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Bergen Attractions
The best way to begin is to take a stroll around Bryggen. This row of Hanseatic timbered houses, rebuilt along the waterfront after a disastrous fire in 1702, is what remains of medieval Bergen. The northern half burned to the ground in 1955. Bryggen has been incorporated into UNESCO's World Heritage List as one of the most significant cultural and historical re-creations of a medieval settlement, skillfully blending with the surroundings of modern Bergen. It's a center for arts and crafts, where painters, weavers, and craftspeople have their workshops, some of which are open to the public.
In Nearby Lysøen -- To reach the island of Lysøen, 26km (16 miles) south of Bergen, drive or take a bus (from Platform 20 at the Bergen bus station, marked FANA-OS-MILDE) to Sørestraumen on Rd. 553. Take the Ole Bull ferry across the channel from Sørestraumen, Buena Kai. The round-trip fare is NOK50 ($10/£5) for adults, NOK29 ($5.80/£2.90) for children. When the museum and villa are open, ferry schedules coincide with the site's hours, and boats depart for the mainland at hourly intervals. The last boat leaves a few minutes after the museum closes.
15 Results
- Zoo/Aquarium
Akvariet (Bergen Aquarium)
A 15-minute walk from the city center, this aquarium contains the most extensive collection of marine fauna in Europe, lying on the outmost reaches of the Nordnes district, with a panoramic view of the entrance to the port of Bergen. The exceptional marine life includes seals,… - The Performing Arts
Bergen Folklore
The Bergen Folklore dancing troupe performs from June to August on Tuesday at 9pm. The program, which lasts about an hour, consists of traditional folk dances and music from rural Norway. Tickets are on sale at the tourist office and at the door. - Landmark
Damsgård
If you have to make choices, visit Edvard Grieg's beloved Troldhaugen. But if you can find the time, Damsgård is an absolute gem. This off-the-beaten-path European palace in miniature from 1770 is the finest example of 18th-century rococo timber architecture in western Norway. The… - The Performing Arts
Den National Theater
September to June is the season for Norway's oldest theater, founded in the mid-19th century. It stages classical Norwegian and international drama, contemporary plays, and musical drama, as well as visiting opera and ballet productions. - Religious Site
Domkirken (Bergen Cathedral)
For 9 centuries, this has been a place of worship, but it's amazing that the cathedral is here at all -- after all, it's been burned down five times. The first stone church was built in the mid-12th century and dedicated to Olav the Holy, patron saint of Norway. By the 13th century,… - Religious Site
Fantoft Stavkirke
This is a rare opportunity to see what a wood-built stave church looked like, even if it's merely a mocked-up version. In the Middle Ages, Norway had a total of 750 stave churches, but only 30 are still standing. Architecturally, these churches were unique, with their "dragon heads,"… - Train Station
Fløibanen
A short walk from the Fish Market is the station where the funicular heads up to Fløien, the most famous of Bergen's seven hills. We'll miss the old contraption that used to haul us up to the top of the 320m (1,050-ft.) Mount Floyen. But for the first time in its 85-year history, the… - Historic Site
Gamlehaugen
The king's official Bergen residence was originally occupied in the 19th century by Christian Michelsen, one of the first prime ministers of Norway after it separated from Denmark in 1814. It's open for just a short time each summer, and a visit here will tell you much about how the… - The Performing Arts
Grieghallen
The modern Grieg Hall, which opened in 1978, is Bergen's monumental showcase for music, drama, and a host of other cultural events. The stage is large enough for an entire grand opera production, and the main foyer comfortably seats 1,500 guests for lunch or dinner. Snack bars… - Landmark
Håkonshallen (Håkon's Hall)
Built of local stone, this is the largest secular medieval hall still standing in Norway, though its days of glory are long gone. Once it was the political and social center of the 13th-century kingdom of Norway. Erected between 1247 and 1261, it took its name from its first builder,… - Religious Site
Mariakirke (St. Mary's Church)
