Bergen

Bergen is the second largest city in Norway and the most popular gateway to the fjords of West Norway. The city is renowned for its great location amidst mountains, fjords and the ocean. Steep mountains and highlands within the city offers excellent hiking opportunities. Having fostered many of Norway's greatest bands and artists, the city is also famous for its cultural life and underground/indie music scene. Bergen's unpredictable weather adds to its quirky, unmistakable charm. Bergen was Norway's main city for centuries, and many patriotic inhabitants believe it still is.

The character of Bergen is defined by its the location among steep mountains and surrounded by sea (straits and fjords). The city itself has many lakes. It is a typical Norwegian wooden town, even downtown there are notable neighborhoods of small wooden houses in various styles. In some areas wooden houses have been replaced by taller masonry structures giving the city fascinating mix of old and new.

Bergen has some fine examples of functionalist architecture such as Kalmar House and Sundt shopping centre. "Brutalist" buildings include the science building at the university and the city hall. Bergen grew organically from the small port and trading post at Bryggen from around year 1000. Because of frequent fires only some masonry buildings (notably Mariakirken and Håkonshallen) remain from the middle ages. But the city centre has retained many aspects of its ancient layout. Notable are the many wide streets or open spaces, called allmenning (commons), perpendicular to Vågen (the inner harbour). These allmennings often rise steeply from the waterfront. Torgallmenningen is not open to cars and defines the modern city centre. Ordinary streets in the medieval town were often long and more narrow, and ran parallel to the waterfront. Narrow and short streets, smug (alley), run among houses packed close together. Alleys are usually too narrow for cars and some are so steep that there are stairs.

The city centre today is where the city emerged during the midle ages. Bergen is (partly because the layout is fragmented by mountains and water) a sprawling city, but outside the city centre there is little of interest to the visitor. Key areas within central Bergen:

• Vågen. Vågen is the inner harbour in a natural bay. The fishmarket is at the inner part of Vågen. Bergen emerged as Norway's main town in the middle ages along the shores of Vågen.
• Bryggen (the German or Hanseatic wharf) on the East shore of Vågen, this is the historical centre (including Øvregaten/Lille Øvregaten streets)
• From Bryggen Mt Fløyen rises steeply. The area is dominated by wooden residential buildings.
• Just North of Bryggen is Bergenhus fortress and Håkonshallen (previously also known as Holmen, "the eyot", effectively Norway's capital during some periods of the midle ages).
• Nordnes. Nordnes is the peninsula West of Vågen, the shore along Vågen was known as "the beach" (now Strandkaien and Strandgaten streets). The area is characterised by many small wooden residential buildings. Home to the aquarium and a fine park at the North point.
• Sentrum. The intersection of Torgallmenningen and Ole Bulls plass squares is the focal point of the modern city centre. Included in Sentrum is also the area around Lille Lungegårdsvann (the octagonal lake). The area is dominated by shops, restaurants, hotels and office buildings.
• Nygårsdhøyden. Nygårsdhøyden: East of the very centre a distinct mountainous ridge runs in the north-south direction. By locals simply Høyden ("the hill") and is easily recognised by the landmark church Johannskirken (St. John's). Home to the University and several museums. The northern part is known as Sydneshaugen while Nygårdsparken occupies the southern part.
• Stor Lungårdsvannet is a lake or bay of brackish water separating central Bergen from areas to the south. Puddefjorden separates central Bergen from Laksevåg area to the west.
• Sandviken. Sandviken, Skuteviken and Ladegården are primarily residential areas north of Bryggen and the fortress. Within few minutes walk from Bryggen. Dominated by pretty wooden houses.

Vågen. Vågen is the inner harbour in a natural bay. The fishmarket is at the inner part of Vågen. Bergen emerged as Norway's main town in the middle ages along the shores of Vågen.

Nordnes. Nordnes is the peninsula West of Vågen, the shore along Vågen was known as "the beach" (now Strandkaien and Strandgaten streets). The area is characterised by many small wooden residential buildings. Home to the aquarium and a fine park at the North point.

Sentrum. The intersection of Torgallmenningen and Ole Bulls plass squares is the focal point of the modern city centre. Included in Sentrum is also the area around Lille Lungegårdsvann (the octagonal lake). The area is dominated by shops, restaurants, hotels and office buildings.

Nygårsdhøyden. Nygårsdhøyden: East of the very centre a distinct mountainous ridge runs in the north-south direction. By locals simply Høyden ("the hill") and is easily recognised by the landmark church Johannskirken (St. John's). Home to the University and several museums. The northern part is known as Sydneshaugen while Nygårdsparken occupies the southern part.

Sandviken. Sandviken, Skuteviken and Ladegården are primarily residential areas north of Bryggen and the fortress. Within few minutes walk from Bryggen. Dominated by pretty wooden houses.

Founded around 1070 AD, Bergen quickly evolved into one of the most important cities in Norway. It was the country's administrative capital from the early 1200s until 1299, and the largest city in Scandinavia. Bergen was one of the most important bureau cities of the Hanseatic League, interconnecting continental Europe with the northern and coastal parts of Norway, thus becoming a central spot for the vending of stockfish and the commercial hub of Norway. It was the largest city in Norway until the 1830s and has a long maritime history in shipping and finance. Until the Bergen railway (Bergensbanen) began operation in 1909 there was no convenient overland transport between Norway's principal cities.

The city still has relics of its Hanseatic heyday, most notably the old harbour of Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bergen has been ravaged by several fires; the most recent major fire took place in 1917, a fire which destroyed most of the buildings in what is today the central parts of the city center, centered around the large square Torgallmenningen.

While few medieval buildings remain, the historical centre of Bergen is along the eastern shore of the harbour, notably Bryggen (the Wharf), the fortress and the two key churches (Mariakirken/St Marys and Korskirken/Holy cross church). The pattern of settlement is largely unchanged for almost 1,000 years, including Øvregaten/Lille Øvregate − one of Norway's oldest streets.

Bergen is located in the far west in Norway, sheltered from the North Sea only by a number of islands. It is situated along latitude 60 degrees north, on the same latitude as Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Saint Petersburg and Anchorage. The city is the most hilly and mountainous in Norway. The city center is surrounded by a group of mountains and peaks known as the Seven Mountains. This has given the city its name (berg is an old Norse word for mountain). The geographic conditions of the city are very visible; limited space to build on made it necessary in the 19th century that new city blocks be built on the steep slopes of mount Fløyen

Except for the dense city center, which made up the entire city before 1916, Bergen is the least dense of the four largest cities in Norway. Most of the settlement inside the very wide city borders is concentrated in the western part of the municipality. The rest of the municipality is made up of mountains, as well as some farmland and smaller settlements. Except for the compact city centre, distances are relatively long within the municipality of Bergen.

Due to the city's northern location, close to the northern sea and surrounded by mountains, special weather conditions occur, resulting in approximately 240 days with precipitation a year and a mean temperature of 7.6 °C (45.7 °F). In January 2007, a record of 85 rainy days in a row was set. Still, local people claim there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. An annual mean at close to 8 °C, with even January on average above 0 °C, makes Bergen the warmest city in Norway. Frost just below 0°C and some snow occurs between December and February, but temperatures colder than -10 °C are very rare. Temperatures above 30 °C are also extremely rare.

For the rest of us, the trick is obviously to choose the time of visit with caution. The infamous rain should not keep visitors away in summer, because when the sun breaks through after a rainy day, hardly any city twinkles and glows like Bergen. If you catch the city on a sunny day, you will find an incredible atmosphere as citizens really know how to appreciate nice weather. City planners have probably had this in mind the latest years, resulting in the creation of open spaces, parks, flowers and lawns that are scattered all over downtown.

July has the highest mean temperature, 14.3 °C (57.7 °F), with August, 14.1 °C (57.4 °F) following close behind. May is usually the month with the least precipitation. Considering the number of local events this month, May is probably the best time to visit Bergen, with the summer months of June, July and August almost as good. April is also a relatively dry month, although cooler than the summer months. These averages are merely indications as weather is famously unpredictable and rain does not appear in any regular pattern.

Bergen is one of the most important cultural centers in Norway. The city is the home of the Bergen International Festival, Nattjazz and Bergenfest, festivals of international renown within their genres. The local symphony orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, was founded in 1786. It is one of the world's oldest orchestral institutions. Bergen was the home of Norway's great composer, Edvard Grieg. Henrik Ibsen, the famous playwright, started his career in Bergen as manager of Den Nationale Scene.

Around 2000, a number of artists from the rhythmic music scene in Bergen gained international fame. In the domestic press, this became known as the Bergen Wave. Musicians and bands with roots in Bergen include Annie, Burzum, Enslaved, Gorgoroth, Immortal, Erlend Øye, Kings of Convenience, Sondre Lerche, and Datarock. Bergen still has a thriving underground/indie music scene.

Great international artists have visited Bergen, including Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Muse, Bruce Springsteen, Depeche Mode, Kent and Mark Knopfler. And in the summer of 2011 several artists including Roxette, Mastodon, Avenged Sevenfold, Suzanne Vega, Bob Dylan, Kaizers Orchestra, Kanye West and Rihanna appeared.

Bergen is home to important institutions of research and education: The University of Bergen, the College of Applied Sciences, and the Norwegian School of Economics. Even before these institutions were created important work were done in Bergen. Armauer Hansen in 1873 discovered that leprosy was caused by a bacteria, a major breakthrough in medical sciences that laid the foundation for modern epidemiology and was also a major input to microbiology. Fridtjof Nansen, the great explorer, humanitarian and diplomat, made his first contribution to the novel science of neuroanatomy when he worked at Bergen Museum. Vilhelm Bjerknes and the Bergen school of Meteorology developed the basis for modern weather forecasting.

There's 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 café, 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.

Because of its rugged landscape Bergen has an abundance of panorama points and these give an intense feeling of space, notably Mt Fløyen and Mt Ulriken served by funicular and cable car respectively but also available hiking for the sporty. At lower altitudes the Fjellveien panorama road and the highest point of Nordnes peninsula are easily available. Sandviksbatteriet just above Sandviken hospital also offers excellent panorama. The Montana residential area likewise gives a nice outlook.

• Fjellveien panorama road, Fjellveien (Uphill from city centre. Runs for several kilometers between Sandviken and Bellevue, largely horizontal and pedestrian.
• Skansen panorama point, Blekeveien (Uphill from funicular station. Excellent and easily available panorama point just above the funicular lowest station. Right in front of the old fire outlook, a small white wooden tower, now used by one of the citys buekorps.
• Tippetue panorama point. 24 hr. Panorama point on the Tippetue footpath to Mt Floyen Free.
• Nordnes panorama, Haugeveien. Lovely place on the highest point of Nordnes peninsula, towards the aquarium.
• Nordnes park. 24 hr. Pleasant park at the very top of the peninsula, towards the sun set late summer evenings.
• St Johns, Sydnesplass. St Johns Church (Johanneskirken) dominates the top of Nygaardshoyden, the hill that hosts the University of Bergen. Nice view of the very centre

Fjellveien panorama road, Fjellveien (Uphill from city centre. Runs for several kilometers between Sandviken and Bellevue, largely horizontal and pedestrian.

Skansen panorama point, Blekeveien (Uphill from funicular station. Excellent and easily available panorama point just above the funicular lowest station. Right in front of the old fire outlook, a small white wooden tower, now used by one of the citys buekorps.

Tippetue panorama point. 24 hr. Panorama point on the Tippetue footpath to Mt Floyen Free.

Nordnes panorama, Haugeveien. Lovely place on the highest point of Nordnes peninsula, towards the aquarium.

Nordnes park. 24 hr. Pleasant park at the very top of the peninsula, towards the sun set late summer evenings.

St Johns, Sydnesplass. St Johns Church (Johanneskirken) dominates the top of Nygaardshoyden, the hill that hosts the University of Bergen. Nice view of the very centre

Traditional small wooden houses, often placed in an irregular pattern around narrow streets and passages, dominated most Norwegian cities during the past centuries. Bergen is one of the few major towns where this traditional style still dominates several neighbourhoods downtown. A number of houses have also been relocated to Gamle Bergen (old Bergen) museum. Some of these are merely pockets of cute little houses between stone and concrete structures; others are wider areas of these dollhouse-like buildings. Show respect for those living there while you walk by. These areas are best seen on a relaxed stroll (although the view from Fjellveien gives a birds eye view):

• Nordnes on the slopes on both sides of the Nordnes peninsula, towards the aquarium and Verftet, as well as adjacent Nøstet area.
• Fjellsiden neighbourhood, øvregaten, Lille øvregate, øvre Blekeveien (streets). Traditional neighbourhood on the steep slopes behind Bryggen and around Fløibanen track. Free.
• Marken, Marken (street). On the flatland just north of the railway station, pedestrian zone, and also in the hills above, around Skivebakken street. Free.
• Ladegården and upper Sandviken neighbourhood, Ladegårdsgaten, Absalon Beyers gate. An area with more regular and wider streets, highly characteristic style. Free.
• Skuteviken neighbourhood, Skuteviksveien. day time. A small traditional neighbourhood around a small bay just east of the fortress. Free.
• Sandviken neighbourhood, Sandvikstorget/Sandviksveien. In Lower Sandviken near the small market square, there is a nice collection of traditional white wooden houses. Free.

Fjellsiden neighbourhood, øvregaten, Lille øvregate, øvre Blekeveien (streets). Traditional neighbourhood on the steep slopes behind Bryggen and around Fløibanen track. Free.

Marken, Marken (street). On the flatland just north of the railway station, pedestrian zone, and also in the hills above, around Skivebakken street. Free.

Ladegården and upper Sandviken neighbourhood, Ladegårdsgaten, Absalon Beyers gate. An area with more regular and wider streets, highly characteristic style. Free.

Skuteviken neighbourhood, Skuteviksveien. day time. A small traditional neighbourhood around a small bay just east of the fortress. Free.

Sandviken neighbourhood, Sandvikstorget/Sandviksveien. In Lower Sandviken near the small market square, there is a nice collection of traditional white wooden houses. Free.

