Bergen Overview

Situated in a narrow valley between seven steep mountains and the waters of the Puddefjorden, Bergen (pop. 235,000) bills itself as the “Gateway to the Fjords.” Norway’s second-largest city has a walkable downtown, an active college scene, a well-preserved medieval district, and a thriving music scene.

• Trains: The station is on Strømgtn. (☎55 96 69 00), 10min. southeast of the harbor. Trains run to: Myrdal (2hr., 8 per day, 240kr, students 180kr); Oslo (6-7hr., 4-5 per day, 739kr, student 554kr, mini pris 199kr); Voss (1hr., 1 per 1-2hr., 159, student 119kr).
• Buses: Busstasjon, Strømgtn. 8 (☎177, outside Bergen ☎90 70), in the Storsenter mall. Buses run to: Ålesund (9-10hr., 1-2 per day, 596kr, student 447kr); Oslo (9-11hr., 3 per day, 490kr, students 487kr); Sogndal (4-5hr., 4-6 per day, 596kr, students 447kr); Stryn (6hr., 2 per day, 462kr, students 347kr); Trondheim (14hr., 1 per day, 490kr).
• Domestic Ferries: The Hurtigruten steamer (☎55 81 03 00 00; www.hurtigruten.com) begins its coastal journey in Bergen and stops in Ålesund, Trondheim, the Lofoten Islands, and Tromsø. (From mid-Apr. to mid-Sept. daily 8pm; from mid-Sept. to mid-Apr. 10:30pm. 50% student discount.) Flaggruten express boats (☎55 055 05; www.flaggruten.no) head south to Stavanger (4hr., 1-2 per day, 680kr, student 340kr).
• International Ferries: Depart from Skoltegrunnskaien, a 10min. walk past Bryggen along the right side of the harbor. Fjord Line (☎55 81 53 35 00; www.fjordline.co.uk) runs to Hanstholm, DEN (16hr.; 3 per week; from mid-June to mid-Aug. from 500kr, from mid-Aug. to mid-June from 300kr) and Newcastle, BRI (25hr.; 2-3 per week; from mid-May to early Sept. from 800kr, from mid-Sept. to mid-May from 500kr). Smyril Line (☎55 59 65 20; www.smyril-line.com) goes to the Faroe Islands (24hr.; 360-685kr) and Seyðisfjörður, ICE (41hr.; 840-1495kr); check website for more on seasonal fares.
• Public Transportation: Buses are 23kr within the city center, 31-38kr outside. The Bergen Card (1-day 190kr, 2-day 250kr), available at the train station, some hotels, and the tourist office, includes unlimited rides on city buses, free admission to most of the city’s museums, and discounts at select shops and restaurants.

Orientation And Practical Information

The harborside Torget (fish market) is a central landmark. North of the Torget, Bryggen curves around the harbor to the old city. Torgalmenningen, the main pedestrian street, runs southwest from the Torget. Locals tend to stay farther down Torgalmenningen, near Håkons gaten and Nygårds gaten. South of the Torget is Lille Lungegårdsvann, a park-lined lake.

