Bergen is one of Norway's great cities for outdoor activities. The city is surrounded by seven mountains, all within easy reach of the city centre, with the famous fjord landscapes just a short trip away.
Whether you are looking for a challenging mountain hike, a kayak trip on the beautiful coastline, a sauna with a view, or something more adventurous like rafting or a RIB safari, Bergen has an activity to suit every interest, fitness level and season. Here are 20 great activities in Bergen to inspire your visit.
- Hike Bergen's Seven Mountains
- Kayaking in the Bergen Region
- Snowshoeing in the Bergen Mountains
- Join a Guided Hiking Tour
- Try White-Water Rafting
- Try Zip-Lining from Ulriken
- RIB Safari
- Fjord Floating
- Swim at Nordnes Sjøbad
- Enjoy a Sauna Experience
- Cycle Around Bergen and the Region
- Go on a Glacier Walk
- Alpaca Walks
- Play Golf Surrounded by Nature
- Segway or Quad Bike Tours
- Try an Escape Room in Bergen
- Indoor Activity Parks
- Paint, Sip and Create
- Try a Food Tour
- Playground and Outdoor Activities on Top of Mount Fløyen
1. Hike Bergen's Seven Mountains
Season: Spring, summer and autumn.
Bergen is surrounded by seven mountains, and hiking them is maybe the most popular outdoor activity in the city for locals and visitors alike. The seven - Ulriken, Fløyen, Rundemanen, Sandviken, Lyderhorn, Damsgårdsfjellet and Løvstakken - offer trails for all levels, from easy family walks to demanding ridge routes. Take the Fløibanen funicular or the Ulriken cable car to get a head start, or walk up from the city centre.
Two routes stand out in particular. Stoltzekleiven is Bergen's famous staircase climb up Sandviksfjellet - over 700 steps and roughly 350 metres of vertical rise, hugely popular with locals as a quick, intense workout, with sweeping views over Sandviken and the harbour from the top. Vidden is the iconic high-mountain hike between Ulriken and Fløyen, crossing the mountain plateau past small lakes, with the city and the sea visible far below. The full route takes around 5 hours, and most walkers choose to take the Ulriken cable car up and descend on the Fløibanen funicular at the other end.
2. Kayaking in the Bergen Region
Season: Spring, summer and autumn.
Kayaking is a great way to experience the Bergen coastline and fjords from a different perspective, paddling through sheltered bays and past rocky islands along the dramatic shoreline. In Bergen itself, you can join a guided kayak tour right from the city, suitable for complete beginners as well as more experienced paddlers.
Photo: Fjord Norway, Sverre Hjørnevik
Further out in the fjords, another operator offers kayaking trips through more remote and dramatic fjord scenery, with half-day, full-day and multi-day options available.
3. Snowshoeing in the Bergen Mountains
Season: Winter
Bergen's mountains are not only for summer. In winter, the higher trails are often covered in snow, offering a completely different side of the city's landscape. Snowshoeing is an accessible way to explore this winter scenery without any specialist ski skills. Guided snowshoe tours run in the mountains above Bergen - if there is enough snow in the mountains, the tour takes place there, otherwise it starts with a short drive to snow-covered terrain just outside Bergen. It's a great way to experience a quieter, more peaceful side of the city in winter.
4. Join a Guided Hiking Tour
Season: Spring, summer and autumn.
If you would like to explore Bergen's mountains with a knowledgeable local guide, a guided hiking tour is a great option. Guides provide both safety and context -they know the best routes for your fitness level, the stories behind the landscape, and how to read the conditions in the mountains. Guided tours range from introductory walks on Fløyen to more demanding full-day mountain experiences. A guided hike is particularly recommended for first-time visitors or anyone unfamiliar with hiking in Norwegian mountain terrain.
5. Try White-Water Rafting
Season: Spring, summer and autumn.
For those looking for something more adrenaline-fuelled, white-water rafting on the rivers near Voss is a great option. Guided tours are available with full equipment provided and qualified guides throughout, suitable for beginners as well as more experienced rafters. It's a popular choice for families with older children or groups looking for a shared adventure.
Norway Active offers a package deal combining a train journey, biking, a fjord cruise and a white-water rafting experience - a perfect full day out, and a great way to combine rafting with some of the region's other highlights.
6. Try Zip-Lining from Ulriken
Season: Spring, summer and autumn.
One of the most thrilling activities in Bergen is the zip-line from the summit of Ulriken - at 643 metres, Bergen's highest mountain. The line carries you down the mountainside with great speed, and panoramic views of the city and fjord below. The ride itself is short, but the views on the descent are unforgettable. Combine it with a ride on the Ulriken cable car for a complete mountain adventure day.
