Bergen is the Gateway to the Fjords of Norway, surrounded by seven mountains and located in between two of the most spectacular fjords in the world. As Norway's second largest city and a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, Bergen offers a remarkable combination of world-class nature, a 900-year-old city centre, and a thriving cultural and food scene.
Whether you have a single afternoon or a full week, here are 25 great things to do in Bergen.
- Take a Fjord Tour
- Visit UNESCO World Heritage Site Bryggen
- Ride the Fløibanen Funicular to Mount Fløyen
- Hike Bergen's Seven Mountains
- Explore the Bergen Fish Market
- Visit the KODE Art Museums
- Discover Edvard Grieg at Troldhaugen
- Take a Glacier Tour
- Go Kayaking or Rafting
- Hike the Vidden Trail from Ulriken to Fløyen
- Take the Ulriken Cable Car
- Visit Bergen Aquarium
- Walk the Nordnes and Sandviken Neighbourhoods
- Explore Bergenhus Fortress
- Join a Guided Tour of Bergen
- Try a Food Tour
- Cycle Around Bergen
- Enjoy a Sauna Experience
- Go Shopping in Bergen
- Take a Day Trip to Flåm and Sognefjord
- Cruise to Mostraumen
- Explore Hardangerfjord
- Explore the Bergen Region
- Experience Bergen's Food and Drink Scene
- Hike to Trolltunga
1. Take a Fjord Tour
Bergen is known for being The Gateway to the Fjords of Norway, voted the world's most unspoiled tourist destination by National Geographic and inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
Photo: Sverre Hjørnevik / www.fjordnorway.com
From Bergen you can reach Sognefjord - Norway's longest fjord at over 200 kilometres - and Hardangerfjord, famous for its waterfalls and fruit orchards. Full-day guided tours, half-day cruises, and Norway in a Nutshell® all depart from the city centre. Tours run every day of the year, so there is never a bad time to visit.
2. Visit Bryggen UNESCO World Heritage Site
No visit to Bergen is complete without time at Bryggen - the iconic row of colourful wooden buildings along the waterfront that has been at the heart of Bergen's trading history since the 1300's. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, Bryggen is one of Norway's most visited attractions.
Photo: Visit Bergen / Endre Knudsen - visitBergen.com
Behind the famous facade you'll find a network of narrow alleyways lined with artists' workshops, small galleries, boutique shops, and cafés. Don't miss the Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene, where you can step inside the world of the merchants who made Bergen one of medieval Europe's most important trading ports.
3. Ride the Fløibanen Funicular to Mount Fløyen
Just a three-minute walk from the Fish Market, the Fløibanen funicular takes you 425 metres above Bergen in just six minutes - and the views from the top are breathtaking.
Photo: Visit Bergen / Casper Steinsland - visitBergen.com
Mount Fløyen is one of Bergen's most accessible mountains and has something for everyone: marked hiking trails for all abilities, a playground with slides, the troll forest for children, a café and restaurant, bike rental, a climbing park, and canoe rental in summer. The funicular runs every day all year round, and holders of the Bergen Card travel at a discounted rate. You can also take the funicular up and walk back down to the city - an easy, scenic hour on foot.
4. Hike Bergen's Seven Mountains
Bergen is famously surrounded by seven mountains, and hiking them is one of the most beloved local traditions. Whether you're a first-time hiker or an experienced mountain walker, there's a trail to suit you. Mount Fløyen offers well-marked gravel paths suitable for all ages, including pram-friendly routes to the beautiful lake Skomakerdiket. Mount Ulriken, the highest of the seven at 643 metres, is reached via the Ulriken Cable Car, or the dramatic Sherpa steps from Montana and rewards with panoramic views of the city, islands, and fjords. For the ultimate challenge, the steep staircase trail of Stoltzekleiven - around 908 steps - is a firm favourite among locals.
5. Explore the Bergen Fish Market
Bergen has been a fish trading city for centuries, and the Fish Market remains a lively and atmospheric spot. Located right on the waterfront at Torget, the outdoor market runs through summer with fresh fish, seafood, local produce, and Norwegian delicacies. Year-round, the indoor Mathallen offers everything from Bergen fish soup and persetorsk (Bergen's famous pressed cod) to freshly made seafood dishes you can eat on the spot. The Tourist Information Centre is also located just above the market, making it a natural first stop when you arrive.