The oldest building in Bergen, perhaps dating from the first half of the 12th century, is also one of the most outstanding examples of Romanesque in Norway. The oldest ornament in the church is the altar, but the pulpit is the richest example of baroque decorative art in the country.… - Natural Attraction
Mount Ulriken
Closed down for a long time for extensive repairs, this cable car is slated to reopen in September of 2009. For the grandest view in western Norway, visit Bergen's highest mountaintop, Ulriken, at 642m (2,106 ft.). The attraction lies at Landaas, 5km (3 miles) southeast from the… - Landmark
Rosenkrantz Tower
The Middle Ages live on here, and the aura is a bit spooky. We're sure the wretched prisoners held in dungeons here would agree with us. Even if you find the setting foreboding, the stunning panorama of Bergen's seaport is worth the trek here. This defense and residential tower was… - Historic Site
Siljustøl
Although most visitors rightly flock to Edvard Grieg's former home at Troldhaugen, Bergen has an important Norwegian composer of its own: Harald Saeverud. Born in Bergen in 1897, the young composer studied first in his hometown before going on to Berlin, where he met some of the… - Landmark
Troldhaugen (Trolls' Hill)
This can be the most romantic setting in Norway if you arrive just as Edvard Grieg's music is drifting up from a summer concert in the 200-seat Troldsalen, a concert hall on the grounds. This Victorian house, in beautiful rural surroundings, was the summer villa of composer Edvard…
More About Bergen Attractions
Bergen Shopping
Shoppers who live outside Scandinavia and spend more than NOK310 ($62/£31) in a tax-free tourist shop can receive a refund up to 18.5% of the purchase price when they leave Norway.
Bargain hunters head to the Fish Market (Fisketorget). Many local handicrafts from the western fjord district, including rugs and handmade tablecloths, are displayed here. This is also one of the few places in Norway where bargaining is welcomed. The market keeps no set hours, but it is best visited between June and August daily, 7am to 7pm, and September to May, Monday to Saturday, 7am to 4pm. Take bus no. 1, 5, or 9.
Hours -- Stores are generally open Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm (until 8pm Thurs and sometimes Fri), Saturday 9am to 4pm. Shopping centers outside the city are open Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 6pm. Some food stores stay open until 8pm Monday to Friday and 6pm on Saturday.
Handicrafts -- In and around Bryggen Brukskunst, the restored Old Town near the wharf, many craftspeople have taken over old houses and ply ancient Norwegian trades. Crafts boutiques often display Bergen souvenirs, many based on designs 300 to 1,500 years old. For example, we purchased a reproduction of a Romanesque-style cruciform pilgrim's badge. Other attractive items are likely to include sheepskin-lined booties and exquisitely styled hand-woven wool dresses.
Shopping Tour -- Norway has a centuries-old tradition of crafts, which undoubtedly developed to help people pass the time during the cold, dark winters when farm families were more or less housebound for months. Some of the major crafts were woodcarving, weaving, and embroidery, and these skills live on today at many local artist and crafts centers. Some of the best areas include Hardanger (around the Hardangerfjord, near Bergen), Song (just north of the Sognefjord, also near Bergen), and Telemark (the district around Skien, within a day's drive from Oslo). For a true behind-the scenes look at Norway, Five Stars of Scandinavia, 2914 Yelm Hwy. SE, #24, Olympia, WA 98501 (tel. 800/722-4126; www.5stars-of-scandinavia.com), will set up a self-guided tour for you, factoring in everything they know about local artisans.
Bergen Nightlife
The Brown Scene -- What does a Norwegian mean when he refers to a "brown" nightclub? It's a raucous, boozy, semisleazy joint where off-duty prostitutes, bikers, harborfront riffraff, slumming suburbanites, business travelers on short-term leaves from their spouses, and all manner of fringe society get together for a rollicking and booze-soaked good time. Don't say you haven't been warned.
Films -- Konsertpaleet, Neumannsgate 3 (tel. 55-56-90-83), shows all films in their original versions. The earliest performance is at 11am, the latest at 11pm. Tickets usually cost NOK85 ($17/£8.50).
