Bergen, Norway

Bergen is located between the longest fjord in Norway, the Sognefjord, and the lovely Hardangerfjord in the south. It is the best place in Norway to gain access to the fjords, making it one of the country’s top tourist destinations. But Bergen is also a national and worldwide center for higher education and finance, as well as a center for aquaculture, shipping, the offshore petroleum industry, and subsea technology. Bergen is also an international center for aquaculture. This breathtaking location is not only home to some of the best museums and galleries in the country, but it is also an excellent site to gain a deeper understanding of the colorful figures that have played an important role in the development of Norway’s history and culture.

The Bergen Card is available for either 24 or 48 hours and grants the holder free rides on the city’s buses and Bybanen (Bergen’s light railway) as well as free or subsidized admission to a wide variety of museums and attractions. Beginning your exploration of Bergen’s rich cultural scene with a stroll around the city’s ancient Bryggen neighborhood is a great way to get started. This section of the town runs parallel to the harbor and was a major center of trade back in the 17th century. These days, it is filled with plenty of quaint museums and cafes, and it is famous for the brilliantly colored buildings that line its streets.

Aside from that, the Bergen Art Museum is home to some of the most impressive works of art in the entirety of Norway, and the Buergen Kunst Museum features artworks by the likes of Picasso, Munch, and Miro, in addition to a large number of works by local artists.

Bergen’s Seven Mountains

The Seven Mountains, which surround the city of Bergen, hold a special place in local lore and are a symbol of the region’s reverence for nature. Hiking in the varying mountainous and forested terrain that surrounds Bergen is a popular pastime. The mountains provide not just wide hiking pathways for people of varying levels of fitness but also breathtaking views of the city and its surroundings. You can choose from a variety of activities, from a casual 15-minute stroll in the sun to more challenging ones like day hikes and steep inclines. There are many more than seven mountains in the Bergen area, but these are the ones most often thought of as the “official seven.” They are: Ulriken, Flyen (sometimes called Flyfjellet), Lvstakken, Damsgrdsfjellet, Sandviksfjellet, Lyderhorn, and Rundemanen.

If you don’t feel like making the ascent on foot, you can always take the cable car from the city center up to the peak. The most popular peak is Mount Fyen, which can be reached from the city via the Flibanen Funicular, though the fitter among us are more likely to choose the 40-minute hike. From the top, you can see the fjords and the shoreline as you make your way to the other mountains, such as Mount Rundemanen and Mount Ulriken. The Ulriken cable car is conveniently accessible via regular bus service and the seasonal sightseeing bus.