Bergen

An old Hanseatic capital on the west coast of Norway.

The old Hanseatic capital on the west coast of Norway is a delight, and famous for its history as a trading town and fishing community. Bergen is the southernmost starting point for the coastal cruises with Hurtigruten, and also a gateway to the fjords and the western mountains. Bergen is easily accessible by flight, also international, and by train from Oslo. The 7 hour long Oslo to Bergen train ride is by many described as one of the most beautiful stretches in the world.

The Fløibanen Funicular takes you directly to the summit of Mount Fløyen, which is an excellent vantage point for vistas of Bergen and its harbour and outlying archipelago. This is also the starting point for easy day walks in the mountains close to Bergen.

Read more about the Oslo to Bergen Train journey here.

Within the city centre of Bergen, walking is the best way to get around. You can walk across the downtown in 20 minutes in any direction. Getting around by bike, however, can be difficult in Bergen. Many central streets are paved with cobblestone, and there are only a few roads with designated cycling lanes.

Bergen is a beautiful city and it is easy to get out of town and capture a view. You can also enjoy fish’n’chips down by the wharf and enjoy the fresh sea air. Whilst Bergen has some good attractions to visit, for us at 50 Degrees North, the wonderful thing about Bergen is just relaxing and enjoying the town and surrounding countryside itself.

Surrounded by seven mountains, Bergen is ideal for enjoying the beauties of nature. A few minutes’ ride on the Fløibanen funicular will take you from the city centre to the top of Mt. Fløyen, while a cable car takes you to the summit of our highest mountain, Mt. Ulriken. Enjoy the views and the peace and quiet while gazing down at the city. Fløyfjellet (399 m) and Sandviksfjellet (418 m) are good paths and hiking trails starting from funicular station. Pick up a map locally and go for a short or long walk from the Tram station (Fløyen). Be careful of the moss and slippery conditions.

You can also take some time out to enjoy the good things from the sea. Bergen’s main industry is fishing and for those who enjoy the wharfs, head along the shore and visit the ships. Sample the delicacies on offer at the Fish Market, or spend hours among the fish, penguins and seals at Bergen Aquarium. Bergen’s old Hanseatic wharf is on the UNESCO's World Heritage List.

The old town of Bergen, Bryggen (north side of the bay), is also a place to wander and explore with wonderful wooden houses and alleyways. You can get a good perceptive on how past and present Norwegian communities live and work by wandering these back streets. Between 1350 and 1750, this area used to be a Hansa dock, trading and processing area. The wooden houses at Bryggen today were built after the devastating city fire of 1702, but are probably very similar to the buildings that were there before. Despite neglect and fires (Norwegian cities had a habit of burning down because everything is made of wood), a considerable number of buildings have survived and are now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you enter some of the alleyways between the storefronts, you really get a feel of what Bergen must have been like in the middle ages

Hanging out by the ocean can be one of the best ways to spend a summer day in Bergen and you can enjoy it with the locals. The temperature in the ocean around Bergen is warmer than most places on the west coast because of the outer islands protecting the area from the constant flow of cooler water from the North Sea, and allowing the water to heat in smaller bays in the area. Temperatures can rise to above 20°C after consecutive days with good weather. The water is clean and fresh. There are sandy beaches at Arboretet at Milde (Hjellestad), Kyrkjetangen at Nordåsvannet and Helleneset, "bathing houses"/beaches at Nordnesparken and Elsero situated in Old Bergen in Sandviken. Ask at your hotel the best place to go on the day.

Be sure to visit the new Bergen Fish Market - a new contemporary building on the wharf.

See our Norway tours that visit Bergen below:

Style
Season
Duration
Tour Standard
Cameron Benson

Scandinavian Capitals and Fjords escorted tour

16 days - Escorted summer tour from Bergen to Helsinki

  • 2025 open for bookings
  • Norway
  • Denmark
  • Sweden
  • Finland
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Havila

Chase the Northern Lights Express

11 days - Escorted Small Group tour to Norway and Finland with southbound Norwegian Coastal Voyage

  • Finland
  • Norway
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Andrey Armyagov

Scenic Fjords of Norway Escorted

10 days - Escorted tour between Bergen and Trondheim, travelling along the coast of Norway and then through the fjords

  • 2025 open for bookings
  • Norway
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Norway In-depth Escorted Small Group Tour

17 days - Escorted summer tour of Norwegian Fjords from Oslo to Trondheim

  • 2025 open for bookings
  • Norway
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Visit Norway, Vidar Moløkken

Beautiful Norway

8 days - Independent visit to the mountains, fjords and valleys of Norway.

  • Oslo to Bergen
  • Norway
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Experience the Northern Lights

Experience the Northern Lights

15 days - Escorted Small Group tour to Norway and Finland with northbound Norwegian Coastal Voyage

  • Norway
  • Finland
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Maverix, Visit Norway

Best of Norway Escorted Small Group Tour

8 days - Escorted summer tour of Norwegian Fjords

  • 2025 open for bookings
  • Norway
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Scandinavian Capitals by rail & ferry - Independent

13 days - Independent tour with emphasis on city stays and some fabulous fjord scenery.

  • Best seller
  • Norway
  • Denmark
  • Sweden
  • Finland
  • Estonia
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Ørjan Bertelsen

Beautiful Norway and Norwegian Coastal Voyage

14 days - Independent visit to the mountains and fjords of Norway with Boutique hotels and touring in our premium 50 Degrees North mini-coach

  • Norway
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Aurland 292

Norway in a Nutshell® with Premium Accommodation

5 days - Independent self guided tour extended with more inclusions.