• KODE Art museums, Rasmus Meyers allé 3, 7 and 9 (by Lille Lungegårdsvann, +47 55 56 80 00. 20 May–14 Sept: daily 11:00–17:00. 15 Sep–19 May: Tu–Su 11:00–16:00, Sat–Sun 11:00-17:00. One of the largest art museums in the Nordic countries, with art from the renaissance as well as contemporary art. The museum houses several of Edvard Munch's works. Adults: kr 130, Students: kr 60, Children under 18: free.
• The fish market, Torget, +47 55 55 20 00. Jun–Aug: daily 07:00–19:00, Sep–May: M–Sa 07:00–16:00. Bergen's outdoor fish market has a long history, being the historical center for fish trade. Most tourists find their way here, but with locals changing their shopping habits, the fish market today does not compare to what it once was. The fish market is dominated by makeshift souvenir shops and seafood stalls. The seafood is generally of only OK quality as the fishermen no longer deliver their catch directly to the market. Still, you can get a pretty good idea of what the locals eat by having a look at the various fish they sell here, and try some of the stranger ones, if you feel adventurous. Free samples of are usually available of the more common items such as whale, salmon and salmon caviar. Although somewhat crowded, getting around with a wheelchair is fairly easy.
• Fløibanen, Vetrlidsalmenning 21, +47 55 33 68 00. M–F 07:30–23:00, Sa–Su 08:00–23:00. Fløibanen is a funicular which goes up Fløyen, a plateau in the mountain massif north-east of the city center. From here, you get a great view of the city. Accessing Fløibanen and the plateau on Fløyen with a wheelchair is a piece of cake. More than 1.2 million people rode with Fløibanen in 2007, and it has become the attraction that the most tourists are content with. Expect queues, but don't worry, they move fast. There are no steps where lifts are not available without assistance, and all doors are wide. Adult: Single: kr 60, Return: kr 120.
• The West Norway Museum of Decorative Art, Nordahl Bruns gate 9 (by the music pavilion, +47 55 33 66 33. Tu-Su 12:00-16:00; 15 May–14 Sep: M-Su 11:00-17:00. A museum of design and decorative art. Norway's largest collection of Chinese art. Kr. 60; students and seniors kr. 40, children under 16 free.
• St. Jørgen's Hospital, Kong Oscars gate 59, +47 55 55 20 00. 21 May–2 Sep: Daily 11:00-15:00. St. Jørgen's Hospital is one of very few preserved leprosy hospitals from the 18th century in Northern Europe. The large wooden building in Kalfarveien 31 (Pleiestiftelsen for spedalske) was the largest institution caring for the many leprosy patients in Bergen. This was where Armauer Hansen discovered the bacteria that causes leprosy in 1873. Hansen's discovery was a major breaktrhough in medicin as he proved that a cronic illness was contagious rather than hereditary. The Leprosy archive was a complete record of all patients and is assumed to be the first patient archive in the world. The Leprosy archive is enscribed on UNESCO list of Memory of the World. 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. The complex in Kong Oscars gate 59 also includes a wooden church. Kr. 40; children kr. 20.
• Bergen Aquarium, Nordnesbakken 4 (indoor parking available, but usually full in the summer season; walk for 20 minutes from the city center or use bus line 11, +47 55 55 71 71. Daily 10:00–18:00. 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. Fun for kids. Adults: kr 250, Children: kr 150.

• Statsraad Lehmkuhl, usually at Bergen harbor shed 7 – Bradbenken 2 (at the end of Bryggen, across the street from Bergenhus fort, +47 55 30 17 00. 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.
• St. Mary's Church, Dreggsalmenningen 15 (behind Bryggen, +47 55 59 32 70. Closed for renovation. The oldest remaining building in Bergen, St. Mary's Church was built in the 12th century. It is the best preserved of the city's three medieval churches and one of the few basilica-shaped churches in Norway. It was originally Romanesque, then enlarged in Gothic style. Having belonged to the German community in Bergen for many centuries, it contains a unique pulpit, one of Norway's most beautiful altarpieces and characteristic twin towers.
• The National Theater, Ole Bull's plass (centre. The main theater is a monumental art noveau building in a prominent position on Ole Bull's square. As an institution the theater played a key role. Ole Bull, a major international star on the violin, established the theater and employed the young Henrik Ibsen as instructor. Later Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, another national icon, worked there. Ole Bull also discovered the young music talent Edvard Grieg. This theater made Norwegian, rather than Danish, into the standard language on stage, and it was long the #1 stage in Norway.

• Bergenhus fortress, Bergenhus (past bryggen, +47 55 54 63 87. 06:30-23:00. 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, Håkonshallen, (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 Håkonshallen. It was expanded in the 1560s by the governor, Erik Rosenkrantz, to its present shape. The rest of the medieval buildings in the fortress have been replaced or demolished over the centuries, with some ruins still visible. Among these is the medieval cathedral, the Church of Christ, which was used for coronation and as a royal burial site in the 13th century. A memorial marks the site of the high altar. Guided tours of the royal hall and the tower start every hour between 10:00 and 16:00 every day from 15 May to 31 Aug in the royal hall. From 1 Sept to 14 May tours are only available between noon and 15:00 on Sundays. Entrance fee is kr. 40 for adults, 20 for students and free for children under 16. A small cafeteria with coffee, tea and basic snacks is open from June to August. The fortress grounds serve as a city park; you can hang out here and eat that fish you just bought at the nearby fish market - or just enjoy the sunshine and the view. The park is popular among locals and tourists, but usually not crowded. It is normally not a problem to find a good spot for your picnic or a round of Frisbee. There is a very good view of the bay. The use of open fire, including barbecues, and the drinking of alcoholic beverages are forbidden. Unlike in many other parks, the prohibition of alcohol is enforced strictly here, as the fort is still a military area with occasional military guards on patrol.

• Bryggen, Bryggen (north side of the bay. Between 1350 and 1750, this area 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. One example is the restaurant Bryggen Tracteursted, serving food and drinks in a building first opened for this purpose in 1708. Wandering about on Bryggen is possible with a wheelchair, but getting in and out of buildings can be very difficult.

• Bryggens Museum, Dreggsalmenningen 3 (by St. Mary's church and Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, +47 55 58 80 10. 1 Sept-14 May: M-F 11:00-15:00, Sa 12:00-15:00, Su 12-:00-16:00; 15 May-31 Aug: Daily, 10:00-16:00. After the fire in 1955, when a lot of Bryggen burnt down, remains of the first settlement on Bryggen were discovered. The museum is built over these up to 900-year-old wooden building foundations, giving a unique insight in Bryggen's architectural history. It contains the world's largest collection of medieval runic inscriptions, mostly inscribed on wooden items, but only a small number of these are on display. It also hosts themed exhibitions. If you are not a student, and would like to also visit the Hanseatic museum, it is cheaper to buy a ticket for the guided tour (and skip it if you want). adults kr. 80, students kr. 40, children (under 16) free, guided tour (includes ticket to Hanseatic Museum) kr. 120.
• The Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene, Finnegårdsgaten 1 A and Øvregaten 50 (museum: the first building on Bryggen when walking from the fish market, Schøtstuene: the street behind Bryggen, a little bit towards Bergenhus from the Hanseatic Museum, +47 55 54 46 90. The Hanseatic Museum: 15 May–15 Sep: daily 09:00-17:00. 16 Sep–14 May: Tu–Sa: 11:00-14:00. Su: 11:18:00. Schøtstuene: 15 May–15 Sep: Daily 10:00-17:00. 16 Sep–14 May: Su: 11:00–14:00. The Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene are the only places on Bryggen where the original interior is preserved or restored. A tour of The Hanseatic Museum gives you a good introduction to the Hanseatic Bergen and the Hansa life, as you walk around an authentic Hanseatic merchant's house from the early 1700s. The building was in use until the late 19th century, when it was converted into a museum. In Schøtstuene, buildings from other parts of Bryggen are rebuilt to show where people ate, celebrated and held meetings. Neither the museum nor Schøtstuene is accessible for those using a wheelchair. Adults: kr. 70, Students: kr. 50, Children: Free. Ticket is valid at the Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene for one day.
• Theta museum, Bredsgården 1 D (entrance from the front of Bryggen, by Enhjørningsgården, +47 55 31 53 93. Tu Sa Su 14:00-16:00. During the first half of World War II, the Theta group, formed by people between the ages of 19 and 22, established radio contact with London and reported movements of the German fleet in Norway. The group headquarters and radio station was located in the heart of occupied Bergen, but remained active for two years before it was discovered and raided by the Nazis. In the 1980s, the small room was reconstructed to its original state by orders of the Directorate of Cultural Heritage. It is now probably the country's smallest museum, displaying radio equipment and the Theta group's own security system. Not accessible with a wheelchair. Kr. 20; children kr. 5.

Bryggens Museum, Dreggsalmenningen 3 (by St. Mary's church and Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, +47 55 58 80 10. 1 Sept-14 May: M-F 11:00-15:00, Sa 12:00-15:00, Su 12-:00-16:00; 15 May-31 Aug: Daily, 10:00-16:00. After the fire in 1955, when a lot of Bryggen burnt down, remains of the first settlement on Bryggen were discovered. The museum is built over these up to 900-year-old wooden building foundations, giving a unique insight in Bryggen's architectural history. It contains the world's largest collection of medieval runic inscriptions, mostly inscribed on wooden items, but only a small number of these are on display. It also hosts themed exhibitions. If you are not a student, and would like to also visit the Hanseatic museum, it is cheaper to buy a ticket for the guided tour (and skip it if you want). adults kr. 80, students kr. 40, children (under 16) free, guided tour (includes ticket to Hanseatic Museum) kr. 120.

The Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene, Finnegårdsgaten 1 A and Øvregaten 50 (museum: the first building on Bryggen when walking from the fish market, Schøtstuene: the street behind Bryggen, a little bit towards Bergenhus from the Hanseatic Museum, +47 55 54 46 90. The Hanseatic Museum: 15 May–15 Sep: daily 09:00-17:00. 16 Sep–14 May: Tu–Sa: 11:00-14:00. Su: 11:18:00. Schøtstuene: 15 May–15 Sep: Daily 10:00-17:00. 16 Sep–14 May: Su: 11:00–14:00. The Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene are the only places on Bryggen where the original interior is preserved or restored. A tour of The Hanseatic Museum gives you a good introduction to the Hanseatic Bergen and the Hansa life, as you walk around an authentic Hanseatic merchant's house from the early 1700s. The building was in use until the late 19th century, when it was converted into a museum. In Schøtstuene, buildings from other parts of Bryggen are rebuilt to show where people ate, celebrated and held meetings. Neither the museum nor Schøtstuene is accessible for those using a wheelchair. Adults: kr. 70, Students: kr. 50, Children: Free. Ticket is valid at the Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene for one day.

Theta museum, Bredsgården 1 D (entrance from the front of Bryggen, by Enhjørningsgården, +47 55 31 53 93. Tu Sa Su 14:00-16:00. During the first half of World War II, the Theta group, formed by people between the ages of 19 and 22, established radio contact with London and reported movements of the German fleet in Norway. The group headquarters and radio station was located in the heart of occupied Bergen, but remained active for two years before it was discovered and raided by the Nazis. In the 1980s, the small room was reconstructed to its original state by orders of the Directorate of Cultural Heritage. It is now probably the country's smallest museum, displaying radio equipment and the Theta group's own security system. Not accessible with a wheelchair. Kr. 20; children kr. 5.

KODE Art museums, Rasmus Meyers allé 3, 7 and 9 (by Lille Lungegårdsvann, +47 55 56 80 00. 20 May–14 Sept: daily 11:00–17:00. 15 Sep–19 May: Tu–Su 11:00–16:00, Sat–Sun 11:00-17:00. One of the largest art museums in the Nordic countries, with art from the renaissance as well as contemporary art. The museum houses several of Edvard Munch's works. Adults: kr 130, Students: kr 60, Children under 18: free.

The fish market, Torget, +47 55 55 20 00. Jun–Aug: daily 07:00–19:00, Sep–May: M–Sa 07:00–16:00. Bergen's outdoor fish market has a long history, being the historical center for fish trade. Most tourists find their way here, but with locals changing their shopping habits, the fish market today does not compare to what it once was. The fish market is dominated by makeshift souvenir shops and seafood stalls. The seafood is generally of only OK quality as the fishermen no longer deliver their catch directly to the market. Still, you can get a pretty good idea of what the locals eat by having a look at the various fish they sell here, and try some of the stranger ones, if you feel adventurous. Free samples of are usually available of the more common items such as whale, salmon and salmon caviar. Although somewhat crowded, getting around with a wheelchair is fairly easy.

Fløibanen, Vetrlidsalmenning 21, +47 55 33 68 00. M–F 07:30–23:00, Sa–Su 08:00–23:00. Fløibanen is a funicular which goes up Fløyen, a plateau in the mountain massif north-east of the city center. From here, you get a great view of the city. Accessing Fløibanen and the plateau on Fløyen with a wheelchair is a piece of cake. More than 1.2 million people rode with Fløibanen in 2007, and it has become the attraction that the most tourists are content with. Expect queues, but don't worry, they move fast. There are no steps where lifts are not available without assistance, and all doors are wide. Adult: Single: kr 60, Return: kr 120.

The West Norway Museum of Decorative Art, Nordahl Bruns gate 9 (by the music pavilion, +47 55 33 66 33. Tu-Su 12:00-16:00; 15 May–14 Sep: M-Su 11:00-17:00. A museum of design and decorative art. Norway's largest collection of Chinese art. Kr. 60; students and seniors kr. 40, children under 16 free.

St. Jørgen's Hospital, Kong Oscars gate 59, +47 55 55 20 00. 21 May–2 Sep: Daily 11:00-15:00. St. Jørgen's Hospital is one of very few preserved leprosy hospitals from the 18th century in Northern Europe. The large wooden building in Kalfarveien 31 (Pleiestiftelsen for spedalske) was the largest institution caring for the many leprosy patients in Bergen. This was where Armauer Hansen discovered the bacteria that causes leprosy in 1873. Hansen's discovery was a major breaktrhough in medicin as he proved that a cronic illness was contagious rather than hereditary. The Leprosy archive was a complete record of all patients and is assumed to be the first patient archive in the world. The Leprosy archive is enscribed on UNESCO list of Memory of the World. 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. The complex in Kong Oscars gate 59 also includes a wooden church. Kr. 40; children kr. 20.

Bergen Aquarium, Nordnesbakken 4 (indoor parking available, but usually full in the summer season; walk for 20 minutes from the city center or use bus line 11, +47 55 55 71 71. Daily 10:00–18:00. 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. Fun for kids. Adults: kr 250, Children: kr 150.

Statsraad Lehmkuhl, usually at Bergen harbor shed 7 – Bradbenken 2 (at the end of Bryggen, across the street from Bergenhus fort, +47 55 30 17 00. 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.

St. Mary's Church, Dreggsalmenningen 15 (behind Bryggen, +47 55 59 32 70. Closed for renovation. The oldest remaining building in Bergen, St. Mary's Church was built in the 12th century. It is the best preserved of the city's three medieval churches and one of the few basilica-shaped churches in Norway. It was originally Romanesque, then enlarged in Gothic style. Having belonged to the German community in Bergen for many centuries, it contains a unique pulpit, one of Norway's most beautiful altarpieces and characteristic twin towers.

The National Theater, Ole Bull's plass (centre. The main theater is a monumental art noveau building in a prominent position on Ole Bull's square. As an institution the theater played a key role. Ole Bull, a major international star on the violin, established the theater and employed the young Henrik Ibsen as instructor. Later Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, another national icon, worked there. Ole Bull also discovered the young music talent Edvard Grieg. This theater made Norwegian, rather than Danish, into the standard language on stage, and it was long the #1 stage in Norway.

