When the sun comes out in Bergen, it puts a smile on everybody’s face. A feeling of joy appears as the umbrellas are put away, the streets are drying up and the World’s most beautiful city becomes even more attractive.
When the sun is shining, there are so many things you should see and experience in Bergen. To make it easy for your when planning your visit, we have put together a suggestion for what not to miss on those sunny days.
1. Bryggen
Take a walk between the narrow alleys and crooked houses and feel the smell of the old wooden planks from the historical Bryggen in the centre of Bergen. Enjoy the magical atmosphere with the damp humid air as the sunrays hit the wet surfaces on the wooden buildings.
When the sun shows up in Bergen, Bryggen is turned into a vibrant and lively place, where people are enjoying a cup of coffee at the outdoor cafes and restaurants or just wants to get a taste of the boat life and the historical buildings bathed in sunshine, with Mount Ulriken in the background.
A walk in the back streets of Bryggen brings you back to the Middle Ages, a sense of drudgery, feast and celebration. An important part of Bergen’s history can be experienced in this area, where a lot of the arcitechture is preserved or rebuilt as it was in the 1800s. Bryggen, with it’s 61 wodden houses is listed at UNESCOs list of world heritage sites.
Visit the Hanseatic museum, Bryggen Museum and the Theta museum, and get a deeper sense of the history of Bryggen, what it has meant for the people of Bergen and for Norway as a nation.
Bryggen in Bergen. Photo: Christine Baglo - Visit Norway
2. The historical Fish Market
Right in the heart of Bergen, between its seven mountains, you can visit Norways most famous outdoor market. The Fish Market in Bergen has since the 1200s been an important meeting place for merchants, fishermen, locals and travelers.
In the summer season (from May to October), you can let your taste buds run wild as you walk through Fisketorget and feel the smell of freshly cooked crab, shrimps and other exclusive seafood.
Sit down on a sunny day and order the specialty of the day at one of the outdoor dining places at Fisketorget. You will probably get an unforgettable taste of the Norwegian coast.
The Fish Market in Bergen. Photo:Visit Bergen / Casper Steinsland - visitBergen.com
3. To the top of the mountains in 6 minutes
On a calm and sunny day, hiking on one of Bergen’s seven mountains is a must. Just 150 metres away from Bryggen and Fisketorget you can find Fløibanen, a funicular that takes you 320 metres up to the top of Mt. Fløyen.
The Fløibanen is one of Norways most known tourist attractions, and at the view point you can see the splendid overview of everything from houses, streets, cars and people under your feet, and the mountains, fjords and the sea in the background.
On top of Mt. Fløien, there is a rich variety of activities for young and old, with Bergens best playground for kids, a kiosk, great bbq and picnic areas and the old and venerable Fløien Folkerestaurant – where you can enjoy just a drink or a full meal if you like.
Fløyen is also the starting point for many of the most famous hikes in Bergen, like the short and accessible walk to the idyllic Skomakerdiket (30 minutes) or the hike over Vidden to Mt. Ulriken (a 4-5 hour walk), Bergen’s highest mountain. The trip over Vidden is suitable for both young and old, and on a clear and sunny day you will find this to be a fantastic nature experience. On your way you can see as far as to the Folgefonna glacier.
At Mr. Ulriken, you don’t have to walk up or down the mountainside if you don’t want to. Ulriken 643 is an fascinating nature experience. The Ulriken cable car takes you up and down the mountain side, and the view from the "Highland in the middle of the city" is nothing less than perfect. You haven’t been to Bergen if you haven’t visited one of Bergen’s seven mountains.
Photo: Visit Bergen / Casper Steinsland - visitBergen.com
In just one hike across Vidden, you are visiting two of them. The trip is also available in the winter season – but with skis on your feet. The funicular Fløibanen and the cable cars at Mt. Ulriken makes the mountains in Bergen accessible for everybody.
4. Walk through Bergen city
Experience Bergen on a sunny day in an affordable manner by walking your way through the compact city centre. By foot, you will get the best impression of Bergen, as you walk between the narrow alleys, streets and houses.
The wooden buildings are located from the ocean side and up the hills, and much of the architecture is a result of the city’s nearly thousand year old maritime and seafaring history. In just a short walk in the areas around Kong Oscars Gate and Marken, you will see many small and narrow streets and alleys creating an intimate and cozy atmosphere.
Not far from the Fish Market, you will find Torgalmenningen, the shopping area of downtown Bergen with fashionable stores, shopping malls, cafes and restaurants. Walking west across the Fish Market and Strandkaien boat terminal you will reach the Nordnes peninsula. Strandgaten has a lot of small boutiques and pittoresqe small houses with shops, cafés and bars.
At the end of Nordnes you will get to Nordnesparken and Bergen Aquarium, which is one of the biggest family attractions in Bergen. Crossing the tip of Nordnes, you will get to Verftet and USF, the major institute for art, film, music and creative enterprise in Bergen and Norway.
It has a café and a restaurant with varied entertainment all year around. Sit down and enjoy the sunset from the ocean side, and watch the famous Hurtigruten dock nearby.
With it’s compact and intimate city centre, you can experience a lot of what Bergen has to offer with just short walking tours. Get a street map at the Tourist Information in Bergen, and they will help you find a walking tour that suits your interests. If you want a quick version of Bergen by foot, you can rent a Segway from Bergen Segway, a great way to see the sights!
A trip with Bergen Segway can be booked online.
5. Enjoy an outdoor meal
On the sunny days, many people in Bergen eat their meals outdoors. At Bryggen, the Fish Market, Torgallmeningen, or in the small streets of Bergen, there is a good atmosphere both during lunch and dinner times. A large variety of lunch bars, cafés and restaurants offer outdoor service and giving you the chance to enjoy your meal while watching the world pass by.
