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About Bergen, Norway

Bergen is a city on Norway’s southwestern coast. It’s surrounded by mountains and fjords, including Sognefjord, the country’s longest and deepest. Bryggen features colorful wooden houses on the old wharf, once a center of the Hanseatic League’s trading empire. The Floibanen Funicular goes up Fløyen Mountain for panoramic views and hiking trails. The Edvard Grieg House is where the renowned composer once lived.

On a Norwegian scale, Bergen is a large city, but one with a small-town charm and atmosphere. Its passionately patriotic inhabitants are proud of their many-sided city and its history and cultural traditions. Many are only happy to direct visitors to their favourite local attraction, coffee-shop or restaurant.

Founded more than 900 years ago, Bergen has roots to the Viking Age and beyond. As one of the main offices of the Hanseatic League, Bergen was for several hundred years the centre of prosperous trade between Norway and the rest of Europe. Bryggen, (The Hanseatic Wharf) is the most obvious remnant from this time, and is today home to many of the city’s restaurants, pubs, craft shops and historical museums.

Bergen is famous for the seven mountains surrounding the city centre, the Hanseatic Wharf, the fish market, and one of Norway’s biggest cultural events, the Bergen International Festival, which is held there each year.

Bergen is well known for having a mild winter climate, though with a lot of precipitation. In December – March, the temperature difference between Bergen and Oslo can be up to 30 degrees Celsius, despite the fact that both cities are located at approximately 60 degrees North. The Gulf Stream keeps the sea relatively warm, considering the latitude, and the mountains protect the city from cold winds from the north, north-east and east.

Bergen is served by a railway line which runs from Oslo. The railway line is operated by the Norwegian State Railways. The journey takes about seven hours and gives you beautiful views, especially for the last three hours. When passing Geilo, you will cross over a high mountain plateau and then travel downwards through some of the most wonderful scenery in Norway.





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Overview

Bergen, known as the “Gateway to the Fjords,” is Norway’s second-largest city. But with only about 260,000 inhabitants, it projects the warmth and accessibility of a much smaller community. The Gulf Stream softens the weather there, and the winters are mild with little snow.



Shrouded in history, the city’s streets are flanked with centuries-old churches and quaint shops and homes connected by a labyrinth of backyard pathways. Two picturesque and inviting landmarks make orientation easy: the wharf area and the museum-surrounded ornamental lake and parklands are within ten minutes from each other by foot. Most of Bergen proper’s attractions and activities also lie within a short walk of those points, as does the main cruise pier.

The nearly endless hours of summer sunlight seem to lend an unhurried quality to the pace of Bergen daily life – but interestingly, this is a port that sees cruise passengers during all four seasons, thanks to the year-round itineraries offered by Hurtigruten. Most residents are patient and helpful to a fault, and tourists are almost always made to feel welcome. With great dining, art, historical and natural assets, and decent shopping, Bergen has something for everyone. Keep in mind, however, that Norway residents are paid high wages, and the cost of living is high as a result, which means visitors might be in for some sticker shock.

Bergen is a clean, friendly, accessible seaside town, rich in history and art, and it’s easily navigated on foot or by public transport. But the city is also a jumping-off point for a wide range of longer-term pursuits for those who have more time to explore it while visiting independently.



Attractions and Activities

There are a number of attractions in Bergen and the surrounding areas. Surveys do, however, show that most tourists in Bergen find the atmosphere, cultural landscape and architecture more compelling than the typical sights, so pick a few things to see and spend the rest of your time in Bergen sitting down in a park or cafe, strolling around the city, enjoying a concert or hiking the mountains. On sunny summer days, stay downtown until late to enjoy the sunset in the north.

Bergen is looked upon as the street art capital of Norway. Famed artist Banksy visited the city in 2000 and inspired many to start creating street art. Soon after, the city brought up the most famous street artist in Norway: Dolk. His art can still be seen several places in the city, and in 2009 the city council choose to preserve Dolk’s work “Spray” with protective glass. In 2011, Bergen council launched a plan of action for street art in Bergen from 2011 to 2015 to ensure that “Bergen will lead the fashion for street art as an expression both in Norway and Scandinavia.

The Madam Felle (1831–1908) monument in Sandviken, is in honor of a Norwegian woman of German origin, who in the mid-19th century, managed, as a woman, against the will of the council to maintain a counter of beer. A well-known restaurant of the same name is now at another place of Bergen. The monument was erected by sculptor Kari Rolfsen in 1990, supported by an anonymous donor. Madam Felle, civil name Oline Fell, was known after her death through a popular song, possibly originally a folksong, “Kjenner Dokker Madam Felle?” by Lothar Lindtner and Rolf Berntzen on an album in 1977.

The West Norway Museum of Decorative Art (Permanenten), Nordahl Bruns gate 9 (by the music pavillion). A museum of design and decorative art. Norway’s largest collection of Chinese art.

St. Jorgen’s Hospital (The Leprosy Museum) is one of very few preserved leprosy hospitals from the 18th century in Northern Europe. This was where Armauer Hansen discovered the bacteria that causes leprosy in 1873. The Leprosy Museum tells the story about the disease and its history in Norway, in addition to showing life at the hospital. A visit to the museum is a unique but disturbing experience.

