Bergen Things to Do Tips by FletteMette

Bryggen, the old wharf district, is without doubt the most photographed place in Bergen - the characteristic colourful, tall, narrow medieval buildings along the harbour are probably the city's most important cultural site, and the area has been on UNESCO's world heritage list since 1979.

Bergen has for centuries been an important harbour and trading point - from 1360 to 1754 the Hanseatic League dominated the trade, with Bryggen as their main base in Norway. (The Hanseatic merchants were part of a mainly German trade organization)

Today, the 61 remaining wooden buildings house lots of shops, (too many souvenir shops, I'm afraid - but check out the shop called "Ting" ("Things") where you'll find some great stuff!) Bryggen certainly isn't all about souvenir shopping though - you'll find restaurants, pubs and some galleries and museums. Wander through the alleys and narrow streets, and visit one of the museums:

Museum of Bryggen, Dreggsalm. 3
Hanseatic Museum, Finnegaardsgaten 1a

Afterwards you could try the local beer - incidentally, that too is called Hansa - in one of the Bryggen restaurants..;-)

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Address: Bryggen
Directions: Along the waterfront
Website: http://www.stiftelsenbryggen.no/bergeneng.htm

Some say that the Fish Market is a tourist trap - I don't agree, in my opinion it's well worth a visit! Yes, handicrafts, knitted sweaters and souvenirs are sold here, and some of the stalls are very touristy indeed - but in addition to the postcards, t-shirts and viking helmets you'll find fruits, vegetables, flowers - and of course: fish and other sea creatures. And the locals *do* definitely shop here!

Stroll around, queue up to take photos of the anglerfish, have a look at the live fish and lobsters swimming around in tanks, and when you need a break: Get some freshly boiled shrimps, some crab claws (maybe try the giant Kamchatka crab!), a smoked salmon sandwich or - my favourite: the sweetest strawberries you'll ever eat!:o)

There are a few benches right next to the Fish Market, but here's a tip if you want to sit and enjoy your meal in a slightly quieter place: there are also some benches out on the pier (Shetlands-Larsens brygge) next to the restaurants at Zachen - right next to the Fish Market, towards Bryggen.

Opening hours:
June, July and August;
7 - 19 Monday - Sunday

September - May;
7 - 16 Monday - Saturday
Sunday closed.

Norwegian strawberries are for sale from June to early August..;o)

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Address: In the heart of the city, on the waterfront

The funicular from Bergen city centre to the top of mount Fløyen (320 m above sea level) is one of Norway's most popular attractions - the ride takes around 6 minutes, and both while you're on board and once at the top you'll have great views of central Bergen, with surrounding fjords and islands.

Enjoy the views, buy yourself an ice cream (or a troll...:-) in the kiosk, or have dinner in the restaurant - before strolling around Fløyen's many marked paths. The walk back down to town is very pleasant, and will take around 30-45 minutes - both through woods and old parts of Bergen. Check out the maps on signposts by the funicular station, or buy a map in the kiosk.

The funicular operates every 15 minutes (and more frequently when it's busy) - from early morning until 23.30 weekdays and 23 Sundays. (Until midnight in summer). When the ticket office is closed, get your ticket from ticket vending machines at the stations.

Prices:
Adult return 70 NOK
Adult single 35 NOK
Children (4-16 years) half price
Family (2 adults + 2 children) 175 NOK return

If you've bought the Bergen card, you get one free round trip with Fløibanen - show your Bergen card at the ticket office & receive your free ticket. Be aware that this means you can *only* get yout free ticket when the ticket office is open! See web site for opening hours.

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Phone: +47 55 33 68 00
Address: Vetrlidsallmenning 21
Directions: 150 metres from Torget (the Fish Market) - in the city centre.
Website: http://www.floibanen.com/default.asp

The aquarium is situated in a lovely little park in the part of Bergen called Nordnes, with nice views of the harbour of Bergen and some of the surrounding islands. Some parts of Nordnes are beautiful, with tiny white wooden houses and cobblestone streets - and the walk through Nordnes to the Aquarium is a "Must see activity" in its own right. The Aquarium isn't terribly big or impressive, but it *does* have one of Europe's largest collections of fish and invertebrates, and some very popular (and sooooo cute..:o) seals and penguins, which are fed at 12 and 15 - and also at 18 in summer.