Some of the dining places have outdoor service all year around, where you can get a roof over your head and blankets on the cold days. The fresh air gives your meal the little extra.
The quay by USF is a popular place during the sunsets. Enjoy the entire sunset with the Hurtigruten entering the city fjord, docking nearby. Or for a complete costal dinner experience, what about a trip to Cornelius Sjømatrestaurant?
Every day a boat leaves from Dreggkaien by Bryggen, bringing you to Holmen and the marvelous seafood restaurant right in the ocean front. Enjoy a dinner with fantastic ingredients from the sea. Combined with a real taste of Norwegian costal culture, this is an experience you will not forget.
The dinner and trip to Cornelius Seafood restaurant can be booked online. From May to the end of August there is also scheduled departures for lunch at Cornelius.
Read more and book your dinner cruise here.
Read more and book your lunch trip here..
Cornelius Seafood Restaurant. Photo: Truls J Løtvedt
6. Paddle your way through the history of Bergen
Paddle your way through the history of Bergen in a kayak. In historical enironments at the Norwegian Museum of Fisheries in Sandvikens harbor area you can paddle along boathouses and veteran boats. You can borrow one of their kayaks free of charge and pick up rubbish in the sea while you enjoy the beautiful scenery from the kayak.
7. See Bergen from the sea
If you find Bergen beautiful in the sunshine, you should look forward to seeing the city from the sea. Hop aboard the sailboat called "First Player" and enjoy a two hour guided tour. The captain will tell you about the city the interesing history. Read more and book your ticket for "Experience Bergen from the fjord" here.
Sit down on the open deck and enjoy the sun and fresh sea air as you get a great overview of Bergen city centre from the ocean. If you want a shorter tour of the harbour, there is also the Heritage Mini Cruise with Beffen to the Norwegian Fisheries Museum.
Photo: Visit Bergen / Gjertrud Coutinho - visitBergen.com
8. Edvard Grieg Museum Troldhaugen
Beautiful Troldhaugen is the home of the world known composer Edvard Grieg, and one of Bergen’s most famous tourist attractions. Edvard Grieg lived and worked here together with his wife during the 22 last years of his life.
Today tourists from all over the world travel to Troldhaugen to get a taste of how the famous composer lived. A lot of Grieg’s music is inspired by his love to Troldhaugen and Bergen, and today Troldhaugen consists of Griegs villa, the composer cabin and the place where Edvard Grieg and his wife was buried by the water.
Today a museum with Troldsalen concert hall is frequently used for concerts all year around. Take a trip to Troldhaugen and get a historical experience combined with great nature.
Edvard Grieg Museum Troldhaugen. Photo: Dag Fosse
9. Old Bergen Museum (Gamle Bergen)
Travel back to the 1800s and experience the life, architecture and the atmosphere in the narrow alleys and small streets and busy squares. Old Bergen museum - Bymuseet i Bergen is not just a place where you can see old houses and art, but a small city where actors play out the roles as the 1800s locals in Bergen.
At that time, Bergen was Europe’s largest wooden city, and Old Bergen is a reconstruction of this city, with 50 wooden houses from the 1700s, 1800s and 1900s. On a sunny day Old Bergen gives you a unique historical experience and a taste of life at that time. What did they wear? What were they talking about? How did they look? How did they live? It is all answered at the Old Bergen outdoor museum.
During the summer season, Old Bergen invites to family days, but throughout the year there are activities that brings you back in time. Enjoy the sun in the streets of Old Bergen and get a taste of Bergen’s history in a unique way. During the summer, remember to bring your swimming costume. Just a couple of minutes walk from the museum there is a great place to jump in the sea at Sandviken Sjøbad!
Old Bergen Museum - Bergen City Museum. Photo: Gjertrud Coutinho
10. Lysøen – a piece of Norwegian music history
On a nice and sunny day in Bergen, a trip to Lysøen and Ole Bull's Villa is strongly recommended. The island consists of the villa of Ole Bull, the world famous violinist, and a park with beautiful nature, walking trails and a pretty tower raised in memory of Ole Bull.
The Ole Bull villa lies on the east side of the island, with an outhouse (café) and a beautiful yard. From here you can experience a unique Norwegian architecture, with the villa consisting of towers and small arty details. The inside of the villa is left just as it was during the time when Ole Bull used this place as a summer house. The 13 kilometers of walking trails brings you to several viewpoints where you can see the island and the ocean.
Lysøen is located about 30 minute drive from downtown Bergen. You can get to Buena kai by bus or car, and a ferry brings you across the fjord to Lysøen. Get a taste of Norwegian music history combined with a great nature experience at Lysøen on a sunny day.
During the summer, remember to bring your swimming costume if you are tough enough to jump in the sea! There are several nice beaches on Lysøen island but the temperature of the water is not for the faint hearted. Norwegians tends to swim all through summer, while visitors might find it enough to dip their toes.
Useful travel tip on sunny days: Bring a reusable water bottle
Norwegian tap water is clean, safe, and tasty! So instead of buying bottled water in Bergen, bring your own bottle and refill it for free! Water points are available at six different locations in the city centre of Bergen: Bryggen, The Fish Market, The city park (Byparken), Vågsallmenningen, Vetrlidsallmenningen (by Fløibanen Funicular), and Marken. Forgot to bring your bottle? You can buy the Bergen bottle at the Tourist Information at The Fish Market.
Water point at the Fish Market. Photo: Visit Bergen / Casper Steinsland - visitBergen.com
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