When planning vacations, people often choose their destinations based on what others choose. Places like London and Paris although beautiful are often over-booked and VERY touristy.
Bergen is a very unique place to visit. It is Norway’s third largest city but it only has 300,000 inhabitants. It has the infrastructure of a city, but it has less “hustle and bustle” associated with city life.
Out of the many different cities I’ve visited in Europe so far, Bergen has been my favorite. For being so small, it is very diverse in restaurants, things to do, and things to see. It has something for everyone.
Things to Do:
- Stop at the fish market (“Fisketorge”) in Bergen, Norway. There are so many fresh seafood options on the menu to enjoy! I got shrimp on a kebob which came with mashed potatoes, bread, and a salad. It was absolutely delicious!!!
- Visit Bryggen Wharf. This is one of Norway’s biggest attractions as it was built in 1702. The colored buildings are beautiful during daytime and nighttime. It contains souvenir shops, art studios, and galleries. This is a great place to get things like snow globes, authentic Norwegian sweaters, and my personal favorite to collect, shot glasses. There are also many narrow passageways through Bryggen.
- Take a ride on a boat across one of the many fjords around Bergen. Norway is famous for its picturesque fjords. The city of Bergen is known as the “Gateway to the Fjords” because it is home to some of the most breathtaking scenery. My family used “Norway in a Nutshell” to book the tour, they have a variety of fjord tours to choose from.
https://www.norwaynutshell.com/original-tour/
My family went on a tour of Søgnefjord and Nærøyfjord. Above is Søgnefjord, which is the largest and deepest fjord in Norway and one of the deepest fjords in the world. Below is Nærøyfjord which is a branch of Søgnefjord.
Although personally, I thought that the twelve hour fjord tour was a little too long for me, I had breathtaking 360 degree views and is most definitely a must in my book!
- The city of Bergen is surrounded by seven mountains. I suggest climbing up Mount Fløyen because its the easiest and most popular to get to. It can also be accessed by cable car if you do not want to hike up. The top gives an almost 180 view over the whole city.
Despite its size, Bergen offers a wide range of meal options from seafood to steak and everything in between. There are also many different things to do depending on your interests. There are museums, hiking trails, you name it.
Recommendations
- When you go to Bergen, bring a rain jacket and shoes that are good in the rain. Although it is beautiful, it rains a lot of the time!!
- When I went with my family, we rented a car and drove from Oslo, Norway to Bergen, Norway. This was one of the best parts of the whole trip because we got to enjoy and experiences the Norwegian countryside. It is unique to anything I’ve ever seen in America or anywhere else in my travels. I would highly recommend taking the drive, although it is long (about 8 hours) it is worth it.
The picture to the left was taken in Eggedal. My grandmother (who is 100% Norwegian) still has extended family in Norway! They showed us around Eggedal and the farm where my great great great great grandfather lived. Behind me in the picture is a church that is still active today and to the left (which you cannot see) is a monument from WWII. It made the drive from Oslo to Bergen that much interesting meeting and talking with my (very much) extended family.
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