• Bergen Museum – The Cultural History Collections, Haakon Sheteligs plass 10, +47 55 58 31 40. Tu–F: 10AM–3PM, Sa Su 11AM–4PM; 1 Jun–31 Aug: Tu–F: 10AM–4PM, Sa Su: 11AM–4PM. Bergen Museum is a part of the University of Bergen, and is in the heart of campus. It is divided in two collections, the Cultural History Collections and the Natural History Collections, located in two different buildings. The Cultural History Collections include archeology, anthropology and art- and culture studies sections. Among other things, the museum has a large collection of Norwegian folk art and national costumes. It is notable for its unique exhibition of Norwegian medieval church art, including painted altarpieces, crucifixes and portals from demolished stave churches, all in wood. Kr. 40; senior citizens: kr. 20, children under 16, students and University of Bergen staff: free. Ticket is also valid at the Natural History Collections.
• Bergen Museum – The Natural History Collections, Muséplass 3, +47 55 58 29 20. Closed for renovation. The Natural History Collections include botany, geology and zoology. The zoology exhibitions is preserved more or less as they were when they were put up almost a hundred years ago. Enormous whale skeletons suspended from the ceiling in the exhibition halls are visible through the windows from the outside. The geology exhibition is modern and varied and contains samples from most part of the world, in addition to a nice local collection. Around the museum is a garden which is at its finest in spring and summer. There is also a green house where you can enjoy tropical plants. Kr. 40. Senior citizens: kr. 20, children under 16, students and University of Bergen staff: free. Ticket is also valid at the Cultural History Collections. Access to the garden and the green house is free of charge.
• Vilvite, Thormøhlensgate 51, +47 55 59 45 00. Tu-F 9AM-4PM, Sa Su 11AM-6PM. Sponsored by the state and the city in addition to some of the largest industrial companies in Norway, this all new science center features interactive exhibitions of science, technology and mathematics. It targets children and young people with the intention to inspire the to learning more about science, but is popular also among the adults. It has special exhibitions about the weather, the ocean and energy, with altogether 75 different interactive machines and experiments. Kr. 120; children (3-15 years): kr. 80, families (2 adults and 2 children): kr. 330 (kr. 65 per extra child), students (high school and above): kr. 80.
• Bergen Maritime Museum, Haakon Sheteligsplass 15, +47 55 54 96 00. all week 11AM-3PM. closed on holidays, Christmas eve, new year's eve and the 17th of May. This traditional maritime museum is in the middle of the campus of the University of Bergen. Exhibitions of maritime history, shipping history, the Vikings, naval warfare, maritime archeology, and more. kr 30; children and students free.
• Nygårdsparken. Always open. This is a very nicely landscaped park laid out in the late 1800s after English patterns. The park is a popular picnic place for families, and in the summer there's always several groups of students and young people having barbeques. You are very welcome to step on the grass and it's a nice place to play frisbee, kubb or croquet. If you want to save a few kroner on food and drink stop by a local grocery store to pick up some ingredients to a picnic, bring along a blanket and a few beers and spend a cheap and relaxing afternoon in this park. It's highly unlikely that the police will bother you for drinking in public in this park as long as you behave. It's also one of the places where it's rather easy to get in contact with the locals. There's no public toilet here, but pop over the road to Vilvite and use their facilities for free. The upper part of the park is now rejuvenated, with a nice play area for children, occasional outdoor exhibitions and – some weekends – a café with restroom in the new Pavillion. Free.

Bergen Museum – The Cultural History Collections, Haakon Sheteligs plass 10, +47 55 58 31 40. Tu–F: 10AM–3PM, Sa Su 11AM–4PM; 1 Jun–31 Aug: Tu–F: 10AM–4PM, Sa Su: 11AM–4PM. Bergen Museum is a part of the University of Bergen, and is in the heart of campus. It is divided in two collections, the Cultural History Collections and the Natural History Collections, located in two different buildings. The Cultural History Collections include archeology, anthropology and art- and culture studies sections. Among other things, the museum has a large collection of Norwegian folk art and national costumes. It is notable for its unique exhibition of Norwegian medieval church art, including painted altarpieces, crucifixes and portals from demolished stave churches, all in wood. Kr. 40; senior citizens: kr. 20, children under 16, students and University of Bergen staff: free. Ticket is also valid at the Natural History Collections.

Bergen Museum – The Natural History Collections, Muséplass 3, +47 55 58 29 20. Closed for renovation. The Natural History Collections include botany, geology and zoology. The zoology exhibitions is preserved more or less as they were when they were put up almost a hundred years ago. Enormous whale skeletons suspended from the ceiling in the exhibition halls are visible through the windows from the outside. The geology exhibition is modern and varied and contains samples from most part of the world, in addition to a nice local collection. Around the museum is a garden which is at its finest in spring and summer. There is also a green house where you can enjoy tropical plants. Kr. 40. Senior citizens: kr. 20, children under 16, students and University of Bergen staff: free. Ticket is also valid at the Cultural History Collections. Access to the garden and the green house is free of charge.

Vilvite, Thormøhlensgate 51, +47 55 59 45 00. Tu-F 9AM-4PM, Sa Su 11AM-6PM. Sponsored by the state and the city in addition to some of the largest industrial companies in Norway, this all new science center features interactive exhibitions of science, technology and mathematics. It targets children and young people with the intention to inspire the to learning more about science, but is popular also among the adults. It has special exhibitions about the weather, the ocean and energy, with altogether 75 different interactive machines and experiments. Kr. 120; children (3-15 years): kr. 80, families (2 adults and 2 children): kr. 330 (kr. 65 per extra child), students (high school and above): kr. 80.

Bergen Maritime Museum, Haakon Sheteligsplass 15, +47 55 54 96 00. all week 11AM-3PM. closed on holidays, Christmas eve, new year's eve and the 17th of May. This traditional maritime museum is in the middle of the campus of the University of Bergen. Exhibitions of maritime history, shipping history, the Vikings, naval warfare, maritime archeology, and more. kr 30; children and students free.

Nygårdsparken. Always open. This is a very nicely landscaped park laid out in the late 1800s after English patterns. The park is a popular picnic place for families, and in the summer there's always several groups of students and young people having barbeques. You are very welcome to step on the grass and it's a nice place to play frisbee, kubb or croquet. If you want to save a few kroner on food and drink stop by a local grocery store to pick up some ingredients to a picnic, bring along a blanket and a few beers and spend a cheap and relaxing afternoon in this park. It's highly unlikely that the police will bother you for drinking in public in this park as long as you behave. It's also one of the places where it's rather easy to get in contact with the locals. There's no public toilet here, but pop over the road to Vilvite and use their facilities for free. The upper part of the park is now rejuvenated, with a nice play area for children, occasional outdoor exhibitions and – some weekends – a café with restroom in the new Pavillion. Free.

• Fantoft Stave Church, Fantoftveien 46 (about 6km from the city center, bus line 2 from the front side of the exhibition shopping center, or light rail ("Bybanen"). Get off at the Fantoft stop and walk., +47 55 28 07 10. Stave churches are built in a distinctive style using the logs of trees as pillars, by the early Christians. This is a reconstruction of a church originally built in Fortun, by the Sognefjord, around 1150. On the 6 Jun 1992, the church was totally destroyed by arson, but a perfect copy has since been constructed. The inside of the stave church has no wall paintings and the altar is quite austere. If you have seen the stave church in the Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo, then save yourself a few kroners and skip this one.

• Gamlehaugen, Gamlehaugveien 10 (about 10 minutes by car from the city center, southbound bus lines 525, 60 over Fjøsanger, 20–24, 26, 560 and 620–630 from the bus station, +47 55 92 51 20, +47 55 11 29 00 (reserve tickets). Villa open for guided tours only. Guided tours Tu-Su at 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00 in Jun-Aug. Tour at 12:90 will be given in English if necessary, other tours will be given in Norwegian only. The villa at Gamlehaugen, built to resemble a castle, was the home of Christian Michelsen, former prime minister who helped free Norway from the Swedish rule through the peaceful dissolution of the "union" in 1905. Nowadays, the villa is the royal family's residence in Bergen. There is a large and very popular park around the villa. Bathing possibilities. Tour tickets kr. 50; children kr. 25. Access to the park is free for all.
• Siljustøl Museum, Siljustølveien 50 (about 20 minutes by car from the city center, southbound bus lines 23 and 26 from the bus station, +47 55 92 29 92. Museum open 24 Jun-23 Sep: Su 12:00-16:09. The home of the composer Harald Sæverud, famous for late romantic and neo-classicist works now houses a museum with occasional concerts. The somewhat mystic park around the house is open for the public. Museum admittance: Kr. 50; students: kr. 20, children: free.

• Troldhaugen, Troldhaugveien 65 (about 15 minutes by car from the city center, Light Rail from city center to Hop, +47 55 92 29 92. May-Sep: Daily 9AM-6PM. Oct-Nov: Daily 10AM-4PM 14 Dec-5Jan: Closed. 6Jan-Apr: Daily 10AM-4PM.. This is the house of the famous composer Edvard Grieg, who wrote the Peer Gynt suite and the Piano Concerto in A Minor and is Norway's national composer. His country house (just outside the town center of Bergen) has been preserved in the state it was in when he died in 1907. You can also see his grave; he was buried on his own estate. There is a museum devoted to Grieg and his work, and a concert hall with daily concerts from 1 May - 30 Sep. Kr. 100; kr. 60 (per person), students: kr. 50, children under 16: free.
• Ulriksbanen, Ulriken 1 (southbound bus lines 2, 31 and 50 from the front side of the Xhibition shopping center to Haukeland hospital. Cable car to the top of Mt. Ulriken, the highest of the mountains surrounding the city. There is a restaurant at the top.

Fantoft Stave Church, Fantoftveien 46 (about 6km from the city center, bus line 2 from the front side of the exhibition shopping center, or light rail ("Bybanen"). Get off at the Fantoft stop and walk., +47 55 28 07 10. Stave churches are built in a distinctive style using the logs of trees as pillars, by the early Christians. This is a reconstruction of a church originally built in [[Fortun]], by the Sognefjord, around 1150. On the 6 Jun 1992, the church was totally destroyed by arson, but a perfect copy has since been constructed. The inside of the stave church has no wall paintings and the altar is quite austere. If you have seen the stave church in the Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo, then save yourself a few kroners and skip this one.

Gamlehaugen, Gamlehaugveien 10 (about 10 minutes by car from the city center, southbound bus lines 525, 60 over Fjøsanger, 20–24, 26, 560 and 620–630 from the bus station, +47 55 92 51 20, +47 55 11 29 00 (reserve tickets). Villa open for guided tours only. Guided tours Tu-Su at 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00 in Jun-Aug. Tour at 12:90 will be given in English if necessary, other tours will be given in Norwegian only. The villa at Gamlehaugen, built to resemble a castle, was the home of Christian Michelsen, former prime minister who helped free Norway from the Swedish rule through the peaceful dissolution of the "union" in 1905. Nowadays, the villa is the royal family's residence in Bergen. There is a large and very popular park around the villa. Bathing possibilities. Tour tickets kr. 50; children kr. 25. Access to the park is free for all.

Siljustøl Museum, Siljustølveien 50 (about 20 minutes by car from the city center, southbound bus lines 23 and 26 from the bus station, +47 55 92 29 92. Museum open 24 Jun-23 Sep: Su 12:00-16:09. The home of the composer Harald Sæverud, famous for late romantic and neo-classicist works now houses a museum with occasional concerts. The somewhat mystic park around the house is open for the public. Museum admittance: Kr. 50; students: kr. 20, children: free.

Troldhaugen, Troldhaugveien 65 (about 15 minutes by car from the city center, Light Rail from city center to Hop, +47 55 92 29 92. May-Sep: Daily 9AM-6PM. Oct-Nov: Daily 10AM-4PM 14 Dec-5Jan: Closed. 6Jan-Apr: Daily 10AM-4PM.. This is the house of the famous composer Edvard Grieg, who wrote the Peer Gynt suite and the Piano Concerto in A Minor and is Norway's national composer. His country house (just outside the town center of Bergen) has been preserved in the state it was in when he died in 1907. You can also see his grave; he was buried on his own estate. There is a museum devoted to Grieg and his work, and a concert hall with daily concerts from 1 May - 30 Sep. Kr. 100; kr. 60 (per person), students: kr. 50, children under 16: free.

Ulriksbanen, Ulriken 1 (southbound bus lines 2, 31 and 50 from the front side of the Xhibition shopping center to Haukeland hospital. Cable car to the top of Mt. Ulriken, the highest of the mountains surrounding the city. There is a restaurant at the top.

• Gamle Bergen, Nyhavnsveien 4 (half an hour by walking; a few minutes by bus or car from the city center, northbound bus lines 9, 20-29, 50, 71, 80, 90, 280, 285, +47 55 39 43 00. A reconstructed town with about 50 wooden houses from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. It is a beautiful place to stroll on a sunny day. The more cultural traveler will enjoy a guided tour of the area and the houses. kr 50; students: kr 30, pensioners: kr 30, children: free.
• The Norwegian Knitting Industry Museum, Salhusvegen 201 (by car, drive north on the motorway E39/E16 until Åsane senter. when you're off the motorway, drive west and later north-west on RV 564. eventually, the signs should start pointing to Salhus. by bus, take northbound line 280, +47 55 25 10 80. T-Su 11AM-4PM (June 1 - August 31); T-F 11AM-3PM and Su 12PM-4PM (September 1 - May 31). Located in the buildings that used to house the first fully mechanized knitwear factory in Norway. The machinery is still in working condition and is used. Guided tour, exhibitions and film. students: kr. 25, children: free.

Gamle Bergen, Nyhavnsveien 4 (half an hour by walking; a few minutes by bus or car from the city center, northbound bus lines 9, 20-29, 50, 71, 80, 90, 280, 285, +47 55 39 43 00. A reconstructed town with about 50 wooden houses from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. It is a beautiful place to stroll on a sunny day. The more cultural traveler will enjoy a guided tour of the area and the houses. kr 50; students: kr 30, pensioners: kr 30, children: free.

The Norwegian Knitting Industry Museum, Salhusvegen 201 (by car, drive north on the motorway E39/E16 until Åsane senter. when you're off the motorway, drive west and later north-west on RV 564. eventually, the signs should start pointing to Salhus. by bus, take northbound line 280, +47 55 25 10 80. T-Su 11AM-4PM (June 1 - August 31); T-F 11AM-3PM and Su 12PM-4PM (September 1 - May 31). Located in the buildings that used to house the first fully mechanized knitwear factory in Norway. The machinery is still in working condition and is used. Guided tour, exhibitions and film. students: kr. 25, children: free.

• Alvøen, +47 55 58 80 10. An old and picturesque former industrial community situated on the west coast of the Bergen peninsula. The manor building at Alvøen has been converted into a museum with several exhibitions. for entrance to the main building: kr 50; students: kr. 25, children: free.
• Damsgård Hovedgård, Alléen 29 (just across the fjord south-west of the city center, walk or drive across the Puddefjord bridge, then turn right and keep going for a kilometer, the manor is visible from the road on your left hand side, +47 55 94 08 70. This 18th-century manor is the most splendid of the many country retreats built by Bergen's aristocracy in the past centuries. The roccoco main building is surrounded by several beautiful gardens. kr 50; students: kr 25, children: free.

Alvøen, +47 55 58 80 10. An old and picturesque former industrial community situated on the west coast of the Bergen peninsula. The manor building at Alvøen has been converted into a museum with several exhibitions. for entrance to the main building: kr 50; students: kr. 25, children: free.