• Tourist Office: Vågsalmenningen 1 (☎55 55 20 00; www.visitbergen.com), past the Torget in the Fresco Hall. Crowded in summer, with 30min. waits (or longer) not uncommon; visit early. Pick up a copy of the city guide and check out the daily events board. The staff helps plan fjord travel. Open June-Aug. daily 8:30am-10pm; May and Sept. daily 9am-8pm; Oct.-Apr. M-Sa 9am-4pm. DNT (Norwegian Mountain Touring Association), Tverrgt. 4-6 (☎55 33 58 10), off Marken, sells maps (94-119kr) and provides hiking info. Open M-W and F 10am-4pm, Th 10am-6pm, Sa 10am-2pm.
• Budget Travel: Kilroy Travels, Vaskerelven 32 (☎55 30 79 25; www.kilroytravels.no). Sells student airline tickets and books rooms. Open M-F 10am-5pm. MC/V.
• Currency Exchange: At banks near the harbor and at the post office. For small currency changes, go to the tourist office, which exchanges currency for less commission.
• Luggage Storage: At train and bus stations. 20-40kr per day, depending on locker size. The same service is also available at the tourist office for 20kr per piece of luggage.
• Laundromat: Jarlens Vaskoteque, Lille Øvregt. 17 (☎55 32 55 04; www.jarlens.no). Open M-Tu and F 10am-6pm, W-Th 10am-8pm, Sa 10am-3pm.
• Hospital: 24-Hour Clinic, Vestre Strømkai 19 (☎55 56 87 00).
• Internet: Get free Internet at the public library, Strømgt. 6 (☎55 55 56 85. Open from late June to early Aug. M 11am-6pm, Tu-Sa 10am-3pm; from mid May to late June and from early Aug. to mid Aug. M-Th 10am-6pm, F 10-4:30pm, Sa 10-3pm; from late-Aug. to mid-May M-Th 10am-7pm, F 10-3:30pm, Sa 10am-2pm.) Or try Kong Oscar Billiards for Internet. (☎55 32 68 01. Open M-Th and Su noon-1:30am, F-Sa noon-2:30am. Internet 40kr per hr. Beer 42-53kr. MC/V.)
• Post Office: Småstrandgt. (☎81 00 07 10). Open M-F 9am-8pm, Sa 9am-6pm.

Accommodations

The tourist office books private rooms for a 30kr fee; you can nab doubles for as little as 300kr. You can camp for free on the far side of the hills above the city; walk 30min. up the slopes of Mount Fløyen or take the funicular.

• Intermission, Kalfarveien 8 (☎55 30 04 00), near the train station. Students from a US Christian college staff this hostel with a homey vibe. Free waffle night M and Th. Free coffee, tea, and biscuits after 3pm everyday. Breakfast 25kr. Linens deposit 20kr. Laundry included, free detergent. Reception M-Th and Su 7-11am and 3pm-midnight, F-Sa until 1am. Lockout 11am-3pm. Curfew M-Th and Su midnight, F-Sa 1am. Open from mid-June to mid-Aug. Dorms 150kr. Cash only.
• Jacobs Dorm.no/Apartments and Cafe, Kong Oscars gt. 44 (☎98 23 86 00; www.apartments.no). Bright, social, and tidy dorms. The outdoor patio becomes busy at night as guests get acquainted over beer (56kr). Free Internet and Wi-Fi. Reception 7am-2am. Lockout 11am-1pm. Dorms 220kr. AmEx/MC/V.
• YMCA InterRail Center (HI), Nedre Korskirkealm 4 (☎55 60 60 55), near the Torget. Socialize and make new friends in this lively hostel which is very popular with the backpacking crowd. The dorms resemble barracks. Breakfast 60kr. Free Wi-Fi. Internet 20kr per 30min. Reception 7-10:30am and 3:30pm-midnight. 30 person dorm 205kr (summer only); 4- to 6- bed rooms 260-280kr per person. Price includes mandatory 50kr 1st night linens. 15% HI discount. MC/V.
• Vandrerhjem Montana (HI), Johan Blyttsvei 30 (☎55 20 80 70; www.montana.no), is far from the center nearly 5km out of Bergen at the base of Mt. Ulriken. Head down Kong Oscars gt. away from the center until you see a bus shelter next to a cemetery. From there, take bus #31 to Montana and follow the signs. Breakfast included. Linens and towel 70kr. Reception 24hr. May-Sept. dorms 200kr, Oct.-Apr. 180kr; singles 650/475kr; doubles 750/650kr. 15% HI discount. MC/V.

Food

Bergen’s Torget is a tourist’s delight with colorful tents, fishmongers, and free samples of caviar, reindeer, salmon, and whale. (Open June-Aug. M-F and Su 7am-7pm, Sa 7am-7pm; Sept.-May M-Sa 7am-4pm.) Cheap restaurants focus around Kong Oscar’s Gate and Bergen’s University Campus near the museums. Plenty of Asian restaurants offer good lunch specials (55-70kr). For groceries, Kiwi Mini Pris is just next to the YMCA hostel by the Torget. (Open daily 9am-11pm. V.)

