This Eat+Stay+Play: Bergen, Norway travel guide is the final guide from my Scandinavian travel series. Check out my other Scandinavian guides, which include Tallinn, Stockholm, and Copenhagen or read all my travel guides from around Europe and the U.S. from the Travel menu above or by clicking here.
As with every Eat+Stay+Play travel guide, I am going to provide you with restaurant suggestions, lodging advice, and guides on what to do in Bergen, Norway. Every traveler’s itinerary looks different, but our trip to Bergen was the last major stop on a Scandinavian tour that began in Tallinn, Estonia and ended in Oslo (the city we flew home from).
Know Before You Go to Bergen
Norway is one of the most expensive countries we have traveled to, so you’ll want to budget accordingly. We also traveled during July and temperatures were decently chilly in the morning and evening. Pack a light jacket or dress in layers. Everyone we met was very friendly and welcoming, and English was spoken everywhere. Make sure to bring an eye mask as the sun does not set until at least 11:00 pm and rises again at 4:00 am.
Where to Eat in Bergen
Trekroneren is the perfect pitstop after exploring the town of Bergen on foot. It’s a walk-up style order to-go kind of casual eatery frequented by locals. If you want to try a Norwegian favorite of reindeer meat, then this hotdog stand is the perfect place. I opted for a wild game dog with mustard and could have easily eaten a second one. It was that good!
Fjellskål Fisk & Skalldyr is a fun little spot for seafood on the water. You’re directly across the harbor from Bergen’s famous row of colorful buildings and they have a pretty big menu from also being a fish market. It’s worth getting there early just to peruse the seafood on display (I think they seriously have all the fruits of the sea). If you’re feeling adventurous, pick up some fish to prepare in your apartment or just have them do it while you sip wine and watch the boats come and go.
Anne Madam is a cozy restaurant amidst the hustling center of Bergen. You can grab a table or sit along the perimeter at a bar top and people watch. They have a nice selection of what I could call Norwegian comfort food (there’s a reindeer burger here) and service is friendly and prompt.
Where to Stay in Bergen
We rented the loft apartment of Skuteviken Guesthouse and loved it. Skuteviken is an area of Bergen with rows of white wooden houses that dates from the 1600’s. It’s a beautiful little area where you’ll find flower boxes in windows, cobbled streets, and benches flanking cozy little porches. Our apartment was on the the top floor, but climbing the steep spiral staircase was worth it. A roomy living area and kitchen along with a cozy bedroom and large bath awaits you. We had beautiful views of the water and the location is just a short walk to the city centre. The owners are very nice and even helped me with my heavy bag.
Where to Play in Bergen
Our biggest excursion was seeing Norway’s famous fjords, where tours run daily from Bergen. I recommend Norway in a Nutshell as the best way to experience the fjords. Plan to spend an entire day and you’ll see the picturesque Norwegian countryside from train, boat, and bus.
A round trip tour from Bergen takes you to Voss on the Bergen Railway. From there you’ll travel by bus down steep roadways and hairpin turns to Gudvangen. I could not believe our bus would make it but it did and the sights are breathtaking! From Gudvangen you’ll board your boat for a fjord cruise. Norway’s fjords are some of the most beautiful naturally occurring elements I’ve ever seen on this earth. In looking back over my photos, I feel like I’m looking at some of those thousand-piece puzzles. Norway in a Nutshell is a must!
Your fjord cruise will deposit you into the small town of Flåm. This is a great spot to grab some lunch and wander through some touristy shops. Or grab an ice cream and just take in your beautiful surroundings from a bench while you wait for your Flåm Railway train to Myrdal.
Along the Flåm Railway you’ll stop for a few minutes at the Kjosfossen waterfall where you’ll disembark the train onto the viewing platform. The Kjosfossen waterfall is really impressive. The falls are loud and water sprays along the viewing platform. When you hear the music look for the dancing Huldra, a forest spirit from Norse mythology. But watch out – she’s known to lure men into the woods to seduce them! It’s a delightful surprise on the tour.
When you arrive in Myrdal you’ll change trains to the Bergen Railway and head back to Bergen. You can also do this tour as a one-way trip and continue on to Oslo, which is what we did so that we could fly home from there.
Have you been to Bergen? What do you think of a place with such natural beauty? Comment and let me know!
As always, thank you so much for reading and sharing!
Xo – Erin
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