Damsgård Hovedgård, Alléen 29 (just across the fjord south-west of the city center, walk or drive across the Puddefjord bridge, then turn right and keep going for a kilometer, the manor is visible from the road on your left hand side, +47 55 94 08 70. This 18th-century manor is the most splendid of the many country retreats built by Bergen's aristocracy in the past centuries. The roccoco main building is surrounded by several beautiful gardens. kr 50; students: kr 25, children: free.

• Bergen Jazzforum, Georgernes verft 12, +47 55 30 72 50. Concerts every Friday except in the summer and during the Christmas holidays. Jazz club with focus on modern jazz. Norwegian Jazz Club Of The Year 2008.
• Bergen Live. Producing most of the larger pop, rock and hiphop concerts in Bergen.
• Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Grieghallen, Edvard Griegs plass 1. Classical concerts so to say every Thursday evening at 7:30PM. The Bergen philharmonic is one of two national orchestras and was originally established in 1765 - now regarded as one of the oldest orchestras in the world.The program is varied, but the repertoire is usually quite easy listening. The orchestra plays of course a lot of Edvard Grieg's works.
• Det Akademiske Kvarter, Olav Kyrresgate 49, 5015 Bergen. Popular student venue, usually hosting concerts several times a week except during holidays and the summer.

Bergen Jazzforum, Georgernes verft 12, +47 55 30 72 50. Concerts every Friday except in the summer and during the Christmas holidays. Jazz club with focus on modern jazz. Norwegian Jazz Club Of The Year 2008.

Bergen Live. Producing most of the larger pop, rock and hiphop concerts in Bergen.

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Grieghallen, Edvard Griegs plass 1. Classical concerts so to say every Thursday evening at 7:30PM. The Bergen philharmonic is one of two national orchestras and was originally established in 1765 - now regarded as one of the oldest orchestras in the world.The program is varied, but the repertoire is usually quite easy listening. The orchestra plays of course a lot of Edvard Grieg's works.

Det Akademiske Kvarter, Olav Kyrresgate 49, 5015 Bergen. Popular student venue, usually hosting concerts several times a week except during holidays and the summer.

• BIT Teatergarasjen, Nøstegaten 54, +47 55 23 22 35. BIT (Bergen International Theater) presents Norwegian and international contemporary stage art productions of high quality.
• Den Nationale Scene, Engen 1, +47 55 54 97 00. The national theater in Bergen. In a beautifully restored building, the theater presents a variety of plays on three different stages, from traditional Ibsen to contemporary plays. The largest stage (Store scene) is where most mainstream plays are played, while the two smaller stages features more alternative plays, often the most interesting ones. The plays are in Norwegian.
• Bergen Nasjonale Opera, +47 55 21 61 20. Although Bergen does not have its own opera house, it does have its own opera company. Den Nye Opera (The New Opera) usually put on a few productions throughout the year. Summer performances are often at the Bergenhus Fortress while other productions are performed at Den Nationale Scene or at Grieghallen. Tickets are available online. Tickets usually range from kr. 200 to kr. 550 depending on seating and availability. Bergen does not attract the top performers, and the quality may vary a bit, usually anywhere between superb and a bit below average.

BIT Teatergarasjen, Nøstegaten 54, +47 55 23 22 35. BIT (Bergen International Theater) presents Norwegian and international contemporary stage art productions of high quality.

Den Nationale Scene, Engen 1, +47 55 54 97 00. The national theater in Bergen. In a beautifully restored building, the theater presents a variety of plays on three different stages, from traditional Ibsen to contemporary plays. The largest stage (Store scene) is where most mainstream plays are played, while the two smaller stages features more alternative plays, often the most interesting ones. The plays are in Norwegian.

Bergen Nasjonale Opera, +47 55 21 61 20. Although Bergen does not have its own opera house, it does have its own opera company. Den Nye Opera (The New Opera) usually put on a few productions throughout the year. Summer performances are often at the Bergenhus Fortress while other productions are performed at Den Nationale Scene or at Grieghallen. Tickets are available online. Tickets usually range from kr. 200 to kr. 550 depending on seating and availability. Bergen does not attract the top performers, and the quality may vary a bit, usually anywhere between superb and a bit below average.

Hanging out by the ocean can be one of the best ways to spend a hot summer day in Bergen, although Bergen is hardly a sun and sand destination. 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°C after consecutive days with good weather. The water is clean and fresh. There are sandy beaches at Arboretet at Milde (Hjellestad), Kyrkjetangen at Nordåsvannet 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 Fløyen has a sandy fresh-water beach.

• Nye Sydnes Sjøbad, Nøstegaten (close to the Hurtigruten terminal, just beside the Nøsteboden pub. Public seawater "pool". Free.
• Nordnes outdoor pool, approcah through Haugeveien (Nordnes park near Aquarium. M to F 07.00 - 19.00, S and S 07.00 – 14.00 (fleixble in good weather). Outdoor swimming pool 25 meters, heated saltwater taken from the fjord 65 NOK *children 30 NOK.

Nye Sydnes Sjøbad, Nøstegaten (close to the Hurtigruten terminal, just beside the Nøsteboden pub. Public seawater "pool". Free.

Nordnes outdoor pool, approcah through Haugeveien (Nordnes park near Aquarium. M to F 07.00 - 19.00, S and S 07.00 – 14.00 (fleixble in good weather). Outdoor swimming pool 25 meters, heated saltwater taken from the fjord 65 NOK *children 30 NOK.

The mountains surrounding Bergen offers great hiking possibilities, and unlike most cities the first hiking trail starts downtown and no need for transport out of town. There are options for anyone from those just looking for a fifteen-minute stroll in the sun to the more adventurous interested in daytrips and steep hills. Byfjellene (lit. "the city mountains") have good networks of dirtroads and paths, usually well signposted. Good maps are available in most bookstores – look for Tur- og friluftskart Bergen (1:25 000) from the Norwegian Mapping and Cadastre Authority (Norwegian: Statens kartverk).

For advice on hiking, as well as hiking opportunities elsewhere in Norway, you should consult Bergen Turlag (Bergen Hiking Association), the local branch of Den Norske Turistforening (Norwegian Trekking Association), located in Tverrgaten 4-6. The Norwegian right to access entitles you to hike in all uncultivated areas.

Mount Fløyen is the most central of the mountains. It is easily accessible by the funicular running from downtown, but the better fit will probably choose the 40-minutes walk up. A good compromise can be to take the funicular up and walk down. The way is well signposted, so you won't get lost. In the steep slope towards Fløyen (right above the city) there is the popular Fjellveien, a long, gentle, horizontal pedestrian road with a perfect panorama of the city. From Fjellveien, there are several alternative roads to the top.

From the top of Mount Fløyen, the 1.8 km (1.1 mi) walk in relatively flat terrain to Brushytten (lit. "the soda cabin") is ideal, if you have kids. Brushytten is a kiosk usually open on Sundays. There are several ways to get there, if you follow the signs, you're on the safe side and will walk on dirtroads all the way (easily accessible with both a wheelchair or a pram).

From Brushytten, you can walk up the hill to Mount Rundemanen and get a beautiful view. From Mount Rundemanen, a good choice for a not-so-long hike will be to walk to Sandviksfjellet, and from there down to Sandviken, where you can get on a bus or walk back to the city center. Another possibility is to cross the Vidden plateau and walk to Mount Ulriken, the highest mountain in Bergen, a hike which takes about five hours. You should be somewhat fit to take this trip, and also be prepared for bad weather. The trip across Vidden is among Norway's most popular hiking trips.

For both kids and adults, a popular activity on snowy days is to take the funicular to the top of Mount Fløyen and toboggan to the city center.

There are frequent boat trips to some of the more scenic fjords from the city centre. There are trips all year round, but many are only available in season, from May to September.

The islands, fjords and lakes surrounding Bergen provide excellent conditions for both saltwater and fresh-water fishing. Fishing from fresh water lakes usually requires a local rod permit, even permition from the land owner. Pay attention to signs marking lakes used for drinking water.

Coast and deep sea fishing is free and there is no need for any license. However, no more than 10 kilos of fish fillets or fish products can be exported from Norway per person. If you have fished under the auspices of a registered tourist fishing camp, the export quota is a maximum of 20 kilos, provided that the organized fishing can be documented. Note some important regulations concerning the minimum size of most fish. Consult the web site of The Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs for more information.

Fishing in the city centre (Bryggen, Vågen, Bontelabo, Dokken) is possible, but there are some concerns about traces of mercury in white fish fillet and liver. A new report may indicate that the situation is better than expected, but a good advice is to avoid fishing in Vågen, from old ship yards and the Åstveittangen and Eidsvågen areas.

A general, very cautious advice could be not to eat liver from fish caught in areas close to the city centre - and pregnant and breast feeding women should not eat this fish at all.

• Bergenfest. Music festival from the end of April to start of May. A number of concerts in most rhythmic music genres (pop, rock, hip hop, blues, soul) all over town.
• Bergen International Film Festival, +47 55 30 08 40. BIFF is a week-long film festival held in October every year at Bergen kino (the Magnus Barfot multiplex cinema). In 2007 BIFF had 40,000 visitors. Single ticket kr. 65. BIFF discount card: New card kr. 520 (card kr. 20, account kr. 500), account refill kr. 200, enables you to purchase tickets at kr. 40/50 for screenings starting before/after 3PM.
• Constitution Day. On 17 May, every business in town, except restaurants downtown, is closed as the citizens dress up in their finest clothes and celebrate all day long. You will be stunned by the number of people in the streets – one can hardly move around – and by the beautiful national costumes every second person you meet will wear. This is the day people will look oddly on you if you wear anything less than a suit or dress. At 7AM, there is a twenty-one-gun salute from Skansen, half way up Mount Fløyen, as the morning parade starts from Dreggen. At 10:30AM, the main parade starts at Torgalmenningen, goes around town and ends up at Festplassen. The parade is formed by children and organizations such as sports teams, and only a very few military troops, unlike in many other countries. The level of nationalism can perhaps be a bit overwhelming for foreigners, but try to say gratulerer med dagen (literally "congratulations on the day") to anyone you meet, and you will probably get the same in response, even if you're not Norwegian at all.
• 16 May. The night before Constitution Day is the definite party night in Bergen.
• Bergen International Festival. With about 160 events in two weeks from the end of May to start of June, Bergen International Festival is the largest festival of its kind in the Nordic countries. The festival presents literature, dance, theater and classical music. The latest years, focus has been on art from the Nordic countries.
• Nattjazz. Nattjazz is a two-weeks long jazz festival from the end of May to the start of June, the longest jazz festival in Northern Europe. All concerts take place at Verftet USF, a former sardine factory located at Nøstet, with a capacity of over 4000 guests. With a day-pass, you get access to all concerts that night for a fair price. Usually, there are six or seven concerts every night, some simultaneously on the various stages. The festival's musical profile ranges from traditional jazz to world music. Some of the artists that previously has played on Nattjazz are Gotan Project, Ahmed Jamal, Jan Garbarek, Stan Getz, Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, Van Morrison and James Brown.

Bergenfest. Music festival from the end of April to start of May. A number of concerts in most rhythmic music genres (pop, rock, hip hop, blues, soul) all over town.

Bergen International Film Festival, +47 55 30 08 40. BIFF is a week-long film festival held in October every year at Bergen kino (the Magnus Barfot multiplex cinema). In 2007 BIFF had 40,000 visitors. Single ticket kr. 65. BIFF discount card: New card kr. 520 (card kr. 20, account kr. 500), account refill kr. 200, enables you to purchase tickets at kr. 40/50 for screenings starting before/after 3PM.

Constitution Day. On 17 May, every business in town, except restaurants downtown, is closed as the citizens dress up in their finest clothes and celebrate all day long. You will be stunned by the number of people in the streets – one can hardly move around – and by the beautiful national costumes every second person you meet will wear. This is the day people will look oddly on you if you wear anything less than a suit or dress. At 7AM, there is a twenty-one-gun salute from Skansen, half way up Mount Fløyen, as the morning parade starts from Dreggen. At 10:30AM, the main parade starts at Torgalmenningen, goes around town and ends up at Festplassen. The parade is formed by children and organizations such as sports teams, and only a very few military troops, unlike in many other countries. The level of nationalism can perhaps be a bit overwhelming for foreigners, but try to say gratulerer med dagen (literally "congratulations on the day") to anyone you meet, and you will probably get the same in response, even if you're not Norwegian at all.

16 May. The night before Constitution Day is the definite party night in Bergen.

Bergen International Festival. With about 160 events in two weeks from the end of May to start of June, Bergen International Festival is the largest festival of its kind in the Nordic countries. The festival presents literature, dance, theater and classical music. The latest years, focus has been on art from the Nordic countries.

Nattjazz. Nattjazz is a two-weeks long jazz festival from the end of May to the start of June, the longest jazz festival in Northern Europe. All concerts take place at Verftet USF, a former sardine factory located at Nøstet, with a capacity of over 4000 guests. With a day-pass, you get access to all concerts that night for a fair price. Usually, there are six or seven concerts every night, some simultaneously on the various stages. The festival's musical profile ranges from traditional jazz to world music. Some of the artists that previously has played on Nattjazz are Gotan Project, Ahmed Jamal, Jan Garbarek, Stan Getz, Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, Van Morrison and James Brown.

Bergen has a number of shopping centers, and international chains are well represented. As prices are rather high in Norway, regular shopping is probably not the most interesting thing to do in Bergen, even if you get a VAT refund (see the Tax Free shopping section below). But if you know where to go, you can find rare and unique items, both traditional crafts and stuff made by local designers - and some other fun stuff. Keep in mind that with a very few exceptions, Bergen shuts down completely on Sundays and holidays.

• Apollon, Nygårdsgaten 2 A, +47 55 31 59 43. Combined bar and music store, sells CDs, vinyls and band merchandise in addition to a decent selection of beers.

