h 20min.
• By train: Approx. 1h 10 min.
• By bus: Approx. 1h 45 min.

Bergen – Eikedalen/ Kvamskogen:

• By car: RV7 – Approx. 45 min.
• By bus: Approx. 1h.

Bergen - Odda:

• By car: approx. 3 hours
• By bus: approx 3,5 hours 

Need more tips on what to do in winter? Check out this 3 day program with suggested experiences you should not miss.

What To Wear In Winter:

To get the best experience when visiting Bergen in winter it is wise to bring appropriate clothing. Click here to read our tips on what to wear in Bergen in winter.

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