6. Visit the KODE Art Museums
KODE is one of the largest art and design museums in Scandinavia, housed in four striking buildings along the edge of Lille Lungegårdsvannet lake in the city centre. The collection includes paintings, sculptures, design and decorative art, with highlights including one of the world's largest collections of Edvard Munch paintings, as well as major works by Nikolai Astrup, Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee, and J. C. Dahl.
7. Discover Edvard Grieg at Troldhaugen
Just outside the city centre, the Edvard Grieg Museum at Troldhaugen is one of Bergen's most rewarding cultural experiences. The villa, built in 1885, was home to Norway's most celebrated composer for 22 years, and today you can visit his house, the small hut where he composed, his grave overlooking the fjord, and the purpose-built Troldsalen concert hall. In summer, daily lunchtime concerts are held with transport from the city centre - a genuinely memorable experience in a truly beautiful setting. KODE manages Troldhaugen, and combined tickets are available.
8. Take a Glacier Tour
Bergen is the closest major city to one of Norway's most accessible glaciers. The Folgefonna glacier in Hardanger -about two hours from Bergen - offers guided glacier hikes across a vast ice plateau with spectacular views of the surrounding fjord landscape. Tours depart from Bergen and typically combine the glacier experience with a boat across the Hardangerfjord, making it a full and unforgettable day out.
9. Go Kayaking or Rafting
Bergen's islands and skerries are best explored by kayak, and guided tours depart by bus from the city centre out to the archipelago along the coast. In Hardanger, you can also paddle through the fjords or in the glacial meltwater from Folgefonna - a completely different but equally memorable experience. For something more adrenaline-fuelled, white water rafting is available in the rivers around Voss, about an hour from Bergen, with options for beginners and experienced rafters alike.
10. Hike the Vidden Trail from Ulriken to Fløyen
The Vidden hike - "vidden" meaning plateau in Norwegian - is widely considered Bergen's finest mountain walk: a five-hour walk across an open mountain plateau between Mount Ulriken and Mount Fløyen, with beautiful views of the city below and the ocean and islands stretching out to the horizon.
Photo: Gjertrud Coutinho
The trail is most suitable from late spring to early autumn and is best done by taking the Ulriken Cable Car up and the Fløibanen funicular back down (or vice versa). It is Bergen's most popular hike among locals - and few things in life taste better than an ice cream or a cold drink at the Fløyen restaurant when you finally reach the end!
11. Take the Ulriken Cable Car
At 643 metres above sea level, Mount Ulriken is the highest of Bergen's seven mountains and offers the most dramatic panoramic views in the city. The Ulriken Cable Car takes you to the summit in minutes, where you'll find a restaurant, outdoor exercise equipment, and Norway's fastest zipline. The mountain is also the starting point for the Vidden hike across to Fløyen. A shuttle bus runs from the city centre to the cable car station in summer, while a local bus and Bergen Light Rail (Bybanen) operates year-round. Holders of the Bergen Card receive a discount on the cable car, and a free ride with the Bergen Light Rail.
12. Visit Bergen Aquarium
Beautifully situated at the tip of the Nordnes peninsula, Bergen Aquarium is one of Norway's most popular aquariums and a favourite family attraction in the city. Home to penguins, sea lions, seals, crocodiles, snakes, and an enormous variety of fish, the aquarium is open all year round. The sea lion and penguin presentations are particularly popular with children. It's roughly a 15-minute walk from the Fish Market - and the walk itself, through the charming cobbled streets of Nordnes, is well worth taking your time over.
13. Walk the Nordnes and Sandviken Neighbourhoods
Some of Bergen's most rewarding time can be spent simply wandering its historic wooden neighbourhoods. Nordnes, a peninsula in the city centre, is full of colourful timber houses, narrow lanes, hidden courtyards, and local cafés. Sandviken, north of Bryggen, offers a similar experience with beautifully preserved 18th and 19th century architecture climbing up the hillside. Both neighbourhoods give a genuine sense of Bergen history - a perfect way to do some sightseeing in Bergen at your own pace.
