Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city and port town, may have a small population of 270,000, but it serves as the gateway to Norway’s renowned fjord tourism. Out of Norway's five major fjords, Bergen is the entrance to the Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord! During the summer tourist season, the city bustles with visitors from around the world.
Around Bergen Harbor, you'll find the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Bryggen district, a fish market, and plenty of souvenir shops, creating a lively and exciting atmosphere.
First, head to the information center by the harbor to grab maps, discount cards, and other helpful resources. The brown building is easy to spot, with the indoor fish market on the first floor and the information center on the second.
1.Mount Fløyen
Upon arriving in the port town of Bergen, the first place you should visit is Mount Fløyen. Although its elevation is only 320 meters, the view is spectacular! The scenery you often see in guidebooks and postcards is captured from this spot.
Below, you’ll find the UNESCO World Heritage Bryggen district, the tourist information center, the fish market, and more. This is a helpful place to get a sense of the area before you begin sightseeing. At the summit, there’s the restaurant Fløyen Folkerestaurant, open only in summer, where you can enjoy a meal with a view.
Access is easy, with a cable car station about a 5-minute walk from the fish market. It’s very popular during the summer tourist season, with queues often forming, but it has an 80-person capacity, so the wait isn’t long. It takes about 7 minutes to reach the summit. If you’re in good shape and have time, you can also challenge yourself by taking the hiking trail next to the cable car station.
The night view is also recommended, so be sure to visit in the evening too!
Name: Mount Fløyen
Address: Vetrlidsallmenningen 21
2.Bryggen
Located on the east side of Bergen Harbor, the Bryggen district is the most popular tourist spot in Bergen. Its beautiful streets were designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1979.
In the 14th century, German merchants from the Hanseatic League came to create a German town here. “Bryggen” means “warehouse,” and the area once served as the offices and warehouses of the Hanseatic League.
The colorful warehouses with triangular roofs are narrow in width but deep in length. Many historical buildings that recall the prosperity of the past are scattered throughout Bryggen. Although they have endured multiple fires and have been rebuilt many times, they are now used as museums, restaurants, workshops, and souvenir shops, bustling with tourists every day.
During the summer tourist season, there are paid guided tours (in Norwegian, German, and English) hosted by the tourism office. Guides in cute medieval costumes provide detailed explanations of Bryggen’s history. The tour also includes admission to the Bryggen Museum and Hanseatic Museum, making it a good value!
Name: Bryggen
Address: Bryggen, Bergen
Official/related website URL: stiftelsenbryggen.no
3.Hanseatic Museum
The Hanseatic Museum is housed in a building that was used by Hanseatic merchants to trade dried cod in the 14th century. It features fascinating exhibits that provide insight into business practices and the lifestyle of Hanseatic merchants, making it a must-see museum!
In Bergen, there were numerous fires, and the Bryggen area suffered extensive damage. Most of the buildings in Bryggen were damaged in the great fire of 1702 and were rebuilt afterward.
Fearful of fires, Hanseatic merchants avoided using fire except in the kitchen. To stay warm, they slept in small beds with doors, wrapped in blankets, as recreated in the museum.
Moreover, to prevent fires, buildings were supposed to be made of brick, but as wood was cheaper, only the exteriors were bricked, with wooden interiors to escape authorities' notice.
Name: Det Hanseatiske Museum og Schoetstuene (Hanseatic Museum)
Address: Finnegardsgata, 1A, Bergen
Official/related website URL: museumvest.no
4.Fish Market
Norway is well-known as a seafood paradise. At the Bergen Fish Market, you’ll find an abundance of freshly caught shrimp, crab, salmon, and more, creating a lively atmosphere.
Located right next to Bryggen, it’s a place that every tourist stops by. Plates of seafood, arranged so you can eat what you buy on the spot, are very popular among tourists and sell out quickly.
One of the most popular items is the boiled sweet shrimp, with a fresh, plump texture and flavor that will keep you coming back for more. The crab salad, made with shredded crab in the shell, is also a luxurious and popular item.
From the open-air restaurants in the market, you’ll be enticed by the wonderful aroma of the local fish soup—don’t hesitate to try it! Since Norway is a whaling country, whale meat is also available here. As you browse, vendors will often invite you to sample their offerings, so feel free to try them! The pickled herring in jars, available in flavors like mustard and tomato, makes a great souvenir.
Name: Fish Market
Address: Strandkaien, 5013 Bergen
5.Troldhaugen – Edvard Grieg Museum
The Troldhaugen – Edvard Grieg Museum was once the home of Norway’s great composer Edvard Grieg (1843–1907), born in Bergen, where he spent his later years with his wife, Nina, until he passed away at 64. It is now a museum and a popular destination for tourists.
Edvard Grieg’s famous work is the play Peer Gynt. A lover of Norway’s nature, Grieg incorporated elements of folk music into his compositions, leaving behind many piano pieces. Inside the museum, Grieg’s home has been faithfully recreated, and you can feel the tranquility of his life surrounded by nature. A small music hall is also part of the museum complex, where various events and concerts are held.
The area where Grieg’s home is located is affectionately called Troldhaugen, meaning “Hill of the Trolls.” Trolls are forest-dwelling fairies beloved by Nordic people since ancient times.
With their bushy hair and hooked noses, they are sometimes considered monsters, but you’ll often see them in souvenir shops when you visit Scandinavia. How about taking home a memory from Bergen?
Name: Troldhaugen Edvard Grieg Museum
Address: Troldhaugvegen 65
Official/related website URL: griegmuseum.no
◎ Summary
What do you think of the recommended tourist spots in Bergen? Surrounded by seven mountains, Bergen is a city of slopes. If you take a stroll away from the main tourist areas, you might find your own perfect viewpoint.
For those who want to fully enjoy Norwegian salmon, shrimp, crab, and fish soup, the restaurants in Bergen’s port town are a must-visit. It’s a charming city where you should stay and explore for at least 2-3 days.
Additionally, Bergen is warmer than its latitude suggests due to the Gulf Stream but is also famous for its frequent rain. They say it rains two-thirds of the year. Weather changes can happen suddenly, so don’t forget to carry an umbrella or raincoat.