Bergen comes alive at Christmas. From the world’s largest Gingerbread City to the Festival of Lights, Christmas markets and concerts, the city offers a magical pre-Christmas season for visitors and locals alike.
Last updated: 19 October 2026
Key dates
Events are listed in order of start date.
| Event |
Date |
| Festival of Lights (Lysfesten) |
14 November 2026, 16:00 |
| Gingerbread City |
14 November 2026 - 10 January 2027 |
| Bergen Christmas Market |
20 November - 22 December 2026 |
| Advent on Mount Fløyen |
Sundays from 29 November 2026 |
| Concerts and events for children and families |
November and December 2026 |
Festival of Lights (Lysfesten) 2026
Date: Saturday 14 November 2026
Time: 16:00-17:00 (ends at approximately 17:00 with fireworks)
Venue: Around the lake Lille Lungegårdsvann, Bergen city centre
Price: Free, no ticket required
More information about Lysfesten.
Join thousands of locals and visitors as we celebrate the Festival of Lights around the lake Lille Lungegårdsvann right in the city center. This pre-Christmas event has become an important and lovely tradition for many. The evening ends with a wonderful fireworks display.
Photo: Visit Bergen / Robin Strand – visitBergen.com
The Gingerbread City (Pepperkakebyen) 2026
Date: Saturday 14 November 2026 to Sunday 10 January 2027
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday: 09:00-21:00
Saturday: 09:00-20:00
Sunday: 10:00-19:00
Public holidays: Varying opening hours. Closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. See all holiday opening hours.
Venue: byROMMET, Kong Oscars gate 24-26
Prices:
Adult (from 16 years): NOK 199
Student: NOK 149
Child (under 16 years): NOK 49
Children have free entry Monday to Friday.
More information about The Gingerbread City (Pepperkakebyen).
The Gingerbread City is the world’s largest of its kind. In November, the citizens of Bergen make their own contributions to this tasteful, magical town. Houses, churches, castles, rockets, and even oil platforms are some of the edible artwork you can find - the creativity is amazing. The result of it all is a mind-blowing fairytale city among mountains, fjords, snow and atmospheric light. You can also have a taste of Bergen’s own gingerbread hearts at the end of the tour.
Photo: Visit Bergen / Espen Bakketun - visitBergen.com
Bergen Christmas Market 2026:
Date: Friday 20 November 2026 to Tuesday 22 December 2026
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 12:00-21:00, Saturday and Sunday 10:00-21:00
Venue: Festplassen, Bergen city centre
Price: Free entry to the market. Carousels require a separate ticket.
More information about Bergen Christmas Market.
Bergen Christmas Market will be held on Festplassen square, right in the heart of the city. Here you will find lots of delicious delicacies from local food suppliers combined with creative crafts from various participants.
Photo: Bergen Julemarked / Robin Strand – visitBergen.com
Guided Christmas Walk in Bergen 2026
Explore Bergen’s history and Christmas traditions on a guided walk with a local guide. The tour visits the UNESCO World Heritage Site Bryggen and some of the city’s oldest streets, then continues to the Gingerbread City (Pepperkakebyen), before ending at Bergen Christmas Market.
Date: Daily from Saturday 21 November 2026 to Monday 21 December 2026
Time: 16:30 - 19:00
Language: English
Meeting point: The Holberg Statue at Vågsallmenningen
Price: Adults NOK 895 and children (3-15 years) NOK 545. Includes entrance to Pepperkakebyen and a hot drink.
Read more and book the guided Christmas walk here.
Other Christmas markets:
There are also many smaller Christmas markets around Bergen and the region throughout the pre-Christmas season. You can see several of the Christmas markets in the list here, or on the map below. (Some of the dates for 2026 are already published, and some are still to be confirmed)
See an interactive map below with Christmas Markets in Bergen city center and in the Bergen region.
We also recommend a visit to Bryggen. If you like markets, you will love the atmosphere at Bryggen! Beautifully decorated for Christmas with a large selection of local artists, designers and cafes.