• Kafé Spesial, Christiesgt. 13, off Nygårdsgtn. (☎92 81 27 36). This cheap eatery is popular with students. Pizza from 59kr. Heaping sandwiches 30-72kr. MC/V.
• Capello, Skosteredet 14 (☎55 96 12 11; www.capello.no). Take in the 60s Americana while eating pancakes stuffed with fresh ingredients (45-75kr). Open M-W noon-8pm, Th-Sa noon-1:30am. Kitchen open M-W noon-6pm, Th-Sa noon-10pm. MC/V.
• Vågen Fetevare, Kong Oscars gt. 10 (☎41 24 51 86). The plush chairs, wall trinkets, and colorful interior make this place a relaxing alternative to Torget. Sit outside if the weather is good. For lunch, try the open-faced sandwich (56kr) made from your choice of ingredients. Beer 55kr. Open June-Aug. M-Th 10am-10pm, F-Sa 10am-11pm, Su 11am-10pm; Sept.-May M-Th 9am-10pm, F-Sa 9am-11pm, Su 10am-10pm. Cash only.
• 3 Kroneren, Kong Oscars gt. 1B (☎55 31 73 33). This kiosk has many options, from pork hot dogs (12kr) to gourmet reindeer sausages infused with cheese and chili (40kr), Santa’s least favorite selection. Open daily 11am-6am. Cash only.

Sights

Bryggen And Bergenhus. The pointed gables of Bryggen line the right side of the harbor from the Torget. This row of medieval buildings serves as a reminder of the city’s past status as the Hanseatic trading league’s major Nordic port. Bryggen is home to galleries, restaurants, and a number of tourist shops. Bryggens Museum displays archaeological artifacts from the area and a 12min. film on the city’s history. (Dreggsalmenning 3, behind a small park at the end of the Bryggen houses. ☎55 58 80 10. Open mid-May-Aug. daily 10am-5pm; Sept.-mid-May. M-F 11am-3pm, Sa noon-3pm, Su noon-4pm. 50kr, students 25kr. AmEx/MC/V.) From the museum, a 1½hr. walking tour (100kr) of the city leaves daily in English at 11am and noon and grants free admission to the Hanseatic Museum, in an old trading house near the Fløibanen funicular station. (Finnegaardsgt. 1A. ☎55 54 46 90; www.hanseatisk.museum.no. Open June-Aug. daily 9am-5pm; Sept.-May Tu-Su 11am-2pm. From May to mid-Sept. 50kr, from mid-Sept. to Apr. 25kr. MC/V.) Bergenhus, the city’s harborside fortress, is home to Rosenkrantz Tower, which has splendid views of the city. The Håkonshallen contains the restored grand hall where Norwegian kings held court. (Walk down Bryggen away from the Torget. ☎55 31 60 67. Hall and tower open from mid-May to Aug. daily 10am-4pm; from Sept. to mid-May hall open M-W and F-Su noon-3pm, Th 3-6pm; tower open Su noon-3pm only. 40kr, students 20kr. Separate admission for each building. Cash only.)

Museums. Branches of the Bergen Art Museum are on the western side of Lille Lungegårdsvann. It showcases everything from 13th-century Russian icons to Norwegian painters. (Rasmus Meyers allé 3, 7, and 9. ☎55 56 80 00; www.kunstmuseeneibergen.no. Open from mid-May to mid-Sept. daily 11am-5pm; from mid-Sept. to mid-May Tu-Su 11am-5pm. All 3 museums 50kr, students 35kr . AmEx/MC/V.) The Leprosy Museum, Kong Oscars gt. 59, east of Lille Lungegårdsvann in St. Jørgens Hospital, is part of the Bergen City Museum system. (☎55 96 11 55; www.bymuseet.no. Open from mid-May-Aug. daily 11am-4pm. 40kr, students 20kr.) The Edvard Grieg Museum honors a Norwegian composer and pianist. (Troldhaugveinen 65. ☎55 92 29 92. www.troldhaugen.com. Open May-Sept. daily 9am-6pm. Oct., Nov., and Apr. M-F 10am-2pm, Sa-Su noon-4pm. Jan-Mar. 10am-2pm. 60kr, student 20kr. Concerts every W and Su at 7:30pm and Sa 2pm. Free bus for concerts. Concert 220kr.) The Bergen Aquarium offers three floors of sea critters. (Take bus #11. Nordnesbakken 4. ☎55 55 71 71. www.akvariet.no. Open Sept.-Apr. daily 10am-6pm, May-Aug. daily 9am-7pm. May-Sept. 150kr, Oct.-Apr. 100kr, students 75kr.)

