Bergen beckons: Ten reasons to visit Norway’s summer haven
GUEST WRITER: Anniken Hagen tells us why her home city of Bergen is great when the sun’s shining: chilled out cafes, mountain views, vintage shopping and market browsing.
By Anniken Hagen
Summer is a great time to visit Bergen – lying on the west coast of Norway, it’s the country’s second-largest city and really buzzes on warm days. The streets are filled with locals – or Bergensere – floating in and out of cafés, sampling food or enjoying a beer. The seven mountains circling the city also make a great escape, whether you want to trek or just admire the views. May to September is the best time to visit – we’re the happiest people in Norway when the sun’s out! Here are my top ten recommendations:
1 Treat your tastebuds at Kjøttbasaren, Bergen’s food hall – crusty dark rye bread and fresh fish and seafood are the highlights. Bergensere do their own shopping here.
2 Take a ride on the Fløibanen Funicular to the top of Fløyen mountain – 320 metres above sea level. The ride only takes only a few minutes for stunning views over the city.
3 Drink a hot chocolate at Lille Kaffe Kompaniet, the smallest café in the city. My favourite, even in summer!
4 Walk around our octagonal lake Lille Lungegårdsvann then take a rest on a bench or join children feeding the ducks.
5 Explore waterside Bryggen, an antique wharf in oldest part of Bergen. Established by Hanseatic merchants (traders who dominated Northern Europe in the Middle Ages) it has become a symbol of Norwegian cultural heritage and has gained a place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The traditional multi-coloured wooden houses facing the water are beautifully picturesque.
6 Browse Skostredet’s vintage shops, glass workshops and cafes. It’s the oldest, cosiest shopping street in the city and completely car-free.
7 Drink a hot or cold sweet chilli coffee at Dromedar Kaffebar while people-watching from the outside tables. A peaceful spot.
8 Enjoy the breathtaking views of the city from Ulriken, Bergen’s highest mountain. Wonderful scenery and a great starting point for a hike.
9 Get to know a Bergenser. The people of Bergen are very friendly and self-confident (in a charming way.) When you ask a Bergenser: ‘Where are you from?’ they will almost always answer: ‘I’m from Bergen!’ Other Norwegians will answer: ‘I’m from Norway.’ A person from Bergen is proud to be a Bergenser.
10 Don’t worry about the rain. It’s summer, but you may well get caught in a shower. If you’re caught out, head for one of the city’s seven umbrella machines. They sell thousands of brollies to locals and tourists alike. You can understand why – it rains almost 240 days a year. But we like to walk in the rain here, it’s refreshing… give it a try!