7. RIB Safari
Season: Spring, summer and autumn + one tour in winter
A RIB safari is an exciting way to experience the fjords around Bergen. These fast, open boats take you out along the coastline and into the fjords at speed, with stops along the way to take in the scenery, spot wildlife or visit small coastal villages. It's a thrilling alternative to a regular fjord cruise, combining adventure with some great views. You can experience Bergen from the sea on a one-hour trip, enjoy a half-day experience, or a full day out with the RIB safari as part of a package tour from Bergen.
You will find these tours listed within day trips from Bergen.
Photo: Guided Fjord Tours
8. Fjord Floating
Season: Winter
Fjord floating is a calm, unique winter activity on the Hardangerfjord, around 1.5 hours from Bergen. Wearing a warm immersion suit, you drift weightlessly on the still waters of Norheimsund Bay for 25–30 minutes, with a local guide close by throughout. The setting combines quiet fjord nature with the small, lively atmosphere of Norheimsund village, and the experience ends with a warm drink and light refreshments by the fjord. It's one of the calmest and most unusual winter experiences you can have in the Bergen region, run by Hardangerfjord Adventure.
You can reach Norheimsund by bus from Bergen bus station, with a journey time of around 1 hour 25 minutes.
9. Swim at Nordnes Sjøbad
Season: All year
Nordnes Sjøbad is a seawater pool located in Nordnes Park, close to the Aquarium and within easy walking distance of the city centre. Here you can swim in the sea or in the heated pool, which is kept at 29 degrees, and there's also a sauna, diving board and tower, an outdoor training area, showers and a kiosk for light snacks. You can even check the live water temperature before you go.
10. Enjoy a Sauna Experience
Season: All year
Sauna culture has taken off in Bergen, and there are now around ten saunas in the city and surrounding region, many of them floating on the fjord with views over the water and mountains. A popular way to combine sauna with a short sightseeing is the City Sauna and Cruise, a sauna boat which takes you out on the fjord while you relax in the heat. Outside the city, Flabellina on Osterøy is a sauna worth the trip on its own, and pairs well with a hike to Kossdalssvingane for a full day combining nature and relaxation.
11. Cycle Around Bergen and the Region
Season: Spring, summer and autumn.
Cycling is a great way to explore Bergen, whether you want to ride around the city at your own pace or join a guided sightseeing tour by bike. For a longer day out, you can also book a package tour combining cycling with a fjord cruise - a fun way to see both the city and the surrounding fjord landscape in a single day.
12. Go on a Glacier Walk
Season: June to October
Folgefonni Glacier Team offers a guided glacier hike on the Juklavass Glacier, an arm of the Folgefonna glacier, around two and a half hours from Bergen. The route combines flat, easy-to-walk ice with more demanding terrain involving crevasses, and tours are adapted to the group's skills and preferences. The full trip lasts 5–6 hours, including a lunch break with panoramic views over the glacier, the North Sea and the Rosendal mountains, and your guide shares insights into the local culture, climate and the glacier itself along the way.
Foto: Folgefonni Breførarlag
All technical equipment - is included, though you'll need your own warm, wind- and waterproof clothing and hiking boots. You can book a tour with transport from Bergen included or make your own way to the start point at the former Fonna Summer Ski Center near Jondal. (Just over two hours by car from Bergen).
13. Alpaca Walks
Season: All year
Not too far outside the city center you can join a calm alpaca walk through the sculpture garden at Galleri Solbakkestova - a gentle combination of art, nature and animals. Guided by Maria, you walk an easy trail at a relaxed pace among sculptures, trees and a small herd of curious alpacas, with time to feed them and take photos along the way. It's an experience suited to all ages, including young children, and makes for a calm and memorable few hours out of the city.
The walk lasts around an hour and is run by Johanssons Alpakkadventure. Solbakken is around 28 minutes by car from Bergen, or reachable by bus from Bergen bus station.
14. Play Golf Surrounded by Nature
Season: Spring, summer and autumn.
Golf in Bergen comes with views most golfers don't get to play with - fjords, forest and sea all feature on the region's courses. South of the city, Fana Golf Club is an 18-hole park and forest course set around the idyllic lake Skeievannet, where the long summer days mean you can play well into the evening. North of Bergen, around 40 minutes by car, Meland Golf Club offers an 18-hole course with varied terrain and striking views, while Herdla Golf is a 9-hole course with sea views on every hole.