• Blonder og stas, Bryggestredet (in the heart of Bryggen, +47 55 31 83 81. A small shop selling beautiful Norwegian handmade textiles, such as tablecloths and napkins.
• Kjøttbasaren, Vetrlidsallmenningen 2 (between Torget and Fløibanen. M–W, F: 9AM–5PM, Th: 9AM–7PM, Sa: 9AM–3PM. This market hall built in 1877 was once the only one in its kind in Norway. Nowadays it houses Bergen's finest gourmet food stores, the most interesting for tourists being Havets Grøde and Sesong. Havets Grøde has a large selection of top quality seafood, with fresh deliveries every day. The quality is usually much better than at the fish market. Sesong offers the season's food directly from local farms and producers.
• Norsk Flid Husfliden, Vågsallmenningen 3 (near the tourist office, +47 55 54 47 40. Husfliden is a chain of stores throughout Norway with focus on traditional Norwegian crafts. The most interesting things for tourists found in these stores are traditional jewelry and tableware. Husfliden also sells beautiful national costumes (Norwegian: bunad).
• Pepper, Christies gate 9, +47 55 56 39 75. Expensive, but cool clothes and shoes for both men and women
• Bryggen Husflid, Bryggen 37 (in one of the old houses at the charming wharf area Bryggen, +47 55 32 88 03. Handknitted pullovers, cardigans and accessories from the brand Norsk Håndstrikk. The sweaters are made by hand in Norway, knitted by Norwegian ladies in their homes. Rare and unique products. The shop also carry a great selection of other Norwegian made products, in addition to other souvenirs like trolls, soft toys etc. The prices are very good compared to other shops at Bryggen.
• Robot, Skostredet 16. Robot features a range of hip clothes for men and women, a small but excellent selection of music on CD and vinyl, and a large selection of books on pop culture, art, comics, music and design.
• Ruben's skattkammer, Vetrlidsalmenning 5, +47 55 31 41 11. Unique, fun and stimulating toys for kids and adults.
• Stormberg, Småstrandgaten 3 (Xhibition), +47 454 04 157. Store for Norway's largest brand of outdoor wear.
• Søstrene Hagelin, Strandgaten 3 (By Torgalmenningen, +47 55 90 20 13. M-F: 9AM-7PM, Sa: 10AM-5PM.. Søstrene Hagelin has been a tradition in Bergen since 1929. Famous for their traditional fiskekaker, fish-burger. There are some tables in the shop where you can eat the fish-burger, or their fish soup.
• Tilsammans, Kong Oscars gate 26, +47 55 32 55 55. Trendy clothes.
• T Michael, Skostredet 9 A, +47 55 55 80 37. Extremely stylish menswear.
• Twisted, Nygårdsgaten 1 B, +47 55 96 01 87. Independent fashion store for men and women with brands such as IVANAHelsinki, Moods of Norway, Namso, GTP, Birna, Pernilla Svenre, Maria Weterlind, El Naturlista, William Rast, Gabba, Scotch&Soda, Minium, Insight, Pace and Pour. Voted Bergen's best clothing store in 2010.
• ZUMM design, Holmedalsgården 1, +47 930 69 578. Sweet and handmade clothing for girls from 2–11 years of age.
• Bryggen Husflid, Bryggen 37 (At the old wharf, Bryggen, +47 55 32 88 03. Handknitted pullovers,cardigans and accessories from the brand Norsk Håndstrikk. The sweaters are made by hand in Norway, knitted by Norwegian ladies in their homes. Rare and unique products. The shop also carry a great selection of other Norwegian made products, in addition to other souvenirs like trolls, soft toys etc. The prices are very good compared to other shops at Bryggen.

Apollon, Nygårdsgaten 2 A, +47 55 31 59 43. Combined bar and music store, sells CDs, vinyls and band merchandise in addition to a decent selection of beers.

Blonder og stas, Bryggestredet (in the heart of Bryggen, +47 55 31 83 81. A small shop selling beautiful Norwegian handmade textiles, such as tablecloths and napkins.

Kjøttbasaren, Vetrlidsallmenningen 2 (between Torget and Fløibanen. M–W, F: 9AM–5PM, Th: 9AM–7PM, Sa: 9AM–3PM. This market hall built in 1877 was once the only one in its kind in Norway. Nowadays it houses Bergen's finest gourmet food stores, the most interesting for tourists being Havets Grøde and Sesong. Havets Grøde has a large selection of top quality seafood, with fresh deliveries every day. The quality is usually much better than at the fish market. Sesong offers the season's food directly from local farms and producers.

Norsk Flid Husfliden, Vågsallmenningen 3 (near the tourist office, +47 55 54 47 40. Husfliden is a chain of stores throughout Norway with focus on traditional Norwegian crafts. The most interesting things for tourists found in these stores are traditional jewelry and tableware. Husfliden also sells beautiful national costumes (Norwegian: bunad).

Pepper, Christies gate 9, +47 55 56 39 75. Expensive, but cool clothes and shoes for both men and women

Bryggen Husflid, Bryggen 37 (in one of the old houses at the charming wharf area Bryggen, +47 55 32 88 03. Handknitted pullovers, cardigans and accessories from the brand Norsk Håndstrikk. The sweaters are made by hand in Norway, knitted by Norwegian ladies in their homes. Rare and unique products. The shop also carry a great selection of other Norwegian made products, in addition to other souvenirs like trolls, soft toys etc. The prices are very good compared to other shops at Bryggen.

Robot, Skostredet 16. Robot features a range of hip clothes for men and women, a small but excellent selection of music on CD and vinyl, and a large selection of books on pop culture, art, comics, music and design.

Ruben's skattkammer, Vetrlidsalmenning 5, +47 55 31 41 11. Unique, fun and stimulating toys for kids and adults.

Stormberg, Småstrandgaten 3 (Xhibition), +47 454 04 157. Store for Norway's largest brand of outdoor wear.

Søstrene Hagelin, Strandgaten 3 (By Torgalmenningen, +47 55 90 20 13. M-F: 9AM-7PM, Sa: 10AM-5PM.. Søstrene Hagelin has been a tradition in Bergen since 1929. Famous for their traditional fiskekaker, fish-burger. There are some tables in the shop where you can eat the fish-burger, or their fish soup.

Tilsammans, Kong Oscars gate 26, +47 55 32 55 55. Trendy clothes.

T Michael, Skostredet 9 A, +47 55 55 80 37. Extremely stylish menswear.

Twisted, Nygårdsgaten 1 B, +47 55 96 01 87. Independent fashion store for men and women with brands such as IVANAHelsinki, Moods of Norway, Namso, GTP, Birna, Pernilla Svenre, Maria Weterlind, El Naturlista, William Rast, Gabba, Scotch&Soda, Minium, Insight, Pace and Pour. Voted Bergen's best clothing store in 2010.

ZUMM design, Holmedalsgården 1, +47 930 69 578. Sweet and handmade clothing for girls from 2–11 years of age.

Bryggen Husflid, Bryggen 37 (At the old wharf, Bryggen, +47 55 32 88 03. Handknitted pullovers,cardigans and accessories from the brand Norsk Håndstrikk. The sweaters are made by hand in Norway, knitted by Norwegian ladies in their homes. Rare and unique products. The shop also carry a great selection of other Norwegian made products, in addition to other souvenirs like trolls, soft toys etc. The prices are very good compared to other shops at Bryggen.

VAT (value added tax/sales tax, Norwegian: mva. (merverdiavgift) or moms. (merverdiomsetningsavgift)) is 25% for most items in Norway. It is included in the retail price, which makes the VAT content 20% of the price you pay. As Norway is not a member of the European union, all foreign citizens (apart from those of Sweden, Denmark and Finland) are eligible for a refund of the VAT if the goods purchased are brought out of the country at the latest one month after the purchase. The prerequisites for such a refund is that the goods are not used or consumed, even in part, within Norway, and that you spend at least kr 315 in a store.

Look for stores with a Global Blue/tax free flag or sticker. You need only to ask the shop assistant for a global refund check, and provide documentation of your citizenship. When leaving Norway, go to a Global Blue refund office with the goods, the check and your passport, and you will receive up to 19% of the sales price in cash. In Bergen, the only Global Blue refund office is at the airport, but there are also information desks on a couple of the ferries leaving from the city.

Unlike in many other countries, the customs authorities are not involved in the VAT refund process in Norway.

There is a great variety of restaurants and cafes in Bergen, but you should expect to spend some time looking for the best places. In the most central parts of the city, many of the restaurants are all the same. Move a block away from the most central parts of downtown to find lower prices and better food. Kitchens usually close at 11PM at the latest.

Waiters and other restaurant staff have good wages. You are not required to leave any money to cover the service, but many people choose to tip the waiter if he or she has been helpful and nice, and if the food was good. If you choose to leave a tip, rounding up or adding about five to ten percent will be appreciated. A rule of thumb would be that the more expensive the food is, the more are you expected to leave a tip.

Keep in mind that tap water is safe to drink and (usually) free of charge. To save money, ask for tap water to drink.

Finding local food might take some effort, but there are some options. There aren't that many local dishes available at restaurants. "Norwegian" food is the food of the husmann (cottager) – nutritious and cheap, not what you usually find in a restaurant. The Bergen fish soup might be the most important, as well as raspeballer and cooked cod. If you want to get that Norwegian taste and have a gourmet meal at the same time, look for dishes that use "local" ingredients (such as reindeer, stockfish and cod) with a twist, such as Bryggen Tracteursted's filet of reindeer farced with goat cheese.

Many cafe's and restaurants serve "raspeballer" on Thursdays. Raspeballer are local potato dumplings, in Bergen usually served with bacon, sausages, salted meat from sheep, melted butter and mashed rutabaga. You can get takeaway raspeballer at Kjøttbasaren (kr. 50), cheap ones at Lido, excellent ones at Pingvinen and Bjellands Kjøkken. You can get reasonable take-away fish soup, fish-balls, "plukkfisk" and fish-gratin at Madam Bergen.

In November, December and January, traditional Christmas food is served in many restaurants. Look for "pinnekjøtt" (cured, dried and sometimes smoked meat of lamb or mutton), "lutefisk" (lit. "lye fish", dried cod prepared with lye) and "ribbe" (oven-baked pork ribs). For a very special experience, try smalahove (sheep's head). It is a traditional dish from Voss not far from Bergen.

• Bergen Kebab, Christian Michelsens gate 7, +47 55 23 00 17. M–W, Su 11:00–00:00, Th–Sa 11AM–3AM. Though selling the cheapest kebabs in town, Bergen Kebab manages to maintain a decent level of service and quality. Serves an ok pizza as well. kr 40 for a regular kebab.
• Bjellands Kjøkken, Strandgaten 201, +47 55 90 02 44. Closes around 18:00. Bjellands Kjøkken is a tiny cafe at Nordnes, run by 76 year old Randi Bjelland which is worth the walk herself. She does everything by herself in a tiny kitchen, makes everything from scratch. Serves a great variety of traditional food depending on season; huge flesh-pancakes, homemade fish-cakes, meatballs, cooked cod, salted meat, whale-meat etc. 6 tables, good portions and reasonable prices.
• Zen Cafe Bar, Strømgaten 26 (close to the city center, 200 meters from the bus station, +47 55 32 14 38. A fantastic place to eat. The prices are cheap, and the food and service are excellent. It is definitely worth trying at least once.
• Hot Wok City, Vestre Torggaten 1, +47 55 21 85 88. M–Sa 12:00–23:00, Su 14:00–23:00. Good-quality Chinese food freshly cooked in the open kitchen. Service is fast, and the prices are low. This is a place with many regular customers, especially between 16:00 and 18:00. Courses from kr 86.
• Kroathai, Nygårdsgaten 29, +47 55 32 58 50. M–Sa 11:00–22:00, Su 13:00–22:00. The Thai equivalent of Hot Wok, although with slightly smaller portions. Service is usually fast, and the staff is friendly. Can often be full, so take-out can be a good plan B. There is also a Kroa Thai restaurant with the same menu in Åsane senter, a few miles outside of the town center. Multiple options for vegetarians. Serves daily lunch for kr 105.
• Pasta Sentral, Vestre Torggate 5-7, +47 55 96 00 37. M–Sa 11:00–23:00, Su 13:00–23:00. Cheap but decent pasta and pizza for students and budget travellers alike. Pasta Sentral has been an institution in Bergen since its opening in 1990. Provides a take-out service as well.
• Pygmalion Økocafe, Nedre Korskirke Allmenning 4 (near the fishmarket and tourist information, +47 55 32 33 60. daily 09:00–23:00. Organic restaurant situated in the heart of Bergen. Featuring live concerts and art exhibitions. kr 70-170.
• Thai Curry House, Nedre Korskirkeallmenningen 11, +47 55 31 11 99. Affordable thai restaurant. Interior decoration may look a little tacky, but don't let it put you off. The food is good and freshly prepared, however, service can be a little slow. The place is very small, yet quite popular so you may want to have a plan B before going here.
• Zupperia, Nordahl Bruns gate 9, +47 55 55 81 14. Soups and salads – tasty, cheap and big portions. Tu–Sa 11:00–00:00, Su 12:00–22:00.
• Søstrene Hagelin, Kong Oscars gate 2 A. Traditional fishfood, as well as creative such as fishburger with taco. Eat there or take home. Corner of Kong Oscars gate and Vetrlidsallmenningen.
• Kafe Spesial, Christies gate 13. Value for money, particularly pizza. Wide selection of beer. Situated on the slope towards the university area so clientel is largely students. Basic service (order at the counter).

Bergen Kebab, Christian Michelsens gate 7, +47 55 23 00 17. M–W, Su 11:00–00:00, Th–Sa 11AM–3AM. Though selling the cheapest kebabs in town, Bergen Kebab manages to maintain a decent level of service and quality. Serves an ok pizza as well. kr 40 for a regular kebab.

Bjellands Kjøkken, Strandgaten 201, +47 55 90 02 44. Closes around 18:00. Bjellands Kjøkken is a tiny cafe at Nordnes, run by 76 year old Randi Bjelland which is worth the walk herself. She does everything by herself in a tiny kitchen, makes everything from scratch. Serves a great variety of traditional food depending on season; huge flesh-pancakes, homemade fish-cakes, meatballs, cooked cod, salted meat, whale-meat etc. 6 tables, good portions and reasonable prices.

Zen Cafe Bar, Strømgaten 26 (close to the city center, 200 meters from the bus station, +47 55 32 14 38. A fantastic place to eat. The prices are cheap, and the food and service are excellent. It is definitely worth trying at least once.

Hot Wok City, Vestre Torggaten 1, +47 55 21 85 88. M–Sa 12:00–23:00, Su 14:00–23:00. Good-quality Chinese food freshly cooked in the open kitchen. Service is fast, and the prices are low. This is a place with many regular customers, especially between 16:00 and 18:00. Courses from kr 86.

Kroathai, Nygårdsgaten 29, +47 55 32 58 50. M–Sa 11:00–22:00, Su 13:00–22:00. The Thai equivalent of Hot Wok, although with slightly smaller portions. Service is usually fast, and the staff is friendly. Can often be full, so take-out can be a good plan B. There is also a Kroa Thai restaurant with the same menu in Åsane senter, a few miles outside of the town center. Multiple options for vegetarians. Serves daily lunch for kr 105.

Pasta Sentral, Vestre Torggate 5-7, +47 55 96 00 37. M–Sa 11:00–23:00, Su 13:00–23:00. Cheap but decent pasta and pizza for students and budget travellers alike. Pasta Sentral has been an institution in Bergen since its opening in 1990. Provides a take-out service as well.

Pygmalion Økocafe, Nedre Korskirke Allmenning 4 (near the fishmarket and tourist information, +47 55 32 33 60. daily 09:00–23:00. Organic restaurant situated in the heart of Bergen. Featuring live concerts and art exhibitions. kr 70-170.

Thai Curry House, Nedre Korskirkeallmenningen 11, +47 55 31 11 99. Affordable thai restaurant. Interior decoration may look a little tacky, but don't let it put you off. The food is good and freshly prepared, however, service can be a little slow. The place is very small, yet quite popular so you may want to have a plan B before going here.

Zupperia, Nordahl Bruns gate 9, +47 55 55 81 14. Soups and salads – tasty, cheap and big portions. Tu–Sa 11:00–00:00, Su 12:00–22:00.

