Walking tour Bergen that will blow your mind!
Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway and also one of the country’s most visited destinations. This is all thanks to its location on the Southwestern country coast, the gateway to Norway’s famous fjords. Although the city is large in area and population, it keeps the atmosphere of a cozy small town surrounded by extraordinary nature and mountains.
There are several unique and extraordinary landmarks in Bergen which belong to the UNESCO World Heritage list of sites. In this article, we want to help you have an amazing time while staying in Bergen. We offer you a brief guide of what to see and experience in this city. As well as how to get the best out of it in the most reasonable way.
Bergen Card
The most reasonable and practical way of getting around in Bergen is by purchasing a Bergen Card. This costs around 28 EUR for an adult and can be bought online or at the city’s Tourist Information Centre.
With this card, you get free transport when using the Light Rail (not any other public transport). But what is more important is it offers free admission to most of the museums and attractions. With this card, you can even get discounts at restaurants on your food and drinks.
This card is a golden ticket to almost everything that is happening in Bergen. This includes boat tours to the fjords, art, science and historical museums, concerts, theatre and cinema, restaurants and much more.
In this guide, we will try to mention only the attractions that are covered by this card. Which means only places where you can get a free or at least discounted entrance.
City tour
A good thing for everybody interested in a walking tour in Bergen is that the whole city is walkable. When we do not count the fjords and other “out of the city” attractions, it is very manageable to go for a city tour on foot.
The first place to start with has to be the Bryggen. This is one of the main reasons why people come to Bergen and it can not be excluded from your city tour. Bryggen, also called the Tyske Bryggen, is a number of colorful houses lining up on the shore of eastern Vagen harbor in Bergen, Norway.
It is such a unique site, that it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
After you get mesmerized by these houses, you might want to learn more about the history of Bryggen from medieval times and discover some hidden stories about the place. Therefore we recommend you to visit the Bryggens Museum.
You can find this museum right next to the St. Mary’s Church, which is the oldest still existing building in the city. You can even see some medieval ruins nearby.
Another place on the list of almost every guided tour in Bergen is the Wine Cellar Dyvekes. It’s been reconstructed after a big fire in 1958 in Holmedalsgarden, and it is a very historically rich building. A reason why you should visit this place though is mostly the variety of tasty beverages such as quality wine or beer.
Since Bergen used to be occupied by Hanseatic league merchants, its history is strongly connected to this kind of culture. To learn more about this time period we suggest you visit the Hanseatic Museum Schotstuene. In which you can explore many of the Hanseatic assembly rooms full of interesting exhibitions.
Attractions
When it comes to your options for entertainment in Bergen, you should know that this city is considered one of the leading cultural destinations in Norway. Every year there a number of popular art and musical events hosted. Such events include the Bergenfest, the Nattjazz Festival, or the Bergen International Festival. Apart from these, there are plenty of museums and other attractions that can enrich your days in Bergen in many ways.
The first such attraction would be the Fløibanen. The Fløibanen is a funicular that will take you to the top of the Mount Fløyen peak. A spot that offers a spectacular view of the whole city and its surroundings. If you are up for some more height, you can head up to the Blamann, which offers an even prettier panoramic view.
A very similar experience is hiking up the Mount Ulriken. Or even using the Ulriken Cable car that will take you up the tallest hill in Bergen.
This next attraction we want to mention can also be incorporated into your city tour. It is the Market square. It is situated at the end of the famous harbor, and it is mostly known for the Fish Market. The fish market, also called Torget, is there every day and is the perfect place to get freshly caught fish. Most of the city’s restaurants buy their seafood here. Therefore its good to know what the catch of the day is so that you can order it for lunch!.
Moving on, as we mentioned earlier, Bergen is a city with a lot of art and music opportunities. It is a place where a popular composer Edvard Grieg has spent his summers, which is why there is a museum built in his old house dedicated to his life work.
Talking about museums, we would like to bring to your attention the Bergen Science Centre VilVite, where you can go with your family or friends and get hands-on experience from a number of interactive science exhibits. It is modern, educational and a lot of fun altogether.
Fjords
It is not without a reason Bergen is called “The Gateway to the Fjords of Norway”. As it is located between two very beautiful fjords Sognefjord in the north and Hardangerfjord south.
Norwegian fjords are simply indescribable. Every picture you see of them is merely a preview of what truly awaits you out there. You can look forward to beautiful landscapes, glaciers, mountainsides, magnificent little islands, and even waterfalls. Since Bergen is the starting point of most of the fjord tours, you get several options, multiple times a day to go and see these spectacular features.
You can go by bus or by train, but our tip is to go on one of many boat tours so that you get the best view possible. These boat tours vary according to their length and program. Most of them take around 2 to 10 hours and they usually include seeing some of the fjords, sampling water from waterfalls, and sometimes a break for lunch or snacks at one of the islands or nearby towns.
If you are interested in what you can see on these tours, here are some examples:
The longest fjord in Norway Sognefjord, Tvindefossen waterfall, Mostraumen fjord, smallest Norwegian municipality Modalen, Bergen railway, and much more.
Since we are currently not operating any walking tours in Bergen, we would like to welcome new members to our team, who would help us with providing this experience. If you think you can handle being a guide, do not hesitate and take a look at our BECOME A TOUR GUIDE page.
Start your Bergen Walking Tours
At Riviera Bar Crawl & Tours, we have years of experience in providing our visitors with some of the best and most memorable experiences of their lives. While primarily stationed in France, we hope to branch out into as many European cities as possible! With all of the success we’ve experienced and the great feedback we’ve gotten from our clients, we want to share this with even more of the world’s travelers. In regards to both Guided Walking Tours and Pub Crawls.
But who better to run Bergen Tours & Activities than someone who knows the very best of what the city and its culture have to offer! Think that might relate to you? Well get in contact with us and send us your Application Form! We’re always looking for Franchising partners to help us make our dream a reality. Not only will you enjoy the liberty of working as your own boss, but you’ll also get to experience some of the unforgettable days for yourself! Along with the satisfaction of knowing you’ve been able to share your culture with more of the world.
For further enquires and information, don’t hesitate to get in contact with us via our email: info@rivierabarcrawl.com
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