14. Explore Bergenhus Fortress
Bergenhus Fortress, just north of Bryggen, is one of the oldest and best preserved medieval fortresses in Norway, with parts dating back to the 13th century. The fortress grounds are free to enter and offer a peaceful escape from the busier parts of the waterfront. Within the complex you'll find the Rosenkrantz Tower - a Renaissance monument from the 13th century that you can climb for excellent views - and Håkon's Hall, a royal ceremonial hall built around 1260 that remains one of the finest examples of medieval architecture in Norway. The fortress also has strong World War II connections, having served as the German occupying forces' western headquarters.
15. Join a Guided Tour of Bergen
A guided tour is one of the most efficient and enjoyable ways to get your bearings in Bergen, especially on a first visit. Local guides bring the city's history to life - from Bryggen's Hanseatic past to the stories behind Bergen's famous wooden buildings, its seven mountains, and its role as Norway's most important medieval city.
Choose from classic city walking tours, open-top bus tours, segway tours, and scenic sightseeing by helicopter or private plane. Private guided tours can be tailored to your interests and pace. Bergen also offers excellent guided day trips to the fjords, glaciers, and villages of the surrounding region.
16. Try a Food Tour
Bergen is a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, and a guided food tour is one of the best ways to experience what that means in practice. Knowledgeable guides take you through the city's markets, artisan producers, and restaurants, with tastings of local specialities including Bergen fish soup, skillingsbolle (Bergen's beloved cinnamon pastry), persetorsk, and freshly caught seafood.
Food tours typically last two to three hours and cover both the history and the flavours of Bergen's remarkable food culture. A genuinely different and delicious way to see the city.
17. Cycle Around Bergen
Bergen is a rewarding city to explore by bike, with routes that take in the waterfront, the city parks, and the lower mountain paths. Bike rental is available at several locations including the top of Mount Fløyen, where you can hire a mountain bike. Cycling is also a great way to reach some of Bergen's quieter neighbourhoods and green spaces at your own pace.
18. Enjoy a Sauna Experience
Bergen has fully embraced the Nordic sauna culture, and a waterfront sauna session has become one of the city's most popular activities - summer and winter alike. Several sauna venues operate around Bergen's harbour and coastline, offering the classic Scandinavian experience of alternating between a hot sauna and a plunge into the cold fjord water.
Nordnes Sjøbad, with its outdoor heated pool and sea swimming, is a long-standing local favourite. For a more premium experience, private sauna hire is also available, making it an excellent option for groups.
Bergen offers a wide range of shopping experiences, from small independent boutiques and artisan craft shops in and around Bryggen to larger shopping centres in the city centre. The Bryggen alleyways are the best place to find unique Norwegian handicrafts, knitwear, jewellery, and locally made art.
The Fish Market and Mathallen are ideal for edible souvenirs - from dried fish to fresh fruit and berries to eat on the spot in summer. Galleriet, Xhibition and Thon Senter Bergen are all great shopping centres for fashion and high street brands located in the city center, all within easy walking distance of the waterfront. The Lagunen Shopping center towards the airport is the largest shopping center on the west coast of Norway.
20. Take a Day Trip to Flåm and Sognefjord
Flåm is one of Norway's most visited villages and one of the most spectacular day trips from Bergen. Sitting at the end of the Aurlandsfjord - a branch of the mighty Sognefjord - Flåm is the departure point for the famous Flåm Railway, widely regarded as one of the most scenic train journeys in the world.
Photo: norwaysbest.com / Sverrre Hjørnevik
From Bergen you can reach Flåm by express boat through the fjords, by train via the Norway in a Nutshell® route, or on a guided tour. Nearby, the Stegastein viewpoint offers a breathtaking platform 650 metres above the fjord, and the Njardarheimr Viking Village at Gudvangen brings Norse history vividly to life.
21. Cruise to Mostraumen
One of the most popular short fjord cruises from Bergen is the trip to Mostraumen - the narrow sound where the Osterfjord dramatically squeezes between steep mountain walls.