Søstrene Hagelin, Kong Oscars gate 2 A. Traditional fishfood, as well as creative such as fishburger with taco. Eat there or take home. Corner of Kong Oscars gate and Vetrlidsallmenningen.

Kafe Spesial, Christies gate 13. Value for money, particularly pizza. Wide selection of beer. Situated on the slope towards the university area so clientel is largely students. Basic service (order at the counter).

• Bocca Restaurant, Øvre Ole Bullsplass 3, +47 55 32 11 45. M Tu 11:00–22:00, W–Sa 11:00–23:00, Su 12:00–22:00. One of the most popular restaurants in Bergen, probably most due to its location. It has an exciting interior and decent food, but is a bit overpriced.
• Café Opera, Engen 18 (by the theater, +47 55 23 03 15. M Tu 10:00–00:30, W–F 10:00–03:30, Sa 11:00–03:30, Su 11:00–23:30. An institution on one of the best corners in Bergen. Great food for the money. This is a place with many regular customers. During the day they serve lunch and cakes. Early in the evening it is a place for dinner and beer. Late night is for dancing. Main courses are between kr 80-150.
• Ichiban, Håkonsgaten 17 (close to the university campus, +47 55 90 04 60. Fresh, tasty and fast sushi at the cheapest prices in town. Primarily take-away, but you can also eat in if you don't mind the complete lack of atmosphere.
• Kafé Kippers, Georgernes verft 12 (Kulturhuset USF, +47 55 30 40 80. M–Th Su 11:00–23:00, F Sa 11:00–00:00. The café serves a variety of meals, from sandwiches to dinners. The view is extraordinary. If you are lucky enough to catch a sunny day, you can observe a range of activities that happens in the bay. Indoors the café has a quiet atmosphere. There are large panorama windows facing the water giving you a romantic view even on rainy days. In connection with the restaurant, there is a changing art exhibition. Accessible with a wheelchair.
• La Bottega Italiana, Strandgaten 80, +47 55 31 81 10. Run by a Sicilian, La Bottega Italiana serves Sicilian-style pasta dishes, salads, a few main courses and Tiramisu for Dolce.
• Ma Ma-Thai, Kaigaten 20 (Close to the bus terminus, +47 55 31 38 70. Daily 14:00-23:00. Delicious Thai cuisine.
• Naboen Pub & Restaurant, Sigurds gate 4, +47 55 90 02 90. Open from 16:00 every day. An informal restaurant with two price ranges: You can get the best priced gourmet food in town, or you can go for the cheaper "Swedish" menu. Regardless of what you choose, the food is prepared from first class local ingredients, and you get to enjoy the freshly baked bread and white table cloths. One of the best restaurants in town. For dinnertime dining you need a reservation. If you don't have reservations, try the rather crowded pub downstairs - they serve the "Swedish" menu there too. Main courses from the Swedish menu are from kr 80-150, main courses from the gourmet menu are from kr 180-280.
• Pingvinen, Vaskerelven 14. A very nice, but usually crowded bar where you can also get a good portion of Norwegian food. Recommended by Time Magazine. Food available throughout opening hours. One of very few venues where genuine Norwegian homecooking – and large bowls of popcorn – are available. Nice prices on food and drink, main courses from kr 80-140.
• Yr Café & Restaurant, Marken 32, +47 97 63 62 37. From 12:00. A refreshing cafe/restaurant run by two young women, which is reflected in the interior and menu. Try out the fried Smil-chokolate with caramel icecream. Main courses range between kr 90-190.

Bocca Restaurant, Øvre Ole Bullsplass 3, +47 55 32 11 45. M Tu 11:00–22:00, W–Sa 11:00–23:00, Su 12:00–22:00. One of the most popular restaurants in Bergen, probably most due to its location. It has an exciting interior and decent food, but is a bit overpriced.

Café Opera, Engen 18 (by the theater, +47 55 23 03 15. M Tu 10:00–00:30, W–F 10:00–03:30, Sa 11:00–03:30, Su 11:00–23:30. An institution on one of the best corners in Bergen. Great food for the money. This is a place with many regular customers. During the day they serve lunch and cakes. Early in the evening it is a place for dinner and beer. Late night is for dancing. Main courses are between kr 80-150.

Ichiban, Håkonsgaten 17 (close to the university campus, +47 55 90 04 60. Fresh, tasty and fast sushi at the cheapest prices in town. Primarily take-away, but you can also eat in if you don't mind the complete lack of atmosphere.

Kafé Kippers, Georgernes verft 12 (Kulturhuset USF, +47 55 30 40 80. M–Th Su 11:00–23:00, F Sa 11:00–00:00. The café serves a variety of meals, from sandwiches to dinners. The view is extraordinary. If you are lucky enough to catch a sunny day, you can observe a range of activities that happens in the bay. Indoors the café has a quiet atmosphere. There are large panorama windows facing the water giving you a romantic view even on rainy days. In connection with the restaurant, there is a changing art exhibition. Accessible with a wheelchair.

La Bottega Italiana, Strandgaten 80, +47 55 31 81 10. Run by a Sicilian, La Bottega Italiana serves Sicilian-style pasta dishes, salads, a few main courses and Tiramisu for Dolce.

Ma Ma-Thai, Kaigaten 20 (Close to the bus terminus, +47 55 31 38 70. Daily 14:00-23:00. Delicious Thai cuisine.

Naboen Pub & Restaurant, Sigurds gate 4, +47 55 90 02 90. Open from 16:00 every day. An informal restaurant with two price ranges: You can get the best priced gourmet food in town, or you can go for the cheaper "Swedish" menu. Regardless of what you choose, the food is prepared from first class local ingredients, and you get to enjoy the freshly baked bread and white table cloths. One of the best restaurants in town. For dinnertime dining you need a reservation. If you don't have reservations, try the rather crowded pub downstairs - they serve the "Swedish" menu there too. Main courses from the Swedish menu are from kr 80-150, main courses from the gourmet menu are from kr 180-280.

Pingvinen, Vaskerelven 14. A very nice, but usually crowded bar where you can also get a good portion of Norwegian food. Recommended by Time Magazine. Food available throughout opening hours. One of very few venues where genuine Norwegian homecooking – and large bowls of popcorn – are available. Nice prices on food and drink, main courses from kr 80-140.

Yr Café & Restaurant, Marken 32, +47 97 63 62 37. From 12:00. A refreshing cafe/restaurant run by two young women, which is reflected in the interior and menu. Try out the fried Smil-chokolate with caramel icecream. Main courses range between kr 90-190.

• Bryggen Tracteursted, Bryggestredet 2 (in the middle of Bryggen, towards the rear side, +47 55 33 69 99. Bryggen Tracteursted offers a modern kitchen inspired by Hanseatic and local traditions, served in historic surroundings. A hidden treasure with its somewhat anonymous appearance. The restaurant can in principle fit up to about 200 guests, but the kitchen is very small, and expansion is not allowed by the cultural heritage authorities. This forces the restaurant to accept a relatively low number of patrons at a time – giving a peaceful atmosphere. A reservation is recommended. Main courses kr. 185–335.
• Søtt + Salt, Hotell Norge (At Torgallmenningen, +47 4000 3713. Bergen's latest and perhaps best (according to local newspaper BT) restaurant. Very ambitious but more reasonably priced than Colonialen and Cornelius. Located at Hotell Norge, Søtt+Salt leaves you with the option of 3-, 5- or 7-course meals. Reservations are recommended.
• Enhjørningen, Bryggen, +47 55 32 17 19. Daily 16:00-23:00. Bergen's most traditional – and expensive – fish restaurant. Located in a building restored to its 18th century appearance, Enhjørningen is well reputed for its excellent food, served in classical manners. A reservation is required. Ask for a window table if possible, as you will have a beautiful view of Bergen harbor. Main courses kr 280-385.
• Potetkjelleren, Kong Oscars gate 1A, +47 55 32 00 70. Partially situated in a medieval basement, Potetkjelleren offers gourmet food in very special surroundings. The place is often crowded and a reservation is required. Main courses kr 255–275.

Bryggen Tracteursted, Bryggestredet 2 (in the middle of Bryggen, towards the rear side, +47 55 33 69 99. Bryggen Tracteursted offers a modern kitchen inspired by Hanseatic and local traditions, served in historic surroundings. A hidden treasure with its somewhat anonymous appearance. The restaurant can in principle fit up to about 200 guests, but the kitchen is very small, and expansion is not allowed by the cultural heritage authorities. This forces the restaurant to accept a relatively low number of patrons at a time – giving a peaceful atmosphere. A reservation is recommended. Main courses kr. 185–335.

Søtt + Salt, Hotell Norge (At Torgallmenningen, +47 4000 3713. Bergen's latest and perhaps best (according to local newspaper BT) restaurant. Very ambitious but more reasonably priced than Colonialen and Cornelius. Located at Hotell Norge, Søtt+Salt leaves you with the option of 3-, 5- or 7-course meals. Reservations are recommended.

Enhjørningen, Bryggen, +47 55 32 17 19. Daily 16:00-23:00. Bergen's most traditional – and expensive – fish restaurant. Located in a building restored to its 18th century appearance, Enhjørningen is well reputed for its excellent food, served in classical manners. A reservation is required. Ask for a window table if possible, as you will have a beautiful view of Bergen harbor. Main courses kr 280-385.

Potetkjelleren, Kong Oscars gate 1A, +47 55 32 00 70. Partially situated in a medieval basement, Potetkjelleren offers gourmet food in very special surroundings. The place is often crowded and a reservation is required. Main courses kr 255–275.

There is a great variety of bars, night clubs, concert venues etc. in Bergen. Night clubs are usually open from 23:00, but life never starts before 01:00. Bars opens at different hours, some can be open all day. No places are allowed to serve alcohol after 03:00, and the consumption of alcoholic beverages must cease at 03:30 at the latest. Many places are required to close earlier. The establishments are only allowed to let people bring their drinks outside if they have been granted a special permit. A requirement to get this permit is that they have a confined space outdoors for their guests. All drinks must be indoors by 01:00. People go out all week, but Fridays and Saturdays are the best nights, Saturdays being the clear winner (most places will be a bit too crowded on Saturdays). Some clubs have a 2 for 1 policy on Wednesdays, and Sunday is usually the night for people in the industry.

Most places require that you are 20 years of age (look in the list for details) and that you can provide a valid ID, even if you are much older. Valid IDs are Norwegian bank cards, European standard driver's licenses and ID cards and passports. Drinking in public is illegal. Emptying a can in front of a police officer on a Saturday night will earn you a kr. 2500 fine. If you stroll through a park a bit outside the city center on a sunny day you will still see a lot of people having a beer or a glass of wine with the picnic. The police usually won't mind as long as everything passes in an orderly fashion.

Prices vary great from place to place, ask at the door if you need to know. In the weekends, there is usually a cover charge from kr 50 to kr 100 at night clubs.

Almost all night clubs and some bars have a dress code. The required attire varies; look in the list for more information (when the listing indicates "no dress code" normal, nice clothes are accepted). Supporter gear is generally not accepted even in sports pubs.

Remember that smoking in all indoor areas where people work is strictly prohibited by law in Norway. Most restaurants, bars, night clubs etc. will require you to leave if you try to smoke indoors.

Nightlife is largely concentrated in the central downtown (streets Vaskerelven, Engen, Torgallmenningen, Ole Bulls plass, Nygaardsgaten) and Bryggen area (streets Bryggen, Rosenkrantz gt, Vetrlidsallmenningen, kong Oscar gate).

• Calibar, Vaskerelven 1 (between the theatre and the university area. M-Th 15:00-01:00, F 15:00-03:00, Sa 12:00-03:00, Su 18:00-01:00. A fancy café during the day, a hot bar/night club at night. The place to be if you were young in the 1980s and make good money now. Dress code: Smart casual. Age limit is 24 years. Kr 59 for 0.4 litres draft beers.
• Feliz, Øvre Ole Bulls plass 3 (between the theatre and the blue stone. Th-Sa 22:00-03:00, Su 23:00-03:00. The place to be for a very pretentious night out. Bergen's most arrogant club scene features a bar, a club and a lounge. Full of people who want to show off their money & people pretending to be important. Dress code: Smart casual. Age limit is 24 years on Fridays and Saturdays, 20 years on Thursdays and Sundays.
• Landmark, Rasmus Meyers allé 5 (at Bergen Kunsthall by Lille Lungegårdsvann, +47 55 55 93 10. A cafe and club usually visited by the alternative crowd. Popular among art students. The stylish locale is almost cube-shaped, and often has video installations projected on one of the walls. Usually has DJs playing electronic music on weekends, although most punters tend not to arrive before around 01:00 on Saturdays. Only accessible with a wheelchair when assisted. No dress code.

Calibar, Vaskerelven 1 (between the theatre and the university area. M-Th 15:00-01:00, F 15:00-03:00, Sa 12:00-03:00, Su 18:00-01:00. A fancy café during the day, a hot bar/night club at night. The place to be if you were young in the 1980s and make good money now. Dress code: Smart casual. Age limit is 24 years. Kr 59 for 0.4 litres draft beers.

Feliz, Øvre Ole Bulls plass 3 (between the theatre and the blue stone. Th-Sa 22:00-03:00, Su 23:00-03:00. The place to be for a very pretentious night out. Bergen's most arrogant club scene features a bar, a club and a lounge. Full of people who want to show off their money & people pretending to be important. Dress code: Smart casual. Age limit is 24 years on Fridays and Saturdays, 20 years on Thursdays and Sundays.

Landmark, Rasmus Meyers allé 5 (at Bergen Kunsthall by Lille Lungegårdsvann, +47 55 55 93 10. A cafe and club usually visited by the alternative crowd. Popular among art students. The stylish locale is almost cube-shaped, and often has video installations projected on one of the walls. Usually has DJs playing electronic music on weekends, although most punters tend not to arrive before around 01:00 on Saturdays. Only accessible with a wheelchair when assisted. No dress code.

• Baran, Håkonsgaten. Small and nice pub with an excellent selection of reasonably priced beers, and a small selection of cheap food. A bit run-down, but rather cozy. Clientele between 20-35. The staff wants to appear very knowledgeable and might tell you which beers are similar to which (e.g., "Marston's Oyster Stout is similar to a Guinness and not at all watery"). Being sceptical to this advice will keep you from being disappointed.
• Biskopen, Neumannsgate. A nice pub that caters mostly to people between 25 and 40. Nice selection of beers. If it looks crowded, check the basement.
• Henrik Øl og Vinstove, Engen 10, +47 55900384. Su-F 16:00-00:30, Sa 14:00-00:30. A bar that possibly has the widest selection of beer in Bergen with over 40 beers on tap, and a large selection of bottled beer. It has a quiet, friendly atmosphere and the bartender is extremely knowledgeable and personable.
• Inside Rock Café, Vaskerelvsmuget 7 (close to the blue stone. M-Sa 15:30-03:00, Su 15:30-00:00. The place to be if you like metal. Cheap beer, long hair and rock. Excellent burgers. No dress code, but a band t-shirt is recommended. kr 50 for 0.5 litres draft beer at night.
• Logen Bar, Øvre Ole Bulls plass 6 (between the theatre and the blue stone. A bar where actors from the repertory theatre and intellectuals of every stripe meet over beer and drinks. There is a strict no-music policy, which leaves room for conversation. Frequently houses roaming exhibitions of visual art, often ones of astounding quality. Inaccessible with a wheelchair. No dress code.
• Pingvinen, Vaskerelven 14, +47 55 60 46 46. A very nice, but often crowded, bar where you can also get a good portion of Norwegian food. Recommended by Time Magazine. One of few places where genuine traditional Norwegian food is available. Nice prices both on food and drinks.
• Rick's, Veiten 3 (just by the theatre, +47 55 55 31 31. A large complex featuring among other things a scene, a disco, a bar and an Irish pub, most popular among people between 30 and 40 years. If you are a woman, expect sleazy guys in the disco. Age limit is 24 years in weekends.