Hiking

Seven fjords and seven mountains surround Bergen, a popular base for outdoor excursions. Visits to the waterways require careful planning and guided tours, but the peaks are easily accessible from the city center and have well-kept, marked hiking trails. If you’re planning on the spending the night, or the weather is poor, invest in a detailed map. The four eastern mountains are the most popular, due to their proximity and relative ease. Mount Fløyen can be reached by the Fløibanen funicular or by hiking up a steep, paved road (45min.). Board the funicular 150m from the Torget. The road up the mountain begins nearby. (☎55 33 68 00. Funicular open May-Aug. M-F 7:30am-midnight, Sa 8am-midnight, Su 9am-midnight; Sept.-May M-Th 7:30am-11pm, F 7:30-11:30pm, Sa 8am-11pm, Su 9am-11pm. One-way 35kr.) At the summit, several relatively easy trails head into a forest with secluded ponds and stunning vistas (30min.-4hr.).

A bus and

cable car combination also runs from the city center to the top of   Mount Ulriken, the highest of the eastern peaks. At 650m, the mountain provides a stellar panoramic view of the city, fjords, islands, and mountains. Take bus #31 to Haukeland Sykehus and walk up Haukelandsbakken until you reach the cable car. The cable car closed in 2008 but will most likely reopen in 2009 under new ownership. A 7hr. hike on fairly flat terrain between Floyen and Ulriken is possible. For the easiest trip, start at higher point of Ulriken.

Entertainment And Nightlife

Bergen hosts two festivals in late May and early June. Festspillene (☎55 21 06 30; www.festspillene.no), a two week international festival, explores all genres of art—from visual to theater to dance with some free concerts, others starting at 50kr. Since 1973, Nattjazz has attracted jazz acts big and small. (☎55 30 72 50; www.nattjazz.no. Day pass around 350kr.) Mid-October brings the up-and-coming Bergen International Film Festival. (☎55 30 08 40; www.biff.no). The city has an excellent live music scene, but nightlife rarely picks up until around 11:30pm on weekends; many locals throw back a round or two at home to avoid costly drinks at bars and clubs. Steer clear of pricey harborside tourist traps and head to the cafes and pubs on Nygårds gaten.

• Biskopen, Neumanns Gate 18 (☎41 41 82 89). This student hangout offers a variety of reasonably priced single-malt whiskeys and beer (47kr) in a great atmosphere for conversation. Rock music plays upstairs with more tunes in the basement. 20+. Open M-Th and Su 6pm-3am, F 4pm-3am, Sa 1-3am. MC/V.
• Café Opera, Aldersgrense 20 (☎55 23 03 15). Draws an eclectic clientele of artists and students. DJs around midnight transform the place into a nightclub W-Sa. Beer 49kr. F-Sa club nights pound a mix of styles. Open M 11am-12:30am, Tu-Th 11-3am. F-Sa 11am-3:30am, Su noon-12:30am. AmEx/MC/V.
• Garage Bar, at the corner of Nygårdsgtn. and Christies gt. (☎55 32 02 10). Party at this lively alt-rock pub. 20+. Beer 44kr/53kr. Cover 40kr. Concerts free to 210kr. F-Sa after 12:30. Open M-Sa 1pm-3am, Su 3pm-3am. MC/V.
• Metro, Ole Bulls pl. 4 (☎55 57 30 37; www.sincoas.no). This lounge/nightclub with hip-hop beats attracts posh, well-dressed patrons. Beer 62kr. M-Th and Su 20+, F-Sa 24+. Cover 100kr F-Sa. W 2-for-1 special. Open daily 11pm-3am. AmEx/MC/V.
• Det Akademiske Kvarteret, Olav Kyrres gt. 49-53 (☎55 58 99 10). This complex, run by student volunteers from the University of Bergen, is home to the happening Grøhndals bar and sells some of the cheapest beer in town. Under renovation for 2008.

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