Open attractions during Christmas:
Please note that this list is from 2025. We will publish a new list for 2026 when we get closer to the time. However, this is a nice indicator if you are planning a trip to Bergen.
Open tours and activities during Christmas:
Please note that this list is from 2025. We will publish a new list for 2026 when we get closer to the time. However, this is a nice indicator if you are planning a trip to Bergen.
Christmas concerts:
Throughout December Bergen offers a large selection of Christmas concerts that are sure to get you in the right Christmas spirit!
Christmas on Mount Fløyen 2026
Traditional lighting of Advent candles at Fløyen, with sing-alongs and activities for children. One candle is lit on the four Sundays leading up to Christmas.
Date: Sunday 29 November, Sunday 6 December, Sunday 13 December and Sunday 20 December 2026
Time: Candle lighting at 13:00. Activities for children before the lighting, see below.
Venue: The viewpoint plateau at Mount Fløyen.
Price: Free to watch the candle lighting. Pony riding and Christmas workshop cost NOK 50 (payment by Vipps). Tickets for Fløibanen Funicular can be purchased in the Fløibanen app or online.
Activities before the candle lighting:
- 29 November: Story time in Trollskogen (Troll forest) 11:00-13:00
- 6 December: Pony riding 11:00-13:00
- 13 December: Christmas workshop for children (time not yet confirmed)
- 20 December: Programme not yet confirmed
Read more about the Advent candle lighting at Fløyen here.
If there is snow, bring a sledge, and you have a fun way of getting back down!
Photo: Sverre Hjørnevik
Christmas traditions in Norway
In Norway, the most important celebration happens on Christmas Eve, 24 December. This is when Norwegian families come together for a big meal. After dinner, it is time to unwrap the presents.
Christmas food in Bergen
Norwegian Christmas food traditions vary across the regions, but Christmas dinner in Bergen is usually mutton ribs (called Pinnekjøtt), fish, or pork ribs, with all the traditional trimmings, such as sauerkraut, swede, gravy and the ubiquitous boiled potatoes.
Read more about traditional Christmas Food in Bergen here.
If you want to learn more about Christmas traditions in Bergen and what's on during the holiday season, check out the podcast "Christmas in Bergen".
New Years Eve in Bergen
The last day of the year is usually spent in one of many restaurants, night clubs, pubs and bars or at home with family and friends. The city is buzzing with life and people in festive spirit! At midnight there is fireworks that can be seen from all over the city center. To get you safely home after the celebrations, there is an extensive public transport service if you are staying outside the city center. Night buses and Bergen Light Rail (Bybanen) are running all night.
Opening hours for shops in the city centre at Christmas 2026
From Tuesday 15 December to Wednesday 23 December 2026 most shops in Bergen city centre have these opening hours:
- Weekdays: Open until 20:00 (shopping centres until 21:00)
- Saturdays: Open until 18:00
- Sundays: Closed for most shops. Some shops and shopping centres have Sunday opening 14:00-19:00 on the three last Sundays before Christmas, which in 2026 are 6, 13 and 20 December.
Public holidays and New Year's Eve:
- Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December: Open until 13:00 (exceptions may occur)
- Christmas Day, Friday 25 December: Closed
- Boxing Day, Saturday 26 December: Closed
- New Year's Eve, Thursday 31 December: Open until 16:00 (exceptions may occur)
Individual shops may have different opening hours. Check the shop's own page for confirmed information.
If you want to bring the Bergen Christmas feeling home, head to Julehuset at Bryggen for Norwegian Christmas gnomes (nisser) and other Christmas decorations. The shop is open all year, but in November and December, the shop has two floors of Christmas products.
Photo: Maverix Media - Visitnorway.com
Church service in Bergen city center
These are the services in 2026:
24 December:
Bergen Cathedral at 14:30 and 16:00
25 December:
Bergen Cathedral at 11:00
More services will be published closer to Christmas.
Please note that the services are in Norwegian.
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