You need to book your tee time well in advance.
15. Segway or Quad Bike Tours
Season: Segway tours run May to October. Quad tours run most of the year.
Bergen Segway takes you through the city's historic alleyways and landmarks on two wheels, starting near the cruise terminal and passing Bergenhus Fortress, Bryggen, the Fish Market, the Aquarium and Nordnes park, before climbing up to Fjellveien for sweeping views over the city. No experience is needed - every tour starts with basic training - and the trip lasts around 2 hours. There's also a Segway by Night tour.
For something on four wheels, Bergen Urban Safari (Discover Bergen) runs guided quad bike tours starting on the Nordnes peninsula, taking in viewpoints over Bryggen, Fløyen and Bergenhus Fortress, a stop for coffee and a "skillingsbolle" (pastry), and a route through the city's historic neighbourhoods. The tour lasts 60-90 minutes, and drivers need a valid driving licence and must be at least 18, while passengers can be as young as 8.
16. Try an Escape Room in Bergen
Season: All year
Bergen has a handful of escape rooms for groups looking for a fun challenge. Escape Bryggen sits right on Bryggen itself - the only escape room within a UNESCO World Heritage site - with a range of escape room games where the goal is to get out within 60 minutes using logic, creativity and teamwork. At Damsgård, Fangene på Fortet offers 35 unique rooms testing physical ability, creativity, memory and logic, with teams competing to collect the most points within their booked time. Instructions are available in English as well as Norwegian.
17. Indoor Activity Parks
Season: All year
Bergen has a handful of indoor activity venues for groups, families and rainy days. Bergen Camping, right in the city centre, combines mini golf with karaoke and a bar in a relaxed, social setting. ParkN, also centrally located, spreads mini golf, golf simulators, duckpin bowling, digital darts and board games across three floors. A little outside the centre, Rush is a trampoline park with jump towers, trampoline sports courts and slides for all ages, reachable by light rail from the city centre in under 40 minutes.
18. Paint, Sip and Create
Season: All year
Bergen has a growing number of creative studios where you can paint, bead or craft your way through a relaxed afternoon or evening, often with a coffee or drink in hand.
Foto: JM Atelier
Options range from ceramic painting and jewellery-making with freshwater pearls and gemstones, to watercolour and sketching courses suited to complete beginners as well as more experienced artists. It's a popular choice for a calm, social activity with friends or family.
19. Try a Food Tour
Season: Spring, summer and autumn
A food tour is a great way to get to know Bergen through its flavours and history. Most tours combine a walk through the old city - often including Bryggen - with several tastings along the way at cafés, restaurants and local food spots, guided by a local who shares stories about the city and its food traditions. Some tours focus on classic Bergen specialities like seafood, traditional baked goods and chocolate, while others take an aperitivo-style approach with wine, cider and other drinks paired with smaller bites.
20. Playground and Outdoor Activities on Top of Mount Fløyen
Season: All year
The top of Mount Fløyen isn't just about the view - on top, you'll also find one of Bergen's most popular playgrounds. Children can enjoy slides, swings and balance equipment, and a further 10-minute walk leads to an obstacle course suited to kids from around 8 years old. Both the playground and the obstacle course are free to use. Wander a little further into the forest opposite the playground, and you might even spot a troll or two.
Good to know (FAQs)
How many days do you need in Bergen to enjoy the activities on this list?
Three days gives you time to hike one of the seven mountains, try a couple of activities such as kayaking or a sauna, and still explore the city centre. If you want to add a glacier walk, fjord floating, or an alpaca walk, allow at least four days.
What is the best time of year for activities in Bergen?
Bergen is a year-round destination. Spring, summer and autumn are best for hiking, kayaking, cycling and most outdoor activities, while winter brings its own activities such as snowshoeing and fjord floating. Indoor activities like escape rooms, indoor activity parks and paint and sip studios are available all year, whatever the weather.
Does the weather affect activities in Bergen?
Most activities go ahead as planned even if it's raining - or snowing in winter. Bergen has a reputation for rain, but locals don't let it stop them, and neither should you. Check the forecast before heading out and dress for the conditions, with good waterproof layers and footwear, and you'll be able to enjoy almost everything on this list regardless of the weather.
Is Bergen good for families with children?
Very much so. The playground and activities on top of Mount Fløyen, alpaca walks, indoor activity parks, and the easier hiking trails on the seven mountains all work well for families. The city centre is compact and walkable, which helps with younger children.
Does it matter where I book my activities?
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 - a small choice that makes a real difference.
to add an item to your Itinerary basket.
