Before we leave Bergen for our next adventure, there is more to see and experience besides the world-famous Bryggen. The bustling city with colorful houses has much more to offer than the historical Hanseatic buildings by the Vågen bay.
One of the must-see attractions is the breathtaking panorama of the city and its natural surroundings from the viewing platform on the top of one of the seven mountains.
Getting there can be easy or challenging. You can hike to the top of the mountain or make it easy and take the funicular, called in Norwegian Fløibanen, to the upper station. A ride in it is an attraction in itself, which I recommend.
Now you’re here, so sit back and enjoy the view 😊 It’s amazing, don’t you think? Be sure to take pictures! Let me know how it went for you. 😉
When you fill your soul with the magnificent view, stop by the gift shop, buy a souvenir or grab a bite at the café, or do both.
In the Fløistuen café’s charming atmosphere, you may spoil yourself with a cup of hot chocolate or freshly brewed coffee. The café is also offering light refreshments and ice cream. Whatever you take, it can be enjoyed, in the cozy inside or on the large terrace.
Nearby is the restaurant too, Fløien Folkerestaurant. It is a café, an á la carte restaurant with a spectacular view.
If you thought the viewing platform was all you could see here, you’re wrong.
Just a few minutes walk from Fløyen’s upper station is the idyllic lake Skomakerdiket, surrounded by forest. A beautiful quiet area welcomes everyone.
Sit by the lake and admire the beauty of nature or rent-free of charge canoe with paddles and life jackets from Fløyen, or paddleboard if you dare.
Coming back to town from the mountain can be easy or challenging 😉 Either you take the funicular or walk down to the city.
Skomakerdiket, the lake at the top
of the mount Fløyen in Bergen.
Taking photos of yourself, of your companion, or views
while hiking is a great idea, but you can spice the photo session with close-ups of nature here and there.
Try to look inside a flower and capture the inside.
Shoot at another angle or try to catch sun rays playing in the petals.
Capture the sparkle of sunshine on the lake surface.
These will be colorful ornaments in your photo album.
Yes, yes, you can do it with a cell phone, too.
Strolling through the Bergen streets, you can’t miss the fish market.
But if you get lost, head towards Bryggen.
I was amazed by the wide range of sea creatures.
Enthusiasts of fruits of the sea can buy not only fresh fish and seafood but also vegetables, fruit, and berries from the local farms. You can also buy flowers and other plants here.
Fish Market is the second most visited place in Bergen and one of the most visited outside markets in Norway. This popular place attracts tourists all year round.
Bergen’s famous Fish Market is a meeting place between fishermen and locals. It has been one of the most important places of trade between fishermen, farmers, and townspeople since 1200.
During the winter, the outside market is closed, but Fishmongers inside Mathallen stay open. The outside market opens on May 1st for the summer season.
It’s also a popular eating place with various restaurants serving a large selection of seems like all kinds of seafood.
Are you a fish food enthusiast? So this is the place to get fish & chips or fish soup for lunch or something unusual for dinner. As a bonus, you’ll get a great view too.
It´s a must for art lovers to visit KODE and its impressive collections of art.
The galleries showcase artwork ranging from eclectic to modern and landscapes. You can admire masterpieces by Edvard Munch, Nikolai Astrup, Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee, J.C. Dahl.
The KODE is placed in the center of the city along the lake “Lille Lungegaardsvann” and consists of 4 buildings.
More art? Of course, why not. Bergen Kunsthall hosts contemporary art of international and Norwegian artists, and it’s one of the best in Norway. You can find it easily. It is located right next to KODE 3.
One of the oldest buildings in the city. It is nearly 900 years old and has a long and turbulent history. In the churchyard, you will find two memorials. One is the grave of a bishop and poet Johan Nordahl Brun and the second is a memorial dedicated to two contemporary poets, Dorothea Engelbrektsdatter and Petter Dass.
Bergenhus is one of the oldest preserved fortresses in Norway and a significant fortress facility in the country in terms of historical depth with preserved buildings and facilities from many periods.
Especially two of the buildings are important cultural monuments of international value.
One of them is 750 years old Håkonshallen, built by King Håkon Håkonsson as a royal residence and banqueting hall.
Today the hall is still used both for royal dinners and other official occasions.
The second is The Rosenkrantz Tower – it’s one of the most important renaissance monuments in Norway. From the top of the tower, there are beautiful views of the four directions of the world.
The fortress area has had a central position in the country’s history as a military, administrative and political center for several hundred years.
St. Mary’s Church, Mariakirken, is located behind Bryggen in Bergen. It is the city’s oldest parish church, and at the same time, Bergen’s oldest preserved building. The church was built in the 12th century, most likely between 1130 and 1170.
Worth the visit is the Hanseatic Museum and the last Hanseatic assembly rooms in the world. Here you can see how the Hanseatic merchants lived and worked over the course of 400 years.
There are many more museums for every taste in Bergen and around. See the complete list of 39 museums and historical monuments.
Bergen is a City of colorful wooden houses. It is impossible not to notice them. They are everywhere, both in old Bergen and on the slopes of the surrounding hills. They look great against the lush greenery in the summer and the snow in the winter.
The city center is also full of color and interesting backstreets. Flower squares, lots of greenery, a park with a music pavilion, and a lake with fountains will attract your attention too. Walking the streets between the wooden houses is a pleasure. The old wooden houses from the 1700s, narrow alleys and squares take you back to Medieval times in Bergen.
Take a walk towards Nordnes and Klosteret, and you will find many colorful houses and charming streets that are perfect photo sites. It’s hard to stop yourself from taking pictures. Everywhere you look there is something interesting to capture in the frame.
In my opinion, the ideal place for an evening walk is Vågen. Vågen is an arm of the city fjord.
Here Bryggen, Fortress, and Fish Market are located.
If you are not for walking, take a sit down and enjoy the view. You can observe ships, ferries, boats, and yachts sailing in and out of the busy Bergen harbor.
From here you can also take a small excursion with the Beffen ferry and admire Bergen from the water-side.
And finally. You cannot forget Mt. Ulriken. Take the cable car up to Bergen’s highest mountain. From here, you will get a picture of the city and the surrounding area.
Worth mentioning are two museums placed outside of Bergen.
The first one is Museum Troldhaugen placed 10 km from the city. It is the house of Edvard Hagerup Grieg, a Norwegian composer, and pianist. He is one of the few Nordic composers who has achieved world fame.
The second is the Lysøen Museum, located about 30 km south of Bergen. It is the home of another musician Ole Bornemann Bull, who was the world-famous Norwegian violinist and composer.
The area around Bergen is very popular with hikers. More about the hiking trails around the Bergen.
Norway’s coastline has been shaped by nature and man for hundreds of years. Rent a car and explore!
Visit South Norway
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