Baran, Håkonsgaten. Small and nice pub with an excellent selection of reasonably priced beers, and a small selection of cheap food. A bit run-down, but rather cozy. Clientele between 20-35. The staff wants to appear very knowledgeable and might tell you which beers are similar to which (e.g., "Marston's Oyster Stout is similar to a Guinness and not at all watery"). Being sceptical to this advice will keep you from being disappointed.

Biskopen, Neumannsgate. A nice pub that caters mostly to people between 25 and 40. Nice selection of beers. If it looks crowded, check the basement.

Henrik Øl og Vinstove, Engen 10, +47 55900384. Su-F 16:00-00:30, Sa 14:00-00:30. A bar that possibly has the widest selection of beer in Bergen with over 40 beers on tap, and a large selection of bottled beer. It has a quiet, friendly atmosphere and the bartender is extremely knowledgeable and personable.

Inside Rock Café, Vaskerelvsmuget 7 (close to the blue stone. M-Sa 15:30-03:00, Su 15:30-00:00. The place to be if you like metal. Cheap beer, long hair and rock. Excellent burgers. No dress code, but a band t-shirt is recommended. kr 50 for 0.5 litres draft beer at night.

Logen Bar, Øvre Ole Bulls plass 6 (between the theatre and the blue stone. A bar where actors from the repertory theatre and intellectuals of every stripe meet over beer and drinks. There is a strict no-music policy, which leaves room for conversation. Frequently houses roaming exhibitions of visual art, often ones of astounding quality. Inaccessible with a wheelchair. No dress code.

Pingvinen, Vaskerelven 14, +47 55 60 46 46. A very nice, but often crowded, bar where you can also get a good portion of Norwegian food. Recommended by Time Magazine. One of few places where genuine traditional Norwegian food is available. Nice prices both on food and drinks.

Rick's, Veiten 3 (just by the theatre, +47 55 55 31 31. A large complex featuring among other things a scene, a disco, a bar and an Irish pub, most popular among people between 30 and 40 years. If you are a woman, expect sleazy guys in the disco. Age limit is 24 years in weekends.

• Baklommen. Bryggen (Enhjørningsgården). Probably Bergen's smallest bar. A place to sit down and relax with a coffee or a drink. Only accessible with a wheelchair when assisted. Age limit is 23 years. No dress code.
• Una, Bryggen 7, +47 919 00 923. A bar with a large variety of beers, which change all the time.
• Bar Barista, Øvregaten 12 (two small blocks behind Bryggen. Midnight or later. Laid back and weird bar/cafe. Good coffee and selection of beers. Good choice of retro music. Quiet back yard for smokers.

Baklommen. Bryggen (Enhjørningsgården). Probably Bergen's smallest bar. A place to sit down and relax with a coffee or a drink. Only accessible with a wheelchair when assisted. Age limit is 23 years. No dress code.

Una, Bryggen 7, +47 919 00 923. A bar with a large variety of beers, which change all the time.

Bar Barista, Øvregaten 12 (two small blocks behind Bryggen. Midnight or later. Laid back and weird bar/cafe. Good coffee and selection of beers. Good choice of retro music. Quiet back yard for smokers.

• USF Verftet, Georgernes verft 12 (Nøstet). Formerly a sardine factory, USF Verftet is a very large venue with different stages for concerts, theatre and dance. Intimate jazz concerts every Friday except around Christmas and in the summer. Home of the Nattjazz jazz festival. Kafé Kippers is a café with a beautiful view of Puddefjorden. The best place for a beer outdoors in the summer, but also family friendly. The café is open every day. Check the program on the venue's website or in the local newspaper Bergens Tidende (BT) for events. Student discount on beer and wine. The café and the two largest stages are accessible with a wheelchair. Access to the remaining stages is possible with assistance. Age limit is 18 years. No dress code.
• Altona Vinbar, +47 55 30 40 00. C. Sundts gate 22 (Entrance through Hotel Augustin or from Gågaten). The only bar/restaurant in Bergen with Wine Spectators Best of Award of Excellence. Excellent selection of wines, nice atmosphere.
• Trikken 106, Nøstegaten 45B. Cozy, small pub and bar with a tramway theme. Nice selection of not too expensive beers and good cocktails. Also seating outside, with a view over the harbour and fjord. Classic rock, metal and postpunk will be played all the time, but never loud. Trikken 106 is a popular meeting place for people living in the neighbourhood. Expect some quizzes and a lot of talking. A place for tourists to meet the locals.

USF Verftet, Georgernes verft 12 (Nøstet). Formerly a sardine factory, USF Verftet is a very large venue with different stages for concerts, theatre and dance. Intimate jazz concerts every Friday except around Christmas and in the summer. Home of the Nattjazz jazz festival. Kafé Kippers is a café with a beautiful view of Puddefjorden. The best place for a beer outdoors in the summer, but also family friendly. The café is open every day. Check the program on the venue's website or in the local newspaper Bergens Tidende (BT) for events. Student discount on beer and wine. The café and the two largest stages are accessible with a wheelchair. Access to the remaining stages is possible with assistance. Age limit is 18 years. No dress code.

Altona Vinbar, +47 55 30 40 00. C. Sundts gate 22 (Entrance through Hotel Augustin or from Gågaten). The only bar/restaurant in Bergen with Wine Spectators Best of Award of Excellence. Excellent selection of wines, nice atmosphere.

Trikken 106, Nøstegaten 45B. Cozy, small pub and bar with a tramway theme. Nice selection of not too expensive beers and good cocktails. Also seating outside, with a view over the harbour and fjord. Classic rock, metal and postpunk will be played all the time, but never loud. Trikken 106 is a popular meeting place for people living in the neighbourhood. Expect some quizzes and a lot of talking. A place for tourists to meet the locals.

• Det Akademiske Kvarter, Olav Kyrres gate 49. The student culture house recently re-opened after a long period of renovation and expansion. It is one of the largest venues in Bergen with two large stages and one smaller, a pub, a café and a few other bars. Often popular club concepts and concerts in the week-ends. A very popular place among most people in the 20s. Age limit is 20 years unless you have valid student ID, in which case the age limit is 18 years. No cover charge (except Saturdays after 21:00, kr 50, and for special events) or dress code. Completely accessible with a wheelchair. Student discount on drinks and generally low prices.
• Fincken. Nygårdsgaten 2 A. W-Th 19:00-01:30, F-Su 19:00-02:30. Traditionally the center of gay nightlife in Bergen, these days Fincken is a mixed crowd with plenty of straight men. No dress code.
• Fotballpuben. Vestre Torggaten 9. Live football from every corner of the globe, except Trondheim, as locals have a rather difficult relationship with the city. Nightlife starts at 23:00 and people usually get very drunk by the end of the night. Expect a fight and expect the bouncers to go hard on anyone involved. Age limit is 18 years. Inaccessible with a wheelchair. No dress code.
• h-bar. Allégaten. Fridays 19:00-01:00. A small bar run by physics students, situated in the bomb shelter of the University's Department of Physics and Technology. Also a popular place for the math-student neighbors of the department, if particle physics and algebraic geometry is your idea of a fun discussion on a night out, this should be right up your alley. No dress code.
• Hulen. Olaf Ryes vei 48. Th-Sa 21:00-03:00 (closed during summer). Established in 1969, Hulen is the oldest running rock club in Northern Europe. Hulen can be tricky to find, but with its unique atmosphere it is well worth a visit. The somewhat concealed location is a good buffer against the hords of drunk morons that frequent more central bars. Hulen is situated in a cave (an old bomb shelter), and is run by students with two bars and a stage. Good concerts (Fridays), cheap drinks and the best rock disco in town (Saturdays). Beer costs kr 36 before 23:00 and kr 44 after. The turnout varies greatly. No dress code.
• Legal, Christies gate 11. A small and very popular 50s style drinking den with brilliant music and ambiance. No dress code.

Det Akademiske Kvarter, Olav Kyrres gate 49. The student culture house recently re-opened after a long period of renovation and expansion. It is one of the largest venues in Bergen with two large stages and one smaller, a pub, a café and a few other bars. Often popular club concepts and concerts in the week-ends. A very popular place among most people in the 20s. Age limit is 20 years unless you have valid student ID, in which case the age limit is 18 years. No cover charge (except Saturdays after 21:00, kr 50, and for special events) or dress code. Completely accessible with a wheelchair. Student discount on drinks and generally low prices.

Fincken. Nygårdsgaten 2 A. W-Th 19:00-01:30, F-Su 19:00-02:30. Traditionally the center of gay nightlife in Bergen, these days Fincken is a mixed crowd with plenty of straight men. No dress code.

Fotballpuben. Vestre Torggaten 9. Live football from every corner of the globe, except [[Trondheim]], as locals have a rather difficult relationship with the city. Nightlife starts at 23:00 and people usually get very drunk by the end of the night. Expect a fight and expect the bouncers to go hard on anyone involved. Age limit is 18 years. Inaccessible with a wheelchair. No dress code.

h-bar. Allégaten. Fridays 19:00-01:00. A small bar run by physics students, situated in the bomb shelter of the University's Department of Physics and Technology. Also a popular place for the math-student neighbors of the department, if particle physics and algebraic geometry is your idea of a fun discussion on a night out, this should be right up your alley. No dress code.

Hulen. Olaf Ryes vei 48. Th-Sa 21:00-03:00 (closed during summer). Established in 1969, Hulen is the oldest running rock club in Northern Europe. Hulen can be tricky to find, but with its unique atmosphere it is well worth a visit. The somewhat concealed location is a good buffer against the hords of drunk morons that frequent more central bars. Hulen is situated in a cave (an old bomb shelter), and is run by students with two bars and a stage. Good concerts (Fridays), cheap drinks and the best rock disco in town (Saturdays). Beer costs kr 36 before 23:00 and kr 44 after. The turnout varies greatly. No dress code.

Legal, Christies gate 11. A small and very popular 50s style drinking den with brilliant music and ambiance. No dress code.

• Bien bar, Fjøsangerveien 30 (Danmarksplass, take the light rail (the bar will refund your ticket) or walk for 15 minutes from the city center, +47 55 59 11 00. M–Th 11:00–01:30, F 11:00-02:30, Sa 12:00-02:30, Su 12:00–01:30. This great neighborhood pub used to be a pharmacy. Wooden drawers with labels for bandages and hemorrhoidal cream still line the walls, as the art deco interior is protected by the local cultural heritage authority. Bien has a friendly staff and a good atmosphere. In addition to classic drinks you can also get very good food both for lunch and dinner here. Try "Bien spesial", sausages from a local slaughterhouse served with lentils. Quiz every Wednesday at 20:30 and regular jazz concerts with free entrance. No dress code, accessible with a wheelchair. kr 54 for 0.4 litres draft beer, kr 86 for most cocktails, lunch from around kr 100.

Bien bar, Fjøsangerveien 30 (Danmarksplass, take the light rail (the bar will refund your ticket) or walk for 15 minutes from the city center, +47 55 59 11 00. M–Th 11:00–01:30, F 11:00-02:30, Sa 12:00-02:30, Su 12:00–01:30. This great neighborhood pub used to be a pharmacy. Wooden drawers with labels for bandages and hemorrhoidal cream still line the walls, as the art deco interior is protected by the local cultural heritage authority. Bien has a friendly staff and a good atmosphere. In addition to classic drinks you can also get very good food both for lunch and dinner here. Try "Bien spesial", sausages from a local slaughterhouse served with lentils. Quiz every Wednesday at 20:30 and regular jazz concerts with free entrance. No dress code, accessible with a wheelchair. kr 54 for 0.4 litres draft beer, kr 86 for most cocktails, lunch from around kr 100.

Bergen has, as the rest of Norway, a generally low crime rate. The most likely crimes for tourists to experience is car break-ins and bicycle theft. Pickpockets do also tend to be an increasing problem in the summer season, but it's still nothing like in larger cities in Europe. It is always a good idea to look after your belongings, this includes never leaving valuable objects visible in your car and locking your bike safely.

There are no particularly unsafe areas in Bergen. The upper part of Nygårdsparken used to be the hang-out place for drug addicts. The lower part of Nygårdsparken is a beautiful place popular among the locals. To make the whole park family friendly the upper part was closed down and renovated for two years forcing the drug addicts to disperse. As a consequence they are now spread across the city. The drug addicts are usually completely harmless, but nevertheless not fun to be around.

Buying sex is illegal in Norway.

People party hard on Friday and Saturday night, and hoards of drunk people will appear in the central areas from around midnight, singing, carousing, and just hanging around. Some foreigners may perceive this as threatening, but they are mostly harmless, even all-male groups chanting football songs. If approached, just smile and stay friendly, but uneasy visitors should avoid groups of drunk young after midnight. Summer evenings has daylight until 23:00 or 24:00, adding to the safety for visitors.

There is an emergency and accident ward at Solheimsgaten 9. The ward is open all day all week, and provides examination and treatment in case of accidents and acute diseases. The ward is located together with a life crisis assistance center, a psychiatric emergency ward, a reception center for rape victims and a dental emergency ward. All services may be reached at . If you should be in need of immediate medical assistance, do however call 113.

The police station downtown is in Allehelgens gate 6, across the street from the old town hall.

• Police, 112.
• Fire, 110.
• Emergency Medical Services (Ambulance), 113.
  • If you are unsure which emergency number to call, is the central for all such rescue services and will put you in contact with the correct department.
  • The hearing impaired using a text telephone can reach the emergency services by dialing .
• non-emergencies police, 02800 (in country only), +47 55 55 63 00 (Hordaland Police District).
• Roadside assistance is provided by Falck and Viking (phone|06000}} (in country only)). AAA members may call NAF .

Police, 112.

Fire, 110.

Emergency Medical Services (Ambulance), 113.

• If you are unsure which emergency number to call, is the central for all such rescue services and will put you in contact with the correct department.
• The hearing impaired using a text telephone can reach the emergency services by dialing .

non-emergencies police, 02800 (in country only), +47 55 55 63 00 (Hordaland Police District).

In acute illness or if accident occurs contact:

• Emergency Medical Services, 113 (Emergencies only).
• Bergen legevakt, Solheimsgaten 9, +47 55 56 87 00, 116 117 (in country only). For minor injuries and illness (emergency room/physician seeing patients without appointment). There are many pharmacies (apotek) in Bergen, that are selling medications and can give you advice on the treatment of injury and disease.
• Vitusapotek Nordstjernen Bergen, Bergen Storsenter, Strømgt. 8. Has extended opening hours.