The aquarium focuses mainly on the fish & other sea creatures living along the Norwegian coast, but there's also a tropical section, with colourful tropical fish, some snakes, various lizards and a couple of crocodiles.

Every hour the aquarium's cinema shows the 3D film SOS planet, and Ivo Caprino's film about the aquarium, Bergen and the Norwegian coast.

Opening hours:
May - August: 09 -19
Sept - April: 10 - 18

Admission prices:
Adults 100 NOK
Children 50 NOK

Admission prices with the Bergen card:
October - April: FREE!
May - September: 25% discount

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Phone: +47 55 55 71 71
Address: Nordnesbakken 4
Directions: The outermost point of Nordnes, on the southern side of Vågen (the bay) - walking distance from the Fish Market.
Website: http://www.akvariet.com/
Other Contact: e-mail: post@akvariet.com

Bergen is known as "the city between seven mountains" - Ulriken (at 642 meters) is really the only one of the seven going beyond "hill"...;o) From the top you'll have unbeatable views of most of Bergen and the surrounding areas. There are telescopes available, free of charge, and there's a café where you can get drinks, ice cream and light meals.

If you're feeling sporty, the (quite) easy and very popular hike from Ulriken to Fløyen will take around 4-5 hours on marked trails - and offer beautiful views along the way. The hike is a little steep in places, and you *do* need proper hiking boots.

The cable car departs every 7-10 minutes:
May and September 09 - 17
June - August 09 - 21
October and April 10 - 17 unless the weather is too bad..
Winter: open during weekends, if the weather is nice.

A guided, red double-decker bus runs every hour, 09-20 from mid June to August and 10-16 in May and first half of September - departure from Torgalmenningen 1 (near the Tourist Information Office) to the cable car.

Prices:
Bus + cable car: 150 NOK return
Cable car only: 90 NOK return / 50 one way
Children half price.

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Phone: +47 55 20 20 20
Address: Ulriksdal, near Montana Youth Hostel
Directions: If you don't want to go on the guided bus tour, take bus 2 or 31, get off at Haukeland Hospital - from there a few hundred meters walk uphill. The walk from the city centre to the cable car will take ca 45 mins.
Website: http://www.ulriken.no

Bergen Museum is part of the University of Bergen, and has two separate departments - The Natural History Collections and The Cultural History Collections. The Museum is located in two buildings from 1865 and 1927 - and surrounded by a beautiful botanical garden.

The rather old-fashioned Natural History museum focuses (naturally..;-) on geology, zoology and botany - one of the most popular displays contains massive whale skeletons hanging from the ceiling. The Cultural History department does of course have a Viking Age exhibition, as well as displays of other archaeological and ethnographical material from Norway and abroad.

Entrance fee: NOK 40
Senior citizens: NOK 20
Children / students free
Free with the Bergen Card

Opening Hours:
01.09.-31.05: Tue-Fri 10-14, Sat-Sun 11-15
01.06.-31.08: Tue-Fri 10-16, Sat-Sun 11-16
Mondays closed.

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Phone: +47 55 58 93 60
Directions: The natural history collections: Muséplass 3
The cultural history collections: Haakon Sheteligs plass 10

This is an open-air museum with more than 40 wooden houses that picture life in Bergen in the 18th and 19th centuries. Lovely cobblestone streets, courtyards and alleys, several houses and various shops; a bakery, barber shop, dentist, watchmaker...

Some of the houses are on their original site, but most have been collected from other parts of Bergen and carefully restored. It's a very pleasant area, well worth a visit! Remember to bring some bread to feed the ducks in the duck pond..;-)

Opening hours:
Approx. May 10-Sept 1:
guided tours every day, 10-17, on the hour. (Closed on May 17th, the Norwegian national day)

Admission prices:
Adults: 60 NOK
Children, students, senior citizens: 30 NOK
Free with the Bergen Card.

The outdoor area is open all year, free of charge.

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Phone: +47 55 39 43 00
Address: Elsesro, Sandviken
Directions: Approx. 5 km north of the city centre.
Around 10 minutes by bus no 20, 23, 24, 26, 50, 71, 80, 90, 280, 285... Get off the bus at Sandviken Hospital (Nyhavnsveien), from the bus stop walk 2-3 minutes downhill, towards the sea.

