EXPERIENCE BERGEN LIKE A LOCAL

So you booked your trip to Norway and decided to spend some days exploring the western coast, with its rugged coastline, dramatic landscapes, and narrow fjords. Then a good option is to start exploring the second biggest city in Norway, Bergen.

Norway is a country with only 5 million inhabitants. With its 400 square kilometers, it makes it a little populated country. The capital, Oslo, is the biggest city, with 600.000 inhabitants. Bergens comes after, with just about 300.000 inhabitants, and Trondheim with around 200.000.

A bit of history of Bergen

This jewel of a city was founded 900 years ago and was for many years the center of prosperous trade with the rest of Europe and it became the capital of Norway in the 13th century. It was then the most important port in the country, full of commercial activity. The Hanseatic League run the trade of a very important source of protein in the Middle Ages, which expanded across many countries in Europe: the dried cod.

Nowadays, Bergen is an international city with around 30.000 students from Norway and all over the world and many cultural activities.

Things to do in Bergen

Booking a guided tour of the city will allow you to discover the many secrets of this beautiful and charming town. If you have more than one day in the city, here is a list of places you can visit:

Nordnes

Make sure you walk the Nordnes peninsula, which is usually outside of the tour itineraries but which is totally worth it. It still preserves several old houses from the 18th and 19th centuries. A visit to the park at the end of the peninsula will allow you to see the islands that surround Bergen and protect the fjord from freezing. You will go past the aquarium of Bergen, which contains many animals, like penguins and sea lions. An amazing experience you can enjoy in the winter is going to the “Nordnes Sjøbad”. The premises contain a heated outdoor swimming pool next to the fjord. The tradition is to jump into the cold waters of the fjord first and then go inside the swimming pool to warm up. There are also 2 saunas and a living room with a fireplace where you can relax and drink free coffee and hot chocolate. Watch the sunset and the stars while you swim in the pool. On Saturdays, there is also a DJ!

Museums

Bergen has several museums of great interest. Four of them are next to each other, in Festplassen in the town center. You can visit all four of the KODE museums with a single ticket that gives access to all of them. See here for more information about the exhibitions.

Concert hall

Fancy a night of classical music? With one of the oldest philharmonic orchestras in the world, Bergen has a long history of classical music. Check out the program at Grieg Hallen and enjoy an evening in this beautiful building named after the great composer Edward Grieg.

Local food

For a full experience of Norwegian cuisine, book a food tour with us. If you have several days in the city and want to try some homemade local dishes and locally brewed beers, head to a pub called Pingvinen (beers and food), Apollon (bar with a wide variety of beers), or Folk og Røvere (very Norwegian atmosphere and good beers of various kinds).

Mountains

We also offer a great variety of hiking tours. Send us a message and we will find the one that best adapts to your wishes and level. A beautiful experience is without a doubt taking the gondola to Mount Ulriken and enjoying a coffee or a glass of wine with the best views of the city.

Outside the town center

Visit the area of Mølenpris and Nygårdsparken where locals live and tourists rarely go. In summer, take a bath at Møhlenpris beach and walk around the area, have a coffee at the BKB (Bergen Kaffe Brenneri), where they roast their own coffee and make delicious cakes. Stroll around the area around the fjord and sit in a restaurant next to the fjord, cross the footbridge and explore the area.

Visit the Bod 24 restaurant (you can walk after visiting Bergenhus fortress since it is not far) and try the Nordic fusion food with local ingredients and visit the old houses of the fish industry that are in that area (the same restaurant is a renovated fish industry house, all made of wood, very authentic).

Now you know what locals do in Bergen and can experience the city and the Norwegian lifestyle thanks to this post about the hidden gems of the city. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.