  • Premium
  • Norway
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Norwegian Coastal Voyage Southbound

6 days - Norwegian Coastal voyage travelling South.

  • Norway
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Bergen to Trondheim - self drive tour

6 days - Drive the Atlantic Rd via Loen Skylift and Trollstigen with the Norwegian Coast and Fjords

  • Norway
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Juvet Landscape Hotel

Norway by Design and History with Juvet

9 days - Historic and Design Hotels of Norway - an independent self-drive through the fjords and coast of Norway.

  • Premium
  • Juvet books out early
  • Norway
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Norwegian Coast, Lofoten & Tromsø

11 days - Norwegian Coastal Voyage, stopping longer in Lofoten and Tromsø

  • Norway
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Beautiful Norway Hike

8 days - Independent hiking tour to the mountains, fjords and valleys of Norway. Enjoy staying at boutique hotels with the convenience of our mini-coach transfers.

  • Norway
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Ronny Olsen

Havila Astronomy Sailing

12 days - Classic Norwegian Coastal Voyage with an Astronomy expert

  • Norway
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Highlights of Scandinavia Tour

12 days - Independent tour with city tours, fjord stay and insider experiences.

  • Denmark
  • Norway
  • Sweden
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Visit Norway

Lofoten and Norwegian Coast Cruise

9 days - Norwegian Coastal Voyage with a longer stop in Lofoten.

  • Norway
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Mountains, Fjords & Norwegian Coastal Voyage

13 days - Classic Norway in a Nutshell® tour, Oslo and Norwegian Coastal voyage through Norway.

  • Norway
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©Maja Grønholdt Jensen

Nordic Capitals Gourmet Tour

10 days - Classic independent tour plus food tours and special touches.

  • Food tours included
  • Sweden
  • Denmark
  • Norway
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Image credit: Maren Solem

Norway in a Nutshell®

4 days - Independent tour by rail, bus and ferry.

  • Norway
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Norway in a Nutshell® in Winter

5 days - Independent with cosy historic hotels and winter adventures

  • Norway
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Vidar Moløkken - Visit Norway

Norway in a Nutshell® with Cycling

5 days - An active twist on the classic - CYCLE THIS ROAD!

  • Norway
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Aurland 29|2 Active

Norway in a Nutshell® with Finse and Aurland

6 days - An active summer twist on the classic - extended version

  • Norway
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Kviknes Hotel Norway

Norway's Classic Fjords

6 days - All the fjord favourites in one tour; Kviknes Hotel, Norway in a Nutshell® and Bergen.

  • Norway
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Norway's Southern Fjords and Pulpit Rock

7 days - Independent tour hiking Pulpit Rock, visiting Stavanger and Bergen then spa retreat on the fjords

  • Norway
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Marius Beck Dahle

Norwegian Coastal Voyage & Nordic Capitals Tour

23 days - Independent cruise and tour of Scandinavia's coast and capitals.

  • Sweden
  • Denmark
  • Norway
  • Finland
  • Estonia
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MS Nordlys Geiranger Hurtigurten

Norwegian Coastal Voyage Northbound

7 days - Kystruten voyage up the coast of Norway

  • Norway
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Marius Beck Dahle

Norwegian Coastal Voyage Round Trip

12 days - Voyage along the Norwegian coast.

  • Norway
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Norwegian Fjords Hike & Bike Tour

10 days - Let Norway live up to your expectations on this active adventure...

  • Norway
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Oslo to Bergen - self drive tour

6 days - Discover Hoven Loen, Fjærland, Flåm and Lom on this classic fjord route.

  • Norway
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Træna, Terje Rakke Nordic Life - www.nordnorge

Oslo, Bergen and Svalbard Express

14 days - Visit Oslo, Norway in a Nutshell, Bergen then voyage to Svalbard

  • Norway
  • Svalbard
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Tommy Simonsen

Oslo, North Cape Express and Tromsø

13 days - Visit Oslo, Norway in a Nutshell, Bergen then voyage to Tromsø

  • Norway
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Scandinavian Gems - Luxury Tour

10 days - Premium tour with emphasis on luxury city stays and fabulous fjord scenery

  • Premium
  • Private Meet & Greets
  • Sweden
  • Denmark
  • Norway
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Sognefjord in a Nutshell®

4 days - Independent tour by train, boat and ferry.

  • Norway
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Telemark & the Norwegian Fjords self drive tour

7 days - Explore Southern Norway with boutique stays and fjords

  • Norway
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Jonas Wurster

Trolltunga, Kjerag & Pulpit Rock Tour

8 days - Experience jaw-dropping views with 'off the beaten track' experiences

  • Three iconic spots
  • Norway
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Accommodation
Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten Cabins
Director's Choice
Design choice
Historic choice
Image courtesy of Det Hanseatiske
Det Hanseatiske
Image courtesy of Clarion Collection Hotel Havnekontoret
Clarion Collection Hotel Havnekontoret
Clarion Hotel Admiral
Restaurants
Cornelius Fish Restaurant
Highlights
Bergen
Bergen Fløibanen funicular
Optional Add Ons
12A Bergen City Sightseeing
C.H, Visit Norway
Fishing in Norway