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Bergen

Bergen is the second largest city in Norway and yet you have the feeling of being in a small town. A small town with a very special atmosphere! Bergen is not only multifaceted, but also looks back on an interesting past. Bergen's special charm is also due to its seven mountains, its proximity to the fjords and its lively student life.

26/06/2019

dear(travel)diary,

the best thing about our Scandinavian vacation was the spontaneity: we looked for every place to stay spontaneously. That made for unexpected experiences every time. For example, I saw us at a campsite in Bergen before our vacation, but then we suddenly found ourselves in a 300-year-old wooden house... Living in a wooden house lets us experience Bergen from a different perspective! The city is known for its many small wooden houses. But unfortunately also for the many fires that have ravaged them. You can tell! At check-in, our host went through every last detail with us about what to do in the event of a fire. He also urged us to handle the stove and oven with care. As you can see, the people here have had plenty of experience with fire!

Our spontaneous decision to book an Airbnb because of our broken air mattress certainly brought us a little closer to life in Bergen. The Airbnb wooden house is located in a small alley not far from the center. Above this alley are almost exclusively stone houses, while the lower part still consists of wooden houses. The housekeeper of our Airbnb told us that this structure was created by a fire that ravaged the street 120 years ago. Fortunately, the fire was extinguished halfway through. The burnt houses were rebuilt in stone. The unaffected houses remained wooden. Luckily for us, otherwise we probably wouldn't have been able to take the wooden house experience with us.

xx Chiara

Overview:


What to see & discover

  1. Bryggen
  2. Fløyen with the Fløibahn
  3. Torget fish market
  4. Ulriken
  5. Bergenhus Fortress with Rosenkrantz Tower
  6. Nygårdsparken
  7. Fredriksberg Fort
  8. Harbour & Café Colonial Kränen
  9. Byparken
  10. Nordnesparken
  11. Old Bergen
  12. Fjord cruise


Where to eat & drink

Eating out in Bergen can be expensive. Even a small snack at the fish market will set you back 15 - 25 EUR. Nevertheless, here are a few tips:

If you want to enjoy your meal in a traditional atmosphere, Bryggenloftet & Sturne is the place to go.

To end the day with a drink in your hand in one of the bars in Kong Oscars Gate, Dark & Stormy or Vinyl are ideal.

For a special coffee experience, the Bonner kaffe coffee roastery is well worth a visit.


parking

We didn't need a car to get around in Bergen itself, so we parked it at KlosterGarasjen. The daily rate is NOK 200. However, the following prices apply for short-term parkers:

Price per hour  7 – 19h: 36 NOK

Price per hour 19 – 7h: 18 NOK

If you do need a coaster on wheels, there are Obos bikes all over the city. You can easily rent them via an app.


Where to sleep

We stayed in a typical Bergen wooden house. Our room was large and the kitchen was well equipped. There was also a washing machine, which we were allowed to use. The Airbnb is located in a small alley not far from the center. It is therefore the perfect starting point for exploring Bergen.

A wealthy family probably lived in the house in the past, as you can find stucco and decorations in some places that not everyone could afford in the past.


Costs

  • 2 nights Airbnb for 2 people in total: 84€
  • Parking for 2 days: 35€
  • Food fish market: approx. 20€ p.p.
  • Burger dinner: approx. 10€ p.p.


I have put together a list of all the places on Google Maps.

You can find the list here.

From the community for the community

Tips from the community

"The view from Mount Fløyen is magnificent!"

vivienlara

Do you have a tip for Bergen? Or a suggestion for the blog? Or would you like more information?

Then write me!