All schoolchildren in Bergen and the surrounding area have probably been to Troldhaugen at least once - a very popular place for school excursions... :o)

The Edvard Grieg Museum consists of Grieg's villa and composer's hut, his tomb, a concert hall and an exhibition building.

Norway's most famous composer, Edvard Grieg, (1843 - 1907) lived in quiet surroundings at Troldhaugen together with his wife Nina for the last 22 years of his life, and composed many of his works in his little red composer's hut by Lake Nordås.

Most of the villa's rooms still look like they did when Grieg died one hundred years ago - notice his favourite mascot, the "lucky frog" which he carried in his coat pocket whenever he conducted or performed.

Nina and Edvard Grieg's tomb can be seen in a peaceful little forest just below the house - it's in a mountainside, facing the lake.

About 300 concerts are held in Troldsalen Concert Hall each year - during the annual Bergen International Festival in May there are concerts daily. In summer (June - August) there are three concerts each week. Concert tickets are sold at Troldhaugen and at the Tourist Information Centre in central Bergen. There is a free bus-service for all concerts in June, July and August - the bus leaves from the Tourist Information Centre. (See my General tips for info about the Tourist Information Centre.)

Admission prices:
Adults: NOK 60
Students: NOK 20
Children under 16: Free

Opening hours:
01.05 - 30.09: 09-18 Every day
01.10 - 30.11 & 01.04 - 30.04: 10-14 Mon-Fri, 12-16 Sat-Sun
15.01 - 31.03: 10-14 Mon-Fri
December closed.

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Phone: +47 55 92 29 92
Address: Troldhaugveien 65
Directions: Troldhaugen is situated approx. 8 km south of Bergen city centre - bus no. 20, 21, 22 or 23 from the city centre.
Website: http://www.troldhaugen.no

The small fairy tale castle of Gamlehaugen (meaning "The Old Hill") was built in 1900 by Christian Michelsen, who was the Norwegian prime minister during the separation of Norway from Sweden in 1905. After Michelsen died (in 1925) Gamlehaugen was bought by the state, and it is now the Bergen residence of the Norwegian royal family. Crown Prince Haakon lived here when he was studying at the Naval Academy.

The park surrounding the castle is lovely, and open to the public - when the Crown Prince lived here the number of girls hanging around the park increased quite significantly - but it's a nice place even without royal company... :o)

Parts of the castle are open to the public:
In summer (June - August) every day except Mondays, guided tours at 12 (in English), at 13 and 14. The guided tours last for 45 minutes. Book your tour by phoning +47 55 11 29 00
During the rest of the year the castle is open Saturdays & Sundays, 12-15.
Admission & tour of the castle: Adults NOK 50, children NOK 25

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Phone: +47 55925120
Address: Gamlehaugvegen 10, Paradis
Directions: In the area near Troldhaugen, ca 7 km south of Bergen city centre.
Website: http://www.gamlehaugen.no/

The *skillingsbolle* is a Bergen specialty - sweet cinnamon buns which you'll find in any bakery (and many supermarkets) in Bergen. The skillingsbolle is quite big, and rather sugary and sweet - your fingers *should* get sticky when eating a skillingsbolle...;o)

Bolle is *bun* in Norwegian - skilling was the currency used in Norway before the krone (until 1875), and I'm guessing the skillingsbolle once cost a skilling... :o) Nowadays you'll have to pay a bit more, I'm afraid - but they're still not expensive and you really should try one when in Bergen! Tastes great with a cup of hot chocolate or tea.

Another variety is the sommerbolle - which is a skillingsbolle with a dollop of custard in the centre.

You'll find the tastiest skillingsbolle (well, apart from the ones I bake, of course!!;o) at Godt Brød, and at the various Baker Brun outlets. Always buy the freshly baked ones, not the ones you'll find wrapped in plastic at the supermarket!

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Directions: Godt Brød: Vestre Torggate 2 (near Johanneskirken - St. John's church) and Nedre Korskirkealmenning 12 (near Korskirken).
Baker Brun: Several outlets, for example right next to the Fish Market and at the bus station.