Experience Bergen: Big city with charm

Bergen is not a bad city to visit if you want a taste of Norway! Here you can wander through narrow streets surrounded by charming wooden houses, breathe in fresh sea air at Fisketorget or head out to Bergenhus Fortress, which exudes the city’s heyday.

And no matter where you are in the city, beautiful nature is just a walk away.

The city located between seven mountains was founded in 1070 by Olav Kyrre and was named Bjørgvin, which means "the green meadow between the mountains". The city was actually Norway’s capital until 1299! Today Bergen is Norway’s second largest city with around 286,000 inhabitants.

Bergen is a trading and shipping city, with one of Europe’s busiest ports and is a natural hub for international trade and Northern Norway.

Attractions

Bergen has a compact city centre that is easy to explore on foot. At the same time, the city is close to nature and the seven mountains surrounding it, and it is not far, albeit a little steep, to a lookout point or up on the mountains.

Bryggen in Bergen is an area with wooden houses in the historic part of Bergen. The Hanseatic League had their headquarters here from 1360 to 1754. Today, 61 of the buildings are listed and Bryggen is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Now the buildings are home to shops, cafes and restaurants. Try one of the delicious cinnamon buns that Bergen is famous for!

Fløibanen is one of Norway’s most visited tourist attractions and is perfect for those who want a view of the city. The Fløibanen funicular is a single track cable car that takes passengers up to the Fløyen viewpoint at 320 metres above sea level. The trip takes around five to eight minutes and is a great respite for an otherwise busy city break.

In the heart of the city by the fjord is the Fisketorget fish market, as it has been since the 13th century. This is a popular meeting place, with seafood and fish, locally produced food, fruit, berries and vegetables. The fish market opens for the season on 1 May, but the Mathallen food hall is open all year round and offers culinary experiences, whether you want to eat there or buy something to take away. The Tourist Information is also located here.

The main street Torgallmenningen, with its stately, classical-style commercial buidlings, runs all the way from Fisketorget to Olav V’s square, and is a great place for shopping. Here you will also find the nine-metre long stone sculpture "The blue stone" created by Asbjørn Andresen, which is a popular meeting point. From there you have a view of the Den nationale scene theatre on one side and Festplassen and park facility Lille Lungegårdsvannet on the other four Thon Hotels.

Bergen has a wide selection of museums, whether you are interested in historic Bergen, modern art, crafts, maritime, fishing or natural history. And for those of you who love music, a visit to Edvard Grieg’s beautiful home Troldhaugen is an unforgettable experience. Ole Bull’s amazing villa on Lysøen is also an experience you won't forget in a hurry. It is located on the island of Lysøen, which you can reach by boat, a short ride from Bergen.

If you fancy on a trip on the fjord and see the beautiful archipelago in and around Bergen, you can join a half-day or day cruise out by boat to Mostraumen.

Overnight stay

In Bergen, there are a total of four Thon hotelsto choose from – all with interiors in fresh, cheerful colours.

Whichever one you choose, we’ll give you the best possible starting point for an experience-rich day with our abundant breakfast buffet in relaxing surroundings. Enjoy the wide selection of toppings, hot and cold dishes, freshly baked bread, pastries, smoothies, freshly brewed coffee, juice, jam and much more. And as always, breakfast is included in the price.

Thon Hotel Bristol, which has recently been completely renovated, is located in the middle of the city centre, only a short distance from Torgallmenningen, Bryggen and Fisketorget. Whether you like shopping, culture or history, this is a great starting point.

Thon Hotel Rosenkrantz Bergen is located right next to Bryggen, in the heart of Bergen. The hotel was awarded "outstanding breakfast" in the 2018 Twining Best Breakfast breakfast award, so it’s extra delicious to wake up hungry here.

A little further out at Bryggen, close to Bergenhus Fortress and Håkonshallen is Thon Hotel Orion, a completely renovated hotel within walking distance of the Fløibanen funicular, Torgallmenningen and other attractions.

Thon Hotel Bergen Airport is located right next to Bergen Airport Flesland and is perfect for those who need to stay close to the airport. The hotel has a well-equipped gym and free parking.

If you have a car and want to spend a night with historical splendour, it's just under an hour's drive from Bergen to the venerable Thon Hotel Sandven. The venerable hotel from 1857 is located right by the fjord in the centre of Norheimsund, and not far from one of Norway’s most famous waterfalls, Steinsdalsfossen.

Transport

There are many different ways to get to Bergen, whether you choose public transport or drive.

If you arrive by plane to Bergen Airport, you can take a bus, the Bergen Light Railway or a taxi to get to the city centre.

The Bergen train station from 1913 is located close to Lille Lungegårdsvannet lake in the city centre. From here it is only a short walk to Torgallmenningen and Bergen bus station.

Bergen is also a good starting point for Hurtigruten, which takes you all the way north to Kirkenes.

Good to know

Bergen is known for its damp weather and has an average of 213 days of rain over the course of a year. (So remember the umbrella!) However, the weather has meant that the people of Bergen are particularly good at enjoying good weather, and on sunny days the streets, outdoor restaurants and benches around the city tend to be full.

The city is at its most beautiful in the spring, in April and May, when the spring flowers come out, the snow can be seen on the mountain peaks and everything is characterised by an intense green colour.