Christmas in Bergen

The Gingerbread Town and a large number of Christmas concert and other events will get you in the right Christmas spirit.

Festival of Lights 16 November 2024

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:

The Gingerbread City (Pepperkakebyen) is the World’s largest town of its kind. In November, half of Bergen’s citizens 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 town 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. Every day from mid November you can visit the Gingerbread Town.

The Gingerbread City is open from  16 November - 31 December 2024 and is located in Kong Oscars gate 24-26.

Photo:  Visit Bergen / Espen Bakketun - visitBergen.com

Open attractions and tours during Christmas:  

Please note that this list is being updated daily.

 

Open restaurants during Christmas:

Please note that this list is being updated on a regular basis.

To find open restaurants during the holiday period, you can also use the search option on the page displaying restaurants in Bergen. You can enter the date that are relevant for you to find a restaurant of your choice. Please double check with the restaurant home page for final confirmation close to the time you are planning to visit as they might decide to change opening hours on short notice.

Bergen Christmas Market:

Bergen Christmas Market will this year 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. Open from 22 November - 22 December 2024.

Photo: Bergen Julemarked / Robin Strand – visitBergen.com

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.

See an interactive map below with Christmas Markets in Bergen city center and in the Bergen region.

Christmas concerts:

Throughout December Bergen offers a large selection of Christmas concerts that are sure to get you in the right Christmas spirit!

Christmas up above!

Bergen also marks Advent with the traditional lighting of candles on Mount Fløyen every Sunday leading up to Christmas. 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.

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.

If you want to bring the Bergen Christmas feeling home, head to Julehuset at Bryggen to get nisser and other Christmas decorations. In November and December, the shop has two floors of Christmas products.

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 busses and Bergen Light Rail are running all night.

Opening hours for shopping in Bergen city Center:

From Thursday December 10 to (and including) December 23, most shops in the city centre are open the following hours:
Monday to Friday: Open until 8PM (malls until 9PM)
Saturday: Open until 6PM
Sunday: Open until 2PM or 7PM
Christmas Eve: Open until 1PM (with some exceptions)
Christmas Day and Boxing Day: Closed
New Year’s Eve: Open until 4PM (with some exceptions)

Photo: Maverix Media - Visitnorway.com

Church service in Bergen city center:

These were the services in 2023. New updated times will be published as soon as this has been confirmed.

24 December:
Bergen Cathedral at 14:30 and 16:00
St John's Church at 16:00
St Mary's Church: at 14:30, 16:00 and 23:00
Nykirken at 14:30

25 December:
Bergen Cathedral at 11:00
St John's Church at 12:00

26 December:
Bergen Cathedral at 11:00

New Years Eve:
Bergen Cathedral at 12:00
St John's Church at 23:00

Please note that the masses are in Norwegian.

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