Emergency Medical Services, 113 (Emergencies only).

Bergen legevakt, Solheimsgaten 9, +47 55 56 87 00, 116 117 (in country only). For minor injuries and illness (emergency room/physician seeing patients without appointment).

Vitusapotek Nordstjernen Bergen, Bergen Storsenter, Strømgt. 8. Has extended opening hours.

As in the rest of Norway, it is customary to take your shoes off when entering a home. This in particular done as a practical matter, due to the wet weather (slush and salt in winter).

People from Bergen have a reputation for being more loud and direct than many other parts of Norway. Locals are perhaps the most patriotic in Norway.

Getting around by foot is easy, and free maps are available everywhere. If you need a better map, you should buy one of the local newspapers' (Bergens Tidende) maps. Maps are sold from the paper's reception in Krinkelkroken 1, close to the blue stone, and in various bookstores. The city map costs kr 50.

VISA and MasterCard are normally accepted in any restaurant, taxi and store, except grocery stores, some kiosks and McDonald's. Many places, American Express, JCB and Diners Club are also accepted. ATMs accept all major credit and debit cards and are available in English language. The currency is Norwegian kroner (crowns), but euros may also be accepted at some tourist destinations (you should, however, avoid paying in euros as the exchange rates may be stiff). Currency exchange is available in all banks. Exchange is usually associated with an incredible fee, so you should use your credit card or withdraw cash from an ATM unless you have a good reason not to. You will also find that most shops don't handle change manually. A grey machine by the till accepts your change in the top (and counts it for the shop assistant) and provides your change in a hopper at the bottom. Don't feed a large number of coins in at once: put them in one at a time or the machine may jam.

The regular opening hours for grocery stores are 08:00-21:00 on weekdays. Some stores open earlier and close later. Other shops usually have shorter hours, except those in the shopping centers. Almost all shops, including grocery stores, close earlier on Saturdays and are closed on Sundays and public holidays. Kiosks such as Narvesen, 7-Eleven and Deli de Luca, as well as many petrol stations, are open. These do however often have very high prices for normal grocery items.

Some smaller grocery stores are open on Sundays and public holidays, including Bunnpris at Nedre Korskirkeallmenningen (by the Bergen YMCA and the Church of the Cross) and Rimi at Nygårdsgaten 6.

The city's main post office is conveniently located in the Xhibition shopping center, on the 1st floor. Some grocery stores offers limited postal services, and stamps are available from most book stores and kiosks. Post boxes are either red or yellow and are located all over town. Yellow boxes are only for local mail, if unsure use the red box. All post boxes, post offices and grocery stores offering postal services are marked with the emblem of the Norwegian postal service, a stylized red or silver horn, and the word "Posten". For more information on the postal service and to locate post offices and post boxes, see the web site of Norway Post.

The local tap water is fresh, tasty and rich in minerals from the surrounding mountains, and safe to drink.

Public toilets are available for a small fee at shopping centres and at Torget and Bryggen.

Countries with consulates in Bergen are listed below in the consulates section; however, most are only honorary consulates, so their services are limited. You may wish to visit your country's embassy in the Norwegian capital, Oslo.

Area codes are no longer in use in Norwegian phone numbers. Phone numbers are normally eight digits, some special numbers may be three, four or five digits. In any case you should always dial all of the digits to make a call. The country code of Norway is +47. If you are calling abroad from a land line, dial 00 before your country code and phone number.

Cellular phone coverage is very good throughout the city. Three different networks are available, Telenor, NetCom and Network Norway. Check with your local operator to find out which one is the cheaper for you. The difference is usually not big. Norway, like most of Europe, uses GSM 900 and 1800, which means that some cell phones from USA, Canada and countries in Asia will not work. For those in need of mobile data lines, both HSDPA/3G/UMTS, EDGE and GPRS coverage is good on all networks.

There are no telephone centers in the city, and only a very few phone booths. Most hotels have phones in every room, but international calls from these phones are usually very expensive. There are some calling cards available, this is probably the cheapest way to phone home.

Many cafes and restaurants have free Wi-Fi for their patrons. Free Wi-Fi is also available at Bergen Public Library, Strømgaten 6 (by the bus station). Most large hotels do also have wireless Internet access, however access at a hotel may be pricy.

If you are a registered user at an eduroam participating institution, you can connect to a high-speed secure Wi-Fi network on the university campus on Nygårdshøyden, and in other buildings used by the university, the Bergen University College, the Norwegian School of Business and Economics, and the Bergen National Academy of the Arts. For information on how to connect, see UNINETTs website.

There are internet cafes around town. At Bergen Public Library, you may also use a computer with high-speed internet access for free. There is a reservation system, ask at the circulation desk.

• Bergen Bahá'í Center, Sydnessmuget 6, +47 930 00 159 (after 5PM).
• Bergen center of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism, +47 971 11 302. Meditation hours every Wednesday from 19:00.
• Bergen Hindu Sabha, Storetveitveien 5, +47 55 28 22 45.
• Bergen Mosque, Nøstegaten 43, +47 55 23 37 10.

• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway (state church). Services in Norwegian in most churches every Sunday at 11:00. During the study year the student congregation has short services in Johanneskirken (on the university campus at Nygårdshøyden) every Wednesday at 11:30 and in Domkirken every Sunday at 19:00.
• St. Paul's church (Catholic church), Nygårdsgaten 3, +47 55 21 59 50. Religious services every day of the week. Services are in Norwegian, English, Vietnamese, Tamil, Spanish, Filipino, Polish or Latin.
• Engensenteret chapel (Anglican church), Baneveien 1.
• The Baptist Church, Vilhelm Bjerknes vei 16. Services every Sunday at 11:00.
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Åsbakken 14, +47 55 91 05 10.
• Jehovah's Witnesses, Slåtthaugveien 19/21, +47 55 13 02 18. English speaking congregation.

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway (state church). Services in Norwegian in most churches every Sunday at 11:00. During the study year the student congregation has short services in Johanneskirken (on the university campus at Nygårdshøyden) every Wednesday at 11:30 and in Domkirken every Sunday at 19:00.

St. Paul's church (Catholic church), Nygårdsgaten 3, +47 55 21 59 50. Religious services every day of the week. Services are in Norwegian, English, Vietnamese, Tamil, Spanish, Filipino, Polish or Latin.

Engensenteret chapel (Anglican church), Baneveien 1.

The Baptist Church, Vilhelm Bjerknes vei 16. Services every Sunday at 11:00.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Åsbakken 14, +47 55 91 05 10.

Jehovah's Witnesses, Slåtthaugveien 19/21, +47 55 13 02 18. English speaking congregation.

Bergen Bahá'í Center, Sydnessmuget 6, +47 930 00 159 (after 5PM).

Bergen center of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism, +47 971 11 302. Meditation hours every Wednesday from 19:00.

Bergen Hindu Sabha, Storetveitveien 5, +47 55 28 22 45.

Bergen Mosque, Nøstegaten 43, +47 55 23 37 10.

• Canada Canada, P.O. Box 2439 Solheimsviken, +47 55 29 71 30.
• Greece Greece, Henschien Insurance Services Ltd AS, Ole Landmarksvei 14, +47 55 38 98 00.
• India India, Fortunen 7, +47 913 25 880, +47 55 54 48 29.

Canada Canada, P.O. Box 2439 Solheimsviken, +47 55 29 71 30.

Greece Greece, Henschien Insurance Services Ltd AS, Ole Landmarksvei 14, +47 55 38 98 00.

India India, Fortunen 7, +47 913 25 880, +47 55 54 48 29.

• Havråtunet. 18 May-31 Aug: M-Sa 12:00-16:00, Su 11:00-17:00. Sep: Su 12:00-16:00. A farmstead on a steep slope on the island of Osterøy overlooking a fjord. This Norwegian version of a village consists of 36 buildings bundled together with steep fields and plots around it. During the 20th century 60 people lived there and to this day all the work is done without modern equipment like machines.
• Hellesøy in Øygarden is an island located almost in the North Sea about 1–1½ hours of driving from Bergen. Enjoy the beautiful, harsh nature, go for a hike and rent a fishing rod. Eat your lunch in open air or at the local cafeteria. Boat trips and extreme sports events can be organized, and if you care to stay for a while, you can rent a room, apartment or a sea house. Activities and lodging is provided by Destination Hellesøy.
• Kvamskogen is a popular target for day trips in the winter season, especially among locals. Kvamskogen is a ski eldorado situated between 400 and 1300 m above sea level in the Kvam municipality. Alpine slopes are served by several ski lifts, and endless possibilities for those who favor cross country skiing. Professional ski instructors are available at a fair costfor non-skiers, 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.

• Lysøen, +47 56 30 90 77. 18 May-31 August: M-Sa 12:00–16:00. Su 11:00-27:00 September: Sundays only 12:00-16:00. This island belonged to Ole Bull, a famous musician. He bought the island in 1872 and drew the original drawings for the special house he built himself. The island is a great place to go for walks, as well as seeing the extraordinary house, as there are many great paths to walk along. You can attend guided tours at every hour, starting 15 minutes after opening time. To get to the island you must take the ferry from Buena quay. The ferry departs Buena every day at noon, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00, Sundays also 11:00 and 16:00. It departs Lysøen at 13:30, 14:30, 15:30 and 16:30, Sundays also 12:30 and 17:30. Tickets cost kr 50 for adults and kr 30 for children (free with the Bergen card). The boat has more departures if necessary. Large groups should book in advance. There is a café and museum shop at the island. adults kr 30, children kr 10 – free admission with the Bergen card.
• Os borders Bergen to the south. While the south-eastern part of Os municipality is mainly made up of typical Nordic suburb-style settlements and a quiet urban center, the western part consists of a beautiful and popular coastal area with many small islands with cabins.
• The North Sea Traffic Museum, Telavåg, Sund municipality (Sotra. This museum to the west of Bergen commemorate the Norwegians that fled to Shetland and Great Britain during World War II and the Telavåg tragedy (1942) when the entire village was destroyed and the people were forced to move and most the men were sent to Sachsenhausen concentration camp in Germany.

Havråtunet. 18 May-31 Aug: M-Sa 12:00-16:00, Su 11:00-17:00. Sep: Su 12:00-16:00. A farmstead on a steep slope on the island of [[Osterøy]] overlooking a fjord. This Norwegian version of a village consists of 36 buildings bundled together with steep fields and plots around it. During the 20th century 60 people lived there and to this day all the work is done without modern equipment like machines.

Hellesøy in [[Øygarden]] is an island located almost in the North Sea about 1–1½ hours of driving from Bergen. Enjoy the beautiful, harsh nature, go for a hike and rent a fishing rod. Eat your lunch in open air or at the local cafeteria. Boat trips and extreme sports events can be organized, and if you care to stay for a while, you can rent a room, apartment or a sea house. Activities and lodging is provided by Destination Hellesøy.

Kvamskogen is a popular target for day trips in the winter season, especially among locals. [[Kvamskogen]] is a ski eldorado situated between 400 and 1300 m above sea level in the Kvam municipality. Alpine slopes are served by several ski lifts, and endless possibilities for those who favor cross country skiing. Professional ski instructors are available at a fair costfor non-skiers, 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.

Lysøen, +47 56 30 90 77. 18 May-31 August: M-Sa 12:00–16:00. Su 11:00-27:00 September: Sundays only 12:00-16:00. This island belonged to Ole Bull, a famous musician. He bought the island in 1872 and drew the original drawings for the special house he built himself. The island is a great place to go for walks, as well as seeing the extraordinary house, as there are many great paths to walk along. You can attend guided tours at every hour, starting 15 minutes after opening time. To get to the island you must take the ferry from Buena quay. The ferry departs Buena every day at noon, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00, Sundays also 11:00 and 16:00. It departs Lysøen at 13:30, 14:30, 15:30 and 16:30, Sundays also 12:30 and 17:30. Tickets cost kr 50 for adults and kr 30 for children (free with the Bergen card). The boat has more departures if necessary. Large groups should book in advance. There is a café and museum shop at the island. adults kr 30, children kr 10 – free admission with the Bergen card.

Os borders Bergen to the south. While the south-eastern part of [[Os i Hordaland|Os]] municipality is mainly made up of typical Nordic suburb-style settlements and a quiet urban center, the western part consists of a beautiful and popular coastal area with many small islands with cabins.

The North Sea Traffic Museum, Telavåg, Sund municipality (Sotra. This museum to the west of Bergen commemorate the Norwegians that fled to [[Shetland]] and [[Great Britain]] during World War II and the Telavåg tragedy (1942) when the entire village was destroyed and the people were forced to move and most the men were sent to [[Oranienburg|Sachsenhausen]] concentration camp in [[Germany]].

• Sognefjord with Flåm. The largest fjord in Norway and Europe can be visited by car, bus, boat or train from Bergen. The Nutshell includes a brief visit to one branch of Sognefjord.
• Norway in a Nutshell, +47 815 68 222. Roundtrip Bergen - Myrdal - Flåm - Gudvangen - Stalheim - Voss - Bergen by train, boat and coach. The tour takes you through some of the most beautiful fjord scenery in Norway. It takes one day, but it is possible to spend more time if you wish. Tickets cost kr 895.
• Voss is a village to the east of Bergen 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. For the little less adventurous Voss is also a great place for hiking and skiing, both cross-country and alpine. One of Norway's largest jazz festivals, Vossa Jazz, is held here in March. Travel to Voss by train (about 1 hr 15 min) or take the E16 road by car.
• Hardanger. Romantic Hardanger with the grand fjord and glaciers. Can be visited by car, bus, or boat from Bergen. Included en route towards Stavanger, Oslo or Kristiansand.
• Stavanger. Bergen′s smaller brother to the south.
• Ålesund. Bergen′s smaller brother to the north.
• Oslo, farther away, but connected via a magnificent and comfortable train line (a ride of about 6½-7½ hr depending on the connection).

Sognefjord with Flåm. The largest fjord in Norway and Europe can be visited by car, bus, boat or train from Bergen. The Nutshell includes a brief visit to one branch of Sognefjord.

Norway in a Nutshell, +47 815 68 222. Roundtrip Bergen - [[Myrdal]] - [[Flåm]] - [[Gudvangen]] - [[Stalheim]] - [[Voss]] - Bergen by train, boat and coach. The tour takes you through some of the most beautiful fjord scenery in Norway. It takes one day, but it is possible to spend more time if you wish. Tickets cost kr 895.

[[Voss]] is a village to the east of Bergen 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. For the little less adventurous Voss is also a great place for hiking and skiing, both cross-country and alpine. One of Norway's largest jazz festivals, Vossa Jazz, is held here in March. Travel to Voss by train (about 1 hr 15 min) or take the E16 road by car.

Hardanger. Romantic Hardanger with the grand fjord and glaciers. Can be visited by car, bus, or boat from Bergen. Included en route towards Stavanger, Oslo or Kristiansand.

Stavanger. Bergen′s smaller brother to the south.

Ålesund. Bergen′s smaller brother to the north.