Bergen Aquarium (Akvariet i Bergen): walk for 20 minutes from the city center or use bus line 11. The aquarium has a nice selection of aquatic life, especially penguins and seals. Typical Norwegian aquatic life is well documented, and there is also a collection of tropical fish and animals and a shark tank with an underwater glass tunnel.

Statsraad Lehmkuhl, usually at Bergen harbor shed 7 – Bradbenken 2: A three-masted barque sail training vessel built in 1914, one of the best kept in its kind. Mini cruises (approximately five and a half hours) available a few times a year, at the cost of kr. 425 including food. Tickets should be bought well in advance. For the more adventurous up to week-long cruises to Europe are available where you live and work as a sailor.

Once the seat of the king, Bergenhus fortress is one of the oldest and best preserved forts of Norway. The oldest surviving buildings are from the mid 13th century, but the area was a royal residence from the late 11th century. The fortress is situated close to the international ferry terminal. The royal hall, Hakonshallen, (Haakon’s Hall), named for King Haakon Haakonsson, was built some time between 1247 and 1261. It is used today for royal galas, as a banqueting hall for the city council, and other public events. The roof is reconstructed after a blast during World War II. The nearby Rosenkrantz tower has the same appearance as it had in the 16th century. The oldest part of the tower dates back to the 1270s, a few decades after Hakonshallen.

Between 1350 and 1750, the Bryggen area – on the north side of the bay – used to be a Hansa dock, trading and processing area. The wooden houses at Bryggen today were built after the devastating city fire of 1702, but are probably very similar to the buildings that were there before. Despite neglect and fires (Norwegian cities had a habit of burning down because everything is made of wood), a considerable number of buildings have survived and are now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you enter some of the alleyways between the storefronts, you really get a feel of what Bergen must have been like in the middle ages. There are a few museums on the history of Bergen and of Bryggen, but the most interesting aspect is probably that almost all of the buildings are still in use.

Hanging out by the ocean can be one of the best ways to spend a summers day in Bergen. The temperature in the ocean around Bergen is warmer than most places on the west coast because of the outer islands protecting the area from the constant flow of cooler water from the North Sea, and allowing the water to heat in smaller bays in the area. Temperatures can rise to 20 degrees C after consecutive days with good weather. The water is clean and fresh. There are sandy beaches at Arboretet at Milde (Hjellestad), Kyrkjetangen at Nordasvannet and Helleneset, “bathing houses”/beaches at Nordnesparken and Elsero situated in Old Bergen in Sandviken. After a day hiking in the mountains, Skomakerdiket above Mount Floyen has a sandy fresh-water beach.



Surrounding Area


Kvamskogen

Kvamskogen is a popular destination for day trips in the winter season, especially among locals. Kvamskogen is a ski eldorado situated between 400 and 1300 meters above sea level in the Kvam municipality. There is a number of alpine slopes served by several ski lifts, and endless possibilities for those who favor cross country skiing. If you tried neither before – don’t worry: Professional ski instructors are available at a fair cost, and so are rental skis and other equipment. There are regular buses to Kvamskogen, call 177 or visit the information desk at the bus station for more information.


Lysen Island

This island of Lysen (Island of Light) once belonged to Ole Bull, the famous Norwegian violin virtuoso. He bought the island in 1872 and drew the original drawings for the special house he built himself. The beautiful and extraordinary villa on Lysen (the Island of Light) was built as a summer residence in 1873. Ole Bull also had created some 13 km of pathways, to provide his guests with leisurely strolls through the lovely scenery of Lysen. He died on the island in 1880. In 1973, his granddaughter Mrs. Sylvea Bull Curtis of Conneticut, donated the villa and all its contents to the society for The Preservation of Norwegian Ancient Monuments. You can attend guided tours at every hour, starting 15 minutes after opening time. Every Sunday in July and August you can experience a concert in the villa. The tickets can be bought online at visitBergen.com and includes transport from the Tourist Information in Bergen. To get to the island you must take the ferry from Buena quay.


Voss

Voss is a village to the east of Bergen is situated approximately 57 metres above sea level, and many people are surprised to find themselves surrounded by mountains. Voss is world-known for extreme sports such as paragliding and rafting. Every year in the summer there is a week-long extreme sports festival called Ekstremsportveko. Located less than an hour from Bergen and the fjords, Voss is an ideal base for exploring Fjord Norway. As a result, Voss has a world-renowned reputation as Norway’s adventure capital. For nearly 200 years the town has been welcoming visitors looking for adventures based on nature, local culture and traditions. For the adrenalin seekers, few places in Norway has more to offer. Bungee jumping, skydiving, paragliding, and white water rafting are just some of the activities worth mentioning. The two ski centres in Voss feature more than 55 kilometres of alpine runs and around 20 ski lifts. One of Norway’s largest jazz festivals, Vossa Jazz, is held here in March. Travel to Voss by train (about 1 hr 15 mins) or take the E16 road by car.

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