Photo: Robin Strand / Rødne Fjord Cruise
The cruise takes around three and a half hours from Bergen's city centre and passes through scenic waterways in the region, with waterfalls tumbling down the mountainsides. You also get a nice view of Bryggen as the boat departs from the city center. It is the perfect introduction to the Norwegian fjords for those with limited time, and tours depart daily throughout the year.
22. Explore Hardangerfjord
Hardangerfjord - Norway's second longest fjord at 179 kilometres - is one of the most beautiful and varied landscapes in the country. Known for its fruit orchards that burst into blossom each spring, its dramatic waterfalls including the famous Vøringsfossen, and the vast Folgefonna glacier,
Photo: Hotell Ullensvang / Niels Johansen
Hardangerfjord rewards both a day trip and a longer stay. From Bergen you can take the Hardangerfjord Express boat to Rosendal, join a guided tour, or drive the scenic route through the fjord landscape. Dronningstien (The Queen's Trail) - a stunning mountain walk above the fjord - is one of Norway's great hikes and is reachable from Bergen in a long day.
23. Explore the Bergen Region
Beyond the city itself lies a vast and varied region that most visitors barely scratch the surface of. To the west, the Øygarden archipelago is a scattered landscape of thousands of islands, skerries, and rocky outcrops with a wild coastal beauty quite different from the fjords. To the north, Nordhordland offers quiet fjord villages, dramatic mountain hikes, and some of the most unspoiled scenery in western Norway. The contrast with Bergen's busy waterfront makes a visit out in the region all the more rewarding.
24. Experience Bergen's Food and Drink Scene
Bergen's status as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy is well earned. The city's seafood is exceptional - fresh from the quayside to the kitchen - and the local culinary traditions are deep-rooted and distinctive. Don't leave without trying Bergen fish soup, a rich and creamy local classic; skillingsbolle, a large, sticky cinnamon pastry that has been a Bergen favourite for generations; and raspeballer, the traditional potato dumpling dish served on Thursdays in many classic restaurants. For drinks, Bergen has a thriving craft beer and gin scene - Bareksten gin, distilled in Bergen, has won international awards and is the perfect local souvenir.
25. Hike to Trolltunga
Trolltunga - the "Troll's Tongue" - is one of the most iconic and photographed hikes in all of Norway: a dramatic rock formation that juts horizontally out over Lake Ringedalsvatnet, 700 metres below. Bergen is the nearest major city and airport to Trolltunga, making it the natural base for the hike.
Photo: Jay Patel / Reisemål Hardanger Fjord
The trailhead is approximately three hours' drive from Bergen near the town of Odda. The hike itself is around 22 kilometres return and takes between 10 and 12 hours - it is challenging and recommended for experienced hikers only, ideally with a guide. Many visitors spend a few days in Bergen first, using the city as a place to rest, eat well, and prepare.
Good to know (FAQs)
How many days do you need in Bergen?
Two to three days gives you enough time to explore the city centre, take a fjord tour, and hike at least one of the seven mountains. If you want to include a day trip to Flåm, Hardangerfjord, or Trolltunga, allow at least four days.
Is the Bergen Card worth it?
For most visitors spending two or more days in Bergen, the Bergen Card is excellent value. It covers free or discounted entry to most museums including KODE and Bergen Aquarium, discounts on the Fløibanen funicular and Ulriken Cable Car, and free travel on the city's buses and light rail - including the line to the airport.
What is the best time of year to visit Bergen?
Bergen is a year-round destination. Summer (June–August) offers the longest days, the best weather for fjord tours and hiking, and the full range of outdoor activities. Spring brings apple blossom in Hardanger. Autumn has dramatic colours and fewer crowds. Winter in Bergen is cosy and atmospheric, and fjord tours run all year.
Is Bergen good for families with children?
Very much so. The Bergen Aquarium, the playground and activities on Mount Fløyen, VilVite science centre, and the family-friendly hiking trails make Bergen an excellent choice for families. The city centre is compact and walkable, which helps with younger children.
Does it matter where I buy my tickets for a cruise or an activity?
Yes, it does. If you book through visitBergen.com, at the Tourist Information in Bergen, or directly with the operator, you are supporting the local economy. Booking through large international booking platforms means a significant commission leaves the local community. It is a small choice that makes a real difference.
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